What does the future hold for pinball?

[beaky]

As the majority of us know the pinball glory days have passed and if it wasn't for us pin heads around the world collecting and restoring these fine machines a majority of these pins would just become land fill or just rot away to nothing.
Most of us here are only here because we grew up with these magnificent machine and know how much fun we can have playing them.
We do have some young blood on this site (which i am very grateful for) but what will happen to these machines after the next 40 to 50 years (i intend to live to at least 80 if i can give up these dam cigarettes) after most of us pass away?
I have found that my eldest son who is now 15 has totally lost interest in the silver ball yet 2 years ago he loved playing my pins.
Then there is the spare part side of things. At the moment there are a small amount of companies making and selling spare parts for pins because they ether have a passion for it or it is a viable business or both. But what happens when it no longer becomes viable?
Then there is the electronic side of the picture. As a lot of us know most main steam electronic repair places don't actually repair p.c.b's but just replace the whole board as it is cheaper to replace a board now a days in a modern electronic device than to fault find the board and repair it so the art of p.c.b repairs is slowly dieing out also.

So guys what do you think the future for pinball will be?

 
     

[swinks]

I am only 1 year into my addiction of pinball and never thought about in that way. I suppose while there are still companies producing pinballs like stern, then there is hope of extending the life of pinball to the public no matter how good or bad the themes are.

I personal would love to set up a small place that would allow members and public to play pinball to promote the fun and atmosphere that we know so well.  This is a bit of a pipe dream at the moment but I think keeping it public known and accessible will help the future of the silver ball rolling.

I think it would be awesome if there was a commercial pinball shed In each major city for starters, that people could go to play but have a back half for project restoring. Like the movement of the men's sheds to make toys.

Currently unless you go hunting you don't come across pinballs much so it becomes a forgotten / memorable activity, so in my opinion to reach out to others we have to make it more known.

That's my 20 cents worth.

[Homepin]

The glory days have certainly passed as we knew them BUT "what is old is new again" - everything old seems to become 'retro' or new......

Whilst there are enough idiots like Beaky and I around there should be few problems keeping things going.

I think there will always be enough interest by a small group to keep the dream alive.

Now stop posting and get back to fixing that driver board before the machine becomes landfill 

[Strangeways]

The "Glory days" are long gone, but what needs to be remembered is the fact that pinball machines were produced for one reason - to make money for operators. They were measured on their earning capacity. What we have today, is an expensive hobby. That's what we measure pinball on today. I've never heard anyone say "I collected this title because it made a fortune in it's route days". I'm sure only a handful of people can remember those days.

As an industry, it is on its "last legs". Especially in Australia. As a hobby, growth has been on the incline. Interest in owning machines has never been this vibrant. Five years ago, I was totally amazed at how many people WANTED to own machines, but had no idea how to buy a machine. The demand back then was huge, supply was poor and the quality of games being prepared for home use was deplorable. It was alarming to hear the stories. Thankfully, that has changed (for the most part) and supply far outweighs demand. Now hobbyists are a LOT more savvy (thanks to internet resources) and can source, recondition and maintain their own games.

Parts producers will continue the production of parts. Rubbers, balls and globes will always be plentiful. Boards will continually be produced, and in some cases improved. Ramps and plastics sets are still being produced, and companies like Planetary Pinball have committed to producing parts they have patents to.

Big question is - "for how long".

Consider this - You can still buy parts for 50's woodrails including plastic sets and backglasses. I have no doubt that our kids will be able to restore and maintain machines as long as we teach them. Hobbyists and Parts producers are the key to the future of Pinball. Technology may work against the future of pinball, as kids are distracted by gadgets etc. But pinballs were here before the X Box, Wii and Playstation, and the pinnies will STILL be around well after the gadgets and consoles are landfill.

[PinPal]

Interesting Thought,,,    Its amazing that a lot of the solid state games from the late 1970s, Flash for instance has lasted this long. As you said Pinball Machines where only made to make money and those machines had sort of a use-by date and built to last at least ten years or so. I think now that people are rescuing pinball machines, restoring them and storing them at home in working condition has preserved the Pinball Machine. Thank God for collectors like us  . But who noes where pinball will be in the next 50 years?   

