(Topic ID: 215486)

How does one make pinball a living?

By SilverballSleuth

5 years ago


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  • Latest reply 5 years ago by xsvtoys
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#53 5 years ago

Like others have said - there's no quicker way to take the joy out of something you love than doing it for a living. Even making it a hobby can take the joy out of it at a certain level. I've been operating a small route now with a few others for about 4 years and can tell you this:

1. It's a lot of work, as we have to maintain all the games (otherwise we would have shut down after 2 months)
2. When attending events where you just get to show up and have fun, it's great fun! As soon as you start organizing and running them regularly the fun can diminish.
3. Haven't paid ourselves at all - everything has gone back into buying games. If this were my "income" I'd have to sleep underneath a few of the games!
4. Keep your day job to pay the bills and enable you to do what you love.
5. There are tons of Barcades turning up. As with everything new, I feel that this is a retro phase we're in. Eventually they'll fall out of favor (or there will simply be too many of them) and you'll start seeing them shut down. May not be for 7-10 years, but it'll happen eventually.
6. If you decide to go into the pinball business in any way, partner with someone that does all the stuff you don't enjoy doing. Sharing the work makes it easier.

As others have stated, maybe working at a local company that supplies games and learn how to repair them.

Or...move to Benton WI and work for Spooky pinball! Last I heard, Charlie was still looking for testers.

- Sean

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