This is a good question that I am also interested in. Will the clear coat start to chip if the ghosting gets large enough?

Not sure if clear will chip or create functional issues but it will get worse, more unsightly, and that will affect the resale value of the pin for sure. I saw a GB Pro in the field that looked really bad, don't think it was that bad right out of the box.

Put some ointment on it, that should clear it up in a few weeks

Inserts on old BW games ghosted too. some get worse, some do not. i guess CV and TOTAN were really bad.

Well, one thing is for sure, it'll never get better.

It's hard to say how much worse ghosting can get, as it varies from game to game. Some games will continue to get worse over time to the point of clearcoat cracking over inserts and inserts sinking or lifting. Other games will just show the ghosting on the inserts, but they'll stay level. It's a cause for concern, but it can be addressed if things start to get bad.

Ghosting does not always equal chipping. But if the ghosting gets severe enough and the ball impacts the area with the right velocity and or angle of impact, chipping may occur. Ghosthing doesnt always get bigger. At one point it will stop, whether it as consumed the entire insert or partially

On my SMVE that I bought Oct 2016, ghosting was apparent after just a few days of use on at least 25% of the inserts. On a monthly basis since then I have seen the ghosting stay the same on some inserts, and slowly get worse on others. No chipping so far, but ghosting on at least 75% of the inserts as of this writing.

I contacted Stern shortly after delivery, and within a month had assurances my playfield would be replaced. I just got the call a few days ago that my new playfield was ready and that they were sending me the shipping box for the swap.