Vintage EM games have appreciated 4-5x in value over 40+ years; Fireball (1972, $799) now sells for $3000-$4500
Modern pinball games have lost the great skill shots of past EM machines
King Of Diamonds reproduction uses approximately 70% original parts from the 1960s Gottlieb game
Pre-orders for King Of Diamonds have been very strong, with Gold Editions likely to sell out before production
Increased EM demand is driven by diminished modern pinball production and variety, plus nostalgia from aging players with disposable income
Purist EM collectors will not be satisfied with King Of Diamonds reproduction; it does not have adequate appeal for either collector or casual player segment
King Of Diamonds estimated cost is $3,000 with discounts available for multiple purchases
Modern EM games have too many gadgets, blind activity, and complex rules that rival video games; vintage machines are simpler and more appealing
Games planned to follow King Of Diamonds include Kings & Queens, Muscle Car Café, Cactus Jack, Crosstown, and El Dorado
Games should go to production in summer with release a few months later
Josh Sharpe, Roger Sharpe and Steve Epstein established the IFPA
In 2006, WPPR tracked 52 tournaments and awarded points at all of them
Keith Elwin was crowned 2006 WPPR champion
P3Tournament's first event in 2004 had almost 60 players from over 12 different states
Adding tournaments to shows increases their profile and stature
Tournament growth helps bring pinball back into the mindset of the general public
The European Pinball Championships relaunched in 2005 in the Netherlands
The UK Pinball League is designed to raise skill levels and interest in pinball in the UK
Greg Maletic first conceived the documentary idea in 2001 while working at a software company looking for a new challenge
Williams pinball division closed approximately one month after Greg Maletic visited the factory to discuss joining
George Gomez told Greg that it was not a good time to join Williams at the time of his visit
The documentary was originally titled 'The Future Of Pinball' but was renamed 'TILT - The Battle to Save Pinball' to appeal to a wider audience
The documentary experienced significant post-production delays including re-edits and a new soundtrack after the original 2004 target release date
Martin Ayub founded Pinball News in 1999 following Bally's closure to document that pinball was still alive
Martin Ayub was UK #1 ranked tournament player for an extended period
Pinball News published an article on Classic Playfield Reproductions' origins in 2005 that remains the primary available source on the company's history
In 2000, Stern was the only major pinball company left standing
Class People Republic (London pinball club) operates between 60-70 machines
Martin Ayub is a collector of 11 pinball machines
Competitive tournament play was negatively impacting Martin Ayub's mental health
Pinball is experiencing a vibrant resurgence with significant volume of industry news
Project Pinball places machines in children's hospitals, Ronald McDonald Houses, and other medical facilities for therapeutic purposes
Daniel Spolar discovered therapeutic uses for pinball machines through his background as a contractor
Community support is vital for long-term sustainability of charitable work
Project Pinball was founded in 2011 after discovering a non-functional 2007 Stern Spider-Man pinball machine at a children's hospital
Daniel Spoler's son was diagnosed with leukemia at age 14, which directly influenced his motivation to create Project Pinball
Playing pinball provides singular focus and stress relief that helps players escape from daily problems and trauma
Hospital child life specialists validate that pinball machines provide therapeutic benefits for hospitalized children and their families
Spoler walked away from pinball for approximately 18 years while raising his family and returned when his children left for college/military service
Spoler's leadership philosophy emphasizing worker compensation, transparency, and human dignity was developed through observing poor practices in Florida construction industry
Learning what not to do from negative examples is as important as learning positive practices
Pinball machines in public spaces during Spoler's childhood were ubiquitous in 7-Elevens, Pizza Huts, restaurants, bowling alleys, and arcades
Spooky Pinball has secured licensing rights to 'Jump in the Line' after months of it being absent from Beetlejuice.
999 'Jump in the Line' limited edition Beetlejuice machines will be produced and sold exclusively through Flip N Out Pinball.
Spooky signed a new, unexpected license deal that is out of their typical portfolio and represents a genre departure.
Evil Dead is objectively more gruesome and violent than Texas Chainsaw Massacre with ten times the gore.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre is Spooky's best game despite slower market adoption than Halloween.
Spooky's entire programming team is currently together in Madison, creating potential supply chain risk.
The right orbit drain in Beeteljuice was added to address community feedback that the game was too easy.
Charades mode in Beetlejuice was modified in the recent code update to be easier for players to complete.
Spooky discovered through TCM that the market for extremely intense horror content is smaller than expected after Halloween's success.
The humor element of Evil Dead franchise (Bruce Campbell) was the key factor in its market success despite being more graphically violent than TCM.
