David Fix is a former Executive Vice President of R&D/Production and co-founder of American Pinball, a pinball manufacturing company. He was a central figure in the company's leadership from at least 2020 until his departure in late 2024, during which time he was involved in game development, licensing negotiations, and production management. Fix has become a controversial figure in the pinball community, with mixed assessments of his tenure ranging from criticism over licensing mismanagement (Sonic, Cuphead) and poor strategic decisions to later acknowledgment that some failures were beyond his individual control. He maintains an active presence in the pinball community, maintains a 150-machine personal collection, and was involved with Pinball Expo organization.
No aliases
David Fix commissioned Christopher Franchi to create a He-Man mock-up to land a license, but the license was never actually acquired
David Fix has a non-compete clause in his contract that may restrict his ability to discuss pinball for a period of time
David Fix was terminated from American Pinball with a 90-day non-compete clause
Owner/operator of American Pinball who hired professional actors for Galactic Tank Force game animations
Mentioned as having emailed Kaneda's boss/lawyers in attempt to get Kaneda fired; specifics not detailed
Former decision-maker at American Pinball; made design decisions Kaneda criticized; attempted to fire Kaneda
EVP who departed American Pinball during recent turbulent period
Personality at American Pinball, jokingly proposed as theme for remade Big Bang Bar with his name and image
Former Chief/Vice President at American Pinball, responsible for Burio's Barbecue Challenge and Galactic Tank Force, referred to as 'our homie' by Don with a distinctive curly mustache
No linked glossary terms
David Fix has left American Pinball, though whether he was let go or stepped away is unclear from available sources
David Fix went to war with HR to ensure Barry Oursler received health insurance on his first day at American Pinball
David Fix's contract at American Pinball was not renewed and he has departed the company
David Fix has left American Pinball
David Fix is out at American Pinball
David Fix conveyed a sense of defeat in recent Loser Kid Pinball podcast appearance
David Fix does not receive monthly financial reporting from American Pinball; learns financial status only at year-end from Ametron
Paul Reno is suing American Pinball over contract/payment discrepancies related to Galactic Tank Force
American Pinball shipped over 1,200 Polycade arcade units in three months (Sept-Dec 2024)
June-July 2024 saw the worst pinball industry sales since 2009
The next American Pinball game is licensed IP currently in code development with select distributors already taking orders at Expo
Dennis Nordman was laid off and offered a contract basis arrangement; his game is on hold, not shelved
American Pinball has only 2 standard Barbecue editions and 3 Limited Editions remaining in inventory
American Pinball's organizational structure has Ametron handling all finance, HR, legal, and contracts while Fix oversees only R&D and production
The next game designer will personally test the first 100 units off the production line before boxing, following Williams historical manufacturing practice
David Fix lacks the proper experience to lead a pinball manufacturing company
David Fix joined American Pinball in December 2020 as Executive Vice-President
David Fix is Executive Vice-President of American Pinball
David Fix confirmed American Pinball is developing He-Man and stated it's the first license where the American team was passionate
Barry O's Barbecue Challenge was a giant misstep
American Pinball team was not passionate about Oktoberfest, Valhalla, Galactic Tank Force, or the barbecue game
David Fix has the worst taste in the history of pinball
Barry Oursler's contract with American Pinball was written in August 2021 and included family compensation provisions before he began design work
Barry Oursler delivered a complete whitewood playfield layout to Sophia Ryan approximately four days before his death in February 2022
Barry Oursler had begun concept work on a second game called 'American Pinball Factory' themed around parts and service before his death
The original theme concept for Barry O's game was 'Car Hop' but was changed to barbecue because Car Hop was unavailable as a theme
Community rumors about Barry Oursler's estate being excluded from Barry O's Barbecue Challenge compensation are false; family was included from contract inception
American Pinball is a team of approximately 15 people producing Barry O's Barbecue Challenge and Galactic Tank Force
Most of Barbecue Pinball display units at TPF sold, validating that it is a full game design not a reskin
The game's development evolved from a car hop concept to barbecue theme when the team realized there are 3,000+ independent barbecue restaurants in the U.S.
