The Midwest Gaming Classic is This Weekend; Are we Really Finally Getting Masters of the Universe Pinball?; Neo Geo is Back

Knapp Arcade·article·analyzed·Apr 23, 2026

Analysis

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TL;DR

MGC 2026 looms; Masters of the Universe pinball rumor resurfaces with Barrels of Fun as potential maker.

Summary

Knapp Arcade reports on the Midwest Gaming Classic (MGC) happening April 24-26 in Milwaukee, now in its 25th year with 350,000+ square feet of gaming content. The article extensively covers the long-running rumor of a Masters of the Universe pinball machine, noting new speculation that Barrels of Fun may hold the license, and discusses whether it would be based on the classic 1983-85 cartoon or the upcoming June 2026 movie. A sidebar story covers SNK's re-release of the Neo Geo home console at $249.99.

Key Claims

Midwest Gaming Classic is the 25th anniversary this year, growing from a small 2001 Atari Jaguar gathering to 350,000+ square feet
high confidence · Knapp Arcade article states MGC started in 2001 and is now 350,000+ sq ft, roughly 1,000x larger
American Pinball (under previous management Aimtron/David Fix) either had the Masters of the Universe license and fumbled it or never actually had it
medium confidence · Knapp Arcade notes the rumor history, states Christopher Franchi created art package for the game, but it never came to fruition
Barrels of Fun now rumored to have the Masters of the Universe pinball license
low confidence · Knapp Arcade says 'There's a new rumor out there that Barrels of Fun now has the license' and acknowledges hearing it from multiple sources over months but didn't credit it until now
Christopher Franchi has not worked on any upcoming He-Man game
high confidence · Knapp Arcade: 'Franchi recently shared that he has not worked on any upcoming He-Man game'
SNK's new Neo Geo home console will retail for $249.99 standard edition, with new game cartridges at $89.99 each
high confidence · Knapp Arcade cites official SNK Neo Geo pricing information

Notable Quotes

“There are a lot of themes that have been passed around as rumors from multiple pinball manufacturers over the years...possibly none more so than Masters of the Universe.”
Knapp Arcade (Jason Knapp) @ N/A — Establishes Masters of the Universe as the most persistent pinball rumor in industry history
“Do I believe that a Barrels Masters of the Universe pin is coming? Ehhhh, it's hard to say. It wouldn't surprise me, but I definitely haven't heard anyone who I speak with about rumors say so confidently.”
Knapp Arcade (Jason Knapp) @ N/A — Shows cautious skepticism about the Barrels of Fun rumor despite multiple sources
“I personally put the likelihood of one happening at 50-50.”
Knapp Arcade (Jason Knapp) @ N/A — Quantifies Knapp's belief in the Masters of the Universe pinball machine coming to market
“Making a pinball machine based on a movie that hasn't been released yet is always a big gamble on a number of levels.”
Knapp Arcade (Jason Knapp) @ N/A — Discusses the risk of licensing unreleased films for pinball machines
“One can look through history and see examples of great pinball machines that are tied to bad movies (or at least ones that didn't earn well in the theater), including Congo, Johnny Mnemonic, and The Shadow.”
Knapp Arcade (Jason Knapp) @ N/A — Cites historical precedent of successful pinball machines based on commercially unsuccessful films
“The famous pinball story about when Jersey Jack Pinball created its 2016 pinball machine The Hobbit, where the licensor was so secretive about the movie that JJP actually had to go back and completely redesign the game's Smaug dragon because their original one looked nothing like the one from the film.”
Knapp Arcade (Jason Knapp) @ N/A — Historical anecdote illustrating licensing restrictions on unreleased films

Entities

Midwest Gaming Classicevent Barrels of FuncompanyMasters of the UniversegameAmerican Pinballcompany Christopher Franchiperson David FixpersonStern Pinballcompany

Signals

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event_signal: Midwest Gaming Classic 2026 (25th anniversary) running April 24-26 in Milwaukee with 350,000+ sq ft of content; featured homebrew section
high · Article confirms dates, location, size, and special homebrew showcase
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rumor_hype: Masters of the Universe pinball repeatedly rumored over years; now surfacing as Barrels of Fun potential license holder
low · Knapp acknowledges hearing rumor from multiple sources over months but notes lack of confident insider confirmation
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licensing_signal: Masters of the Universe pinball could be based on June 5, 2026 live-action movie; licensing discussions on unreleased films are historically restrictive and risky
medium · Article discusses historical examples (Congo, Johnny Mnemonic, The Shadow) and The Hobbit anecdote showing licensing constraints
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design_philosophy: Masters of the Universe pinball machine's design would hinge on whether it uses 1983-85 cartoon IP or new film; different design directions based on license choice
medium · Knapp speculates that if He-Man game happens, it would likely be based on cartoon rather than unreleased movie due to risk
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leak_detection: Christopher Franchi's mocked-up Masters of the Universe pinball art (overlaid on Galactic Tank Force) from old American Pinball project surfaced; evidence of failed license deal
high · Article states art package was commissioned and includes image; Franchi has now publicly denied working on upcoming He-Man game

