It’s a Tuesday night, and the air is electric at Logan Arcade in Chicago. Assistant manager Ian is locked in a fierce duel with a Rick and Morty pinball machine. His eyes are fixed on the steel ball, his fingers a blur on the flippers, as he tries to direct the ball into a model house’s garage, complete with a flying saucer on top! The groans of frustration and shouts of victory echo through the room – there’s no denying it, pinball is back with a vengeance.
Two decades ago, the pinball was on the brink of extinction, edged out by video games and home consoles. But fast forward to today, and this time-honored game is enjoying a renaissance. With sales of new machines skyrocketing by 15-20% annually since 2008, Stern Pinball, the last major pinball maker, is expanding to a factory double its current size. The market for used machines is even hotter, with popular models like Stern’s Game of Thrones-themed game commanding prices well into five figures.
So, what’s the secret behind this pinball resurgence? Nostalgia, for one. A generation that grew up flipping pinballs in the 80s and 90s now have kids of their own and spare cash to invest in a piece of their childhood. But there’s more than just nostalgia at play here. Clever marketing strategies like online scoreboards where players can upload their scores and compare with others around the world, have brought pinball into the digital age, attracting a whole new generation of players.
Not long ago, pinball machines were seen as gateways to gambling, drawing the ire of lawmakers and even mafia attention. But today, the tables have turned. Yesterday’s controversial pastime is today’s wholesome family fun. This change is in part thanks to people like Roger Sharpe, who proved pinball was a game of skill rather than pure luck.
From the clattering arcades to your living room, pinball is back and here to stay. So dust off those flippers, it’s time to play!
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