A Detailed Timeline of the Haggis Pinball Collapse [UPDATED 8.2]

Last week, Haggis Pinball, an Australian startup manufacturer of pinball machines, collapsed. While not a surprise to many who have been following the story closely over the years, the manner of closure leaves more questions than answers.

‍

Over the last week, I've combed through business records, forum threads, social media posts, podcasts and interviews in an attempt to document a full timeline of events from Haggis' founding to today in order to try to answer some of these questions. Or perhaps uncover more of the context behind the decisions made, since owner Damian Hartin has been reluctant to make public comments. He has even gone so far as to remove Haggis' public social media accounts, as well as some of his own private accounts, which further complicates the story.

‍

I'll try to stick to the facts in this timeline breakdown of the Haggis Pinball journey, linking to or noting sources when available.

‍

We'll publish editorial analysis in the next This Week in Pinball newsletter that dives deeper into what I think happened at Haggis and why they failed. Check it out, Why Haggis Pinball Failed.

‍

If you have information you'd like to contribute, please send an email to colin@kineticist.co.

‍

What Was Haggis Pinball?

‍

Haggis Pinball was an Australian-based startup manufacturer of pinball machines, founded by Damian Hartin in 2018. The company garnered some attention early on for their transparent use of social media, documenting the startup journey of a pinball manufacturer and the production of their first title, CELTS. They would go on to announce, sell, and produce two officially-licensed Bally remake games, Fathom and Centaur, as part of a planned 5-game series of remakes. As of 2024, both production runs of Fathom and Centaur remain incomplete.

‍

Before Haggis Pinball

Before founding Haggis Pinball, Damian Hartin worked mostly in IT and professional services fields. On July 18, 2011, he registers Hartsco PTY LTD in Australia, more or less the equivalent of an LLC in the United States. Hartsco would be tied to several different business entities over the years:

• Feed Me Now (2013-2017)
• EME Property Developments (2014-2017)
• gt40Bolts (2014-2017)
• Aussie Flip (2017-2021)
• Aussie House Flippers (2017-2021)
• Ememate (2014-Current)
• Hartsco (2017-Current)

Hartsco itself would see a few different iterations in its existence. At times it was provider of legal technology and consulting services, general IT services, and a seperate home automation business.

‍

Sometime around 2018, Damian would wind down operations of the home automation side of Hartsco while maintaining the IT services side.

‍

Haggis Pinball; the Full Timeline

Following the end of the home automation side of Hartsco, Damian found himself with time on his hands, and its during this time he discovers pinball after purchasing a copy of Pin*Bot. Bit hard by the pinball bug, Damian decides to start his own pinball manufacturing business, despite having no experience within the pinball or manufacturing industries.

2018

• September 19: Haggis Pinball Pty LTD registered with Damian Hartin and Blair Gowans listed as Directors. (Australian Securities & Investments Commission)
• September 24: Creates company Pinside profile and posts to Haggis Pinball thread‍
• December 2: Announces theme of first game, Wraith, due in 2019 (Pinside)

2019

Up until about Covid, Damian would share frequent updates of behind-the-scenes Haggis progress, mostly through a series of videos on YouTube.

• March 22: Whitewood for CELTS debuts at Texas Pinball Festival (AusRetroGamer)
• March 26: In Episode 85 of the Head2Head Pinball Podcast, it's noted that the departure of a partner in Haggis for personal reasons is one of the reasons Haggis had to pivot from Wraith to CELTS. It's also noted that Damian received good feedback on his whitewood at TPF.
• April 22: Blair Gowans removed as company director (ASIC records)
• October: Shows first prototype CELTS at Pinball Expo in Chicago (AusRetroGamer)
• November 22: First Tweet
• November 22: First interview with AusRetroGamer drops. Damian notes his professional background, how he got into pinball, feedback received on his whitewood, and goals to sell 250 production units of CELTS.
• November 26: Starts taking public orders for CELTS via their website. CELTS is now limited to a run of 200 units.
  • Somewhere around this time Haggis also starts offering subscription-style memberships in a program called Clan Haggis. For a yearly fee, members would get early info on new releases, first opportunities to purchase new games, and company swag packs.

