Episode 49: Pinball 2026: What’s REALLY Coming (Rumors vs Reality)
What’s really coming to pinball in 2026? In this episode of The Flipside, we break down everything we know and everything we’re hearing about upcoming pinball machines, rumored titles, manufacturer roadmaps, and where the industry is headed next. This isn’t just a rumor roundup. We dig into confidence levels, separate real signals from noise, and talk honestly about what makes sense, what doesn’t, and what could shake up pinball in a big way over the next year. From major manufacturers to smaller studios, licensing trends, release timing, and innovation (or lack of it), this is a realistic look at the future of pinball, not hype for hype’s sake. If you’re a collector, operator, or just trying to decide what to buy, what to wait on, or what to skip, this episode is for you. 👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments, what do you think is actually coming in 2026? 🕹️ LOOKING TO BUY A PINBALL MACHINE? Visit Flip N’ Out Pinball for new and used machines: 👉 🎯 WANT TO COMPETE? Find a tournament near you on the official IFPA calendar: 👉 📣 LEAVE ME A VOICEMAIL I might play it on the show! 🎙️ 🎙️ CHECK OUT MY PINBALL PODCAST – “The Flipside” 👉 • Spotify: • Apple Podcasts: 👉
Kineticist’s take
Retro Ralph previews 2026 pinball lineup: Pokemon, Transformers, Fallout at Stern; Beetlejuice at Spooky; Sonic at JJP; Halo rumored for CGC.
Synopsis
Retro Ralph discusses 2026 pinball releases across manufacturers with varying confidence levels. Key upcoming titles include Pokemon (Q1), Transformers (rumored Q2), and Fallout (Q3), plus a remaster (possibly AC/DC). Boutique manufacturers are releasing Beetlejuice (production ramping), Sonic the Hedgehog, and Chicago Chicago Gaming Company potential Halo. Ralph expresses personal ambivalence about Pokemon and AC/DC remaster while highlighting excitement for Transformers, Goonies (Spooky rumor), and Sonic.
Highlights
- Pokemon will be Stern's Q1 2026 release, announced mid-to-late January, not at CES
- Transformers (G1-based) is expected to be Stern's second cornerstone release later in 2026
- Fallout is likely Stern's Q3 2026 release
- AC/DC is rumored as a Stern remaster but Ralph expresses skepticism about this choice
- Halo is a high-confidence rumor for Chicago Chicago Gaming Company with Play Mechanics involvement
- Beetlejuice production ramping up in January 2026 with games already in production
- Goonies is a medium-confidence rumor for Spooky's next game after Beetlejuice
- Sonic the Hedgehog (video game-based, not movie) is confirmed for 2026, designed by Steve Ritchie
- Sonic likely to be an Expo 2026 reveal due to Harry Potter production backlog still being cleared
Entities
- Barrels of Fun· company
- Chicago Gaming Company· company
- Jersey Jack Pinball· company
- Nap Arcade· company
- Play Mechanics· company
- Spooky Pinball· company
- Stern Pinball· company
- Beetlejuice· game
- Evil Dead· game
- Fallout· game
- Goonies· game
- Halo· game
- Harry Potter· game
- Pokemon· game
- Pulp Fiction· game
- Sonic the Hedgehog· game
- Transformers· game
- Eric Meunier· person
- George Gomez· person
- Kaneda· person
- Ken Cromwell· person
- Kerry Hardy· person
- Mark Ritchie· person
- Retro Ralph· person
- Steve Ritchie· person