Not sure how Stern software department is organized but my software experience has included organizations that have a development group and also a separate sustaining group. The sustaining group works on software that's already been released, updates/service packs, not necessarily new functionality though. That's for versioned software that is a continuing product, meaning version 1 release this year, version 2 release next year with new functionality etc. Customers have to be on subscription to receive/pay for the new versions. In the pinball world, a specific machine's software is a one-off so maybe having a sustaining staff does not make sense for a pin manufacturer. A subscription model may not make sense either for a pin manufacturer, so what's left to fund a sustaining effort after initial software release? I have been thinking about that other option, wonder what suggestions others here have, to fund the ongoing software effort after initial release.

Stern could explore the option of having a different software programmer finish after release, a different programmer than the original developer. I know that George Gomez said in the video that it is not doable, but it is doable, other companies do it, as I've stated my company has a separate sustaining group from the development group to do this after software release. (I have been in both that sustaining group and the development group as well so I have done it myself). Stern should try that out, if they have not already. Writing software is a tough job, and endless if a person is not meticulous and time efficient in general. Every process has room for improvement, waiting for the original programmer to get free to update a released game is not working well for Stern, and re-visiting old code is still a ramp up even for the original programmer. It does seem like they are listening though from George Gomez' video posted here. It is not a simple thing to fix, you need to have the right people on staff and if the sustaining model is not working they can always go back to what they have now.