That is what I was thinking. The parts aren't really any different to what is available today meaning minimal R&D on new toys and less cost overall you'd think.
This is exactly where the wheels have fallen off in the recent past with certain 'rights holders' putting the kybosh on any new concept or machine using 'off the shelf' (insert patented) parts. I was certainly told, in no uncertain terms, not to even dream about using flipper asemblies, drop targets etc etc etc. by one 'rights holder' because if I did I would never get to sell even one machine!
I believe this situation is far more relaxed recently.
Most of all that was hogwash anyway. I think anything before 1978 was ALWAYS fine to reproduce - as in generic parts such as flipper assemblies. No proof was ever supplied with the FAKE C&D emails