Tom Graff is turning 50 years old today
JBS has discontinued streaming on Twitch and exclusively uses YouTube going forward
The YOLO Box Extreme mobile streaming setup requires approximately 8 minutes to deploy and 4 minutes to break down
Space City Pinball League operates two separate leagues in Houston
Eureka Heights Brewery mobile streaming rig will be upgraded with improved audio capture for future broadcasts
Stranger Things pinball machine will have tournament mode button functionality implemented for June 2024 league play
JBS considers himself one of the worst pinball players despite running a pinball streaming show
The Dungeons & Dragons pinball machine plays well mechanically despite complex rule learning curve
Automating YouTube archival for streams saves significant time versus manual Twitch VOD management
Eureka Heights Brewery previously lacked capacity for streaming until mobile rig deployment
Visitor Jamie had been searching for pinball league opportunities upon relocating to Houston
King Kong's IP derives from the 1932 book, which is unlicensed and over 100 years old, so Stern didn't need to pay for licensing
Stern couldn't license the Empire State Building for King Kong due to licensing issues, so the game features a fictional building instead
King Kong Pro has virtual ball locks while the Premium version has physical ball locks with a visible train mechanism
King Kong Pro launch party is scheduled for June 13 at Eureka Heights Brewery
Jamie Burchil got a private tour of Stern and livestreamed from their office space, meeting Keith Stern and Gary Stern
King Kong Pro will be a strong money-maker for venue operators, comparable to Godzilla's commercial viability
King Kong Pro core gameplay mechanics didn't lose anything important from Pro to Premium tier despite missing physical toys
The Yolo Box Extreme is a game-changer for pinball streaming capabilities
Space City Pinball League Super Series will launch with an event at NASA on June 7
Community speculation about linking King Kong and Godzilla together is recurring and frustrating
Tom Graff provides streaming and tournament directing for Wisconsin pinball community
Chris Kohler is a longtime pinball player with player number 1192
Chris Kohler was recently hired as chef at Lumberjack Johnny's
Nikki and Dave Oschefski own Lumberjack Johnny's in Appleton
Nikki hosts women's pinball tournaments at her house for the fourth or fifth consecutive year
Led Zeppelin pinball requires strategic shot selection with left saucer being high-priority early shot for tour multiball
James Bond EM is 'the best uh modern EM there is'
Chris Kohler previously operated Bistro Bites food truck in Fox Valley area
Approximately 30-40 players participated in the Triple Heart Valentine's Day Bounty tournament
Harry Potter Collector's Edition is the highest-end version of the game available
The game features a three-flipper main playfield plus additional upper flipper(s)
Collector's Edition pricing is $21,999 plus tax/shipping/delivery
The rotating staircase is a key central mechanic for mode progression and multiball starts
The game includes a shaker motor for haptic feedback during gameplay
The game has high rule complexity with multiple simultaneous active modes and visual feedback elements
Dutch was playing Harry Potter pinball for the first time
The game features a choke ramp mechanic that changes ball direction
Harry Potter pinball is available in at least five editions: Pro, Premium, Wizard, Collector's, and Arcade
The game features flippers themed to different Harry Potter houses
The retail value of the entire stamp collection totals approximately $1,595
A non-licked stamp in pristine condition is worth significantly more than a stamp stuck to paper or previously used
The collectibles store in London, Ontario has been operating for decades with multigenerational ownership
Stamps are 'the least desirable collectible in all of the collectibles industry' compared to coins, Pokémon cards, and similar items
There may be a single stamp worth $100 or more hidden among the ~100,000 stamps in the collection
The top 60 global brand licensing agents account for $117.7B in revenue of licensed consumer products at retail over 2025, an increase from last year
The Top 10 Global Licensing Agents make up more than 68% of the total $117.7B revenue
CAA Brand Management acquired Beanstalk in February 2026
Growth in licensed consumer products revenue will increase in 2026 and into 2027
The top four licensing agents (IMG, CAA, Beanstalk, LMCA) remained unchanged from 2025
Alifish moved into the Top 5, displacing Global Icons which moved to No. 8
Top 60 global licensing agents represented $117.7B in retail sales of licensed consumer products in fiscal year 2025
CAA Brand Management acquired Beanstalk, with the deal closing in February 2026
IMG Licensing has retained the top spot as the world's leading licensing agent
The top 10 global licensing agents account for more than 68% of the $117.7B in identified revenue
CAA and Beanstalk's combined entity will redefine the top licensing agent rankings in 2027
Growth in the licensing agent industry will continue to increase through 2026 and into 2027
Pinberg is one of the biggest pinball tournaments in the world and a major circuit event featuring 40+ hours of competitive play over 4 days
Only 799 Bally Vampire machines were produced in 1971
Only 38 Bally Vampire machines are registered owners on Pinside as of the time of filming
The Bally Vampire is probably the nicest example in existence
Williams held exclusive licensing/trademark rights to the word 'multiball' during the era when JD East produced Rocky & Bullwinkle
Vampire restoration required more time investment than hand-painting two complete machine cabinets or decaling/stenciling two machines
Mike Dus earned $750 USD in total prize money from Pinberg tournament (3rd in strikes, 7th in B playoffs)
Mantis recently went out of business, eliminating a key source of aftermarket pinball parts like ramp protectors
Vampire restoration is Grazley Garage's 140th completed restoration project
The Popeye arcade game was acquired for approximately $350 after initial marketplace listing at $250 and subsequent reposting at $500
The Megatron cannon toy frequently misdirects the ball straight down the middle rather than executing its intended function.
The cannon combo rewards 20 million points but does not increase in value when completed consecutively on multiple balls.
