New European Pinball Company Coming with a Licensed Game in 2027; Stern's Newest Designer; Largest Women's Pinball Tournament in the World; BOF Factory Tour
By knapparcade
Bump Pinball, a French company that makes high-end digital pinball cabinets, is developing its first physical pinball machine. I've been following the story of this relatively new company since the very beginning and I recently had a chance to meet up with Thomas Poulain from Bump for a drink at the Chicago Pinball Expo. Guillaume aka the "Paris Pinball Addict" also joined us. It was great getting to meet him in person for the first time. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I came away from the meeting believing that Bump Pinball is indeed legit and will mass produce a licensed pinball machine in 2027. They have big money backing them and they are going to manufacture their games at an existing, functional European pinball factory, alleviating a lot of the growing pains that new companies that want to build their first pin experience. They will also use FAST boards. According to our conversation, the game is based on a big video game license that has sold millions of copies. Earlier today, Bump sent out an e-mail to people on its distribution list that provides the most detail yet about its plans: "You are in the Bump #001 circle. What you get here: the build as it happens, images before they go public, and a priority invitation when the first machines go out. No pitch, no prices. Bump is a new name in pinball, and a new name building a mechanical machine deserves skepticism. So let us start there rather than talk around it. We did not start from a blank page. The initial concept came from a designer with a long track record in this industry, and the final design was carried by a team that mixes seasoned pinball professionals with younger engineers. We are not naming anyone yet. That reveal is coming. Design and wood work are ours. Final assembly is handled by a European factory that already manufactures pinball machines: jigs, wiring looms, playfield handling, test benches already on the floor. Most of what goes wrong on a first run goes wrong in assembly, not in design. That partnership removes an entire class of problems before it appears. And Bump already ships hardware. Bump Pro, our digital machine, is in customers’ hands today. #001 is not a first attempt at building anything." If you're interested in following along with this new Company's journey to producing its first commercial physical pinball machine, you can do so on its website or social media: https://bump-pinball.com/en https://www.instagram.com/bump_pinball/
Speaking of new pinball designers, Stern Pinball shared an interesting short video on its newest designer Tanner Petch and his history as a homebrew game designer: Homebrewing is in his bones! Pinball game designer Tanner Petch showed off some of his homebrewed machines at Pinball Expo.
Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video. Download the video instead.
The folks at Alamo City Pinball and Belles and Chimes San Antonio recently reached out to me to help spread awareness of a huge event that they have coming up in early 2027. Below is a picture of last year's event and this year's is going to be even bigger. For their 4th Annual Southwestern Belle Pinball Rodeo, they have raised the player cap to a whopping 150 people. "The Premier Women's Pinball Event! BIGGER BOOTS, BIGGER RODEO! Join us for the largest women's pinball weekend in the world! The Southwestern Belle Pinball Rodeo (SBPR) is a three-day pinball extravaganza in the Alamo City! The event is open to women of all ages and skill levels and will include five (5) IFPA sanctioned tournaments played across a collection of machines of all eras. Join the best players from the across the country to celebrate women in pinball, compete for WPPRs, cash prizes, and more loot than you can shake a stick at! 2027 EVENT DATES: Friday, January 29 - Sunday, January 31, 2027!" Anyone interested in participating in the event can purchase tickets at the website below: https://alamocitypinball.com/swbelle
Last up, Barrels of Fun pinball just announced the details of its factory tour for attendees of the upcoming Houston Arcade Expo (11/13 - 11/15). The factory tour requires anyone who is interested to purchase an additional ticket. That ticket provides them with shuttle transportation from the show to the factory. Attendees will get to see Barrels' newest game, Bon Jovi, on the production line and be given an exclusive swag bag of custom branded merch for this year's factory tour, an exclusive 50% discount on factory seconds, playfields, and backglasses and random giveaways. Anyone who is interested in reserving a spot on the tour can do so at the website below: https://bof.ticketspice.com/barrels-of-fun-factory-tour-2026?omnisend