David Fix does not understand what makes a good pinball game and is leading American Pinball
David Fix gave himself a C-grade for American Pinball's 2023 performance on the Super Awesome Pinball Show
David Fix clarified that American Pinball was seeking additional investors for production expansion, not attempting to sell the company
David Fix stated they aimed to produce 300 total units across all games by end of 2023
Galactic Tank Force is out-earning Foo Fighters on location
American Pinball is not for sale and is doing well financially
American Pinball developed new circuit boards compatible with all legacy machines dating back to Houdini
New boards have been field-tested in Chicago locations since September 2023 and used in Illinois State Championship tournament
American Pinball produced 300 machines in 2023, the company's highest annual output to date
Major IP licenses require $750k-$1M+ upfront 'dead money' payments before development begins
American Pinball self-grades as 'C' for 2023 performance due to service and execution gaps
A new American Pinball game is scheduled for spring 2024 release
Deep Root Pinball previously approached American Pinball about manufacturing their games before dissolving
Half of the top 10 play-rated solid-state games of all time on IPDB are original (non-IP) games
Maurice Smith and Lloyd Olson hired as service technicians to address customer support gap
American Pinball produced approximately 300 machines total throughout 2023 despite claiming 15-20 per day capacity
American Pinball's next four games will consist of two unlicensed themes followed by two licensed themes
Pinball Expo 40th will expand to 5-6 days with factory tours from AP, JJP, CGC, and Stern preceding main trade show
American Pinball's next four games will alternate licensed and unlicensed: next is unlicensed original, then sequel/follow-up, then two licensed titles
American Pinball achieved 300-unit production milestone in 2023, the highest in company history
Galactic Tank Force shooter lane switch failures are caused by missing threadlock on fasteners, causing switch loosening and ball detection errors
Barry Alford (American Pinball designer) has passed away; his game is in final production stages
American Pinball is targeting a two-games-per-year release schedule going forward, with parallel development of multiple titles
The pinball market is currently a buyer's market with used game prices declining compared to prior year
American Pinball's lean team structure (10 core staff) allows the company to weather manufacturing delays and market volatility better than larger competitors with hundreds of employees
The industry-wide practice of releasing multiple limited edition variants (e.g., JJP Hobbit, multiple Elvira editions) has diluted customer perception of exclusivity
Legends of Valhalla limited edition Black Friday promotion brought MSRP to $7,995 with fewer than 50 units remaining in stock
Bally Williams' $500 price increase for Star Wars Episode I in 1999 was motivated by market testing rather than actual license cost increases
American Pinball hired professional actors to appear as character animations in Galactic Tank Force
David Fix is Executive Vice President of American Pinball and organizes vendor stands at Pinball Expo
American Dream contest had a winner selected and the winner knows they won
The American Dream winner has not been announced due to ongoing licensing negotiations for the winner's IP
American Pinball's Sonic Spinball developer Ryan had his game's license acquired by another pinball manufacturer
GTF targets were bent during production; extensive prototype testing was conducted before production
David Fix claimed 2,000 GTFs were sold on the first day.
David Fix announced that actors from Galactic Arcade Tank Force will appear at Pinball Expo
David Fix claimed Galactic Tank Force earns more revenue on location than Foo Fighters machines
David Fix stated he has 200 orders for new Houdini machines
Galactic Tank Force is earning on par or better than Foo Fighters at multiple locations including Enterrium in Chicago
Enterrium Chicago generated $938 in swipes on Galactic Tank Force during the reference month
American Pinball signed off on 500 units of strengthened center tank target brackets
Ball lock failures were caused by non-carbon pinballs being installed due to factory mix-up
Current Galactic Tank Force orders will ship in 2-3 months
American Pinball has over 200 unfilled orders for Houdini
American Pinball extended its Hot Wheels license with Mattel
A homebrew pinball design contest winner was selected at Pinball Expo but announcement is delayed due to licensing constraints
200 Galactic Tank Force Signature Edition units have not yet begun production but will start once key parts arrive
American Pinball plans to manufacture a Classic version of Galactic Tank Force with reduced bill of materials
David Fix claimed American Pinball sold 2,000 Galactic Tank Force games, but this likely represents distributor allocations rather than actual sales
David Fix is working on a Whitewater sequel at Deeproot Pinball after Galactic Tank Force
American Pinball will integrate Scorbit system into both future and previous game titles
Hot Wheels games on Expo show floor already using Scorbit for high score leaderboard functionality
Expo has expanded from Thursday 5pm start to noon Thursday, plus Friday 10am-midnight, Saturday 10am-Sunday 2am
The new Renaissance Schaumburg venue integrates vendor and free-play game pods throughout a single 65,000 sq ft space
200-300 confirmed games will be available, with potential for growth as people bring games
Magic Girl has been completely restored with new code by craftspeople in the Netherlands and will be fully playable
Thursday morning will feature the first-ever in-person factory tour of Jersey Jack Pinball facilities
Pinball Brothers will bring Aliens and a new Queen Pinball Machine as North American debut
Stern Pinball is bringing approximately 40 games to Expo 2022
Ralph Coppola of ICE in Buffalo expressed interest in purchasing Williams Pinball if the price were right
American Pinball claimed they would have four production lines running simultaneously
American Pinball has multiple projects in active development
American Pinball will make significant announcements within 365 days
Neither Stern Pinball nor Jersey Jack Pinball hold the Sonic the Hedgehog pinball license
American Pinball will have three production lines operating soon with line three installation within weeks
Current production includes Legends of Valhalla and Oktoberfest, with Houdini Master of Mystery and Hot Wheels to follow
American Pinball operates on a 12-month development cycle from concept to assembly line
Sonic the Hedgehog license was lost to a competitor despite aggressive pursuit to Sega Japan ownership
The unnamed Sonic pinball license competitor was not Sam Stern or Jersey Jack Pinball
Ryan McQuaid was retained specifically for his creativity and design talent, not the IP license
Barry Ousler designed 6 games for Deep Root Pinball in 3 years and 1 game for American Pinball in 6 months before his death
American Pinball will release Barry Ousler's final game posthumously with royalties going to his widow
Legends of Valhalla LE customers will receive their machines before the next new game release
David Fix of American Pinball was shown the $100k prototype project but did not pursue it
The Sonic license is held by a company other than Stern, and is not American Pinball
David Fix has known Ryan McQuaid for over two years and saw Sonic Spinball in its infancy before Pinball Expo Virtual
Barry Oursler completed his first full pinball design and American Pinball plans to show it next year at an unspecified show.