Transcript

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News The Midwest Gaming Classic is This Weekend; Are we Really Finally Getting Masters of the Universe Pinball?; Neo Geo is Back k knapparcade April 23, 2026 Whew. You know when you've been so sick for a couple of days that it feels amazing just to be back to normal? That's where I'm at right now. I got the shingles vaccine on Tuesday and that darn thing took me down for two straight days, but I'm back, baby! lol. I'm back to talk about what's been happening in the world of arcades and pinball...absolutely nothing. It's been pretty quiet out there. I suspect that it will continue to be until late May maybe when we start to get some new games again. Even though there isn't much in the way of new news, we do have a big pinball show happening this week...the Midwest Gaming Classic (MGC) takes place from April 24th through the 26th at the Baird Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This year is actually the 25th anniversary of MGC. What started as a small gathering of Atari Jaguar enthusiasts back in 2001 has grown to encompass a whopping 350,000+ square feet of pinball machines, classic arcade games, classic console games and board games this year — roughly 1,000 times larger than the initial show! This year's show will have a particularly large homebrew section, called "Homebrew Pinball and Arcade Games 2K26," that will contain everything from MGC's most one-of-a-kind pinball machines to never-before-seen arcade games. My friend Rob and I actually flew out to Wisconsin to go to MGC 2022. It was a fantastic show then and it's even bigger now. If you're within driving distance, MGC is a must-visit. Even if you're not, fly there like we did :) Below are some of my pictures from the 2022 event. I have a ton of pictures from my most recent pinball show visit, Pintastic New England, that I've almost finished going through and will share soon. https://www.midwestgamingclassic.com !Advertisement Ad 1 of 2 There are a lot of themes that have been passed around as rumors from multiple pinball manufacturers over the years...possibly none more so than Masters of the Universe. At one point the theme was incorrectly rumored to be coming from Stern Pinball and American Pinball. The American Pinball (AP) rumor was a particularly interesting one. The previous management of the company, Aimtron and David Fix, either had the license and fumbled it OR were pretending to have the license and never actually did (depending upon who you believe), to the point that they commissioned an actual art package for the game from renowned pinball artist Christopher Franchi. I have included an image of a mocked up Masters of the Universe pin that he laid over a Galactic Tank Force a couple of years ago below. So the old American Pinball He-Man pin never came to fruition. There's a new rumor out there that Barrels of Fun now has the license. Have I personally heard this from people over the past several months? I have, but I obviously didn't lend it enough credibility to write about it yet. Rumors definitely have different levels and I always try to convey how strongly I believe them in my articles. Do I believe that a Barrels Masters of the Universe pin is coming? Ehhhh, it's hard to say. It wouldn't surprise me, but I definitely haven't heard anyone who I speak with about rumors say so confidently. If He-Man pinball did happen, the question arises: will it be based on the animated series aka cartoon that ran from 1983 to 1985, which anyone who wants the theme knows and loves, OR will it be based on the upcoming live-action Masters of the Universe movie that is scheduled to hit theaters on June 5th? Making a pinball machine based on a movie that hasn't been released yet is always a big gamble on a number of levels. First and foremost, no one knows if the movie will be any good. One can look through history and see examples of great pinball machines that are tied to bad movies (or at least ones that didn't earn well in the theater), including Congo, Johnny Mnemonic, and The Shadow. Tying a pin to an unreleased film is a big risk. Similarly, when a movie is not out yet, the licensors are always hesitant to share too much information about it with anyone, even those who are working on products about it. There's a famous pinball story about when Jersey Jack Pinball created its 2016 pinball machine The Hobbit, where the licensor was so secretive about the movie that JJP actually had to go back and completely redesign the game's Smaug dragon because their original one looked nothing like the one from the film. If we are getting a Masters of the Universe pin from Barrels of Fun, and that's a big if, it likely would be based on the action figures and early 80's cartoon. I personally put the likelihood of one happening at 50-50. One thing is for sure though, if the game does happen, it definitely will not have Christopher Franchi art. Responding to claims that it would, Franchi recently shared that he has not worked on any upcoming He-Man game. Last up, I have a story from the console gaming world. The iconic Japanese video game company SNK is re-releasing its beloved 1990s Neo Geo home arcade console. This console was an absolute monster back when it was released. It literally used the exact same game cartridges as the Neo Geo arcade cabinets. Of course, that also meant that it was super expensive. It retailed for a whopping $649.99 back in the early 1990s, which after inflation is equivalent to over $1,500 today! I definitely didn't own one, nor did I know any kids who were spoiled enough to, lol. I wish I did though. It's pretty awesome. New sponsor slot Your sponsored ad here Be the first to claim this placement. Contact knapparcade@gmail.com today The new version of the Neo Geo home console will retail for $249.99 for the standard edition. It will work with OG Neo Geo arcade cartridges and newly released ones. The new cartridges cost $89.99. 10 games will be available at launch. The problem is, if you get all 10 games and the system, you're looking at spending $999.99. I already own emulated versions of all of these games on my Nintendo Switch, where they cost anywhere from $3.99 to $7.99. That's definitely more my speed in terms of cost, so I don't feel the need to get this new system. Having said that, it is definitely is cool. The currently announced games include the following: Magician Lord (1990) Pulstar (1995) Metal Slug (1996) Big Tournament Golf/Neo Turf Masters (1996) Over Top (1996) Twinkle Star Sprites (1996) Shock Troopers (1997) Garou: Mark of the Wolves (1999) The King of Fighters 2002 (2002) Samurai Shodown V Special (2004) Word is that the company that is redoing the system has already received more orders than it had expected, so if you want one, you probably should order it soon. https://plaionreplai.us/ Posted about 2 hours ago k About knapparcade Site administrator Comments (0) Please sign in to join the conversation. No comments yet Be the first to share your thoughts on this post! 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