Flip balls of Valyrian steel on the new Game of Thrones pinball tables
Because Game of Thrones is a cultural force of nature that cannot be stopped, the merchandising possibilities stretch as far as the eye can see. There’re board games, card games, video games (not just the Telltale games), toys, beer, painted figurines, weapons replicas, and even that weird George R.R. Martin plushie from ComicCon. Add one more oddity to the list: pinball tables.
Pinball is indeed still a thing, and The Wall Street Journel’s Speakeasy blog gave an exclusive look at the Thrones-themed machines that will be available this fall. If you’re not flush with cash, though, you won’t be hearing the rough, mechanically dulcet tones of Rory McCann echoing throughout your home: prices start at $5,995 for the cheapest of the three possible versions.
They look prety snazzy, though. McCann’s voice is your guide as you choose a Westerosi house to represent as you play the game (of pinball, and of thrones). The machine also comes equipped with an “interactive, fire-breathing dragon,” which I’m sure is just one of the many cool design features of the table, but with the way it’s worded, you’d think the lucky purchasers of these machines would be receiving a real-live dragon. For $6000 minimum, that’s probably reasonable, unless you subscribe to the Hagrid Method of obtaining dragons.
The three versions of the machine seem to be progressively tiered, with the limited edition model (a heart-attack-inducing $8795) getting the coolest benefits: a plaque and certificate of authenticity, an autographed playfield, and artwork by illustrator Bob Stevlic. It’s kind of a shame that we won’t get to see these in the wild alongside the X-Men or Back to the Future tables, but at least someone somewhere in the world will get to scream “WHERE ARE MY DRAGONS??” as they tilt their tables to get the ball in just the right spot for a high score. (“I’m sorry princess, but your dragons are in another castle.”) The machines are available for pre-order and will ship sometime this fall.