Stern will address the Megatron cannon mechanical and balance issues in future code updates.
The shield mechanic on Transformers G1 Premium is functioning well without gameplay issues.
The streamer is modifying the acrylic cannon lip by shortening it approximately a quarter inch and sharpening its angle.
No pinball game released in 2026 has been a universal masterpiece or hit
Winchester Mystery House is the only game from 2026 that held and increased secondary market value
Stern Pinball is the most disappointing company of 2026
Stern's $13,000 machines look cheaper and less valuable than competitor machines at similar or lower price points
Pokemon Pinball has lost approximately $2,000 in secondary market value since release
Back to the Future development cost exceeds $1.5 million
Keith Elwin is the greatest designer in modern pinball
Goonies SLE (88 units in America) and Back to the Future SLE (85 units) will see significant secondary market price appreciation
Bon Jovi will sell a total of 700 units with no reserve club expansion
Music-themed pinball machines suffer from buyer fatigue after 800+ plays due to repetitive soundtrack
DCC's licensing prevents playing DCC on an Ender's Game machine, despite identical mechanics
DCC costs $12,350 with platform; $5,250 for kit only
Ender's Game kit is cheaper than DCC kit due to lacking sculpts
Jeff Hayes' audiobook narration is superior to any voice work attempt and should be the only option for DCC experience
DCC will outsell Ender's Game by a factor of ten
Ender's Game was the original planned game, with DCC rights acquired mid-development
Some P3 users experience connectivity issues when swapping modules between games
Stumbler Pinball is a very respected mod maker in the pinball community
DCC was shown at San Diego Comic-Con
Portal's pop-up ramp had structural durability issues compared to DCC's spinning disc
Wesley Johnson was brought on to work on Dungeon Crawler Carl rules because Colin McAlpine was already working on Ender's Game
DCC will include content from the first seven books of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series when complete
DCC's public code at Gen Con only encompasses book one with two multiballs, spell casting, and many callouts
Multimorphic's goal is to have a nearly code-complete Dungeon Crawler Carl with wizard mode by the time modules ship to customers
Ender's Game is based on the 1985 Orson Scott Card novel with characters intentionally depicted as six-to-eight-years-old rather than the older kids in the 2013 film
Bon Jovi uses Lightning flippers as main flippers, which aren't widely used in modern production pinball machines
Fewer than 50 Bon Jovi units remain available out of the 700-unit production run
Yukon Yeti new code includes music and sound from Chris Graner with multiple gameplay innovations including gold-collecting mode and Wager mode
Bon Jovi initially received a lukewarm reception but picked up steam and became universally well-received after hands-on play at Southern Fried Gaming Expo
DCC's playfield layout wasn't specifically designed for it, but the P3 platform is the right choice for this theme due to thematic variety between dungeon levels
Silver Strike National Championship had not been held since 2008
Silver Strike: League Night cabinets are earning well for operators
There is significant player crossover between Golden Tee and Silver Strike communities
Silver Strike: League Night cabinets began shipping in April 2024
Conversion kits for Silver Strike: League Night will be available in 2025
A Silver Strike player app will launch on Apple App Store and Google Play Store by fall 2024
IT experienced strong cabinet performance across the country despite challenging summer season
A second-ever online perfect game (300) was achieved and broadcast live during the 2024 Silver Strike National Championship
Silver Strike National Championship 2025 will feature a 2-3 month qualifying period with championship in late spring or early summer
This was IT's first live-streamed non-Golden Tee esports event
Sega never built a Sonic the Hedgehog pinball machine despite having the IP and the opportunity.
Jersey Jack Pinball is destined to make a Sonic the Hedgehog pinball machine.
Jack Guarnieri purchased his first pinball machine (Bally Wizard!) for $1,800 and placed it at The Brook Sun and Swim Club around 1978.
Late August and early September were historically the slowest months for amusement centers due to back-to-school spending.
Work ethic and seizing opportunities lead to favorable life outcomes and 'destiny.'
Jersey Jack Pinball was named after Jack Guarnieri's RePlay Magazine pen name 'Jersey Jack.'
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has not had a jukebox on display for approximately 14 years.
Stern's Foo Fighters pinball machine is on display and available for free play at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Ahmet Ertegun 'discovered' the author's band Castle Kings on 57th Street in NYC in the early 1960s.
Ahmet Ertegun co-founded the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The Wurlitzer 1015 has been inducted into a hall of fame for the coin-op industry.
There are now fewer jukeboxes on location floors, with more digital music delivery systems replacing traditional 45rpm disc-based machines.
Kenny Rogers expressed indifference to the decline of vinyl records, stating he liked any medium that played his music.
Neil Sedaka appeared on the cover of Replay Magazine second issue in 1975.
Neil Sedaka is not featured in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Replay Magazine covers 'the jukebox and games business,' serving as the publication for the coin-op industry.
