Hexa Pinball - Space Hunt: Our Story & What Comes Next - Pinball Expo 2025 - Pinball News

Pinball News (Pinball Expo 2025)·video·21m 27s·analyzed·Oct 17, 2025

Analysis

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TL;DR

Hexa Pinball reveals Three Musketeers (Spring 2026) and Plunger app platform at Expo.

Summary

Hexa Pinball co-founders Antoine Touhibi and Alexandre presented at Pinball Expo 2025, detailing their company's origin story, production philosophy emphasizing French craftsmanship and quality, and unveiled their second game: The Three Musketeers (Spring 2026, single-level playfield, public domain IP). They also introduced Plunger, an open-platform scoring/tournament app designed to unite players and manufacturers.

Key Claims

Hexa Pinball was founded in 2022 by Christophe André (technical expertise) and Alexandre Mac (lifelong pinball enthusiast)
high confidence · Antoine introduces founders and their backgrounds during presentation
Space Hunt features six layers of varnish with three months drying time, created by Franck Deniro
high confidence · Direct statement about Space Hunt manufacturing process
Hexa Pinball patented a new epoxy playfield insert process replacing traditional plastic inserts
high confidence · Explicitly stated as patented innovation for future durability and design flexibility
The last French pinball manufacturer (Jotel/Rally) ceased operations in the 1980s
medium confidence · Response to question about French pinball manufacturing history; some audience uncertainty on exact company names
The Three Musketeers will be based on Alexandre Dumas' book rather than specific movie adaptations
high confidence · Direct answer to question about licensing and source material focus
The Three Musketeers will feature a single-level playfield in 80s style
high confidence · Direct answer to Jonathan's specific playfield design question
Plunger app is in discussions with multiple manufacturers beyond Hexa for adoption
medium confidence · Antoine states 'We are discussing with different manufacturers, and hopefully they will join this adventure'
Space Hunt was influenced by Total Nuclear Annihilation (designer Louis's favorite game)
high confidence · Antoine directly confirms TNA influence in response to design philosophy question

Notable Quotes

“Every machine is built locally with care and precision. We strive for perfect balance between craftsmanship and creativity. Our production is artisanal, designed to stand the test of time.”
Antoine Touhibi@ 3:45 — Core company philosophy emphasizing artisanal production over scale
“Quality is not a marketing work for us. It is our daily commitment.”
Antoine Touhibi@ 4:01 — Encapsulates Hexa's stated production ethos and differentiation strategy
“At Hexa Pinball, we know pinball is not just a game, it's a community. That's why we developed Plunger, an open platform for manufacturers and homebrew creators.”
Antoine Touhibi@ 6:42 — Rationale for Plunger app development as community-first initiative
“The Three Musketeers by Hexa Pinball Spring 2026. One for all and all for pinball.”
Antoine Touhibi (from trailer)@ 10:15 — Official announcement and tagline for second game reveal
“I really have noticed that you guys have a direction, a plan, really put in the work on not only the IT side of the game, but also on the technical part of the game and the serviceability of what you're doing, even just with your first game.”
Joe New Hart (Pinball Star distributor)@ 18:57 — Industry figure endorsement of Hexa's technical competence and strategic planning
“I really commend your company for doing original ideas and themes, or at least in the Three Musketeers, less often visited themes. It's a vanishingly, well, less common thing to see.”
Audience member (unidentified) — Recognition of Hexa's differentiation through original/historical themes vs. licensed IP trend

Entities

Hexa PinballcompanyAntoine TouhibipersonAlexandre MacpersonChristophe AndrépersonSpace HuntgameThe Three MusketeersgamePlungerproduct

Signals

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business_signal: Hexa Pinball secured North American distribution partnerships with Pinball Star and Mad Pinball; Pinball Star founder Joe New Hart publicly endorsed company's technical competence and strategic planning
high · Joe New Hart confirmed 'we're going to be one of your two distributors here in the U.S. along with Mad Pinball' and commended their direction and execution
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community_signal: Plunger app positioned as open platform for manufacturers, homebrew creators, and players to track scores, manage machines, and organize tournaments; in active discussions with multiple manufacturers for adoption
high · Antoine describes Plunger as 'an open platform for manufacturers and homebrew creators' and states 'We are discussing with different manufacturers, and hopefully they will join this adventure'
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design_philosophy: Hexa Pinball emphasizes original/historical themes and book-faithful adaptations over licensed IP trends; audience explicitly commended this differentiation strategy
high · Audience member stated: 'I really commend your company for doing original ideas and themes... It's a vanishingly, well, less common thing to see' and Antoine confirmed commitment to continue this approach
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licensing_signal: The Three Musketeers is based on public domain source material (Alexandre Dumas novel) rather than modern IP licensing, allowing full creative control over graphics and design interpretation
high · Antoine confirms: 'we want to stick to the book and get our imagination running again. So all the graphics... are designed by Luis and Tristan. So everything is developed in-house'
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Topics

Hexa Pinball company origin and philosophyprimaryThe Three Musketeers game announcementprimaryPlunger app platform development and industry adoption strategyprimarySpace Hunt manufacturing quality and innovation (epoxy inserts, varnish process)secondaryFrench pinball manufacturing history and revivalsecondaryBoutique manufacturer differentiation vs. major manufacturerssecondaryGame design philosophy: original/historical themes vs. licensed IPsecondaryNorth American distribution partnershipsmentioned

Sentiment

positive(0.85)— Hexa Pinball presentation was well-received with genuine applause, industry figure endorsements, and positive audience questions. Founders conveyed passion and humility. No criticism or skepticism detected in the presentation or Q&A. Audience engagement was enthusiastic.