Christopher Franchi has signed to provide original artwork for American Pinball's next game.
American Pinball is actively recruiting engineers (programmers, mechanical, electrical) and expanding college partnerships for design education and talent pipeline.
Chris Franchi will provide artwork for American Pinball's next machine release
David Fix's promotion to Executive Vice President at American Pinball improved sales and Legends of Valhalla interest
In 10 months, American Pinball converted Matt Scott Gullick's homebrew design to manufacturable game and released to public
American Pinball pioneered direct-to-location distribution strategy for Legends of Valhalla rather than using traditional pre-order/video teasing approach
Legends of Valhalla won Best New Modern Game at Midwest Gaming Classic
Deluxe edition reached 500 pre-orders in first 8 hours of release (8am CST Sunday), exceeding internal company target of 300
Steven Bowden (formerly Deep Root Pinball) hired as American Pinball sales manager and relocating to Chicago
American Pinball Dream Challenge will allow homebrewers one year to design a game with potential for American Pinball to manufacture the winning design
American Pinball will make more Oktoberfest games with retroactive improvements applied to all existing units
American Pinball experiencing significant shipping delays to West Coast (extra week vs East Coast 1-day shipping) due to port congestion
Josh Kugler from American Pinball showed Jack Hager's Hey Bartender artwork to the creative team, influencing the decision to hire Hager
David Fix stated that opinions from people who haven't played a game shouldn't be considered in critique
David Fix implied that early 2000s collectors' opinions are more valid because they paid higher prices for machines
David Fix demeaned watercolor as an art medium by using it in failed Picasso analogy
David Fix worked for Dave & Busters and ICE Games before joining American Pinball
American Pinball experienced personnel departures due to COVID-19
The Director of Operations and Marketing position is a new role at American Pinball
David Fix has been collecting pinball machines for over 20 years
American Pinball has exciting new gameplay in development
David Fix will not allow his American Pinball employment to impact Pinball Expo's fairness and independence
David Fix helped American Pinball when they were starting out
David Fix owns nearly every Steve Ritchie game except two Atari titles
Referenced multiple times; appears on Don's t-shirt. Described as 'homeboy'; seems to be a known community member.
Stern Pinball designer; previously discussed possibility of adding mechanical features to games post-release (e.g., Hot Wheels)
UK pinball player; visited Stern factory with Irish group
American Pinball leadership, claimed 2,000 GTF sales first day; questioned for transparency and social media presence
Spooky Pinball representative at Expo; dismissive of operator bug reports regarding balls in coin box
American Pinball representative; confirmed He-Man Masters of the Universe in June Pinball News and Pinball Magazine podcast
Scheduled speaker at Pintastic 2022; works with American Pinball; George initially confuses his role
Owner/operator of American Pinball; heavily criticized for brand mismanagement and Barry O's Barbecue Challenge
Designer/operator at American Pinball; designer of Galactic Tank Force; criticized for poor marketing timing relative to competing March releases
American Pinball founder/representative; Kaneda notes only he and distributors claim their games are exciting
Leadership at American Pinball; reportedly upset with Kaneda over Galactic Tank Force image leak
Designer of Galactic Tank Force; criticized for delayed launch strategy amid oversaturated market
Key figure at American Pinball; directly criticized for Hot Wheels mismanagement, Galactic Tank Force approval, hiring Ryan McQuade, and poor strategic decisions over multiple years
American Pinball representative, emailing distributors about Galactic Tank Force target fixes
Developer of barbecue-themed pinball game; criticized by Kaneda for cultural insensitivity regarding Indian ownership and sacred cow
Designer of Galactic Tank Force; Kaneda suggests he may have underestimated competitive impact of Foo Fighters
American Pinball representative; recently appeared on Loser Kid Pinball Podcast discussing company finances, sustainability, and layoffs; seen at Topgolf with team post-layoffs
Former EVP/co-founder American Pinball; gave interview to Pinball News (May 2024) describing Nordman's departure; characterized by hosts as inconsistent and prone to mischaracterizing events
Associated with American Pinball; Craig respects him personally but frustrated with company's output
American Pinball representative/designer who was present at Perio's Barbecue Challenge launch event at S&S Billiards; responds emotionally to creative suggestions
Founder/operator of Galactic Tank Force; discussed on Pincast regarding production status and location earnings
CEO of American Pinball; Don notes his absence from public appearances and interviews as symptomatic of company communication breakdown
American Pinball management figure associated with Galactic Tank Force era; made production claims about 300 units produced in 2023; characterized as sympathetic figure dealing with development challenges
American Pinball representative; claimed four production lines but failed to deliver new games in 2022; Kaneda criticizes his promises
Leader of American Pinball; made successful gamble on Legends of Valhalla original IP in 2021
American Pinball representative; criticized for claiming four-line production pipeline unrealistic demand
American Pinball team member; presented American Pinball Tour seminar at Expo; part of team criticized for marketing strategy on Legends of Valhalla
American Pinball leadership, critiqued for customer service responsiveness
Management figure at American Pinball who issued denial statement; characterized as leadership defending company viability
Owner/decision-maker at American Pinball; reportedly must liquidate Galactic Tank Forces inventory to fund next game
CEO/leadership of American Pinball, former Chicago Pinball Expo organizer, known for distinctive hat and mustache
Former VP at American Pinball; reportedly looking for new work via LinkedIn; Kaneda expresses hope he finds role outside pinball
American Pinball management; recently gave interview (summarized by others) discussing GTF code, IPO impact, and blamed external factors
Designer of Barry O's Barbecue; described as 'OG pinball fan' and friend of Barry Osler; created game as tribute to Osler's design legacy
Head of American Pinball; Kaneda notes his name is ironic given company's strategic problems
American Pinball owner/director. Kaneda criticizes pricing strategy and sales performance of Galactic Tank Force.
