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Universal

companyactive13 mentionsFirst seen Apr 3, 2015Last seen Apr 16, 2025

Profile

Universal is a major entertainment and licensing company that has held significant intellectual property rights in the pinball industry. They have served as the IP licensor for major film franchises including Jaws, Back to the Future, E.T., and Jurassic Park, providing digital pinball tables for platforms like Pinball FX. Universal also acquired licensing rights to The Big Lebowski pinball game, though they inherited limited quality assets from the previous rights holder.

Aliases

No aliases

Relationships

  • affiliated_withBig LebowskiGame is licensed from Universal (The Big Lebowski film)medium

Facts

No facts recorded

Claims (1)

  • factualhigh

    Universal prefers one-year license extensions with Dutch Pinball over long-term deals

    Source: Martin Ev citing Dutch Pinball newsletterPinball Industry News: August 2019 Re-cap

Recent Mentions (13)

  • Licensing holder; reportedly cancelled Big Lebowski Anniversary Edition pinball; example of license holder power over manufacturer decisions.

    Episode 889: "A Game We Want NOT Coming :("Dec 16, 2023
  • Historical pinball/arcade game manufacturer; produced games referenced in Multi-Bingo development including Winter Photo Finish

    Episode 451 - Multi-Races, Super Star, Coin-Op Carnival Tour Update, 1938 Genco KlickJul 11, 2019
  • Licensor of Jurassic Park IP; approved Jonathan's artwork submissions without requiring redraws

    Episode 51 - How to Draw Dinosaurs w/ Johnny CrapOct 7, 2024
  • Pinball manufacturer (competing with Bally); manufactured bingo machines to skirt gambling device legislation

    Episode 23 - Bingos and the LawApr 3, 2015
  • Theme park operator used as proxy for IP market validation; Universal's investment in Harry Potter lands (Wizarding World at Islands of Adventure, Hogsmeade, planned third park) cited as confidence signal

    Top 10 Greatest Pinball Machine Themes Yet To Be Made (SDTM, 2024)Jun 23, 2024
  • Major licensing partner for Pinball Brothers; discussed alongside Disney and Warner as key IP negotiation counterparty.

Contradictions

No contradictions detected

Related Glossary Terms

No linked glossary terms

Pinball Brothers - Dutch Pinball Open Expo 2024 - Pinball NewsNov 5, 2024
  • Film studio; co-licensor of Monsterverse IP for Zen digital tables

    Zen Pinball Announces new Bally Williams Digital Release & MoreMay 26, 2022
  • IP holder seeking Zen Studios licensing partnership for pinball tables

    Allegedly...Sep 5, 2017
  • IP holder for Jaws, E.T.; Zen has licensed properties from this studio

    Slow News Weeks Are Awesome!Oct 31, 2018
  • Licensor of Big Lebowski IP to Dutch Pinball; extends licensing agreements one year at a time

    Pinball Industry News: August 2019 Re-capAug 31, 2019
  • IP licensor for Jaws, Back to the Future, E.T., Jurassic franchise tables launching day one

    Pinball FX Feb 16 Launch DetailsFeb 6, 2023
  • Mentioned as potential license holder for King Kong film versions; not required for unlicensed novel-based game.

    Ep 164: Stern's King Kong Pinball with Keith ElwinApr 16, 2025
  • License holder for Big Lebowski; bought rights from previous company; had limited quality assets available

    Episode 64 – Jean-Paul de Win and Steve GouveiaOct 15, 2018