# American Pinball Partners with Planetary Pinball Supply to Produce Classic Williams and Bally Games

**Source:** Kineticist  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2026-01-26  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.kineticist.com/post/american-pinball-partners-with-planetary-pinball

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## Analysis

American Pinball has signed a long-term partnership with Planetary Pinball Supply to manufacture and distribute seven classic Williams and Bally pinball machines under license. AP plans to offer both traditional remakes and reimagined versions with new mechanics, code, and features, positioning itself differently from Chicago Gaming Company's remake approach. No specific titles or production timelines have been announced.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] American Pinball has secured a long-term partnership with Planetary Pinball Supply to manufacture seven classic Williams and Bally titles under license — _Official partnership announcement; covers seven titles with unspecified production timelines_
- [HIGH] American Pinball will offer both traditional remakes and reimagined versions with additional mechs, updated code, and enhanced sound/video — _Clarification from Ron Lindeman, AP President; intentional use of 'reimagined' rather than 'remakes'_
- [HIGH] American Pinball's owner Bryan Vincent is a major Williams and Bally enthusiast driving the partnership — _Direct quote from Ron Lindeman in press release context_
- [MEDIUM] AP's strategy differs from Chicago Gaming Company's remake approach, carving out a distinct product lane — _Analysis from Kineticist reporter based on product differentiation; not explicitly stated by AP or PPS_

### Notable Quotes

> "Our owner, Bryan Vincent, is a huge Williams and Bally fan, and we wanted to bring some great games back to the community and to operators"
> — **Ron Lindeman, President of American Pinball**
> _Establishes ownership motivation and market focus for the partnership_

> "AP has a reputation for delivering quality games, and PPS is thrilled to be working together to deliver timeless classics to today's players"
> — **Rick Bartlett, President & CEO of Planetary Pinball Supply**
> _Official endorsement from licensing partner; positions partnership as quality-focused_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| American Pinball | company | Boutique pinball manufacturer entering classic game remake market via Planetary Pinball Supply partnership |
| Planetary Pinball Supply | company | Licensing holder of Williams and Bally classic game IP; partnering with AP for manufacturing and distribution |
| Bryan Vincent | person | Owner of American Pinball; described as major Williams and Bally enthusiast |
| Ron Lindeman | person | President of American Pinball; announced partnership strategy |
| Rick Bartlett | person | President & CEO of Planetary Pinball Supply; endorsing AP partnership |
| Chicago Gaming Company | company | Competitor using traditional remake approach for classic games; AP positioning itself differently |
| Williams Electronics | company | Historical pinball manufacturer; classic game IP licensed through Planetary Pinball Supply |
| Bally Manufacturing | company | Historical pinball manufacturer; classic game IP licensed through Planetary Pinball Supply |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Classic game remakes and licensing, American Pinball business expansion, Planetary Pinball Supply licensing strategy
- **Secondary:** Product differentiation in remake market, Operator-focused manufacturing

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.85) — Partnership positioned as mutually beneficial; AP portrayed as quality manufacturer with clear differentiation strategy; optimistic framing around bringing classic games back to market

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** American Pinball expanding into classic game remake market via long-term licensing partnership with Planetary Pinball Supply; signals strategic diversification beyond original IP titles (confidence: high) — Official partnership announcement for seven Williams/Bally titles under license
- **[competitive_signal]** American Pinball deliberately positioning dual remake/reimagined strategy as distinct from Chicago Gaming Company's traditional remake approach; creating differentiated product lanes within same licensing ecosystem (confidence: medium) — Lindeman clarification on 'reimagined' terminology and AP's offering of both traditional remakes and enhanced versions with new mechs and code
- **[market_signal]** Planetary Pinball Supply actively expanding manufacturing partnerships beyond existing licensees; leveraging AP's manufacturing capacity and quality reputation to scale classic game production (confidence: high) — Long-term partnership structure and Bartlett's emphasis on AP's quality reputation; Planetary previously worked with CGC, Pedretti, and other manufacturers

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## Transcript

American Pinball and Planetary Pinball Supply announced a long-term partnership today under which AP will manufacture, sell, and distribute classic Williams and Bally pinball machines under license.
The deal covers seven titles, though specific games and production timelines haven't been announced yet.
"Our owner, Bryan Vincent, is a huge Williams and Bally fan, and we wanted to bring some great games back to the community and to operators," said Ron Lindeman, President of American Pinball.
The press release uses the word "reimagined" rather than "remakes," and that's intentional. I checked in with Lindeman, and he clarified that AP plans to offer both: traditional remakes for customers who want that new-old-stock feel, and reimagined versions with new elements—additional mechs, updated code, enhanced sound and video.
So rather than competing head-to-head with CGC's remake approach, AP appears to be carving out a slightly different lane. Same Planetary license pipeline, different product strategy.
"AP has a reputation for delivering quality games, and PPS is thrilled to be working together to deliver timeless classics to today's players," said Rick Chris Bartlett, President & CEO of Planetary Pinball Supply.
No word yet on which seven titles are in the agreement, or when we'll see the first one. Stay tuned.

_(Acquisition: web_scrape, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: f63c3174-cf78-4a8a-b12a-1f00c9d3f40b*