2020

Throughout 2020, Haggis continues to sell, ship and market its CELTS release.

• Early 2020: Forms team to work on next game, War of the Worlds, with a plan to ship in 2022. Team members promised $250/machine sold. (Pinside)
• March 10: First COVID-19 lockdowns hit Victoria, Australia, where Haggis is located.
• June: State of War of the Worlds at the time. (Pinside)

• September 23: Haggis Pinball moves to a small industrial park located at 49 Industrial Circuit, Cranbourne West VIC 3977. It's noted in future interviews that this was a small 150m2 facility. (ASIC)

• November: An internal decision is made to switch to producing classics games, presumably to bring money in faster. (Pinside)
• November 21: Moves Hartsco to the same address at 49 Industrial Circuit. (ASIC)
• Unknown date, but late 2020/early 2021: Lachlan Dowd works on the cabinet and playfield design for Fathom. At some point in the early design process Damian allegedly promises that the production team would each get a copy of the game for their work. (Pinside)

‍

2021

• April 26: Haggis Pinball announces Fathom Revisited as their next game, with pre-orders starting on April 28, 2021 (This Week in Pinball)
  • In the launch interview, Damian notes plans to start production of Fathom Revisited July 1, 2021, at the rate of 50 games per month.
  • Fathom Revisited is offered in two models, a Classic Edition with original code and a Mermaid edition with 2.0 code and other physical enhancements
• April 26(ish): At this time Haggis also begins selling Series Ticket passes, which were an early deposit on each of the planned 5 games in the Haggis Classics series of games. The cost for the season pass was $6,000 AUD, and Damian notes that the deposits are to "be held in Escrow until each title starts manufacture." (Pinside)
• April 26: Releases interview with Pinball Profile discussing the Fathom release.
  • Notes that remaining CELTS orders are to be completed before starting on Fathom production and re-iterates plans to produce 50 games a month.
• May 1: Signs two-year lease at 103 Atlantic Drive, Keysborough VIC 3173 with one optional 2 year renewal term. Starting annual base rent of $75,000 AUD + expenses/utilities. (ASIC)
  • New space is 750m2 (Pinball Profile ep. 304)
• May 10: Shares update to Pinside stating orders for Fathom Mermaid orders will close on May 24th.
  • Again says producing remaining CELTS is first order of business before starting Fathoms on July 1. Also references taking in additional CELTS orders following the announcement of Fathom.
• May 24: Fathom Mermaids noted as Sold Out by Haggis (Pinside)
• June 1: The Haggis team starts work in the new factory. CELTS production is ongoing. By July when more staff was brought onboard, the team was still building out the factory and important tools and supplies were still arriving. (Pinside)
• August/September: No CELTS games have been produced in the new factory. (Pinside)
• October 19: First Tweet referencing Fathom parts in production (Twitter)
  • It's notable that Haggis posts heavily to Twitter for a month or so during this period, mostly focused on showing CELTS production
• October 21: Covid lockdowns end in Victoria, Australia
• December 10: Haggis sends some customers Christmas gift packages. It's notable that during their October/November tweet-storm, Haggis makes it a point to highlight their ability to print custom die-cut stickers in house.

• December 13: Haggis shares a production update that the balance of CELTS should be completed by the end of the month, with Fathom production starting in January. (Pinside)
• December: The first Fathom playfield is largely complete but not flipping or in a cabinet. (Pinside)

‍

2022

Somewhere between 2021 and 2022, there was significant staff turnover at Haggis with much of the original team departing. Some were let go due to lack of work, others left voluntarily. It's also often noted in following years that it can be difficult to get in touch with Damian and that the pace of public updates has slowed.

