055: It's an Anniversary

Punk Rock Pinball marks one-year anniversary with 40-machine venue and 2,300+ tournament players nationwide.

Punk Rock Pinball celebrates its one-year anniversary (episode 55) discussing the growth of their podcast, pinball collective HQ in Bloomington, Illinois (now 40 machines), and Punk Rock Pinball Podcast Association (PRPA) tournament leaderboard featuring 2,316 players across 420 events in six months. Hosts Stephanie and Mike reflect on community expansion, recent venue layout improvements, and upcoming goals including a Pinball Expo booth, potential scene championships, and acquiring specific machines like Jaws and Sonic for their collection.

Highlights

• Punk Rock Pinball Podcast Association has registered 2,316 players across 420 events in approximately six months (January-July 2026)
• Central Illinois (Bloomington/Peoria primarily) accounts for 236 players in 84 events within the PRPA
• Punk Rock Pinball Podcast collective HQ now contains 40 pinball machines
• The HQ features 8 Steve Ritchie-designed machines (5 in 'Richie Row' plus 3 Black Knight)
• Stern released 12 modern pinball machines available at the HQ venue
• Pool Sharks and Jackpot were recently added to the HQ collection and are popular with visitors
• Doctor Who machine at the HQ is experiencing random reset issues common to WPC Williams games
• The hosts plan to have a 10x20 booth at Pinball Expo 2026 in October
• Stern is expected to release Fallout sometime in fall 2027, possibly alongside an AC/DC remaster
• Brian Eddy (likely Stern designer) has not released a new game since D&D and no recent rumors exist about his current projects