Transcript

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I'm Touhibi here to show the SpaceSense and I hope you have played this pinball today. And now we want to do a little presentation about the company and what comes next. All right. So hello, everyone. First of all, I would like to start by thanking Mr. Robert Burke for welcoming us here today. Robert was actually one of the very first sponsors to believe in Hexa Pinball. And it truly means a lot for us to be standing here at the heart of the event that brings together the world's greatest pinball enthusiasts. We are extremely proud and happy to be part of this incredible show right here in Chicago, the city where Pimble was born and where our own passion was born. Thank you all again for your warm welcome. My name is Antoine, and I'm here today with Alexandre, the co-founder of Exapimble. Alex might be a little shy when it comes to speaking English, but let me tell you, he has no fear in front of an empty playfield. Together, we will take you on a short journey, the story of how a small French team, driven by passion, craftsmanship and innovation, decided to bring pinball manufacturing back to life in France, and also what you are all waiting for tonight. So first our story. ExaPinball was founded in 2022 by two longtime friends, Christophe Christophe André and Alexandre Mac. Christophe brings top-notch technical expertise in computer science, while Alexandre is a lifelong pinball enthusiast who has spent decades within the community. Together, they decided to combine their strength, technology and passion to revive the dream of building French-made pinball machines. From day one, our goal has been simple but ambitious to bring something different to the world of pinball while respecting the legacy and tradition that made us all fall in love with the game. We We started in a workshop in the southwest of France, surrounded by local artisans, engineers and designers, all sharing the same vision to create machines that are beautiful, durable and unique. Some of you may ask why the name Hexa Pimble. EXA references the hexagonal shape of France, nicknamed l'Hexagone, celebrating the project's French roots and collaborative spirit. Our values, quality and innovations. Every machine is built locally with care and precision. We strive for perfect balance between craftsmanship and creativity. Our production is artisanal, designed to stand the test of time. Each exact pinball machine is a piece meant to last for generations. Quality is not a marketing work for us. It is our daily commitment. From high repairability rate and carefully selected materials to experience craftsmen and original artworks. We make sure every detail carries meaning, emotion and excellence. And beyond quality, we believe in innovation, smart, meaningful innovation that enhances gameplay and accessibility without ever losing the soul of the game. Our first model, Space Hunt, is the illustration of this philosophy. The cabinet and playfield finish is a true work of art. Six layers of varnish over three months drying time, created by Franck Deniro, a world-renowned artist specializing in playfield restoration. The metal ramps and wire forms are entirely uncrafted by Damien aka Iron Man a true master of metalwork Inside the machine you will find Bally Williams mechanism combined with Pinsound premium audio system and shaker ensuring reliability and top tier immersion. We also patented a new process for epoxy playfield inserts replacing traditional plastic ones allowing all imaginable shapes in the future and unmatched durability. The universe was drawn by Louis, our graphic designer, and the soundtrack was composed by Hervé, creating a strong cinematic experience. Romain also is well known in this industry and is designing all our PCBs. We added exclusive features like the pause button and accessibility kit for players with disabilities so everyone can enjoy the same level of fun and we will keep on doing that. Next slide. Yep. As some of you may have seen at the show, we also developed a new app called Plunger. At Exapibon, we know pinball is not just a game, it's a community. That's why we developed Plunger, an open platform for manufacturers and homebrew creators. We are discussing with different manufacturers, and hopefully they will join this adventure. As we say in French, plus on est de fou, plus on rit, the more the merrier. Through Plungers, players can track scores, manage their machines, join tournaments, and connect with others around the world. It's a way to unite players, collectors, and creators under one shared passion, Pinball. And for us, a way to keep learning, improving, and staying close to the community. Some of you already tested the app. Here at Pinball Expo, all spaces and one home room. Thank you Ernie Silverberg. Monster Inc. is also connected to this new app. And tonight, what you are all waiting for is the reveal of our second model. This time it's going to be licensed. And we prepared a little trailer that will explain our next project. I hope you will enjoy. Shall we? Yes? All right. All right, here we go. In a kingdom torn by intrigue and duels, a young Gascon named Artanion dreams of becoming a musketeer of the king. Betrayal, forbidden passions, and state secrets unfold under the watchful eye of Cardinal Richelieu and the deadly Milady de Winter. alongside Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, he's drawn into an adventure where honor is earned at the tip of a sword. In this pinball, inspired by Alexandre Dumas' timeless masterpiece, step into 17th century Paris, where courage shines brighter than steel. The Three Musketeers by Hexa Pinball Spring 2026 26. One for all and all for pinball. Thank you very much Thank you very very much So as you saw we will do the three musketeers and we will have a fully functional machine to present to the public at the Texas Pinball Festival end of March. So please feel free to ask any questions, and we'll be happy to