Pinball Manufacturers: Game Plan

Founded in Addison, Illinois, in 1978, Game Plan, Inc. stepped into the height of the solid-state pinball boom with a very specific strategy. Knowing they couldn’t immediately go toe-to-toe with the sprawling manufacturing floors of giants like Bally, Williams, and Gottlieb, Game Plan sought out an untapped demographic: the high-end lounge and the neighborhood bar.

Game Plan initially gained massive attention by producing cocktail-style pinball machines. These compact, flat-top tables allowed patrons to set their drinks down while playing head-to-head. By producing titles like Fox Hunt (1978) and Black Velvet (1978), Game Plan successfully infiltrated smaller venues where traditional, full-sized arcade cabinets simply couldn’t fit.

By the late 1970s, flush with the success of their cocktail tables, Game Plan transitioned to producing standard, full-sized pinball machines. Their absolute biggest commercial triumph came from securing a true industry legend to design their flagship game.

Despite their creative themes, solid engineering, and brilliant pivot to cocktail cabinets, Game Plan struggled to keep pace with the rapid technological advancements and massive licensing budgets of the larger manufacturers in the 1980s. Financial difficulties and a shrinking global arcade market forced the company to officially close its doors in 1985. Though their run in the industry was brief, Game Plan’s distinctive machines remain highly sought-after anomalies for collectors who appreciate their unique footprint in the solid-state era.