Quoted from someoneelse:... He was hired to make them profitable again and maximize earnings - this is exactly what is happening. The focus shifted from the product to the business model.
The investors success is typically not measured in sustainability but rather in "how much was gained until day X" (which is common in the US, but being German it's still a very strange approach to me)...
It takes a very long time to build a good reputation and a very short time to destroy it. Once the customers catch on to getting ripped off they'll start looking for alternatives. That is true in pinball just like it is true in car manufacturing (Diesel scandal). Once your customer base has switched to a different brand they're not likely to ever return. While you can generate huge profits short term by cutting corners you can not build a loyal customer base for the long run.
For me, Metallica was my last Stern, I moved on to greener pastures.