answer. Thank you. Is The Three Musketeers a license? Is it still copyright? Yes. Even after all this time? Yes, it is. Oh, okay. I may as well go next. Will it be based on, well, obviously the book, but a certain movie that we, because there's been so many. There are so many movies about the Three Musketeers, so many versions. Okay. So we want to stick to the book and get our imagination running again. So all the graphics, again, are designed by Luis and Tristan. so everything is developed in-house. Okay. Are the three Musketeers also funny? Funny? Yeah. Yeah, it would be funny. Funny game, of course. Okay. Like Medieval Madness funny? Excuse me? Like Medieval Madness funny? Not exactly the same. No, no, no, no. A little bit serious. So who was making pinball machines in France in the past? So basically the manufacturing of pinball disappeared in France in the 80s. The last company that was manufacturing pinball was Jotel. When was that? And Rally. Thank you. So, HEXA was founded in 2022. Before coming to HEXA, what did the both of you, what was your background? We're asking the hard ones now. I'm going to start. Okay. So the background. So basically, when I was a student, I enjoyed a lot playing pinball with my friend. When I got this job at EXA, I told my mom that it was the best investment that I made to skip classes and go to bars to play pinball. After that, I had a long career working for multinationals in the freight forwarding activity. I worked for companies like Panalpina, a Swiss company. where also I had the chance to live in the U.S. because I worked for Panalpina for 10 years and I stayed in Chicago two years and in San Francisco. And, you know, after a while, you know, I was spending my long day in meetings and I don't know, I just got bored out completely. And it was time for me to find a new challenge, a fresh challenge. But in accordance with my personal expectations, I just want to have fun now. For me, I don't play pinball in the bar. But when I have a lot of money, I buy my first pinball. I think it's 20 years ago. And in my head, I have a dream to make a pinball. So with my partner, Christophe, four years ago, we decided to create pinball in France. Anybody else? Questions? What have been some of your favorite pinball machines to play in the past and do any of them influence either Space Hunt or the upcoming Three Musketeers? It's hard to answer because Louis, the designer, is a very good player and he loves difficult games. And when I played the first time with Louis, because at the beginning, especially in the Omri. Luis loves the total nuclear annihilation... he loves this pinball So a little bit of TNA is in this pinball And I think he loves a lot of pinball because he plays so many of them me so many of them but uh our philosophy i think is uh i mean from my part you know i love i love the games uh from the 80s from the 90s and uh we want to respect this kind of tradition uh in our making uh we have a lot of respect for this kind of games and the feel when you play these games hopefully will come back. People will experience the same feelings when they play our people. And we are using the Bally-William mechanism. We respect this tradition. Very important for us. Anybody else? Any questions? I had actually spoken to the gentleman on the left earlier today. What would inspire you to come here and take on the big boys? It's like America is like the maker for pinball. And we just want to be a little part of this Americana. It's a pride for us. to be part of this culture. And we come here with a lot of humility, but also the assurance that we can bring different feel and we are also very proud of our culture. We have a lot to choose from. And this is how we see our construction, and being here today is a huge achievement for us. Yeah. Okay, guys. I've been obviously part of new companies for a good number of years. Jersey Jack, Spooky Pinball, Barrels of Fun, all of them from their infancy. We've been talking obviously for several months. We're going to be one of your two distributors here in the U.S. along with Mad Pinball with Pinball Star. I do want to commend you and following up to that question that I really have noticed that you guys have a direction, a plan, really put in the work on not only the IT side of the game, but also on the technical part of the game and the serviceability of what you're doing, even just with your first game. So I just want to commend you. And basically, as far as taking on the big boys, everybody starts with their first game. And I really have a great future in my mind for you guys going forward. That's very, very, very kind of you, Joe. You're wonderful people. It's been great working with you. and I can't wait to see the next game. Thank you so much. No question, just more of a comment. I think when everyone here thinks about pinball, we think about the most legendary games, Medieval Madness, Theater of Magic, and all that, and these are all original ideas, and I really commend your company for doing original ideas and themes, or at least in the Three Musketeers, less often visited themes. It's a vanishingly, well, less common thing to see, and I really appreciate that you guys are sticking to your guns with original ideas rather than, you know, Harry Potter this and all that stuff. So thank you. We'll try to continue doing things like that for sure in the future. Since you mentioned Total Nuclear Annihilation, will Three Musketeers be a single-level playfield, 80s style, or will it be more like a modern game like Space Hunt? We'll leave Alex. It's a single-level playfield. Okay. And for the moment, I... And that's all you're going to get from them today. Jonathan is trying to get a lot of information. That's our job here. Yeah, we traveled with Jonathan in the plane from Dublin and he spent long hours trying to find out. Anybody else have questions for Hexa Pimble? No? Well, then thank you very much and best of luck. Thank you for your warm welcome. The Three Musketeers. you