• January 5: Haggis Sends update to customers recapping 2021. (Pinside)
• January 18: Haggis begins sending production notices to Fathom pre-order customers (Pinside)
• February 5: Planetary Pinball Supply notes having a prototype Fathom since December, 2021 (Pinside)
• March 17: Knapp Arcade reports Haggis is still producing CELTS
• April 27: Cary Hardy analyzes a Haggis produced video showing Fathom games in production and shipping
• May 2: Changes registered address of Hartsco to 103 Atlantic Drive, Keysborough VIC 3173 (same as Haggis factory)
• December 21: Fathom Mermaid editions begin making their way to Europe (Knapp Arcade)

2023

• January 31: Signs 2-year lease renewal option with new annual base rent of $92,950 AUD + expenses/utilities. (ASIC)
• April 23: Haggis announces that people who ordered a Fathom Classic can now pay an additional fee to access the 2.0 code kit (Pinside)
• July 3: Announce Centaur Revisited as their 3rd game and 2nd in the Classics Series. Pre-orders to start on July 13. (Kineticist)
• July 5: Haggis states that Fathom is on track to complete by the end of 2023 and Centaur will begin shipping in January 2024. (Pinside)
• July 11: Cary Hardy interviews Damian Hartin in a wide-ranging conversation. Touches on production challenges and other community questions.
• August 14: Damian takes out a loan from Business Fuel Finance Pty LTD using two residential homes as collateral (Victoria Dept. of Environment, Land, Water & Planning records)‍
• August 22: A customer notes paying in full for their Fathom on 2/19/23 and having trouble reaching Damian consistently. (Pinside)
• September 8: Damian posts a video update to the Haggis Pinball YouTube channel noting they are have hit all their targets and are on track to wrap Fathom production by the end of the year. (YouTube)

2024

• ‍January: Rumors state that around this time Damian was looking for new investors for Haggis Pinball, specifically an infusion of $500k AUD, but is unwilling to cede any control of the company in exchange for the funds. Wayne Gillard (Mr. Pinball Australia) relays these comments in public Facebook groups.
• January 18: Series Ticket holders start receiving requests for full payment on Centaur deposits, with production to start that month. (Phantom Tilt Pinball)
• January 25: Hartin Superfund PTY LTD is established under Damian and Georgia Hartin, at a residential address. This entity is registered with the sub-class Superannuation Trustee Proprietary Company (ASIC), which is similar to an IRA or a 401k in the United States.
• January 26: Customer notes completing full payment on a Centaur Orblivion edition game. (Pinside)
• February 16: Haggis sends update to customers, noting need for recapitalization and a further slowing of game production. (Pinside)
• February 17: Damian promises a Fathom pre-order customer a full refund if they are unable to produce their game. (Pinside)
• March 1: Haggis cancels a planned appearance at Texas Pinball Festival.
• March 13: Cary Hardy live-streams an unboxing of a Centaur, a surprise arrival at Texas Pinball Festival.
• April 18: Haggis communicates with a Fathom customer that their game is in queue for manufacturing. (Phantom Tilt Pinball)
• May 15: A customer confirms a Fathom game shipment. (Pinside)
• May 24: The eventual liquidator Cathro & Partners PTY Limited is first approached by a referral partner regarding Haggis Pinball. (ASIC Form 531)
• May 27: Referral partner contacts Damian via email to share liquidator details and set up meeting (ASIC Form 531)
• May 31: Additional Fathom units are confirmed shipped. (Pinside)
• June 4: Liquidator arranges to meet with Damian and Georgia at Haggis Pinball. Notes "the matter did not proceed". Unclear if this means they didn't meet or that nothing was agreed to regarding next steps. (ASIC Form 531)
• June 28: Zach Meny of Flip N' Out pinball (official US distributor for Haggis) addresses community questions regarding Centaur deposit refunds. (Pinside)
• July 1: Hartsco changes official registered address to Level 17, 31 Queen Street, Melbourne VIC 3000. (ASIC)
• July 4: Damian engages with liquidators again (ASIC Form 531)
• July 15: Liquidators meet with Damian and Georgia at the Haggis Pinball headquarters. (ASIC Form 531)
• July 15: Reports of Haggis factory being emptied on social media (Pinside)
• July 16: Unconfirmed photo of moving trucks outside the factory (Pinside)
• July 16: Factory site confirmed to be available for lease soon (Pinside)
• July 17: Haggis' website and social media profiles go offline.
• July 18: Damian Hartin signs Notification of Resolution Winding Up The Company with 95% or more of voting power. (ASIC)
• July 18: Liquidator Cathro & Partners PTY Limited appointed to liquidate company assets (ASIC)
• July 22: Business Fuel Finance issues a caveat on 2 residential properties tied to Damian and Georgia for an unpaid business loan. (Victoria Dept. of Environment, Land, Water & Planning records)
• July 23: In the Pinball Nerds Podcast with Phantom Tilt, it's rumored that an unknown third party tried to purchase the assets of Haggis Pinball from the liquidator for $100k AUD, but was turned down as a different entity had already procured the assets prior to the liquidator's appointment.
• July 31: The Liquidators' Initial Notification to Creditors document is published and shared with confirmed creditors. At a high level, these documents show:
  • Haggis Pinball had $120,337 AUD in valued assets (stock, plant & machinery, other assets)
  • Haggis Pinball had $2,696,263.21 AUD in debts to unsecured creditors
  • Haggis Pinball had $80,564.15 AUD in debts that are carved out for what may be employee pay/entitlements
  • Haggis Pinball estimated total debt was $2,758,227.36 AUD
  • The creditors list includes 83 non-affiliated individuals for a total of $807,249 AUD. Presumably these are a mix of people who paid deposits on a game, paid in full for a game, or purchased a series-ticket pass.
  • The creditors list includes 19 non-affiliated companies for a total of $837,612.24 AUD.
  • The creditors list includes 4 employees for a total of $37,568.98
  • The creditors list includes affiliated entities like Damian and Hartsco for a total of $1,010,060.32 AUD