Leader of American Pinball, set 300-unit goal for Galactic Tank Force; Kaneda questions his fitness for the role
American Pinball representative who stated conflicting production numbers (300/year vs 15/day)
Leader/decision-maker at American Pinball; criticized for poor game design choices and unfulfilled promises to investor Mukesh
Leadership figure at American Pinball; departed company (described as 'out'); was subject of recent Loser Kid interview
American Pinball representative; reported as not responding to distributor communication about Galactic Tank Force
Designer/creator involved with American Pinball's upcoming sci-fi game
Leadership at American Pinball; directly criticized for strategic delay on Space Force game
American Pinball executive/owner; Kaneda references him 'cashing checks his mouth has been writing'; managing company timing against Venom release
Associated with American Pinball; Kaneda jokingly suggests he may have self-purchased barbecue machine inventory
Owner/operator of Barrels of Fun; criticized for poor IP strategy despite financial backing and resources
American Pinball leadership; subject of harsh criticism for poor business decisions; retained despite failures; term 'Fixed' used ironically
Designer at American Pinball; Kaneda compares him to Ed Wood for lack of quality awareness
Leadership at American Pinball; criticized by Kaneda for poor decision-making with investor Mukesh's capital
Leader at American Pinball; claims company has sold 2,000 units of Galactic Arcade Tank Force; noted to get 'triggered' when artwork criticized
Designer of Disaster Barbecue Game (American Pinball)
Leadership at American Pinball; criticized by Kaneda for poor business decisions and game selection
Creative director/leader at American Pinball; criticized by Kaneda for lacking vision and understanding of community desires
At American Pinball; bringing Barrio BBQ Challenge to TPF; criticized for alleged lack of creative vision and talent
CEO/founder of American Pinball; heavily criticized by Kaneda for poor theme selection (Cuphead, Hot Wheels), lack of market research, and business decisions
American Pinball leadership; Kaneda suggests should move company forward and stop looking backward; related to Sonic licensing discussion.
American Pinball executive/designer; criticized by Kaneda for not understanding game design; allegedly received 3,000 orders for Legends of Valhalla
American Pinball figure; Kaneda expresses personal conflict and avoidance of company news
American Pinball representative; confirmed Galactic Tank Force release for March 2026; offered to provide teasers when ready
Pinball Expo organizer; promoting Magic Girl machines at Expo; criticized by Kaneda for celebrating troubled game's arrival
Executive at American Pinball discussed in introduction as being involved in hiring decisions; appeared on podcast alongside Jack Hager
American Pinball CEO; designer of Galactic Arcade Tank Force; rumored to be blocking next game until 500 Tank Turrets sell
Mentioned in context of Sonic license rumors; Kaneda expresses distrust of his denials about Stern acquiring Sonic
Manufacturer who promised 300 Legends of Valhalla LE deluxe editions, then increased to 600 due to demand
American Pinball leadership; identified as driving vision toward original IP titles over licensed games
American Pinball leader; made unfulfilled promises (two games in 2024, loop-de-loop upgrades for Hot Wheels, four production lines); Kaneda dismisses his credibility
Industry figure willing to engage with Kaneda
Director of Operations → Executive Vice President at American Pinball; credited with improving sales and interest in Legends of Valhalla
Associated with American Pinball strategy; Kaneda criticizes his unlicensed approach as unviable
American Pinball leadership; announced annual homebrew designer integration program; hired Ryan McQuaid
American Pinball representative; agreed to appear on Kaneda's Pinball Podcast
Associated with American Pinball; Kaneda notes he appears to be hiding from public view despite recent release
CEO of American Pinball; allegedly given January 1st deadline by investor Mukesh to sell Galactic Tank Force inventory
American Pinball representative who announced five games in pipeline at IAPA Europe event
Owner/lead at American Pinball; rumored to have He-Man license
American Pinball executive/salesman; criticized for implausible claims, unfair preorder fulfillment practices, and prioritizing show games over customer orders