Jack Guarnieri wanted to make a Sonic pinball machine since the late 1990s when he worked at Mondial Distributing
Jersey Jack Pinball started development of Sonic the Hedgehog in 2022 and spent two-and-a-half years on licensing negotiations
The Sonic game features 6,000 speech calls from original voice actors
Taylor Snyder is 'the biggest Sonic fan on the team'
Bill Grupp started at Williams Electronics in 1992
The Arcade Edition ($9,999) will be Jersey Jack Pinball most widely accepted machine to date
The Spin Dash mechanism was discovered accidentally during development when the team realized the ball could be caught on a magnet
The upper playfield with nine shots will probably become everyone's favorite part of the game once they experience it
Taylor Snyder graduated from University of Michigan in 2023 and came directly to Jersey Jack Pinball from a video game background
Multimorphic secured the Dungeon Crawler Carl license approximately one year before Gen Con 2024
The current game code includes all of Book One with six distinct boss battles
Future code updates will reduce boss progression requirement from 6 to 3 bosses to trigger mini wizard mode
Brad Albright is designing art assets that dynamically change based on which book is selected
Dungeon Crawler Carl is the first P3 game where the central mech mechanic feels as necessary and well-integrated as Portal's multi-layer design
Flip n Out Pinball is now an authorized Multimorphic distributor and can sell base modules and full game kits
The Portal ramp had finickiness issues compared to Dungeon Crawler Carl mech build quality
Dungeon Crawler Carl features seven total books available for player selection
The game will retain adult language and content from the source books with selective bleeping rather than sanitization
Stacking multiple boss battles simultaneously creates overwhelming complexity that may frustrate competitive/serious players
PopStroke operates 20 locations in 7 states including Alabama, Tennessee and Texas
Home Run Dugout uses patented 7-mph pitch technology
Mookie Betts is founding athlete and chair of Home Run Dugout athlete advisory board
PopStroke demographic ranges from age 3 to 90
Tiger Woods and TGR Design personally design each PopStroke course with unique variations per location
Home Run Dugout's core innovation was eliminating the fastball in favor of 7-mph pitches
Home Run Dugout mission is to make baseball participation accessible to all ages and skill levels, not just spectators
Bon Jovi is limited to 700 units total production
Bon Jovi plays better/more enjoyably than Stern's Elton John machine
The original Bon Jovi backglass artwork received universal community criticism
Bon Jovi features hidden ball paths and backstage playfield areas not visible in promotional materials
Galactic Tank Force Deluxe Edition is limited to 100 units at $8,999 MSRP
Bon Jovi production will begin in August on a separate manufacturing line
Multiple players at the Barrels Reserve event preferred Bon Jovi shooting/playability to recent games from major competitors
Bon Jovi will sell out quickly once general public gets hands-on experience
Don initially declined/was not interested in pre-ordering Bon Jovi based on promotional materials
Barrels of Fun will release alternative backglass artwork for Bon Jovi
Arcade Monsters charges $25 for unlimited play entry
Arcade Monsters San Diego is one of the largest/most impressive arcades Erika has visited
Arcade Monsters has multiple Limited Edition pinball machines including Mandalorian LE, Dungeons & Dragons LE, King Kong LE, X-Men LE, Transformers (LE), and Pokemon LE
Arcade Monsters underwent renovations or changes approximately 2-3 years after its initial opening
Trizone has been listed for sale with zero buyer interest despite containing $1,000 in parts value
Bad bridge rectifier diodes on Panthera's soundboard caused the initial burning smell
Panthera's transformer had an unsoldered connection causing arcing and smoke
Mars God of War's power supply voltages are actually good across all measurement points (12V, 5V, 43V)
Panthera's CPU locks up when credits are added, possibly due to soundboard or free-play jumper configuration
Quicksilver playfield was successfully converted into a complete working machine with Grazley garage assistance
Mars God of War is ready for sale as a mostly functional restoration project
Panthera requires additional soundboard repair or volume pot replacement before sound functionality can be achieved
First units of Yukon Yeti have been delivered to arcades this week
Dealer network will receive Yukon Yeti units soon
Chris Granner team completely redesigned all audio for Yukon Yeti
The staircase mechanism in Chilkoot Pass was sped up so the ball travels faster
Gold collected in Gold Mining mode can be used to purchase ball savers and extra balls
Wager Mode is one of Collier's favorite concepts he's seen in a pinball game
Dynamic soundtracks change based on what section of the game is being played (shooter lane, skill shot, modes, etc.)
