Predator pinball has been a long-standing wish for many fans. An earlier concept from Skit-B Pinball was teased in 2012, but the project collapsed after the company failed to secure a Fox licence while accepting customer pre-order money. It became one of the pinball community’s most notorious failures, alongside the Deeproot Pinball controversy.
Pinball Brothers has now approached the property officially, with a licensed machine based on the original Predator film rather than the later spin-offs. The result is a widebody table with a strong emphasis on film imagery, physical features and Yautja theming.
Predator Pinball trailer and concept
The launch presentation sets a suitably aggressive tone. Pinball Brothers describes the machine as a battle under glass, built around the action-film era of practical danger, chrome and consequences. The company’s official Predator pinball page includes the full promotional description.
This is the most ambitious, most ferocious machine we have ever built. A battleground under glass. A war story in chrome. A tribute to the era of real action heroes, real danger, and real consequences. It kills for sport. It hunts for pleasure. And now, it’s hunting you. Got time to bleed? Then step up, hit start, and let the hunt begin!
The design appears to be separate from the abandoned Skit-B project. That earlier concept was remembered for a “Predator vision lighting” effect, a feature that would suit this theme if Pinball Brothers chose to revisit the idea.
Cabinet, pricing and Trophy Model
The machine uses Pinball Brothers’ established cabinet format, including an LCD screen in the backbox. The display is smaller than the screens used by some competing manufacturers, but the table’s widebody layout gives the playfield more room than a conventional design.
The standard model has an MSRP of $10,995. The Trophy Model adds $1,495 and does not change the playfield itself. Its additional equipment and collectibles are listed as:
- Yautja icon cut-out
- “Starry Green” Jungle Warfare trims
- Shaker motor
- Invisiglass
- Backbox mission lighting
- Limited-edition Predator poster
- Predator merchandise package
- Jungle service kit
The contents of the Jungle service kit have not been explained in the supplied announcement. Even so, the Trophy upgrade is notably below the $3,000-plus premiums sometimes attached to limited-edition pinball packages, although those alternatives may also include playfield changes or enhancements.
Playfield features
The playfield combines wireform ramps with several large sculpted toys, including a Predator figure. The serrated blades are a particularly effective detail, while the spinning-blade “choppa” doubles as a physical ball lock.
A chaingun feature occupies the lower-left area and is one of the most visually prominent elements shown in the trailer. The flippers appear slightly right of centre, although the widebody perspective may create that impression.
The apron contains four red segmented LED displays styled after the symbols on the Predator’s wrist computer. They will not simply show alien-looking characters: during play, the displays can communicate information such as the time remaining in a mode.
Film-based missions and game modes
Pinball Brothers says the game includes original scenes and clips from the first Predator film. Players control the action with three flippers while completing missions and tasks drawn from the movie.
PinballNews.com has more details about the game modes, including a flyer outlining the table’s missions and multiball features.
For readers comparing a physical table with other home entertainment options, RETROCADE’s guide to virtual pinball machines offers useful context. Those planning a broader games room can also browse the latest arcade machines or review the arcade machine buying guide before committing to a large cabinet.
Early view: an attractive but unproven table
Predator has an appealing theme, a distinctive widebody presentation and several physical features that stand out in the trailer. However, the available material does not establish how the game plays in person, how its rules flow or how it performs on location.
The price will also make the decision significant for collectors and operators. A $10,995 machine is a substantial investment, particularly when the current pinball market offers many competing tables. For an operator, the key unanswered question is whether Predator can generate enough earnings to justify that cost.
Pinball manufacturers continue to market many machines primarily towards collectors, while operators may have to wait months for reliable earnings feedback from other venues. That makes buying a new $10,000-plus table a risk, especially when it may not recover its cost until years later or after resale.
Predator’s licence, movie footage and eye-catching hardware give it a strong first impression. Its eventual reputation will depend on the rules, reliability and on-site results. Until those are known, it remains an intriguing release rather than a proven operator choice.
For maintenance planning, RETROCADE’s arcade repairs and service information is a useful reference for anyone managing a games-room machine collection.
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