Arkon

Arkon, officially registered as Arkon Automaten GmbH, was a small pinball manufacturing firm based in Frankfurt, West Germany, that operated primarily between 1980 and 1983. It was founded by pinball innovator Reinhard Deutsch, who is credited with creating the “Picture Pin” concept — a projector-based feature that displayed changing still images on the playfield during gameplay. This technology was among the first instances of multimedia integration in a pinball machine, providing a novel attraction for operators seeking to refresh older machines. Arkon’s business strategy focused on designing and marketing conversion kits, which enabled operators to replace the playfields, art, and rule sets of classic Bally machines with Arkon’s designs.

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The company’s debut product, released in late 1980, was an adult-themed conversion kit called Sexy Girl, produced for Bally’s Playboy pinball cabinet. This kit included a new playfield, a specially designed backglass, and a projector system featuring a film cartridge loaded with pin-up style images that changed during gameplay. After an initially warm market reception, Arkon followed up with Magic Picture Pin (1982), which toned down the adult content and positioned the projector as a customizable novelty feature. The firm’s final release came in 1983 with Sexy Girl (Deluxe), again building on Bally donor hardware but refined with advanced mechanics and improved projector features. Despite its technological creativity, Arkon struggled to compete with larger manufacturers and a rapidly changing arcade market. The company ceased operations in the mid-1980s, leaving only a handful of pinball kits in circulation. Today, Arkon’s projector-based “Picture Pin” products are regarded as rare collectibles that highlight an innovative if short-lived chapter in pinball’s history.