Each mode in Yukon Yeti has its own unique music, animations, and light shows
Season 3 of Flipper Friends All Legends Series is ending after Week 13
Season 4 will follow the conclusion of Season 3
Players can compete on Legends 4K, HDP, or HD Pinball devices for the tournament
AtGames Gift Cards currently cannot be redeemed directly on-device
Arcade Monsters is located in San Diego
Arcade Monsters has extensive art installations throughout the venue
This is the most insane arcade Erika has ever seen
Arcade Monsters opened approximately 2-3 years before this tour
Barrels of Fun is producing 700 units of Bon Jovi pinball machine
Bon Jovi features a guitar-shaped outer lane flipper for skill-based ball saves
There are only 22 Multimorphic playable locations in continental United States
Dungeon Crawler Carl book series began in 2021 and now has 8 books total
Jeff Hayes, the audiobook narrator of Dungeon Crawler Carl, provides all voice callouts for the pinball machine
Dungeon Crawler Carl pinball will be playable starting from any of the 8 books, with only Book 1 currently complete
Most people consuming Dungeon Crawler Carl do so via audiobook rather than physical reading
Dungeon Crawler Carl is a more natural thematic fit for pinball than Ender's Game due to inherent gameplay elements
Music pinball machine quality can transcend the listener's personal taste in the band's music
Ender's Game pinball has bright, colorful presentation that conflicts with the dark psychological nature of the source novel
John Wick: Continental Pursuit was designed for high-volume arcade environments, maximizing performance while driving replayability and ROI
The machine combines cinematic gameplay with motion technology and integrated special effects to create a highly responsive, simulation-driven arcade experience
American Pinball will release a final 100-unit limited edition of Galactic Tank Force called Victory Edition
Victory Edition is priced at $8,995, matching the previous standard edition
Victory Edition includes a redesigned, fully interactive tank sculpt and new topper
American Pinball is reimagining Cirqus Voltaire with modern craftsmanship and new surprises
Cirqus Voltaire was originally released by Midway Games under the Bally label in 1997
Barcade's original Williamsburg location opened October 14, 2004
The original Barcade location's lease expires in less than 1,000 days
Williamsburg neighborhood gentrification with steel/glass replacement of brick/wood buildings is a factor in the closure
Nightlife has mostly faded away in the Williamsburg area around the original Barcade
Water Safari will celebrate its 70th anniversary on August 7
Guests aged 70 and older receive free admission on the anniversary day
Nightmare on Elm Street has a 2-second ball save on every mode type
Baywatch was Greg Benz's first owned pinball machine
Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a significantly better game than Halloween
Only four Sega games featured large DMDs
Harry Potter is Jersey Jack Pinball heaviest machine to move
Stranger Things LE has a magnetic wall locking mechanism that never works
Dutch beat Nightmare on Elm Street on his sixth visit to Greg Benz's collection
Halloween pinball machine has a silent ball elevator mechanism that catches players off-guard
Texas Chainsaw Massacre has one of the best playfield layouts in modern pinball
Ghostbusters pinball has random screaming sound effects that most players disable
The pinball community had largely abandoned writing books on the topic of playing pinball in the mid-late 1970s
Pinball has changed a lot since the 1970s in every aspect including game mechanics, rule sets, and competition formats
Schiffer Books signed a contract with Tasker Smith in January 2021
The book contains 256 pages with 237 illustrations
For competitive pinball, mental focus and emotional regulation are essential skills
The book could merit a second edition if enough new insights and ideas are aggregated
Most serious pinball players focus preparation on mental aspects rather than physical conditioning
Kineticist was the first media outlet to appear in a printed pinball book
I would have bought 10 Bon Jovies and flipped 9 of them but I'm not buying any because David Van Ness wore shorts
Retro Ralph wore gloves in a livestream from Chicago while visiting Stern Pinball
Kale won a Twippy award despite receiving fewer votes than the host
Orby has approximately 14 Patreon subscribers
Kale practices judo
Barrels of Fun's Bon Jovi machine has a crowd surfing mechanical feature on the left side
Jamie Burchill wore a New York Yankees hat on the roundtable
Host regularly visits Tomi Jazz Club with VIP backstage access
Barrels' mystery launch strategy for Bon Jovi backfired; transparency would have generated better sales
650 Bon Jovi units have moved (sold to distributors/dealers)
Dealer retail orders for Bon Jovi are very low, reported as 'one hand' worth from certain dealers
Bon Jovi gameplay is very easy; skilled players can achieve 1 billion points on a single 8-minute ball
Goonies (Spooky Pinball) is sold out at 1,385 SLE units with much stronger demand than Bon Jovi
Beetlejuice (Spooky Pinball) sold 999+ units plus show games in less than one hour on launch day
David Van Ness worked at Spooky Pinball and left to make Labyrinth because Spooky refused the project
Barrels of Fun needs to establish coherent brand positioning; current portfolio (Labyrinth, Dune, Winchester, Bon Jovi) lacks thematic unity
Southern Fried Gaming Expo will be critical test for Bon Jovi's commercial viability and Barrels' survival
Dutch Pinball could sell 1,000 Back to the Future units on announcement alone without gameplay demonstration
Zero people asked for a Bon Jovi pinball game theme
David Van Es should be recognized as one of the top pinball designers alongside Keith Elwin
Dune by Barrels of Fun is a masterpiece game
Sonic's upper playfield loop-de-loop requires mechanical tuning/calibration
Harry Potter playfield layout is one of the best, but theme integration and rule code complexity hold it back
Keith Elwin design superiority comes from harmonizing layout mechanics with ruleset implementation
Jack Danger is working on a fan project to document the complete pinball game development process including licensing
Pinburgh 2024 was the best-run tournament David Benke has ever attended
There is an official IFPA rule prohibiting phone use between balls on EM games to prevent rules documentation access
