American Pinball

American Pinball is a Chicago‑area pinball manufacturer founded in 2015 by Dhaval Vasani with support from his family’s electronics firm Aimtron and has built a reputation for blending original designs and licensed machines with solid engineering and distinctive artwork. After initially helping finish a partially completed project by John Popadiuk, the company pivoted to original design work with Joe Balcer’s Houdini: Master of Mystery, its first production release in late 2017, which drew attention for its steampunk‑magician theme and challenging shot layout. American Pinball expanded manufacturing capacity in 2018 and followed Houdini with a varied lineup including Oktoberfest: Pinball on Tap (2019), the licensed Hot Wheels racer (2020), Legends of Valhalla (2021, developed with Riot Pinball), the live‑action video sci‑fi original Galactic Tank Force (2023), and the limited‑edition Barry O’s Barbecue Challenge tribute (2024), appealing to collectors and operators seeking fresh themes and gameplay experiences. Facing industry headwinds, by 2025 the company began refocusing parts of its operations toward contract manufacturing and underwent a key leadership change when Executive Vice President David Fix departed in January 2025. Despite workforce reductions and uncertainty, long‑rumored projects such as a Cuphead pinball machine have circulated in the community, with reports indicating the title may not go into production while the company adapts its business model, leaving open the possibility of future American Pinball creations under a revised operational approach.