So, am I understanding this correctly on the Pro model - all left orbit shots are going to be stopped by the gate and feed the pops? Only right orbit shots have a controlled gate to let it through from time to time? If so, WTF.

I agree that "If their is a mode" or another particular reason that it's cool that the shot will specifically feed the pops, but if it's 100% of the time being stopped by that shot I would think it's gonna get old quick. Many games use two control gates for this - Transformers for instance, another Gomez design, allows for clean shots through the left or right orbit, but has modes like Devestator that direct the ball to the pops. By not having two gates, we are stuck 100% of the time with the pops and that sucks. Balls screaming around orbit shots is a big part of the fun in pinball for me.

I can see how they wanted to have another "feature" on the Prem/LE to justify the extra cost, but it just seems weird to me that they wouldn't have added a half rail on the pro like they have on every other game that lets you feed the ball from the shooter lane onto the game but still allow for orbit shots to go around clean.

Maybe I'll have to disable the gate and make my own mod (either put in a half rail or make my own spring loaded ramp to feed the right ramp return...)

I saw these same issues as well.