Associated with American Pinball; Kaneda critical of his decision-making regarding original IP pipeline
American Pinball leadership; criticized for strategic decisions including Cuphead selection and loss of media credentials protocol
Leader/president of American Pinball; criticized by Kaneda for lack of market knowledge and trustworthiness regarding order claims
American Pinball representative; questioned by Kaneda about ability to sell Galactic Tank Force games
Leadership figure at American Pinball; criticized for unfulfilled promises (four production lines, Hot Wheels upgrades, order numbers, revenue claims)
Driving Galactic Arcade Tank Force to Jack Barr venue according to chat; involved in game logistics
American Pinball leadership; criticized for lack of accountability and poor strategic direction on Galactic Tank Force
Leader/co-founder at American Pinball; Kaneda urges him to release a game with it 'on the line' (ready for immediate delivery)
American Pinball representative; announced Christopher Franchi as member of American Pinball at TPF
Owner of American Pinball; organizer of Pinball Expo; strategic leader during critical market period
Associated with American Pinball; strategy criticized for original IP games lacking emotional player connection and experiencing market depreciation
Leadership/builder at American Pinball; overseeing company restructuring post-acquisition
American Pinball leadership; criticized for poor strategy decisions
American Pinball designer; contrast drawn to Chris Turner regarding feedback responsiveness and execution
Spooky Pinball representative; communicated reasons for Kaneda's ban; maintains relationship with Kaneda
American Pinball leadership; responsible for Galactic Tank Force launch strategy; reportedly 'ghosting' media coverage; alleged to have miscalculated Foo Fighters timing; planning Whitewater sequel at Deeproot Pinball next
Leadership at American Pinball; made claims about 1,000 orders for Legends of Valhalla standard edition that Kaneda disputes; also claimed four production lines would run simultaneously
American Pinball executive; mentioned as working on new games with Dennis Nordman and Christopher Franchi
American Pinball representative or distributor; releasing games at locations like Jack Bar NYC for promotional play before Texas Pinball Festival
Leadership at American Pinball; recipient of Kaneda's strategic advice on production planning
Apparently affiliated with American Pinball or Barbecue project, met by Don at MGC
Representative of American Pinball, discussed on Saturday Morning Spectacular podcast
American Pinball employee (1+ year tenure); led TPF seminar; announces Christopher Franchi artwork deal, Barry Oursler first design, and college partnerships; provides HR contact for recruitment.
American Pinball leadership; criticized for insufficient marketing/teasing of Galactic Arcade Tank Force before Texas Pinball Festival
Former American Pinball designer/leader who resigned or was not retained; subject of 'karma' commentary from Kaneda
American Pinball leadership; made unfulfilled promise of two games per year three years prior
Mentioned as 'the happiest man' now that The Godfather's flaws are visible, implying he critiqued Jersey Jack games previously
Associated with American Pinball; told needs to improve excitement for Galactic Tank Force
Associated with American Pinball; Pinball Expo organizer in backyard context
American Pinball leadership; appeared on Super Awesome Pinball Show in January 2025 claiming two new games would release that year; Chris skeptical of follow-through
American Pinball organizer/leader; associated with American Pinball's announcement regarding Magic Girl restoration
Sent flyer announcing actor meet-and-greet for Pinball Expo featuring Galactic Arcade Tank Force
American Pinball associate; worked with Lloyd for 20 years
American Pinball leadership; Kaneda criticizes for overselling 500 units of Legends of Valhalla and slow production
Organizer of Pinball Expo; discussed in podcast as source for 40th anniversary expansion details and factory tour plans
At helm of American Pinball; criticized for company direction and strategic decisions
American Pinball leadership; organizer of Pinball Expo; Kaneda criticizes him for defensive responses and revisionist claims about order volume
American Pinball employee involved with Galactic Tank Force, potentially sensitive to Hardy's criticism
Stern contact suggested by Franchi as a potential podcast guest resource.
