Nope. If normal sized pinballs don't earn well, have a lot of upkeep needs, and are expensive to purchase, why would an op go in on a more expensive, larger machine?

The reason why you don't see pinball at a lot of arcades and places like Dave & Busters is because they operate on a formula that determines profit per square foot. Pinball machines don't bring in enough profit and they break down far more than other video based arcade games. So for a place like Dave & Busters, it makes more sense to put one giant pac man or space invaders instead of 2-3 pinball machines.

I think the only way we'll see a large-scale pinball concept to take off would be if it is virtual or video based.

Good point!! I think virtual pinball at D&B would get traction. Get on that Raw Thrills!!

Only 8000 more tickets and that Hello Kitty Backpack is mine.

If you make some huge gimmicky ticket-crapping pin, it's not pinball because it's not the same experience and pinball players will rightly reject it. I think pinball is doing fine as-is, but the way to improve pinball is to innovate the game without turning it into yet another redemption-style dopamine treadmill. Why would pinball players want that?

Dave & Busters should give ear plugs to everyone going in. That place is ridiculously noisy. Could not get out of there fast enough, never will go back. My 3.5 year old son was yelling the whole time and I could not hear him, he was yelling that he wanted to get out of there. Did I say ridiculously noisy?

WHAT?

I totally get that justification, but there's something to be said about diversifying. I have a Dave and Busters relatively local. Always hated the ads on tv back when I was a teen since there wasn't one around at the time (same with Sonic back then... why tease me?!?!?).

But now that I'm in my 30s and playing a shit ton more pinball than seizure-inducing vids, I still haven't been to that new, local (once dream of mine) D&B due to the fact there are no pins and the northeast has at least a few good pin places.

Cool, they got a billion redemption games, and they each bring in the biggest bang per square foot. That's great, but doesn't help long term growth. They alienate those who don't want to play quick redemption. It's like an amusement park that only has ferris wheels, or only has roller coasters. Sure, each may fit their niche well, and there may be a market that loves their use of space, and maybe each similar ride may do well for the area it accumulates. But it also turned their back on another market that won't go there as a result.

Pinball may be more costly per sqft. But it can draw in additional markets otherwise left untapped, which is more feet through the door, more money in the token machine, and more money going to food.

I find it wildly hard to believe D&B can't take a back corner next to an emergency exit and put in a TWD, GOT, and SW.

Gotta imagine with the new pinball trend they are missing out on a whole new customer base that would go there to play the latest games.

And no. A Hercules 2 type of game would be completely ignored by kids today. Almost all of them go to arcades because they are just looking to gamble for tickets. Unless the tech is mindblowing they want their games to last no more than 5 seconds.

Canoon Lagoon on the P3 is what you're looking for.