[Caveoftreasures]

What does the future hold for Pinball ?

The future is going to get better and better for those involved in pinball. Whilst i think STERN'S days are numbered due to the fact that they are only producing between 250 and 500 machines per title, and barely hanging on financially, I reckon the rest is going to get better and better. Parts sales are up. Resto's are up. Purchases of new titles from containers or dealers to add to your collection is up, and the amount of enthusiasm to share our stories and collection photos etc is just steam rolling ahead with alot of passion.

Based on the last few years, most of us will have more machines in our collections, the quality of those machines will be better and better cause we can shop them out and make them as good as we can get them, and the friends we can all make by sharing our collections and stories makes Pinball a really fun and positive sport to be involved in.
I call it a sport, because hunting down a machine, getting the one u want at the right price, is like going on a real hunt, and this pinball hobby is also like a minefield, so it does take skill like a sport to be heavily involved in it without coming unstuck and financially injured.

Meeting new people, seeing new collections, making new mates, and looking out for each other tells me the future is just getting better and better.
I just ordered a new title the other day and have paid a deposit, knowing it will be here in 6 weeks gives me something to look forward to like a kid in a lolly shop.

[goodolddays]

I think as long as there is a healthy interest in the hobby, then Pinball will live on .
The key is to get enough of the next generation (and the one after that) interested in buying and maintaining a pinball machine.
I am certainly trying with our children and all their friends (teenagers) to show them the fun I have in maintaining and restoring games, and educating them about the history (when they will listen that is)

[Marty Machine]

No doubt when 'our' generation is dead & gone, about 98% of pins will be trashed....there might be a slight resurgence when the next "retro is cool" fad comes around sometime in 2050.....

Pinball is becoming just another lost trade....we may as well become blacksmiths 

The financial future of the world will certainly help put it all to an end, unless pinball retailers (what's left of them) decide to sell machines for $500 at last....

MM.

[Caveoftreasures]

This is a comment from left field, but its probably very realistic when u think about it.

My brother said the other day, "that all the pinball industry needs to thrive again, is for a decent CHINEESE company to start making a really well designed pinball machine, at a really decent price, that would be a interesting title to both the western markets, and perhaps the Asian markets at the same time, and all of a sudden, the price for a brand new pinball machine would probably be half of what STERN is currently charging, and perhaps the retro, old is now new again thing, might help sales numbers of new pinball machines to new familys etc, in MANY countries, go thru the roof". Food for thought.

The ability of the CHINEESE to mass produce good quality stuff at low prices is now very well known by the world.  I would like Mike (Homepin) to give me/us a comment here, because he has business's in China and Australia. Why arent the Chineese involved in the retro pinball market, like STERN, and has anyone seriously looked at getting something going ?  I reckon Mike would have a great educated idea/thoughts on this.    Future possibilities of the Chineese doing something on a large scale, building/selling/marketing pinball machines like Stern etc. 

[Retropin]

Been saying pretty much the same thing for years..... been scoffed at for saying it also

[Homepin]

Brett is spot on about Chinese quality coming to the fore over the past few years. Things are more expensive in China just in the last year or so but the difference in overall quality is starting to rival a lot of Korean stuff - in the electronics field anyway.

I have had discussions with several amusement factories as I have had quite a lot of different things made over the years such as cabinets and metalwork. I even had a couple of Time Crisis 3 machines built. All of the amusement factories are located in the one area so it's pretty easy to get around and see a heap of them in a few days. They are all behind locked gates with no signs though so you need to know who you are visiting and exactly where they are. Such is the nature of small business in China - they are very secretive in case a competitor gets wind of what they are doing and copies them.

On to pinballs. They have NEVER been in China as they were banned right from the start because of gambling bingo machines. I believe Gary Stern has had talks recently in China about sending some new Stern machines into China so who knows if that might change soon?