American Pinball founder/leadership; mentioned as source of authorized information for what employees can discuss publicly; has discussed company details on podcasts
Owner/leadership at American Pinball, presenting factory operations and company strategy; collector of 100+ machines; responsible for design decisions and licensing negotiations
Industry insider present at Pintastic New England who confirmed Ralph Coppola's interest in purchasing Williams
American Pinball representative; scheduled to provide American Pinball update at Pintastic New England
Owner/founder of American Pinball, based in Buffalo; manages company operations and hiring; previously involved in homebrew/custom pinball; now traveling weekly to Chicago for company oversight
Appears to be American Pinball owner/senior leadership; narrates factory tour, discusses design philosophy and production operations
Leader/owner at American Pinball; referenced as facing pressure to sell 500 Galactic Tank Force units
Appears to be marketing/business figure for Galactic Tank Force; criticized by Kaneda as poor marketer
Associated with American Pinball/Galactic Tank Force; has not publicly disclosed game sales numbers
American Pinball representative; Kaneda mentions intention to speak with him about Antoinette dispute
Associated with American Pinball leadership/ownership, making decisions on game releases and announcements
Leadership at American Pinball; criticized by Kaneda for poor game selection decisions (Galactic Tank Force, Barrio game)
Management at American Pinball; overseeing Galactic Tank Force release; characterized as nice guy struggling with pricing/production decisions
Designer hired by McKesh (likely typo in content) to make Galactic Tank Force money-making game
American Pinball leadership; characterized as operationally stuck in 1986 mindset, unable to run modern pinball company
American Pinball leadership; Kaneda criticizes Fix's marketing and strategic decisions regarding game themes and pricing
American Pinball CEO; Kaneda predicts he will present barbecue game at TPF and likely lose decision-making authority afterward
American Pinball decision-maker confirmed to be developing BBQ game; criticized for poor market strategy
American Pinball representative appearing on podcasts to discuss company direction and confirm upcoming unlicensed and licensed game roadmap
Characterized as claiming continued demand for all American Pinball titles; implied to be leadership at American Pinball
American Pinball leadership; Kaneda criticizes his claim of multiple games in development
Head of American Pinball; criticized for 4 years of failed direction including Galactic Tank Force; Kaneda questions his understanding of good games
Associated with Barrels of Fun; planning to reveal upcoming game (possibly Goonies) end of month with media and content creators
American Pinball leadership; claims 2,000 Galactic Tank Force sales (interpreted by Kaneda as distributor allocations); targeted for pricing strategy criticism
Designer of Galactic Tank Force; described as 'batting cleanup' after string of game announcements
American Pinball executive; appeared on Pinball News podcast discussing Sonic the Hedgehog licensing failure; interview with Super Awesome Pinball Show was recorded but not aired
Management figure at American Pinball; given deadline to sell Galactic Tank Force inventory but reportedly failed
Associated with American Pinball; criticized by Kaneda for making lower-tier games like Legends of Valhalla instead of premium licensed titles
Leadership at American Pinball; Cary has met him at Expo and Texas Pinball Festival; decision-maker for game themes and announcements
American Pinball leadership; recent podcast appearance on Loser Kid Pinball conveyed sense of company uncertainty
American Pinball representative/decision-maker discussed in Super Awesome Pinball Show episode; commented on IP licensing philosophy
Leadership/management figure at American Pinball; criticized by Cary Hardy for poor decision-making and inadequate industry experience; accused by Dennis Nordman of misrepresenting employment circumstances
American Pinball leadership who recruited Barry Oursler from Deep Root Pinball, advocated for his immediate health insurance, and made the decision to complete the game as tribute
Collector who owns nearly every Steve Ritchie game except two Atari titles; helped set up the confessional event
Provided last-second assistance with broken pin wrench during presentation setup
Director of operations and marketing at American Pinball; made controversial statements about opinion validity in Super Awesome Pinball Show interview
American Pinball representative scheduled to give American Pinball update at Expo (7 p.m. Thursday)
Runs American Pinball subsidiary; appeared on Pinball Profile interview to discuss company status and investment needs
Co-founder/leadership at American Pinball, interviewed on Pinball Innovators and Makers podcast about homebrew selection, American Dream contest, and GTF updates
Game designer; subject of Pinball News and Pinball Magazine podcast interview; Dennis criticizes repetitive interview content from Fix
Fearless leader of American Pinball; recently appeared on Pinball Profile to discuss company direction and non-licensed game strategy
American Pinball executive making statements about Legends of Valhalla demand; Dennis notes Fix has been 'shaking things up' since joining the company
American Pinball leadership; gave extended interview to Loser Kid Pinball Podcast; laid off from company; claims disconnection from financial oversight and HR decisions
American Pinball representative interviewed on Pinball News and Pinball Magazine Podcast
American Pinball representative discussing output plans for 2-3 games/year
American Pinball personnel (likely founder/executive); gave controversial interview on Super Awesome Pinball Show criticizing content creators unfamiliar with 1990s pinball; made poorly-researched Picasso/watercolor analogy
American Pinball representative; discussed company's contract manufacturing and remake capabilities in interviews
American Pinball spokesperson; similar role to Jack Winery at Jersey Jack
Former management/leadership figure at American Pinball; recent departure status unclear (let go vs. stepped away); subject of community discussion regarding his replacement and successor
Former American Pinball executive; recently terminated with 90-day non-compete; gave first post-termination interview on pinball news show
Former director/leadership at American Pinball; contract not renewed; departure announced recently
Associated with Spooky Pinball; addressed by Orby regarding potential band theme machines
Person at Expo whose surprised reaction to seeing Kaneda was described by Orby as the funniest moment of the event coverage
Associated with American Pinball, hired designer who created Sonic homebrew and Cuphead
Executive Vice-President of American Pinball; joined company December 2020; participated in interview/talk at UK Pinfest about career and company evolution
Executive Vice President of American Pinball; introduced Galactic Tank Force seminar and presented 3D backglass feature
American Pinball leadership; announced Ryan McQuaid's hire during Dead Flip live stream with Jack Danger
Executive at American Pinball; presented on Legends of Valhalla; discusses company changes under Aimtron appointment and promotion initiatives
Director of Operations & Marketing at American Pinball; presented 7:15pm Thursday seminar announcing Scorbit integration and inducting Zofia Ryan to Hall of Fame
Working on exhibit hall for Pinball Expo 2018
Described by Haeger as 'inspiring' at Aimtron/American Pinball
American Pinball's Director of Operations and Marketing; facilitated Dennis Nordman's hiring
