Episode 3 - Boutique Manufacturers

Boutique pinball manufacturers: growth, challenges, and warnings for buyers.

Synopsis

Alan and Alex from Wedgehead A Pinball Podcast discuss the rise of boutique pinball manufacturers outside Stern, examining companies like Spooky, Jersey Jack, American Pinball, and others. They contrast boutique vs. major manufacturer business models, explore operator vs. collector perspectives, and warn newcomers against purchasing from unproven first-time manufacturers or companies with delayed timelines.

Highlights

• Stern represents 80-95% of all pinball machine production in the market today
• Spooky Pinball is the most successful and credible boutique manufacturer
• Boutique manufacturers typically produce 1,000 games per title while Stern produces 3,000-6,000
• Rick and Morty and TNA are the only two genuinely good non-Spooky boutique games released in the last decade
• Boutique games are unreliable for location/operator use due to QC and maintenance issues
• Major failed boutique manufacturers include Deep Root, Suncoast, Sidware, Highway, Skip B, and Team Pinball
• New boutique companies can be identified by pattern: announce, take deposits, then repeatedly delay with 'something came up' excuses
• Scott Denise (designer of Rick and Morty, TNA) is a fantastic new designer bringing fresh talent to the industry

Entities

• American Pinball· company
• Barrels of Fun Pinball· company
• Chicago Gaming· company
• Deep Root Pinball· company
• Hexa Pinball· company
• Highway Pinball· company
• Home Pin· company
• Jersey Jack Pinball· company
• Multimorphic· company
• Pinball Brothers· company
• Sidware· company
• Skip B· company
• Spooky Pinball· company
• Stern Pinball· company
• Suncoast Pinball· company
• Team Pinball· company
• Rick and Morty· game
• TNA· game
• Ultraman· game
• Pops Pinball· organization
• Wedgehead Pinball Bar· organization
• Alan· person
• Alex· person
• Scott Denise· person