UP FRONT
We are the anomaly, the exception to the rule.
While government and industry figures debate about
whether or not we're all in a recession , a depression ,
or whatever, the coin-op amusement industry just
keeps right on wheeling along. It's boom times for all
of us who make our living from coin-op entertainment.
Of course, the sensational product that has been
coming out of late has helped to a great extent. But
there's another ingredient that I think accounts even
more for our success, and maybe we're not even
aware of it- it' s our optimism. That's right, our
optimism.
We've gained such self-confidence in our
products and services that we now can march right up
and knock on doors we'd never had thought about
approaching in years past. Sure, we've got something
they want. But it's our self-confidence that's making it
happen. As a result, more and more people are
getting into this business. The media are showing
more and more attention to us because we are news.
" Man bites dog" -that's us! While everyone else is
sitting around telling sad stories about how the
economy has fallen apart and they're victims of it, our
industry has gone on a roll .
The numbers we're playing with these days are
absolutely frightening- to negative thinkers .
Operators, distributors, and manufacturers now have
paper outstanding that is several times greater than it
has been at any time in their professional careers. But
still there 's no hesitancy because we know we're on a
roll. Ar " we in over our heads? I think not.
Sure we've had our problems- game prices are
goin~ out of sight; of copyrights, there's no end to
those problems; and governmental intrusions are
increasing. But, as an industry, we still have that
overriding optimism that we can do whatever it takes .
All the great things that have been done in this
world have happened because someone didn't think
it was impossible. We all know that it's physically
impossible for a bumblebee to fly, but no one
bothered to tell the bumblebee that. So, what we now
have is a damn bug that flies only because it's too
ignorant to know that it can't. In the same way this
industry is like the bumblebee. We are not allowing
ourselves to be hemmed in by what is possible, and
that's what's so exhilirating about this business today.
We can do the difficult today. The impossible takes us
until tomorrow morning.
As long as we maintain this overwhelming self-
4
confidence, then surely we can keep on this
phenomenal roll . Isn't it a good thing that Space
Invaders came along and got all of us positive thinkers
together in one industry? Hell , we would all be
successful if we made our livings with coin-op Maytag
washers and dryers. That' s the kind of people we have
in this business today .
Sure, the videos are doing great. But don't sell
yourselves short. The real reason this industry is on a
roll is because of us- all of us. Any industry is only as
good as the people who make their living in it. If we
were running disreputable businesses, if we were
operating sleazy arcades, if we dealt in business
tactics that were straight out of " The Untouchables,"
then it wouldn't matter if God Himself were designing
the games. We'd still be failures.
There are no magic words, no secret formulas for
success. Of course, there's a degree of dedication and
hard work that's required; but the most important
ingredient is self-confidence. That's what allows a
175-pound halfback to bowl over a 250-pound
defensive tackle .
This is our Year in Review Issue. As you read over
what we think were the top stories of the past year, as
you check out the index for articles we've done for
the past twelve months- I would like you to note that
for every problem, every controversy that this
industry has faced , there is also a solution that's
defining itself.
This is a can-do industry, and we can all be proud
of that. All the naysayers in the world cannot detract
for a moment from the biggest reason why the coin-
op industry is so big today, which is that we've got a
whole lot of positive thinkers who are not used to
seeing obstacles, only challenge.
How strongly do I believe in this? Let's put it this
way. I' m writing this from a hospital bed. My doctor
thinks he's releasing me on Friday, but he must be
wrong . I've got a tee-off scheduled for 1 :30 p.m.
Thursday .
~+-
Ralph C. Lally II
Editor and Publisher
PLAY METER , December 15, 1981