“PINBALL AT WATERFALLS”: THE RETURN OF SPORTS PINBALL TO THE MARMORE WATERFALLS

EVENT AT THE ITALIAN PINBALL MUSEUM “DINO MERLUZZI”

Pinball comes back to the evocative setting of the Marmore Waterfalls, with an event organized by Ifpa Italia, with the support of the Marmore Pro Loco and the support of the Umbria Region, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Municipality of Terni, in the exclusive location of the Italian Pinball Museum “Dino Merluzzi” in Marmore (Terni).

The highly anticipated “Pinball at Waterfalls – Marmore Pinball Tournament”, Memorial Dino Merluzzi, comes back on the weekend of August, 30-31, 2025 and following last year’s success, it will once again take place at the Marmore Pinball Museum (www.museoflipper.it), for a special edition that will welcome professional players and the new generation of the sport, with an event open to the public and anyone interested in approaching sports pinball or simply trying a new entertainment experience. From a sports perspective, the event—in addition to being a professional competition, good for the Wppr (World Pinball Player Rankings), allowing players to earn valuable points for the sports world ranking — also represents the sixth stage of seven during the 2025 Ics (Italian Championship Series) National Circuit season. For this reason, some of the country’s strongest players are expected.

As in previous editions, also this year’s event is dedicated to Dino Merluzzi, a historic figure in Italian pinball, who has been one of the first to collect vintage games and entertainment machines from various periods; one of the pioneers of sports pinball, to which is due the ‘moral’ birth of the movement in Italy. As his name suggests, the Pinball and Modern Art Museum in Marmore is also dedicated to him, and it’s no coincidence that it’s hosting this year’s competition, making it even more unique and interesting.

The initiative is further enhanced by the prestigious awards and important partnerships that allow it to be realized: in addition to the support of the Marmore Pro Loco, the event is also sponsored by the Municipality of Terni, the Umbria Region, and the Umbria Chamber of Commerce. Among the event’s technological partners are international companies in the sector: FaroPlay, Luxury Games, and Varadero PInball.

The PINBALL AT WATERFALLS 2025 – MARMORE PINBALL TOURNAMENT (ICS ROUND) will also feature the most modern pinball machines and the latest releases in the market, including the latest models from Stern Pinball and Jersey Jack Pinball. Along with many others, for an even more “must attend” event.

But in addition to the high-level competition that directly involves professional players, Ifpa Italia is also organizing a tournament for museum visitors, customers, and simple curious who are experiencing pinball for the first time, that will take place on Sunday, August, the 31st. This event is open to all citizens. For information and registration: [email protected]
For information:
IFPA Italy: www.ifpaitalia.it – www.museoflipper.it
mail: [email protected]
tel 0744461296

IFPA21 World Pinball Championship – June 5-7, 2026

The IFPA is excited to announce that the dates have been set for the 21st annual IFPA World Pinball Championship. IFPA21 will be held June 5-7, 2026, with the 12th edition of the Epstein Cup scheduled for Thursday, June 4th, 2026.

Our host will be District 82 in De Pere, Wisconsin.

We will continue to update details on the event HERE.

IFPA’s Player of the Month/Biggest Movers for July 2025!

Here are the July 2025 IFPA winners for Player of the Month and Biggest Movers:

Player of the Month:
Escher Lefkoff from Australia (802.56 WPPR’s – MAIN)
Kat Lake from North Carolina (169.00 WPPR’s – WOMEN’S)

Biggest Movers:
Troy Kellogg from Charleston, SC (+43,071 spots)
Geo Wassung from Afton, VA (+21,382 spots)
Brice Ambrecht from Ridgecrest, CA (+20,776 spots)

These players have now all qualified for the Stern Rewards Program for 2025. Congrats to everyone!

 

Williams™ Pinball Volume 9 is NOW AVAILABLE in Pinball FX, Pinball FX VR, Zen Pinball World and Legends Pinball4KP!

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Modern Meets Nostalgia with the Release of Classics From the Golden Age of Pinball

San Francisco, CA (August 14, 2025)Zen Studios — the leading global producer and publisher of digital pinball video games — has released their brand new pinball pack called Williams™ Pinball Volume 9. Pinball fanatics can now take on classic Williams™ tables like WHO dunnit™, TAXI™, and PIN·BOT™ on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, MetaQuest, mobile, and Legends Pinball4KP!

Pinball prowess with Pinball FX’s most nostalgic DLC to date! Included in the Williams™ Pinball Volume 9 DLC pack is TAXI™ — a high‑score cabbie extravaganza, where you can pick up famous passengers like Santa Claus, Dracula, Gorbie, or PIN·BOT himself. In the second retro table, WHO dunnit™, players investigate crime scenes, gather clues, interrogate suspects, and solve a murder mystery – all within an amazing noir environment from the 1930s. The third table, PIN·BOT™, launches players into space for a journey through the Solar System. A timeless pinball experience awaits!

