The Eras Tour - Jersey Jack Pinball Part 2
Last time we spoke about where JJP came from and the rise of Jack Guarneri in Ep 44. When we left JJP they were having financial troubles or 'needed recapitalization to get off the preorder model'. Enter the investors with the Abass family. Let's talk changing business models, saying 'Brent' Abass instead of Brett Abass a few times (oops), changing artist and creating masterpieces, taking stuff out of games, amazing themes, criminally underrated games and the license to rule them all! Jersey Jack Pinball. Here and Here. Jersey Jack Pinball Podcast Ep 1 – Brent Abass 2025, Dirty Pool Pinball Podcast Ep 16. Here 2011, Pinball News. New Pinball Manufacturer. Here 2013, Huffington Post. Jersey Jack Pinball CEO Explains How He's Making The Beloved Arcade Game Cool Again. Here 2013. Pinside. Early Review of Wizard of Oz. Here 2015, Pinball News – Jersey Jack Pinball Gets New Investors. Here 2017, Modern Magazine. Nature and Nurture by Beth Dunlop. Here Brent Abess LinkedIn. Here Jersey Jack Pinball Game List. Here 2013, Slate Magazine. Can This Man Save Pinball? Here
Kineticist’s take
Jersey Jack's mid-era games show Pat Lawlor design influence and manufacturing struggles amid rapid growth.
Synopsis
This episode covers Jersey Jack Pinball second era (2016-2018), focusing on leadership changes under Pat Lawlor, the design philosophy shift toward efficiency and simplicity, and the release of three games: The Hobbit (2016), Dialed In!! (2017), and Pirates of the Caribbean (2018). The hosts discuss manufacturing challenges, art controversies, design innovations, and the tension between ambitious theming and production capacity as JJP navigated growth under new ownership.
Entities
- Flip N Out Pinball· company
- Jersey Jack Pinball· company
- Stern Pinball· company
- Williams· company
- Pinball Expo· event
- Dialed In!· game
- Pirates of the Caribbean· game
- The Hobbit· game
- The Wizard of Oz· game
- Abbott family· organization
- Silverball Chronicles· organization
- Brett Abbas· person
- Bruce Nightingale· person
- David Dennis· person
- David Thiel· person
- Eric Meunier· person
- Jack Guarnieri· person
- Jean-Paul de Win· person
- Joe Balcer· person
- John Youssi· person
- Keith P. Johnson· person
- Ken Cromwell· person
- Pat Lawlor· person
- Ron Muggles-Hallett· person