‍

As of publishing and subsequent updates, we still do not have any official comment from Damian. We do now have comment from one former employee (Lachlan Dowd). It's been suggested that Damian could be shielding some Haggis Pinball assets under a different corporate entity, like Hartsco.

‍

The Haggis & Hartsco Equipment Mystery

In the last major timeline update it's referenced that the liquidator assigned to secure the assets of Haggis Pinball was unable to take possession of any industrial machinery that might be used to produce pinball machines. This equipment, it seems, was "sold" to a 3rd party before the liquidator could arrive at the factory.

‍

So where is it?

‍

We reviewed public documents sent to us that come from the Personal Property Security Register (PPSR) in Australia that appear to show HARTSCO PTY LTD as the owner of various pieces of production equipment (a laser cutter, a 2021 HP Latex 700 W Printer, etc.) that are used to produce pinball machines.

‍

This note was sent along with the documents, and after review and some back and forth, I think it checks out:

• The attached PPSR shows that Damian purchased and leased pinball manufacturing equipment, using the Hartsco Pty Ltd entity. It shows laser cutters, laser printers, inkjet printers. This is the entity that owns the pinball manufacturing equipment.
• From the beginning, the company structure of Hartsco pty ltd and Haggis pinball pty ltd was set up with none of the major assets in the pinball company itself.
• If that's the case, then technically Hartsco Pty Ltd removed the items, with other security interests held over them at the point that the factory was closing. The liquidators have confirmed that they do not have these industrial manufacturing equipment currently.
• Even if the liquidators do find the physical location of the manufacturing equipment, they can't sell the items, as the legal location of the items is in Hartsco pty ltd (who is still trading) rather than Haggis Pinball pty ltd (who is being wound up through liquidation).

‍

The Fallout of Haggis Pinball

According to community estimates, there are as many as 100 outstanding orders of Fathom Revisited, with about 50 of those orders paid-in-full. In addition, there are 30-40 Series Ticket holders who paid deposits for all 5 games in the Haggis Classics series. Estimates for Centaur pre-orders or Haggis Clan membership sales are unknown. While it's also unknown how many CELTS were produced, it's thought to be around 50 units.

‍

Since the closing stories have been told (mostly on Pinside) of payments made for games never received, of employees not paid for their work, and of numerous quality issues with production games (like playfield stress fractures).

‍

We'll continue to update this timeline as we learn more.