Pinball FX delivers the ultimate at-home pinball experience. Immerse yourself in meticulously recreated classics with Williams™ Pinball, explore Zen’s original designs, or relive legendary moments from beloved films, TV shows, and video games. With over 120 tables available, Pinball FX showcases iconic properties from entertainment giants like Disney, Legendary, Lucasfilm, Marvel Entertainment, NBC Universal, and Paramount Pictures.

Press Kit: https://zenstudios.com/press/williams-pinball-volume-9/

Save the Date – NACS Day: January 17, 2026

We are excited to announce that all 2025-26 IFPA State/Provincial/District Championships will be held on Saturday, January 17, 2026. Additional details will be provided when we get closer to the end of the season. Players are encouraged to reach out to their IFPA State/Provincial/District Representative for any questions regarding your specific Championship. Women’s NACS will be held the day after, Sunday, January 18, 2026.

Details for the IFPA North American Pinball Championship and IFPA Pin-Masters have been finalized, while the IFPA Women’s North American Pinball Championship and IFPA Women’s World Pinball Championship details will be announced soon:
2025-26 IFPA North American Pinball Championship –> Thursday, March 5th, 2026 (ORD Pinball in West Chicago, IL)
2026 IFPA Pin-Masters: World Pin-Golf Championships –> Friday-Sunday, March 6th-8th, 2026 (ORD Pinball in West Chicago, IL)
2025-26 IFPA Women’s North American Pinball Championship –> TBD
2026 IFPA Women’s World Pinball Championship –> TBD

Registration for IFPA Pin-Masters will be later this fall. Details for the event are available HERE. We will have a follow up announcement once the date of registration is announced.

Stern Pro Circuit – selection process for 2026 season

As the 2025 season enters the final 4+ months of the season, so does the process for selecting those IFPA sanctioned events that end up on the Stern Pro Circuit for the 2026 season.

The top 15 events currently on the SPC will earn the right to stay on the SPC for next season. Each season 5 new events will be included in the SPC, replacing the 5 current events with the lowest average WPPR point total over the past three years.

With the IFPA sanctioning over 12,000 events per year, we’re asking the organizers of any IFPA sanctioned events that have interest in joining the Stern Pro Circuit to contact us at [email protected] to have your event added to the eligibility list.

Please include a link to the last 3 years worth of results on the IFPA website (or 2 years of results plus the IFPA calendar link for your 2025 event if this is year 3 for your event). Events with less than 3 years worth of data are welcome to apply, but please note the average WPPR point total over the past three years will still be divided by 3.

Organizers have until October 31, 2025 to apply for inclusion on the Stern Pro Circuit for next season.

IFPA’s Player of the Month/Biggest Movers for June 2025!

Here are the June 2025 IFPA winners for Player of the Month and Biggest Movers:

Player of the Month:
Viggo Löwgren from Furulund, Sweden (723.00 WPPR’s – MAIN)
Jane Verwys from Chicago, IL (78.09 WPPR’s – WOMEN’S)

Biggest Movers:
Ryan Spencer from Portland, OR (+30,952 spots)
Mathieu Boyer from Quebec, Canada (+30,842 spots)
Zac Martin from Glenmoore, PA (+24,307 spots)

These players have now all qualified for the Stern Rewards Program for 2025. Congrats to everyone!

 

Jason Zahler wins 4th Major Championship!

In the history of competitive pinball, very few (36 in fact) have had the chance to call themselves a Major Champion. Like professional golf or tennis, the opportunity to join this elite club only happens a handful of times every year. Pinburgh 2025 brought together one finalist looking to add their name to this list (David Riel) and three finalists looking to add to their already established legacies (Arvid Flygare, Zach McCarthy and Jason Zahler).

After qualifying as the #1 seed, Jason Zahler won 3 out of the 4 games in the final round to capture his 4th Major Championship, becoming only the 7th player in competitive pinball history to do so. In the last 413 days, Jason went from 0 Majors to 4 Majors with his back-to-back wins at both the IFPA World Pinball Championship and Pinburgh.

With his 2nd place finish, Zach McCarthy earned his sixth top 4 finish in Major Championships. 3rd place went to Arvid Flygare who earned his sixth top 4 finish in Major Championships. 4th place went to David Riel who earned his first top 4 finish in Major Championships.

To view the most current list of Major Championship stats, click HERE.

Pinburgh This Week! Tyler Campbell Interview

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Outlaw Pinball at 2025 Sweeper City Pinball Championships!

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