New Director of Operations and Marketing at American Pinball; also known as Doc Pinball; Pinball Expo seminar organizer and co-host; experienced in amusement industry and pinball restoration
Executive Vice President of American Pinball, responsible for vendor stands at Pinball Expo
American Pinball's Executive Vice President; discussed business health on Pinball News/Magazine PINcast
Executive Vice-President of American Pinball; recruited Lloyd for technical support role in January 2024; attended and participated in American Pinball Party event
American Pinball management/representative providing production and market performance updates
Management/leadership figure at American Pinball who sent official communication addressing the issue
Associated with American Pinball; expressed interest in manufacturing Deeproot-designed games on podcasts but did not bid on assets
American Pinball management; quoted in Super Awesome Pinball Show podcast regarding production and demand
American Pinball leadership; presented at Pintastic seminar and discussed company philosophy on customer fulfillment before new releases
Director of Operations at American Pinball; made official announcement of McQuaid hire
American Pinball leadership; appeared on Loser Kid Podcast with poor audio setup; attempting company recovery
American Pinball representative who made announcements at Texas Pinball Festival seminar
American Pinball representative; appeared on Pinball Magazine Pincast; made admissions about company's game development philosophy
Designer/representative of American Pinball; offers $400 discount to operators acquiring Barry O's Barbecue Challenge
American Pinball management figure; recently appeared on multiple podcasts addressing production rumors and company direction
Leader/representative of American Pinball; Don questions whether American Pinball is committed to original themes or if the announcement of three original licenses was a misquote
American Pinball founder/leader; organizes Pinball Expo; GTF design team member
American Pinball management who appeared on previous episode; clarified that critical podcaster remarks were directed at one specific person, not blanket criticism
Interview subject for American Pinball segment; announced with 'major exclusives'
American Pinball staff member; featured on episode; collaborates with Christian Line on projects
Guest co-host on episode; from American Pinball; sent promotional steins to show hosts
Director of Operations and Marketing at American Pinball; helps run Chicago Pinball Expo; partner at Pocketeer Billiards in New York; close friend of Christopher Franchi
Management figure at American Pinball; recently interviewed; interested in acquiring Deep Root Pinball IP; previous guest on show
Organizer of Chicago Pinball Expo, discusses venue changes, games, tournaments, and logistics
Figure/representative of American Pinball; mentioned as company decision-maker and promised contact point for customer issues
Manager at American Pinball; publicly stated company's goal of 300 games/year and focus on quality playfield treatment.
Factory contact at American Pinball; invited Don to factory; discussed game conception and rumor clarification
American Pinball factory host; invited Don to facility tour; described as 'cool people'
Founder/CEO of American Pinball; gave himself a C-grade for company performance; known for distinctive hat and mustache
Designer/creator of Barbecue Pinball; attended TPF 2024; sold majority of display units during event
American Pinball; invited Don to factory pre-release for Barry's Barbecue Challenge
In-game character voice/callout in Barry's Barbecue Challenge
Referenced as voice on stream; may be associated with American Pinball operations or design
Joined American Pinball as director of operations and marketing; former Buffalo area community figure; frequent guest on BDYETP; may work remotely
Owner/representative of American Pinball; was shown the $100k prototype project by Great-which but declined to pursue it
American Pinball contact; working on improving shooter rod metal quality/sourcing
American Pinball founder/personality; subject of Don's curiosity about company direction
American Pinball management; met with Don at facility; confirmed company operational health and diverse business model
American Pinball leadership; appeared on Canada's Pinball Podcast discussing unlicensed titles, trim models, factory move, supply chain
American Pinball management; contributed character naming ideas for Galactic Tank Force
American Pinball team member who conducted Texas Pinball Festival seminar discussing Barry O's Barbecue Challenge development and Barry Oursler's legacy
American Pinball director of operations and marketing; brought in Dennis Nordman and Zofia Ryan to strengthen API engineering team
Pinball personality; appeared on Loser Kid; subject to non-compete clause; hosts express concern about silence and contract situation
American Pinball representative who provided hospitality to Genghis
Former American Pinball staff member who continued working on Galactic Tank Force updates after departure
Departed American Pinball; team continuing Galactic Tank Force updates as passion project with company blessing
Former American Pinball operator; described by Kaneda as 'the only chump who won't talk to me'; child in stream correctly answered 'No' when asked if Fix did good job
Former leader/designer at American Pinball; recently departed; known for being candid about business issues
CEO of American Pinball, gave presentation at Pinfest 24 on licensing costs and business model, also involved with Pinball Expo
Management/leadership figure at American Pinball; flying to Pinfest for presentations; described as nice, hardworking guy
Executive Vice President of American Pinball, conducted talent search for tech service expansion
Host of American Pinball livestream; appears to be company representative or operator
Co-host of livestream; provides technical details about Oktoberfest design, artwork, and gameplay mechanics
American Pinball leadership figure who recruited Barry Oursler and advocated aggressively for immediate health insurance coverage; discovered Barry's death via text message while in supplier meeting
American Pinball representative; announced Chris Franchi artwork partnership at TPF seminar
Owner/operator of American Pinball; known for shuffling designer deck; credited by community as bringing in top designers in-house
American Pinball leader; recent Pinball Profile interview dispelling sale rumors; mentioned in episode exclusive content
Newly hired Director of Operations and Marketing at American Pinball; previously headed Pinball Expo relaunch; avid collector for 20+ years
American Pinball figure; discussed game four development, licensing, Pinball Expo plans on Pinball News and Pinball Magazine podcast
American Pinball; mentioned as guest on Super Awesome Pinball Show discussing new female mechanical engineer hire
Owner/founder of American Pinball; stated Nordman was on retainer; offered unacceptable contract leading to Nordman's departure
Representative/spokesperson for American Pinball; called into Slam Tilt live; defended delays and promised Expo reveals
Vice President of American Pinball; expected for interview during May recap but unavailable due to factory commitments
Executive Vice President of American Pinball; interviewed extensively about production targets, rumors, and upcoming releases
American Pinball figure; subject of extended 90+ minute interview discussing company future and parent IPO
Pinball Expo organizer assisting with show layout and logistics
Director of Operations and Marketing at American Pinball; former ICE employee (75% arcade market penetration); leading distribution network expansion, production acceleration, and product strategy including operator-focused models.
