Staal Society

Staal Society was a short-lived French pinball manufacturer active between 1977 and 1979, headquartered in Saint-Ouen, a suburb of Paris. The company was founded with the aim of developing solid-state pinball machines at a time when the industry was undergoing a major technological shift from electromechanical to electronic systems. Staal Society holds the distinction of producing the first solid-state pinball machine developed in France, marking an early effort to establish domestic pinball manufacturing in a market then dominated by American companies.

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The company released just two machines during its brief tenure. Its debut title, Ben-Hur, launched in 1977, was a four-player machine themed after the historical epic of the same name. It incorporated solid-state electronics while still relying on traditional chime-based sound and borrowed mechanical designs from Gottlieb machines, reflecting a hybrid approach to game development. Despite limited innovation, Ben-Hur was distributed in both France and the UK through a partnership with British distributor Associated Leisure. Staal Society followed with Gun Men in 1979, a Western-themed title featuring artwork by Michele “Mike” Martinelli. Both machines had limited production runs—approximately 467 units for Ben-Hur and 424 for Gun Men—and saw minimal distribution beyond France.

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Staal Society ceased operations shortly after the release of Gun Men, likely due to a combination of limited commercial success, reliance on derivative design elements, and the challenges of competing with better-established American manufacturers. While its output was modest, the company’s attempt to create original French-made pinball machines during the early solid-state era represents a noteworthy chapter in European pinball history. Today, surviving Staal Society machines are rare and valued by collectors for their historical significance and unique place in the evolution of pinball manufacturing.