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How long can pinball last?


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Not to sound alarmist but how long do you think stern or jjp or the others being closed due to the virus have before they just simply say that's it?

 

Are these companies cashed up enough? If they survive will prices soar, or drop to get production going again or stay the same?

 

It'd be ironic all these years we've been speculating what'd kill pinball to find it's a virus of all things.

 

I'm presuming they're closed after seeing coders photoed off site etc.

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Industry has already faced a virus, it was called video games. It mutated into redemption machines.:lol

 

If history is anything to go by and parts of the world are to slip into depression we may be about to see yet another pinball boom time with not just a couple of major players but many.

 

Pinball has always done well when money was tight. Problem is manufacturing modern pinballs is expencive and return on money makes it highly unlikly a viable prospect while pinballs are the way they are right now.

 

Maybe step back an era or two to lower production costs and get them on the street and you'd more than likely land on a winning formula but as they are right now, I think this may well wipe them out until they are renewed. Either way, something that costs around 15G needs better than a couple of hundred a week return no matter who makes it.

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I wonder if that's because their prod line is much smaller or something. But interesting to hear all the same thanks

 

It may have been as simply as needing some small cosmetics to be able to finish, not sure but there were some very happy isolated Americans that had a fun delivery.

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I cannot see Stern closing

spooky pinball is small and nimble, they will survive

Whoever is doing the B/Wremakes will continue due to low overheads

 

The others, maybe/ maybe not

 

Not real sure about Stern. My impression of that company is to many making money from things they don't really understand.....Investors, and those same investors probably took a good bath with the stock exchange crashing. Could be a fire sale but who knows.

 

During the great depression there were no really big companies making machines, it was more small production run machines by obscure companies that started making machines during the depression and these small companies boomed during this time. After the "good times" most were finshed or bought out.

 

Don't right off Chicago Coin, that company has changed it's skin more times than a brown snake.

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Not real sure about Stern. My impression of that company is to many making money from things they don't really understand.....Investors, and those same investors probably took a good bath with the stock exchange crashing. Could be a fire sale but who knows.

 

During the great depression there were no really big companies making machines, it was more small production run machines by obscure companies that started making machines during the depression and these small companies boomed during this time. After the "good times" most were finshed or bought out.

 

Don't right off Chicago Coin, that company has changed it's skin more times than a brown snake.

 

"Too many making money from things they don't really understand".

 

I disagree. Out of all the companies producing pinball at the moment, Stern as a company is the one that understands the most, regardless of investors at the top. It's gone from Stern Electronics to Data East to Sega to the Stern that we know today. They're a survivor. They know the industry. Stern has the big industry names and the manufacturing power.

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Another thing to consider is supply chain breakdowns and models like just in time inventory failing. These companies will receive some government stimulus and they are able to furlough workers which will happen if there is no work and the fixed costs are high. It's an amazing opportunity for businesses to innovate.
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"Too many making money from things they don't really understand".

 

I disagree. Out of all the companies producing pinball at the moment, Stern as a company is the one that understands the most, regardless of investors at the top. It's gone from Stern Electronics to Data East to Sega to the Stern that we know today. They're a survivor. They know the industry. Stern has the big industry names and the manufacturing power.

 

It was the investors that supply the money I was referring too but I'll just bring a few parts of Stern's past into perspective. When Stern electronics was the company, it was 4th in sales in a 4 manufacturer marketplace. They bought out what was left of Data East to improve there own market standing. Did it again with Sega but still, 2nd in a now 3 manufacturer marketplace. Gottlieb stopped producing, was then called Alvin G so now Stern is 2nd in a two manufacturer marketplace. Williams/ Bally stop producing and Stern is now and only now the number 1 pinball maker.

I'd call that number 1 through aquisition and default, not innovation.

Think about it. In all the above history of Stern, you tell me the innovations that Stern brought to the industry in the roughly 40 years that isn't a near copy or variation of design and I'll be real interested in hearing it.

Sure, they have big industry names but again, that can be said by default after all, who else can those guys work for?.

If Stern can be rewarded for any innovation it would be turning a commecial coinOP machine designed originally to earn the owner money on the street into a house toy with an ever decressing market.

Surviver yes but preditor as well.

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