Recreations - Good or bad for those in the (Real) Pinball Business?

[Richard B]

It seems, based on what I'm hearing on this forum about Gary Stern and Jersey Jack, that those who sell and manufacture real machines see virtual recreations as a threat, or, at the very least, bad for business. Personally, I feel it is exactly the opposite - I'm much more inclined to seek out and play the tables featured in TPA and other such programs. If I had the money (and room) for a real machine, I'd also be far more likely to buy one that I am familiar with and enjoy, rather than one I don't know as well.
The virtual version also can never compete with the real deal, no matter how well it's done. Not even a Virtua Pin can come close to a real machine, and that's the most advanced setup possible.
Am I the only one who sees things this way?
I can only think of three reasons why a recreation could be bad for a manufacturer:
1. The table sucks - release a bad table, people play the virtual version, see it's rubbish, and don't play or buy the real life version.
2. Those who can practice at home will be able to play longer, which means they can play longer on fewer quarters.
3. The programmers do a poor job of recreating the table, and the reputation of the real machine suffers.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

I don't think that's true, at least for Stern. If they felt threatened by TPA, then why did Stern:

• Enter into a licensing agreement with FarSight, allowing them to reproduce any of their tables, both current and forthcoming, so long as FarSight could independently secure the ancillary licenses needed?
• Not impose a time delay on reproducing recent tables? FarSight could theoretically release the AC/DC table right now if they wanted, if technical and licensing issues were not involved.
• From comments elsewhere on this forum, FarSight would like to eventually simultaneously release a digital table when Stern produces a physical one. There are many technical and licensing challenges to overcome before that happens, if it ever does, but Stern would not allow this if it felt TPA would cannibalize the physical table's sales.

If anything, I think having a table reproduced on TPA would make players more likely to search out and play the physical tables. Especially for Jersey Jack and any other new entrants into the pinball business, I would think they'd be thrilled to have that sort of market exposure (and get paid for it through licensing).

 

[jrolson]

I don't see how you would be hurting the pinball business by creating virtual recreations...

With TPA, you would be expanding pinball sales to a much larger market, to people who can't afford to buy real tables. Plus people who can afford it, would probably buy the real table after trying the virtual one...

To people who think these virtual tables will stop people from buying the real thing is just not true.. pinball fans will always keep buying real tables...

If anything these recreations are making them more money and keeping pinball alive...

 

[Jeff Strong]

I've actually heard that the price of the real Ripley's machine has gone up since it's been featured in TPA.

 

[jrolson]

I've actually heard that the price of the real Ripley's machine has gone up since it's been featured in TPA.

Makes sense the price would go up, after everyone has played it on TPA, it's wanted by more people.

 

[Jeff Strong]

Makes sense the price would go up, after everyone has played it on TPA, it's wanted by more people.

Exactly. Seems like the same would apply to brand new Sterns as well.

 

[Mike]

When I heard BoP was coming to TPA, I searched out the real machine and dropped about 10 bucks into it just to figure it out. Much more fun to go back after playing TPA and play the real table when you know the shots and goals. Now I'm looking for a CV so I can do the same thing.

 

[Brian Clark]

Pinball Arcade and PHoF both helped me get in to playing the real machines more. Pro Pinball, despite not being based on real machines, helped a bit too, though.