When I have spoken to Chinese about pinball machines (and I have on several occassions) they simply have no grasp of the concept. They cannot and simply do not understand how one works, what it does or why you would want to play one. The one prototype thing I saw (and its picture has been bandied about on the usual Alibaba type sites that are chock full of shysters and thieves) was a complete disaster. It had a soccer style theme but was more along the lines of an early Bally bingo. The Chinese simply do not "get" what pinball is about.

I just can't find the picture I took of it at the moment but will post it when I do.








Some good news is that I already have found the staff to build them - here they are:




and here is the boat they could be shipped on:



The bottom line is I certainly have the right contacts in the printed circuit field, the cabinet department, metalworking factories, printing & transport/shipping. I also have the knowlege required to pull it all together and make it work. What I don't have are the spare funds to make it all happen!!! The age old problem raises its ugly head again!

[Marty Machine]

It wouldn't matter how many contacts anyone has, a product with no future will never get off the ground.
Market research would indicate over & over again that it would be an unwise investment to fund such a project, no matter whether it's in china or elsewhere.
If pinballs were ever made in China, it's only coz Stern is looking for a cheaper way to do it and create a larger margin for themselves, i dont see them dropping the retail price down for us.

This all should have been done 20 years ago, when it might of had a greater impact and slipped in before all the playstation, Xbox and Wii mentality took over the world.

The only reason pinball lives in our collections is because 'we' have a passion for it, past experiences, childhood memories etc, and when we go, they go.
Kids today might walk into your pinroom and say 'wow', maybe play a game, but like the chinese 'they dont get it' and walk back inside to jump on the COOL XBox and let Dad play with his stoopid clunky machines. 

There will always be special interest & collectors groups and they always reduce in numbers as members move on.
Just like Vintage cars....people restore & drive them in clubs, but nobody manufatures them anymore to support the collector demand.

just my 20c 
MM.

[Homepin]

It wouldn't matter how many contacts anyone has, a product with no future will never get off the ground.
Market research would indicate over & over again that it would be an unwise investment to fund such a project, no matter whether it's in china or elsewhere.
If pinballs were ever made in China, it's only coz Stern is looking for a cheaper way to do it and create a larger margin for themselves, i dont see them dropping the retail price down for us.

This all should have been done 20 years ago, when it might of had a greater impact and slipped in before all the playstation, Xbox and Wii mentality took over the world.

The only reason pinball lives in our collections is because 'we' have a passion for it, past experiences, childhood memories etc, and when we go, they go.
Kids today might walk into your pinroom and say 'wow', maybe play a game, but like the chinese 'they dont get it' and walk back inside to jump on the COOL XBox and let Dad play with his stoopid clunky machines. 

There will always be special interest & collectors groups and they always reduce in numbers as members move on.
Just like Vintage cars....people restore & drive them in clubs, but nobody manufatures them anymore to support the collector demand.

just my 20c 
MM.

It's sad - and I hate to say it, but I agree with you. I think that everything that "is old - becomes new again" there is no doubt but pinballs are a long way from that place yet..…...

For the record, plenty of Stern parts are made for them in PRC and the same was the case for WMS 20 years ago - all of the toys and many smaller parts were made for them in PRC. Still didn't stop them slamming the doors even though the pinball part of the business was making a profit at the time. It's covered well in Tilt (I think?) where they show the prgress of pinball 2000 and state that had WMS actually sold off the pin dividion to someone who would keep making machines it might be a totally different scene today..…....I guess we will never know what 'might have been'.…

[Marty Machine]

I think we should simply enjoy the ride for as long as we make it last...

MM.

[48]

I guess pinball will be around longer than any of us! 
Was at a country show a few months ago and happened across a heap of steam machinery on display.
Was blown away that this much stuff still existed, let alone the fact that it was all fully functional.
Just blokes with a hobby who would spend heaps of time keeping the stuff going.
Perhaps this is where pinball will end up, we might just have to learn to fabricate things a lot more as they become less common.
As for getting the kids to understand what we found so fascinating about the silver ball, I have no answers there I'm afraid!