Last year at Pinball Expo '23, the Pinball Media Mixer was a great event to be a part of, with content creators and other pinball industry media folks enjoying the chill atmosphere and quality company. Of course, for Pinball Expo '24, we had to run it back, and the turnout was legitimately inspiring. Held at the ever-popular Enterrium restaurant and arcade, the Pinball Media Mixer 2.0 held over 100 attendees, including everything from popular YouTubers to pinball podcasters, as well as some community members eager to indulge in the vibes. With an abundance of food, drink, and pinball to play, it's safe to say that the Pinball Media Mixer 2.0 was a roaring success.
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The Enterrium Experience
First, I think it's appropriate to set the stage for the Media Mixer 2.0, or as I like to call it, “the exclusive Enterrium Experience.” A quick drive from the Renaissance Contention Hotel, where Pinball Expo was held, Enterrium is one of Schaumburg's hottest pinball hangouts, where major tournaments like the PAPA 21 World Pinball Championships and the Stern Pro Circuit Finals are held. That said, Enterrium is much more than just a pinball spot and is overflowing with more modern arcade games than you'd find at any Dave & Busters. Depending on where you park, making your way to Enterrium can be an experience of its own, as you must navigate the impressively expansive, sprawling Woodfield Mall. If you're ever in the area, I recommend just waltzing around the mall for a bit; it gives off some serious liminal space vibes.
Inside Enterrium, past the arcade floor and full-service restaurant, the Media Mixer 2.0 was a private party contained to the pinball alley, giving us pinheads full reign over the amazing lineup of machines. After grabbing a handy lanyard, a free drink ticket, and some disposable cameras for snapping candid photos, attendees were welcome to pig out on a buffet of bar staples: pizza, sliders, and nachos to name a few (with vegetarian options to boot). A party of its own, but removed from the massive hustle and bustle of the Pinball Expo show floor, Enterrium was the perfect venue for an unforgettable night.
Mixer Memories and Community Connection
Staying true to the purpose of the event, I started to mingle right away (well, after I grabbed my free beer), spending some quality time with my best of pin-pals and talking shop with some fresh faces. Right from the get-go, it was obvious that everyone was having a great time, and after a quick fist-bump to Zach from Flip N Out Pinball, I struck up a wonderful conversation with Bee Kong of the Kongs-R-Us YouTube channel. A highly talented and knowledgeable arcade content creator, Bee is relatively new to the pinball scene and couldn't be happier with the media community surrounding it. Although we didn't get the chance to play any pinball together at Enterrium, Media Mixer 2.0 performed its purpose, and when we bumped into each other later on the expo show floor, I had a new pal to play The Uncanny X-Men with.
Luckily, I did find a moment to play some pinball during Media Mixer 2.0, as Enterrium had a shiny new Avatar: Battle for Pandora machine available to play. Stumbling into Marty, better known by his Twitch handle, GameClubCentral, I couldn't help but challenge him to a match. Slightly tipsy and buzzing off the high energy in the pinball alley, I played my first-ever game of Avatar: Battle for Pandora, sharing thoughts and impressions with Marty and having a blast the entire time. Afterward, as dozens of attendees prepared to play a game of “stall ball” on James Bond 007, I rested my legs and chatted with the affable hosts of the Fresh Pinball Podcast. Sharing our thoughts on Expo, Enterrium, and the Media Mixer event in general, I feel like Kyle Crison expressed our collective opinion in the most succinct way possible. “There are awesome people, free drinks, and so much pinball. What more do you need?”.
Surrounded by like-minded media folks and consistently engaged with games and festivities, Media Mixer 2.0 flew by at the speed of light. Toward the end of the event, a big raffle was held, with some seriously cool prizes up for grabs. In an uncharacteristic stroke of luck, I managed to win a backglass for the Pinball Brother's latest game, ABBA, adding yet another win to the night. As Media Mixer 2.0 came to a close, my partner and I spent the rest of our arcade credits on ticket redemption games (I may or may not have some surefire jackpot strategies), racked up enough tickets to redeem a hefty sack of candy to snack on, and headed back to Pinball Expo.
Now, looking back on the entire weekend, I can easily say that the Pinball Media Mixer 2.0 was one of my absolute favorite parts of Pinball Expo '24. Simultaneously exciting but with a low-key, relaxed feel, it was a welcome change of pace from the regular Expo activities and acted as a perfect excuse to finally visit Enterrium. If all goes according to plan, there's a good possibility that the Pinball Media Mixer 3.0 will return for next year's Pinball Expo, and it's a party that you really shouldn't miss. I want to personally thank everyone who came out to Media Mixer 2.0, hung out, and spent some time getting to know each other better. A lot of work went into this event (huge credit goes to Colin for dealing with the stress of organization), but it was worth every ounce of effort, and we can't wait to do it again.
Matt Owen is a lifelong gamer and overall media fiend. He can often be found playing endless hours of games or watching an absurd amount of movies and television: action, horror, mystery, and sci-fi in particular. When he's not bingeing entertainment media, Matt enjoys reading and writing fiction, playing pinball, broadcasting, and attempting to cook.
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