well, that's the thing. We are a large group, and others in the same age group could come to pinball over the next few decades as they have income, space, etc.

Until we all start dying, pinball will be around. I won't expect my kids to carry it on though.

What do you call someone born in the 80's who doesn't identify with the millennial generation in any way shape or form. It just seems like there's this huge divide between everyone I know in gen Y born before the late 80's and those born in the early 90's.

I blame the internet. People around my age used the internet from its breakout in 1993, but people born in the 90's have always had it be ever-present. That has to count for something.

Here's the thing. And this is just my observation. Gen Y'ers in a broad sense don't really have the income nor the space for pinball. People in my age group largely have five figures of student debt and low-paying or no jobs due to the 2008 crash (which hasn't recovered much with respect to new college grads). This makes it very hard for them to save money. Heck, most aren't even thinking about marriage until their 30's (if ever). Because mortgages aren't passed out like candy anymore, my peers laugh at the idea of ever affording (or being approved for) a mortgage. Not until their debt is paid off at least. In the mean time they live in apartments which are quite lacking in space for pinball.

Now contrast this with me. My wife and I have stable and secure jobs, decent income, a nice home on a fixed-rate mortgage and low interest, and no other debt. American dream, apple pie, yadda yadda yadda. I bought a pin this year because I always was enchanted by pinball when I was young. I'm the kind of person that one would expect to come to the hobby. Disposable income + space. Yet I am an extreme outlier for my generation. Personally, I think Gen Y is kind of a lost cause for home ownership. I think it's the children of Gen X that will pick up on that.

Now for something a bit more positive. Remember that pinball was born out of the great depression as people were looking for cheap entertainment. I personally think pinball is ripe for Gen Y in a coin-op scenario. Retro stuff is trendy right now and they guzzle cheap entertainment like a camel in the Sahara. I just think the biggest obstacle is onerously out-of-date local and state coin-op laws.

Or lazy operators not fixing their pins.

I'm 54, a boomer. Started playing pinball seriously in college on a 1978 Bally Playboy and Night Rider. Also Strikes and Spares.

If Bally had made a Wonder Woman pin with Linda Carter on the back glass, I would have bought one new no matter what it took ...

Fantastic game room Ron!

Or inside one.

What ever happened to Eddie?