# Planetary Pinball Filed Trademarks for Big Bang Bar at the End of 2022 **Source:** Knapp Arcade **Type:** article **Published:** 2023-02-02 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.knapparcade.org/planetary-pinball-filed-trademarks-for-big-bang-bar-at-the-end-of-2022 --- ## Analysis Planetary Pinball filed trademarks for "Big Bang Bar" and "Big Bang" in late 2022, suggesting they hold rights to the rare Capcom pinball machine and are planning a remake. The article speculates on potential manufacturer friction with Chicago Gaming Company and suggests Dutch Pinball or new entrants as possible manufacturers, though concrete details remain unconfirmed. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Planetary Pinball filed for trademark protection for 'Big Bang Bar' and 'Big Bang' in November and December 2022 with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office — _Direct statement from Knapp Arcade citing trademark filings_ - [MEDIUM] Planetary Pinball holds the license/rights to Big Bang Bar pinball machine — _Article author infers from trademark filing that Planetary Pinball 'believes they do' have rights, responding to community skepticism_ - [LOW] Big Bang Bar is being remade by an unexpected/unnamed manufacturer — _Rumor from January 18th article; author states 'some have hinted to me' Dutch Pinball might be responsible, but explicitly says 'I have no idea if that's true'_ - [LOW] There may be friction between Planetary Pinball and Chicago Gaming Company over Cactus Canyon production delays — _Author speculation: 'there definitely seems to have been some friction' based on production timeline, acknowledged as conjecture_ - [MEDIUM] Chicago Gaming Company is occupied with Cactus Canyon and Pulp Fiction production — _Author states as fact that 'CGC seems to have its hands full with Cactus Canyon and Pulp Fiction pinball at the moment'_ ### Notable Quotes > "After I posted that, some people reached out to me stating that Planetary Pinball never had the rights to the game, but this Trademark news clearly makes it look like they believe they do." > — **Knapp Arcade author** > _Acknowledges community skepticism about Planetary Pinball's rights; trademark filing used as evidence of ownership claim_ > "Could this friction lead to Planetary Turning to another manufacturer to produce a run of Big Bang Bars? Time will tell, but it wouldn't surprise me." > — **Knapp Arcade author** > _Author explicitly acknowledges speculation about manufacturer relationship tensions_ > "Some have hinted to me that it might be Dutch Pinball's second game. I have no idea if that's true." > — **Knapp Arcade author** > _Identifies Dutch Pinball as rumored manufacturer while explicitly disclaiming knowledge; demonstrates low confidence in claim_ > "There's definitely some smoke here. Will there be fire?" > — **Knapp Arcade author** > _Closing rhetorical observation framing the collection of unconfirmed details as suggestive but unproven_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Planetary Pinball | company | License holder of Bally/Williams pinball machines; filed trademarks for Big Bang Bar in Nov-Dec 2022; holds rights to remake rare Capcom title | | Big Bang Bar | game | Rare Capcom pinball machine from 1999 (part of Pinball 2000 series); subject of remake plans; trademarks filed by Planetary Pinball | | Chicago Gaming Company | company | Pinball manufacturer; speculated potential friction with Planetary Pinball over Cactus Canyon delays; currently occupied with Cactus Canyon and Pulp Fiction production | | Dutch Pinball | company | Boutique pinball manufacturer; rumored (with low confidence) by community members as potential manufacturer of Big Bang Bar remake; possibly their second game | | Capcom | company | Original designer/manufacturer of Big Bang Bar pinball machine (1999) | | Bally/Williams | company | Historic pinball manufacturers whose IP is licensed by Planetary Pinball (though Big Bang Bar is Capcom IP, not Bally/Williams) | | Knapp Arcade | organization | Author/source of this article and previous Big Bang Bar remake rumor reporting (January 18) | | Pedretti Gaming | company | Mentioned in context of being a potential new manufacturer entering pinball industry | ### Topics - **Primary:** Big Bang Bar remake licensing and manufacturing, Planetary Pinball trademark filings and IP rights - **Secondary:** Manufacturer friction or delays (Cactus Canyon), Dutch Pinball second game speculation, New manufacturers entering pinball market ### Sentiment **Neutral** (0) — Author maintains investigative tone, clearly distinguishing between confirmed trademark facts and unverified rumors; uses cautious language ('seems,' 'might,' 'I have no idea if that's true') when speculating; neither optimistic nor pessimistic about outcome ### Signals - **[business_signal]** Potential friction between Planetary Pinball and Chicago Gaming Company over extended Cactus Canyon production timeline may be driving manufacturer search for Big Bang Bar remake (confidence: low) — Author speculates: 'there definitely seems to have been some friction between Planetary Pinball and Chicago Gaming Company (CGC) over how long it has taken to produce the Cactus Canyon Remake machines' - **[licensing_signal]** Planetary Pinball filed U.S. trademark for Big Bang Bar and Big Bang in Nov-Dec 2022, indicating intent to produce/license Big Bang Bar remake (confidence: high) — Trademark filing dates November-December 2022 with USPTO; author confirms this ties to previous remake rumors - **[market_signal]** New manufacturers reportedly entering pinball manufacturing scene, potentially positioning for Big Bang Bar or other classic remake opportunities (confidence: low) — Author notes: 'There has been other rumblings about new players entering the pinball manufacturing scene, so maybe one of them?' - **[rumor_hype]** Community members hint that Dutch Pinball's second game title may be Big Bang Bar remake (confidence: low) — Author states: 'Some have hinted to me that it might be Dutch Pinball's second game. I have no idea if that's true.' --- ## Transcript In late 2022, specifically November and December, Planetary Pinball - the license holder of Bally / Williams pinball machines, filed for Trademark protection for the phrases "Big Bang Bar" and "Big Bang" with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. This new news, ties in very nicely with my January 18th post that I wrote here on Knapp Arcade about how Capcom's rare pinball machine Big Bang Bar is being remade. After I posted that, some people reached out to me stating that Planetary Pinball never had the rights to the game, but this Trademark news clearly makes it look like they believe they do. The second part of the rumor that I reported was that Big Bang Bar was going to be manufactured by an unexpected company. From an outsider's perspective, there definitely seems to have been some friction between Planetary Pinball and Chicago Gaming Company (CGC) over how long it has taken to produce the Cactus Canyon Remake machines. Could this friction lead to Planetary turning to another manufacturer to produce a run of Big Bang Bars? Time will tell, but it wouldn't surprise me. Even if there isn't any friction between the two companies, CGC seems to have its hands full with Cactus Canyon and Pulp Fiction pinball at the moment. The question is, if Big Bang Bar is being remade and it's not by CGC, then who? Some have hinted to me that it might be Dutch Pinball's second game. I have no idea if that's true. There has been other rumblings about new players entering the pinball manufacturing scene, so maybe one of them? There's definitely some smoke here. Will there be fire? Here's a link to my previous article on this subject for anyone who's interested: RUMOR: Unexpected Company to Remake One of the World's Rarest Pinball Machines This Spring https://www.knapparcade.org/post/rumor-unexpected-company-to-remake-one-of-the-world-s-rarest-pinball-machines-this-spring _(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: e8844515-533b-4151-98c1-8a9621f27848*