Let us all lower our heads. This is a very dark day.
Rumor has it Stern Pinball, Inc., one of the last pinball makers left in the world (if not the only one), has laid off a handful of workers and several designers -- a move most likely related to the economic downturn in the country right now. This horrible economy combined with the sad state of arcades today does not bode well for the iconic company (makers of classic pinball machines Monopoly and Lord of the Rings).
As a huge fan of pinball (it is the first thing I run to in an arcade) this is very sad news. I know arcades are slowly dwindling, but I always look forward to seeing a hot new pinball machine based on a recent hit movie or television show every time I am fortunate enough to find a random arcade in the middle of nowhere. Not seeing these glorious, blinking, noisy machines anymore is a little depressing to think about.
What do you think? Does this news make you sad? Would you be willing to go into business opening an arcade with me so we can keep pinball alive?
[Via RetroBlast -- thanks, Jonathan!]
Chad Concelmo is Destructoid's features editor. He loves hanging out with awesome people. That's why Destructoid makes him so happy, since it is full of THE MOST AWESOME PEOPLE OF ALL TIME! Also, dolphins.
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Contest:
4:00 PM on 11.07.2008
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Pinball is one of my most favorite things in the world and every birthday whenever my girlfriend or family would ask what I wanted to do, I would say, "play pinball."
Chad, let's open that arcade, but it HAS to have an Aladdin-themed machine.
I have been at Destructoid long enough. It was time.
I am so ashamed.
I'm all for opening an arcade. Just let me know where and when and I'm in.
I don't know if Sega still makes pinball or not, but someone's got to keep it going. Around the time Star Wars Ep.I pinball came out pinball was mostly thought of dead then, but Stern rised up to the challenge.
Yeah, that kinda makes me sad, they're like primitive Video Games.
This could be bad but I don't see them becoming extinct anytime soon.
You know what I blame for this? GOLDEN TEE. That... ABOMINATION is taking up GOOD PINBALL MACHINE SPACE in REPUTABLE DRINKING ESTABLISHMENTS across the WORLD!
END THE GOLDEN TEE PLAGUE
I agree. **Golden Tee and Silver Strike or whatever the hell the bowling game is called should be ended (don't even get me started on the Bean Bag Tossing Arcade Game >_<) I would much rather play a pinball machine! That or one of the old-school pac-man and galaga table games...
**Big Buck Hunter can stay though, I dunno why but everytime I'm drunk that game is amazing.
Indiana Jones Pinball Machines FTW!!
I propose we open up a Dtoid themed arcade, one in each major Dtoid area. We could have custom, robot-flavoured coinage for the machines, too!
I gotta buy one for my collection.
Funny that Golden Tee, Silver Strike, and Bagz are all Incredible Technology games and each is more terrible than the last. Pinball is definitely greater than any of those games.
While I doubt they could do a Stern collection because of all the licensing issues it would be nice to see them preserved digitally. While it will never, ever take the place of the spring plunger or tilting of the table, I hope they are preserved some how.
I haven't been a fan of most of Stern's output, but it'll still be a sad day if they close their doors.
Oh, and I got it for free. :D The guy said "If you can get it out of the basement, it's all yours."
Agreed!
@Holyethylene
I was going to say the same thing... I can already see my future child's face when I whip out my Who CD collection as he/she says what's pinball and why does it involve witchcraft?
@AlphaBovine (kind of)
I don't hate the digital reps of pinball, but I don't think they're great representations either :( Everytime the video game version says *tilt* I just sit there for a second and yell out "LIAR!!"
I would gladly help open an arcade. I don't care if I'm in debt the rest of life; it would be worth it.
http://pinballnews.com/news/sterncuts.html
"After a number of Stern Pinball employees were made redundant yesterday, Gary Stern insisted today that the company is now well positioned for the future and has a good range of games coming up over the next twelve months."
They've currently got 24 and CSI on the way. Also, if someone in licensing is reading this, please for the love of god, secure the TR2N rights and make a machine already. It's a crime that there was never a TRON pinball.
You still cant get real pinball at home with out spending $1000 or more.
I got a cheep jurassic park pinball table a closing arcade was selling though only $700 after haggling... and some of there broken arcade machines i repaired best
deals ever.
But even if you do get one unelss you have tons of room to store a bunch of tables going out in public spending a coin is the only way to play lots of tables.
So yes that makes me sad.
My local bowling alley used to have pinball machines, and now all they have is mini basketball and other crap things people can play in their own backyards. Needless to say, the arcade is always deserted.
they have mint condtion 1980 donkey kong /nintendo brand arcade machines \,pacman arcade machines. and just got Street fighter 4 about a month ago.
and some pinball tables spiderman, and batman ones.
Everything in there looks brand new even though I know it is not since I see them played constantly and the blwing lane has been there since the 1980s.
I actually played a Simpsons one back in April