Dave Nutting

Who is Dave Nutting?

David Judd Nutting is an industrial design engineer who played a role in the early video game industry. He is a graduate of the Pratt Institute with a degree in industrial design.

After leaving the Army Corps of Engineers, Nutting joined the design firm of Brooks Stevens Associates. During his time there he was involved in a wide variety of projects, working on everything from Evinrude Outboard Motors, Mirro cookware, Bolens tractors, Studebaker, and 3M. For Willys, Nutting designed Jeep Grand Wagoneer, and went on to design the Enstrom Helicopter.

In 1970, Nutting started Dave Nutting Associates to create novelty coin operated amusement games under contract with Bally Manufacturing Corporation. When he learned about Intel's new microprocessor system, he convinced Intel to give them one of their first 50 development kits. Nutting and his associate, Jeff Frederiksen, proceeded to develop the first microprocessor pinball on a Bally game, Flicker. When Bally came forth with the new microprocessor pinball, all sales for the old electromechanical pinball machines stopped and Bally took over the pinball industry.