Community sentiment on Bon Jovi shifted from overwhelmingly negative to moderately positive within 24 hours of gameplay video release
Barrels of Fun's mystery reveal strategy has worked well for Labyrinth and Winchester Mystery House but failed for Bon Jovi Pinball due to lack of community rumor buildup and theme reception
Dungeon Crawler Carl and Big Trouble in Little China each scored 92 on the Hype Index while Bon Jovi Pinball scored 64
Multimorphic executed superior launch communications compared to Barrels by phasing announcements over weeks with information about personnel, distributors, and launch schedule
The negative reception to Bon Jovi Pinball is partially attributable to the translite artwork pose appearing 'goofy looking' and reinforcing pre-existing bias against the theme
American Pinball has completed a partnership with mod-maker Art of Pinball to produce motorized tank sculpt for Galactic Tank Force: Victory Edition
Dungeon Crawler Carl will likely outperform Ender's Game in sales based on current community demand and interest levels
Bon Jovi Pinball's perception could improve significantly once machines reach Southern-Fried venue and hands-on play experiences occur
Labyrinth scored 98 on This Week in Pinball's Hype Index, demonstrating successful community reception
Dad rock themes in pinball have been 'done to death' and Bon Jovi Pinball faces an uphill battle regardless of technical quality because of this genre saturation
Tasker Smith's 'Pinball: A Quest for Mastery' took a decade to complete and originally included sports-science research that was ultimately cut from the final publication
Only 4 people on Pinside have registered owning Bon Jovi in their collection despite claims of 650 sales
Pre-release Bon Jovi photos were leaked approximately 2 hours before official reveal
Barrels of Fun did not include a backbox screen due to space constraints and/or gameplay concerns
Bon Jovi pinball machine is limited to 700 units
Don's Pinball Podcast Patreon membership just exceeded 100 paid members
Bon Jovi will likely sell out despite poor reveal reception
Community backlash against Bon Jovi stems from unmet expectations (Anticipation Demons) rather than poor game design
Multimorphic's games in development are of exceptional quality and innovation
Dungeon Crawler Carl P3 release will drive significant new P3 sales from non-pinball audience
Barrels of Fun spent 18-24 months developing Bon Jovi
AAMA Annual Meeting & Celebration is scheduled for Aug. 31–Sept. 3 at Warwick Melrose in Dallas
This year's event continues last year's new format
Time Mission was founded in 2019 from a single hand-built concept
Time Mission expects 15-20 new locations in 2027
Six Time Mission venues are currently under construction across the U.S. and Europe
Time Mission's growth strategy focuses on thoughtful expansion with strong operational models and partnerships
Galloping Ghost Pinball and Arcade are only three blocks apart
Pins Mechanical is a chain that rotates machines between different locations on a regular basis
The Distillery machines are maintained in perfect condition with perfect leveling
Roller Games is an underground hit among pinball fans
The Distillery has only a small number of pinball machines but all are perfectly maintained
Arcade Legacy has the best pricing/deal in Cincinnati
The Skip-by Predator pinball machine only has three units in existence
Ed and Gary have been visiting Galloping Ghost Arcade for 10-15 years
Cartridge Gaming owner mentioned plans to add food service
The Godzilla Sega version with color DMD brings out the game better than standard DMD
The Victory Edition features a new tank sculpt hand-painted and resin-cast by Art of Pinball with 3 embedded interactive LEDs
The topper was designed by original game artist Chris Franchi
If the original GTF had looked like the Victory Edition, American would have sold a lot more of them
100 Victory Edition units will ship beginning August 2026
Tank upgrades will be limited to 150 units and ship in late fall 2026
The new code update includes the long-awaited Tank Zulu mini-wizard mode
Free 3D STL files for UFO, Spybot, and robot sculpts are now available for all GTF owners
The Victory Edition includes a shaker motor, AURA Lighting, Magic Glass, and physical knocker
This is the final production run of Galactic Tank Force
Galactic Tank Force was first launched in 2023
Phil Grimaldi designed the rules for Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi pinball has already sold approximately 650 units
Bon Jovi is Barrels of Fun's best shooting game
Lightning flippers are one-eighth inch shorter than standard three-inch flippers
Bon Jovi will sell more units than Winchester Mystery House
The crowd-surf ball save mechanic in Bon Jovi is cooler than the Overdrive feature in Foo Fighters
Barrels of Fun games are more challenging than most modern pinball machines
Bon Jovi initially was designed as a two-flipper game before playtester feedback prompted four flippers
There is unprecedented oversaturation in new pinball releases making it difficult to choose which games to purchase
Music pinball games have become fatiguing for the community due to repeated dad-rock themes
Galactic Tank Force: Victory Edition is a final run of one hundred units
Victory Edition priced at $8,995, matching the Deluxe edition launch price from 2023
Tank Zulu mini-wizard mode was named in the game's feature list back in 2023
American Pinball is releasing UFO, Spybot, and robot sculpts as publicly available STL files for player modification
J Bryan Vincent discussed an à la carte content model where owners can pick and choose what they want in their pins
Chris Franchi is a full-time employee at Spooky Pinball while collaborating with American Pinball on Victory Edition artwork
Interactive motorized tank sculpt is the first project leveraging American Pinball partnership with Art of Pinball
American Pinball is using controlled updates to existing products as 'practice reps' before launching new games under new ownership
Releasing playfield sculpt files for player modification is industry-atypical practice
Dennis Nordman is notably absent from Victory Edition press release except for game's Namdron Galaxy setting
Bon Jovi has 2.3 billion Spotify listens on 'Living on a Prayer'
Barrels of Fun has 700 Bon Jovi pinball games available for sale
Guns N' Roses pinball had approximately 6,000 units produced
Kaneda was the first person to leak that Barrels' next game would be Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi pinball will sell out all 700 units by Expo or within six months