Promoted from Director of Operations and Marketing to Executive Vice President at American Pinball
Executive Vice President of American Pinball; subject of extended 3.5-hour podcast interview clarifying company direction and upcoming titles
Associated with American Pinball; interviewed for January 2024 recap (interview content not included in provided transcript)
American Pinball representative; confirmed for IEPA Europe show at RS Pinball booth
American Pinball representative who announced Ryan McQuaid hiring
Executive Vice President of American Pinball; discusses company hiring, licensing negotiations, and design philosophy during interview
Director of Operations and Marketing at American Pinball, confirmed second Riot Games title in development
Management figure at American Pinball; helped recruit Oursler; approved remote work arrangement
Executive/leadership at American Pinball; defending company against rumors; explains IP licensing and board development strategy
Expo staff member; discussed venue logistics, vendor success, potential relocation to larger space like Schaumburg
American Pinball figure announced as departed/out on day of Don's factory visit; details reserved for Patreon bonus content
Former Executive VP/co-founder of American Pinball; has departed the company; office cleared out during visit
American Pinball management, hired Scott Gullix and Frank Giolotti for Legends of Valhalla
EVP of American Pinball who departed; associated with previous management instability
Former American Pinball leadership; criticized for bad taste in game selection decisions; overseen company's market failures
Owner/operator of American Pinball as of December 2020 (3 years tenure); involved with Pinball Expo organization; has 150-machine personal collection
American Pinball co-founder discussing game development; managed Osberg's contract and ongoing production; addressing community rumors about the project
American Pinball leadership; appeared on Loser Kid podcast discussing vague production capacity numbers; interviewed by Jeff Teolis on Pinball Profile
Former American Pinball president; gave interview to Loser Kid Podcast; urgently requested interview be released by Friday; described as generating significant discussion ('fireworks')
Executive Vice President of R&D/Production at American Pinball; primary interviewee discussing company operations, lawsuit, and next game
Executive Vice President of American Pinball; laid off end of 2024
Previously ran American Pinball; no longer with the company; departure considered positive signal by community
Spooky Pinball designer; praised by Don for strategic choice of unlicensed game themes to avoid licensing complexity
Designer praised for choosing original licenses to avoid licensing complications; Galactic Tank Force designer
Subject of speculation as potential new hire; Don confirms this is not the new staff announcement
Industry figure at Bumper Blast event; Don exchanges stories with him; featured on custom Don's Pinball Podcast t-shirts
Was running American Pinball operations; no longer with company; Colin suggests searching for context regarding situation
Associated with American Pinball quality changes; post-David Fix era marked decline in manufacturing reliability
American Pinball representative who Orbital Albert previously criticized but now apologizes to, having been clarified by Ryan McQuaid that Fix was a victim of upper management decisions
Associated with American Pinball; implicitly blamed by Albert for Cuphead's stalled status; may have mishandled project management responsibilities
Former management at American Pinball; blamed for AP issues by some, but host now acknowledges management problems beyond his control
Pinball community figure; Genghis mentions David Fix autograph as possible swag item for WAP merchandise shipments
Leadership at American Pinball; rejected Evil Knievel game opportunity
Attempted to get Kaneda kicked out of pinball Expo; supported by Melvin who threatened to withdraw Alice game
Individual with whom Kaneda had conflict; stated he doesn't want to see Kaneda again; Kaneda claims Fix blames him for company failure
Former American Pinball leadership; criticized for poor execution, licensing mismanagement (Sonic, Cuphead); no longer with company
Led American Pinball; blamed for poor strategic decisions including theme licensing and game design choices; no longer with company.
American Pinball representative interviewed by Loser Kid podcast