Quoted from cooked71:

A board problem (and maybe some other problems) and subsequent re-design was identified that was not foreseen when the original costing was agreed on. ARA said they need an extra €1000 to build the games to these new specs.

Quoted from JustLikeMe:

ARA did say in the letter they sent that there were no board issues, and someone else mentioned that DP stated that it was something said to buy time...

Quoted from dmbjunky:

I imagine another company would be used to produce new boards correct? Did she say something to make you immediately think Stern? Stern doesn't produce boards right?

Quoted from rubberducks:

What would be nicer is if TPF (and other shows) finally started recording all the seminars and posting them to YouTube immediately .. it's so easy technically and logistically to do these days, and ideally live stream them.

Quoted from frolic:

It's like saying no one would go to an Apple product launch because it's online for free and no effort.
There is a bit of competing objectives between show organizers (sell tickets to show) and pinball companies (promote and sell their product), but it seems the idea of debuting new products or breaking information to a room of however many people and not consider the greater world outside the doors (Pinside gets what 3000-4000 per day) extremely small thinking and not how to run a successful company.

Quoted from frolic:

Yeah, I think we're in agreement here and this is what I'm getting at. There seems to be an outdated philosophy with debuting games and news at shows, where all the effort is put into traveling to the show and no consideration to the internet waiting for the news. So we're left with poor cellphone photos and videos, and second hand reports of what was said.
As a Pinside guy who doesn't get to out to shows, I've seen this play out time and time again.
That's why I made my comment with advice for DP, they've already made this mistake before at the last Expo and there was serious negative blow back from their existing customer base and they are at a critical time of managing their customers carefully.

Quoted from SunKing:

Your definition of pre-order is a lot more loose than mine. If I pay for something, I expect to get it NOW - a fair exchange of $$ for a product. If I pay now, but don't get my product until later - that's pre-ordering. In your example, if I pay now and it goes into production in May - I may not get it 'till June...maybe July.....maybe even August. I most certainly consider that pre-ordering.

Quoted from Rarehero:

Quarterworld in Portland. Amazing barcade btw - I think they have 35 pins, tons of amazing vids too. Their Lebowski #35 has a slight delay on the right flipper when lowering, and the upper playfield flipper sometimes didn't work. But overall it was still an amazing machine...just a shame how it all went down. I'd prob still like one down the road, but I won't pay scalper prices for an existing one and I wouldn't pre-order until there is proof that this China experiment isn't bullshit. So, if all goes well and everyone gets their games, that means 2nd hand prices won't be bonkers and I'll grab one in a few years when people sell 'em off.