Arcade Collecting > Pinball
Stern layoffs
RayB:
Collector market != Mass market
Mauzy:
Im gonna have to say I agree with 99% of what Xiaou just said. Pins do sell pretty well on ebay, and if I had the money, I would most definitely build my own pin...
It wouldn't surprise me if there was a BYOPBM forum within a few years.
Xiaou2:
Thanks Mauzy.
As for money... Well, just think about whatever else you have not had the money
for... and eventually, you got it. A lot of people didnt have money to BYOAC,
but sooner or later.. that passion led to them getting what they desired. Its really
no different with Pinball.
In fact, the draw of a good playing pinball can actually surpass the value of video games... In that most video games are almost always the same each time you play them. However, a Pinball machine has a Random element to it... so that every game will be completely different. There is both skill and luck in there.
Also, there is a completely different type of draw to pinball. Its much more
of physical game of skill... and its "feel" just can not be duplicated in video form.
I have to say... that Originally I wasnt a big fan of Pinball... Until I found the right
machine. That happened to be Black Knight 2000. Then later, I was exposed
to No Fear... which also grew on me. Once I went to pin shows and got to play
at collectors basements... the Love grew on me to the point where I got the fever,
and HAD to have a machine. (Which then multiplied to two.. )
As for Collector Market = Mass market comment....
First off... At one point in time, The general mass Public didnt even realize it was
possible to purchase arcade machines. Used machines for sale were also a rarity
because Ops tended to just use the cabs for conversion kits. Pins were generally
just repaired over and over... and moved to other locations. Certainly some were
sold... but it wasnt a huge known thing. Most sales back then were from entire fallen
arcades machines going to a physical auction... which were not always well known.
Later... as the industry was starting to fall apart.. Used games started to be sold
outright on a one-by-one basis. Things really started to cook with the internet sales.
Now,
Why do you think the big companies started to release games from the
arcades to Home Console systems so quickly? Because there is a greater number
of customers out there! They can actually make more money selling home ports than
made in selling full coinop equipment.
I used the term collector... however.. I could have really used Enthusiast.
Such as a "Video game Enthusiast".
And trust me... even if You dont have a pin... there are a LOT of people out there who
do. And many of them have several, if not entire basements filled with them.
Being that the Population is growing every day... and that there are people out there
who were kids when Pinball was more public, and Now they actually have money...
there are a lot of potential customers out there.
I can tell you that Ive met the Local pinball collector/enthusiast here in my small
city... and its a lot bigger than you would think. I personally know enough collectors here to fill a room... and thats just the people Ive managed to meet. Theres a lot more
that I have not met. A lot of these guys and gals have a minimum of two machines,
and many have entire basements worth. Mixes of Videos and Pins.
Also, go to the latest Pinball show, and you will see something like 300 pins easily.
Most of which are owned by citizens, and not businesses. Then, look at the shear
Number of pins that Willams made for ONE popular machine... and realize that most
all of them are still in operation, and many are in someones house. And that is only
ONE of the THOUSANDS of machines made of that SINGLE PINBALL TITLE.
shardian:
The coin-op pin market has been dead for over a decade. The home market was the only thing keeping Stern above water. Your ebay example is not evidence for your case Xiaou, it is the exact reason why commercial production of pins is in death throes. Why buy a POS from Stern for $4k, when you can get any(with a handful of exceptions) mint condition excellent game for $3k or less? Sure, collectors are still spending, but the economic downturn has pushed most collectors back to the cheaper used market.
And Xiaou, when was the last time you saw a pin on a route? Okay, now tell me when was the last time you saw a pin on route that even covered its electrical expenses?
FrizzleFried:
Case in point: Whirlwind at The Pizza Factory around the corner from my house. Talking with the owner of the pizza joint and they want it gone. Why? NO ONE ever plays it. They say they collect 10x as much each of the different video games there... even R-Type pulls more dough.
"I think they pulled MAYBE $10.00 out of that machine last month"...that's what she said about whirlwind (and probably $3.00 of that $10.00 was mine!)
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