The Great British Pinball Podcast Ep 36 - UK Pinfest Special!

UK Pinfest preview with Cirqus Voltaire critique and UK Open tournament updates.

Highlights

• American Pinball announced Cirqus Voltaire with Classic Edition at $9,989 and Ringmaster Edition at $12,000 with 700-unit limited production
• Stern invited media to next media day, likely featuring Keith Elwin as designer of upcoming game launch
• Star Wars of the Empire is 'the only one in Europe that works' and Neil is bringing it to Pinfest for a score competition
• Spooky Pinball board sets and electronics have reliability issues, citing Evil Dead as example and referencing widespread Pinside complaints
• Original Cirqus Voltaire pricing has dropped more than expected depreciation, but original Medieval Madness pricing recovered significantly post-hype
• Pinfest 2025 relocating to new larger hotel approximately 30 minutes from current location with double space, rooms, and parking
• UK Open 2025 has ~230 registered players with additional ticket sales ongoing, scheduled for late September (22nd-23rd mentioned for setup)
• Puzzle Pinball's Dave has rare form of cancer; fundraising from Star Wars competition will support him
• Totan (Pedretti game) has reported technical issues and may not arrive at Pinfest as scheduled
• Neil believes Cirqus Voltaire remake pricing ($10k standard) will cause secondary market depreciation similar to uranium, contrasting with Medieval Madness recovery pattern