Stern Pinball Refuses to Let Pinball Die

I doubt too many gamers would disagree that arcades are a dying breed, and most will claim that they already are. It’s true… it’s difficult to find a good arcade now, and even if you happen to stumble on one, most of the games will be circa ’80s or ’90s. So what’s that saying about pinball machines? Remember those?

I have to admit, I’ve always been a fan of pinball, and would own my own machine if I had room (someday, Circus Voltaire, someday), and according to a recent report at the NY Times, half of the people who purchase pinball machines today do purchase them for household use. That’s saying something, given their ~$5,000 price tag.

Stern Pinball Inc. happens to be the last manufacturer of its kind, which is sad in a lot of ways. But if the owner Gary Stern has his way, pinball will not die anytime soon. His factory sounds like quite the place to work, also. Workers are required to play at least 15 minutes of pinball each workday. That doesn’t sound so bad! Check out the article for some great images and other interesting tidbits about the company.

Some workers are required to spend 15 minutes a day in the “game room” playing the latest models or risk the wrath of Mr. Stern. “You work at a pinball company,” he explained, grumpily, “you’re going to play a lot of pinball.” (On a clipboard here, the professionals must jot their critiques, which, on a recent day, included “flipper feels soft” and “stupid display.”)

Source: New York Times