Dune movie trilogy will not hold up culturally in 30-40 years like Bon Jovi music has
Guns N' Roses pinball has inferior gameplay to Foo Fighters, Metallica, ACDC, and Elton John
Barrels of Fun's primary limitations are marketing and design taste, not manufacturing
Bon Jovi pinball costs $12,000 and is $400 more expensive than previous Barrels games
Stern Pinball has no games on backorder for the first time in years
Layoffs may be coming at Stern Pinball
Pokemon's code state is primarily responsible for its current sales resurgence
Stern thought Pokemon would have a longer sales tail and displace Godzilla if code improvements continue
Multimorphic has eight official game kits plus one third-party game kit (nine total)
Flip N Out Pinball began partnership discussions with Multimorphic in February 2026
Texas Chainsaw Massacre's superior rule set gave it market advantage over Looney Tunes despite potential theme preference divergence
Ender's Game looks visually barren and will not sell well compared to Dungeon Crawler Carl
Jersey Jack Pinball is prioritizing location/arcade Sonic shipments over home collector backorders
Transformers received strong post-launch code improvements that drove community enthusiasm recovery
Dungeon Crawler Carl and Ender's Game modules are not interchangeable
Portal was the first P3 game to feature a lower playfield kit module
Multimorphic has released 29 P3 games
Brad Albright created playfield art for Dungeon Crawler Carl, Portal, and Winchester Mystery House
Ender's Game designers read the source material extensively rather than basing design on the 2013 movie
Dungeon Crawler Carl book series was adapted into pinball before the TV show aired
These new releases will influence operators to make different purchasing decisions
The P3 platform is not widely accessible in public venues currently
Manu is purchasing Dungeon Crawler Carl module
Erika is purchasing Ender's Game module
Turner Pinball has shipped its first production Yukon Yeti machines
American Pinball has launched a new code update for Galactic Tank Force
Dungeon Crawler Carl pinball module will feature content from at least seven books in the series
Three new pinball games were revealed this week
Wesley Johnson is the rules designer for Dungeon Crawler Carl
Steve Ritchie designed Sonic the Hedgehog with a four-flipper layout instead of his typical three-flipper approach
Jersey Jack Pinball has improved at thematic world-building to the point of rivaling or exceeding Barrels of Fun's reputation in this area
Bill Grupp coded both Elton John and Sonic the Hedgehog, with Sonic representing a progression in rule complexity
Sonic the Hedgehog sold more arcade editions than special editions in the first week of release
Jersey Jack Pinball could sustain yearly production runs of Sonic for 3-4 years if licensing allows
The transparent upper playfield on Sonic provides better visibility and gameplay integration than Game of Thrones Premium's upper playfield
Sega mandated the use of modern 3D Sonic Generations aesthetic rather than retro 2D artwork for the pinball game
Commercial operators/locations purchased Sonic in higher quantities than expected across all edition tiers
Pokemon sold in much higher volume during its first week than Sonic, but subsequent sales velocity has favored Sonic
Some players believe Sonic would have sold better with purely retro artwork instead of modern 3D aesthetics
Jason Fer hosts Pinball Shenanigans
Stern and RPM booth featured between 6-7 games on Comic-Con 2026 floor
Transformers pinball machine was designed by Elliot and Elizabeth
Transformers pinball features strong lighting design and thematic integration
Transformers pinball is receiving ongoing rule updates and increasing rule depth
Comic-Con 2026 Stern activation attracted players across all age demographics, including younger players
Stern Pinball's Comic-Con presence expanded year-over-year
David Van Ness offered the host Dune unit #100 specifically, having held it aside for them
Zach at Flipping Out owns Dune unit #1
The entire Barrels of Fun team signed the backbox of the host's Dune machine
Dune unit #1 (Zach's machine) has magnet performance issues compared to later units
Dirty Pool Pinball engineered custom audio enhancements for Bon Jovi pinball
Dungeon Crawler Carl and Ender's Game are newly announced pinball machines
Dungeon Crawler Carl is expected to be on display/playable at Gen Con
Dune received code updates that added the FA wizard mode after initial release
The host intends to keep Dune permanently in their collection and will not sell it
Barrels of Fun produces high-quality pinball games despite the host's initial surprise at theme selections
Scream Screen is compatible with multiple Spooky Pinball game titles
The installation requires careful cutting of existing zip ties to avoid damaging harnesses
Display bolts must be tightened with drill chuck set to 6 or 7 to avoid cracking powder coat
Extra hardware (nuts and bolts) is included in the Scream Screen kit as backup for lost fasteners
Screen protector replacement is optional if existing protector is clean and scratch-free
Display brightness and volume settings are standardized across Spooky Pinball game titles
Recommended display preset is 'Movie' mode for optimal visual settings
Audio cables, HDMI, and power configuration differs between old and new display installation
Bon Jovi from Barrels of Fun was confirmed as a real upcoming release by Pinball distributor in Australia
Barrels of Fun disabled YouTube comments on the Bon Jovi reveal video due to community backlash
Dungeon Crawler Carl first images leaked via cell phone photos from Comic-Con Hall H without planned advance notice
Dungeon Crawler Carl is priced at $12,350.79
P3 Multimorphic's Final Resistance was their most successful title to date
Don secured a sponsorship with Kingpin Games for P3 system coverage
Dungeon Crawler Carl represents the first time P3 has 'flirted with success' at a premium commercial tier
Don passed on pre-ordering Bon Jovi after the reveal despite having secured early access
Bon Jovi lacks the sculpts, screens, and mechanical innovation features that defined prior Barrels of Fun releases
Dungeon Crawler Carl was not scheduled to appear at Southern Fried Gaming Expo in Georgia despite it being the logical venue for pinball buyers
I correctly predicted the Bon Jovi pinball announcement and faced unjustified criticism from Pinside community members.
