An interesting discussion. I keep hearing that pinball should be marketed to teens. But remembering back in the old days - There was no marketing for pinball. The only marketing was flyers and monthly industry mags that went out to operators. Arcades did all the marketing.
What kids USED to do - Finish school, get on their bike or skateboard and hang out with each other in an arcade or coffee shop (as they were). These were "the" meeting places for kids. They socialized, at an arcade (or any place with a pinball) was a meeting point for them. They caused trouble, looked for girls and passed time playing pinball - Because that's what kids DID.
What kids do today - Finish school, get on their computers, and hang out on facebook or chat sites. Play online games and listen to their free downloaded music. On the odd occasion, they might go down to the local shopping mall to look at the girls walking around. Usually with their iPods in their ears, and mumbling to each other.
When I was a kid - there were plenty of parks and road tracks - "outdoors" stuff. There's no incentive for kids to leave their bedrooms. Everything is done for them. It is a different generation that expect everything on a plate. My generation tried to fit as many different things into the day.
I'd love a social experiment where a shop is used to play pinball. Not SELL pinball - PLAY pinball.
The bait and hook is still there. If a teen HAS to leave their house and go to a house where they have to socialize and there just happens to be pinballs, they WILL play them. That's a fact.
Head down to the local gamesroom to play pinball and most of the time the games don't work or they are filthy. That is "unfortunately" the marketing of today.
