Am looking forward to seeing the machine or some Playfield details when the time is right.
Sales of Thunderbirds will be a good indicator of the status of the Pinball revival in Australia. Though it is clear now that Pinball is taking off in the USA, my feel is that it is still on a cusp in Aus. A machine from an Australian owned company should do well here - I'm hoping Australian sales approach that of ACDC. Like most industries it is important to show success in your own home market, before overseas markets open up. Strong 'home' sales with low cost Chinese production under Australian management and ownership, i.e. low cost with sacrificing quality, should open the door to strong overseas sales.
The big questions may become:
- How many people will continue paying a $1 to $2k premium more for a USA made machine?
- Will Stern need to move out of the location pinball market that they currently hold nearly 100% market share?
Of all the new pinball manufactures in the USA/UK/Europe, I'd imagine Homepin is the one that Stern would be most concerned about. (Don't get me wrong, I like Stern).
