A better question is "Why will stern be online?"

IT'll hardly ever work, ops will never use it, location Wi-Fi tends to be too flaky and change passwords often...

The effort it would take for a Stern pinball machine to operate on Wi-Fi efficiently and correctly would negate any supposed convinience to an op as far as software and firmware updates. They'd be "servicing" the game far more often than they do now just to keep the Wi-Fi connection hunky dory.

Not to mention most ops are in a cash-heavy business and also crazy (and paranoid) and aren't likely going to be interested in even the slightest possibility of their audits and adjustments being hacked.

Just like a million other things that people think Stern can just whip up in 5 seconds to give a whirl, it would divert time, money, and resources to something that simply isn't very useful.

This is a major boom and reads like an encyclopedia of stuff people don't consider but should before they say "Why isn't Stern online?! It's a NO-BRAINER!"

We've been over this and the answer is "everybody."

Nobody will want to do this, it'll be an expensive novelty that nobody will use. Playing pinball "head to head" online would not be fun so it would not be used.

It's a gimmick you'll show off to your bored brother in law. Then you'll try to show it off to your bored kids. You'll then give up and never use it again.

It would be turned off in about 6 hours due to false reports constantly being sent by kids, smartasses, competing operators, people who do it accidentally etc...

What's it gonna take for people to realize all of this online malarkey is complete nonsense in pinball? You think you want it but you don't. And you certainly don't want to pay for it, which you will.

No. Too many variables and cheating opportunities.

Not to mention for many tournament players actual live tournaments are one of the few opportunities to get out of the house, they won't want to give that up.

How much per machine are you willing to pay for this option?

$100-200 increase in machine with no noticeable improvements on the playfield for players? How many full-time staffers or contractors does a pinball company need to pay to make this open-minded option opportunity a reality?

I'm into the open-mind thing, but also the "wi fi bandwagon" should keep an open mind that this is possibly a terrible idea. I haven't seen anybody considering that yet.

Yeah that is a horrible future I can't comprehend.

Hey how many people got Color DMD on their MM remakes for free?

I wish I had the same kind of fertile imagination that you do to come to the conclusion that any of the above suggestions would somehow "draw in the new generation."

I can't get enough of some of the least cool people on the planet telling us all what young people would find cool on their pinball machines!

People need to ask their kids if they think online pinball is gonna get them and their friends off the couch. Even if they say yes they are just lying to make you feel better.

I can't tell you how many pinball machines I've hauled out of basements cheap that were bought for kids and 10 years later have 500 lifetime plays.

Like the Harley Davidson I bought for 1500 bucks recently.

Kids don't like pinball. They don't want pinball. The model has completely shifted; it's not for kids anymore and nothing will change that. Most people reach pinball maturity in their early 30s now. I think it coincides directly with drop off in sex drive.

Says the guy who thinks the industry should be taking cues from Dutch Pinball. Neither fact nor reason.

And the "example" provided was complete apples and oranges. Mischief would be much easier and more fun if it were simply available in attract mode rather than log on to something called the "austin pinball map" on their phones. YMMV

It is kind of funny how nobody can explain why any of this nonsense would be remotely enjoyable.

I'm kind of interested in ... if you guys think this would all be so awesome and super cool, why not just do it tonight? I mean, facetime or something. yeah kind of low tech but you can actually see for yourself if there's any reason why this might be fun if everybody Wi-fied up.

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Does this count if another company tries it and the gimmick fails horribly?

I see no foreseeable future when Stern does this, because it won't be a success when someone else inevitably tries it first.

I think we can all agree pinball machines are far too cheap. Your suggestions would bring pinball pricing more in line with what we should all be paying.

It just doesn't sound fun and I'm not convinced anybody else really believes it would be.

but I refuse to do a poll!

It does amaze me that time again people can’t see the difference between a car and a pinball machine but continue to insist on comparing them.

Pinball May one day die but the cargument never will.

Hero is beatig a dead horse to far beyond death but he really is making all of the salient points.

I think it’s hilarious when I get accused of “being afraid of the Internet” while arguing with someone...here...literally ON THE INTERNET.

Also, I’m staking my claim to “cargument.” I invented it! Been whining about it on RGP since at least 2005.

So I’ve contributed at least as much to Pinball as jpop.

It’s always the children who get hurt.

I don't think that's true. This isn't Facebook.