Dutch Pinball Secures Big Lebowski Licence

Pinball News Website·article·held·Dec 27, 2013

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.015

TL;DR

Dutch Pinball secures Big Lebowski license; shipping Q2 2015 at €7,550.

Summary

On December 27, 2013, Dutch Pinball announced it had secured an exclusive global license from Universal Partnerships & Licensing to manufacture The Big Lebowski pinball machine. The company, known for DMD conversion kits, will produce the game at a new Netherlands facility with first units shipping in Q2 2015. Pre-orders opened at €7,550 (€6,240 ex-VAT) or $8,500 USD plus tax, with staggered payments starting at €800/$1,000 deposit.

Key Claims

Dutch Pinball obtained exclusive global license from Universal Partnerships & Licensing for Big Lebowski pinball
high confidence · Official press release from Dutch Pinball and Universal dated December 27, 2013
First units due to ship in second quarter of 2015, approximately 15-18 months away
high confidence · Article stating official timeline from Dutch Pinball announcement
Price €7,550 including VAT (€6,240 ex-VAT) or $8,500 USD plus tax
high confidence · Official pricing information in press release
Pre-order payment structure: €800/$1,000 deposit plus five additional payments of €1,350/$1,500 starting April 1, 2014
high confidence · Payment terms detailed in announcement article
The Big Lebowski film was initially released in 1998 and has become a cult classic
high confidence · Universal press release quote describing the film

Notable Quotes

“The Big Lebowski Pinball gives Pinheads and Achievers an unprecedented opportunity to experience the film first-hand by immersing them in the storyline and allowing them to interact with the classic characters we all love. As tremendous fans of the movie, we are all thrilled to have received this license from Universal so we can finally bring The Dude where he belongs, to the playfield.”
Barry Driessen, Creative Director and Chief Designer of Dutch Pinball @ December 27, 2013 — Designer's vision statement for the game emphasizing storytelling and immersion as core design pillars
“Dutch Pinball's The Big Lebowski Pinball Machine brings players directly in The Dude's world. With stunning visuals, in-depth rules, full stereo sound and classic film clips”
[name withheld pending review] @ December 27, 2013 — Feature summary highlighting technical specifications and design approach (DMD, audio, video integration)

Entities

Dutch Pinballcompany Big LebowskigameUniversal Partnerships & LicensingorganizationBarry DriessenpersonJaap NautapersonThe Big Lebowskiproduct Pinball Expoevent[name withheld pending review]organization

Signals

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announcement: Dutch Pinball announces exclusive global license for Big Lebowski pinball from Universal Partnerships & Licensing
high · Official press release dated December 27, 2013 with licensing deal details
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product_launch: First Big Lebowski units targeted for Q2 2015 (15-18 months from announcement)
high · Article states 'first units due to ship in the second quarter of 2015, approximately 15-18 months away'
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market_signal: Big Lebowski premium priced at €7,550 including VAT (approximately $8,500 USD) establishing Dutch Pinball in premium segment
high · Detailed pricing structure provided in announcement
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licensing_signal: Dutch Pinball secures first major film IP license (The Big Lebowski) from major studio (Universal/NBCUniversal)
high · Press release confirms exclusive global license from Universal Partnerships & Licensing
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business_signal: Dutch Pinball establishing new manufacturing facility in Netherlands to support Big Lebowski production
high · Article states 'Machines will be made in the Netherlands at a new Dutch Pinball facility'
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community_signal: Coordinated teaser campaign at Pinball Expo with countdown website (dudepinball.com) and distributed flyers generated pre-announcement buzz

Transcript

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Date: 27th December, 2013 They stirred up a lot of interest at Pinball Expo by distributing teaser flyers and set up a website with a countdown clock which ended today, now the big secret has been at least partially revealed. Python with the girls from Twin Peaks distributing flyers The flyer hinted at a pinball based on the movie The Big Lebowski starring Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey Lebowski (a.k.a. The Dude) and John Goodman as Walter. The teaser flyer The dudepinball.com website featured a countdown clock which reached zero today and right on cue, a press release from Dutch Pinball arrived in the Pinball News inbox revealing, if not all, then at least something. Dutch Pinball - makers of the Bride of Pinbot DMD conversion kit - will be obtaining a licence from Universal Partnerships and Licensing (part of NBCUniversal) to make a Big Lebowski pinball. Now TheBigLebowskiPinball.com has launched to take the familiar pre-orders with this equally teasing video... ...and this press release: UNIVERSAL PARTNERSHIPS & LICENSING SIGNS DUTCH PINBALL BV AS GLOBAL LICENSEE FOR THE BIG LEBOWSKI PINBALL MACHINE REUVER, THE NETHERLANDS, December 27, 2013 — Dutch Pinball BV announced today that they will partner with Universal Partnerships & Licensing (UP&L) as the exclusive licensee for the global production of The Big Lebowski Pinball Machine. The announcement was made by Dutch Pinball President Jaap Nauta. The Big Lebowski, which was initially released in 1998, has become a cult classic, elevating The Dude to cultural icon status. With stunning visuals, in-depth rules, full stereo sound and classic film clips, Dutch Pinball’s The Big Lebowski Pinball Machine brings players directly in The Dude’s world. “The Big Lebowski Pinball gives Pinheads and Achievers an unprecedented opportunity to experience the film first-hand by immersing them in the storyline and allowing them to interact with the classic characters we all love,” said Barry Driessen, Creative Director and Chief Designer of Dutch Pinball. “As tremendous fans of the movie, we are all thrilled to have received this license from Universal so we can finally bring The Dude where he belongs, to the playfield.” Preorders for The Big Lebowski Pinball Machine are now available on www.thebiglebowskipinball.com. About Dutch Pinball Dutch Pinball’s global headquarters is in Reuver, The Netherlands. By bringing together a team of creative, expert and fun-loving pinheads, it has quickly established itself as an innovator in developing and delivering players ground-breaking, and fully immersive pinball experiences through state-of-the-art interactivity, exciting and indepth rules, and most importantly, engaging storytelling. About Universal Partnerships & Licensing Universal Partnerships & Licensing (UP&L) oversees Universal’s consumer product licensing, film and home entertainment promotions, and all corporate alliances for Universal’s theatrical, home entertainment, theme parks and stage productions. This dedicated division is also responsible for monetizing the Studio’s vast library of films and characters through licensing, branding and marketing opportunities. UP&L is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks, and a suite of leading Internet-based businesses. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. Contact Philip Weinberg (Director of Marketing and Communications) Dutch Pinball BV info@thebiglebowskipinball.com Machines will be made in the Netherlands at a new Dutch Pinball facility, with the first units due to ship in the second quarter of 2015, approximately 15-18 months away. The cost of the game will be €7,550 including European VAT at 21%, or $8,500 in the US plus tax. In both cases shipping is extra, although US and Canadian orders will ship from Park Ridge, Illinois. Buyers outside the EU and US can buy the game for €6,240 but must pay all applicable taxes and shipping themselves. Pre-order payments are staggered with an initial €800/$1,000 deposit followed by five more payments of €1,350/$1,500 starting on 1st April, 2014. Until then, the deposit is fully refundable. As more is revealed, we'll bring you all the latest news about Dutch Pinball's The Big Lebowski pinball right here at Pinball News. Back to the News page Like this page? Share it with your Facebook friends: Back to the front page