It’s a manufacturing business first and foremost. Stop comparing it to other entertainment media like musicians and video games. The business principles of one don’t apply to the other. The product and means of production are incomparable.

Ok, but how familiar are you with the overhead of running a large scale manufacturing plant with some 300 employees/temps in the expensive Chicagoland area? A manufacturing facility that does wood working, printing, clear coating, multiple lines assembling complex widgets with hundreds of unique components (which all must be present for the line to work), and on top of that you maintain an active game development studio with dozens of artists, designers, programmers, engineers, and other support staff

Yes toppers are expensive. They are major profit sources compared to the actual pinball machines. Could they be better? Sure. Do they need to be better? Clearly not based off the market for them.

I don't even know what I'm reading here?

Whatever. I need to hit the roads before the snow starts.

Another successful waste of my time arguing on the internet. Huzzah.

Thanks. And to be clear, as I mentioned in your pin company thread, I do think you are knowledgeable, capable, and self-driven. There is value in challenging some conventional wisdom. But just like koji said, these debate points aren’t new.

I had a similar mindset when I first really got into the hobby several years ago. But eventually you start to learn the community, who’s buying stuff, etc… and then you realize a guy like Levi isn’t so crazy. Just grumpy from tilling at the windmill which is educating the newbs about the business reality of modern pinball.

And for anyone concerned, I got home safely before dark and the snow started falling too heavily. Now just got to deal with a flakey plowman…. I miss warm weather. Fuck snow

did Old Man Winter sexually assault someone?