Midway Manufacturing Co.

Midway Manufacturing Co. was founded in 1958 in Chicago, Illinois, as a creator of coin-operated amusement devices, including pinball machines, for the North American market. Although the founders’ names are not widely cited in surviving corporate documents, Midway quickly gained recognition for its innovative approach to arcade-style entertainment. In 1969, Bally Manufacturing acquired Midway, establishing a close relationship that allowed the two companies to share technological and design resources in the booming coin-op sector. This partnership positioned Midway at the center of significant advancements during the 1970s and early 1980s, a period of rapid development in the pinball industry as manufacturers transitioned from electromechanical to solid-state technology.

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During the 1970s, Midway released various pinball titles—often under or alongside Bally branding—reflecting the growing convergence of mechanical playfields with emerging digital components. One of its most distinctive ventures was “Baby Pac-Man” (1982), a hybrid game combining video gameplay with a mini pinball section. This experiment illustrated Midway’s willingness to explore novel designs that fused digital and physical elements. As part of Bally-Midway, the company embraced the market’s shift toward electronic scoring, synthesized sound, and advanced playfield mechanics, which broadened the appeal of pinball beyond its traditional audience.

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By the late 1980s, however, the Bally-Midway business structure began to evolve. Bally exited the pinball industry in 1988, selling its pinball division to Williams Electronics Games, and Midway’s direct involvement in pinball production waned as a result. Though Midway itself continued to operate in the coin-op arcade sphere, the eventual corporate restructuring and financial challenges led to the company filing for bankruptcy in 2009. Midway’s legacy in pinball—marked by technical experimentation and memorable titles—remains an influential chapter in the history of amusement gaming, demonstrating how creative engineering and strategic partnerships helped shape the modern pinball landscape.