David Van Ness and Brian Savage lack good taste in design and aesthetics, which is the primary factor determining Barrels of Fun's long-term survival.
Bon Jovi pinball will not sell out quickly and will likely produce only 700 units as planned.
The Bon Jovi translight artwork is among the worst artistic executions in recent pinball history.
Dune was a business failure despite secondary market success, and Winchester Mystery House commercial success resulted from luck rather than design excellence.
Bon Jovi pinball has the best shooting game design of all Barrels of Fun releases to date.
Pinball content creators have become sales arms for manufacturers with day-one promotional content.
David Van Ness shared two alternative pinball theme ideas with Kaneda under NDA two years ago, neither of which was Bon Jovi.
Three major pinball game releases within two days (Bon Jovi, Dungeon Crawler Carl, and one other) caused community exhaustion and marketing fatigue.
Music pinball machines are harder for collectors to justify purchasing compared to movie-themed games due to market saturation.
A tornado hit the workplace building during the host's first three hours on the job, destroying half the building and damaging cars in the parking lot.
Barrels of Fun announced a Bon Jovi pinball machine with a mechanical heart toy that moves up and down.
The Bon Jovi machine features 12 or more licensed songs.
Multimorphic released Dungeon Crawler Carl and Ender's Game simultaneously using a dual-release strategy similar to Spooky's Halloween/Ultraman approach.
Spooky Pinball has stated they will not repeat their dual-release strategy because the approach fractured the release and resource intensity was not worth the outcome.
Glenn (Pinball Junk Drawer community member) was hired as a sound engineer/janitor at Multimorphic.
Aliens of Destruction arcade game was made in Madison, Wisconsin and has approximately 20 production units available for purchase.
Sonic was the #1 earner at Lumberjack Johnny's in week one, Hulk was #2, and Shrek was #3.
In week two at Lumberjack Johnny's, a five-way tie for bottom earners included Guardians of the Galaxy, Venom, King Kong, Foo Fighters, and Metallica.
Pinball manufacturers are currently targeting aging demographics (40-50+ year olds with disposable income around $12,000) through nostalgia-driven IP licensing like Bon Jovi.
Python Angelo designed Pinball Circus in 1994
Only 2-3 Pinball Circus machines were ever built
One Pinball Circus is in the Pinball Hall of Fame in Las Vegas and is currently broken and removed from display
Gerard van de Sanden located and played the other Pinball Circus machine but keeps the location secret
Python Angelo passed away in 2014
Gerard van de Sanden met Python Angelo at the Chicago Expo in 2013
One Pinball Circus machine went to Germany and is owned by a private collector
One Pinball Circus machine went to the USA
Pinball Circus was designed by Python Angelo in the early 2000s
Only two Pinball Circus machines are known to have been manufactured
One Pinball Circus is permanently located in Las Vegas at the Pinball Hall of Fame
The Las Vegas Pinball Circus machine is frequently non-operational and requires extensive maintenance
A second Pinball Circus exists at an undisclosed location and is playable
Pinball Circus was too expensive to build and impractical for commercial bar or arcade use
Python Angelo designed a Madonna pinball machine concept that never reached production
The narrator visited and played the Las Vegas Pinball Circus machine in 2022, having first seen it in 2014
The second Pinball Circus machine might be located in Germany, though its exact location is unknown to most of the community
Encountering and playing the second Pinball Circus was an emotionally significant moment for the guest collector
Pinball Ranker was created a couple months ago as an alternative to Pinside's rating system
Pinside's rating system has too many questions and 'sucks the fun out of it'
Pinball 2000 had swappable playfields that made the cabinet modular, similar to Multimorphic before Multimorphic existed
Star Wars and Revenge from Mars were the main Pinball 2000 releases, possibly only two games in the series