Play Meter

OF THE THE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY--------------STATE STATE OF vestment. Purchases Purchases were were up upconconvestment. muchmoney money from from them. them . Operators Operators asasmuch and Data Data East East round round out out the the list list of ofpin pin and reported average average weekly weekly gross gross colleccollecreported tions of $54, down 10 % from the $60 tions of $54, down 10% from the $60 last year. Pinball accounted for 9% of last year. Pinball accounted for 9% of the games on location, up slightly the games on location, up slightly last year. year. Revenues Revenues from the the 7.7% 7. 7 %last from from pinball was $390 million ofthe the from pinball was $390 million of industry total. industry total. When asked asked ififthey they had had added added or or When deleted any type of equipment to their deleted any type of equipment to their 12 % of the operators said they routes, routes, 12% of the operators said they had added pinball, while 10 % said had added pinball, while 10% said they had had deleted deleted flipper flipper games. games. The The they is sketchy but not outlook for pinball outlook for pinball is sketchy but not because there are no good pins . There because there are no good pins. There four pinball pinball manufacturers, manufacturers, are only only four are although Bally and Williams are ownownalthough Bally and Williams are Premier ed by the same corporation. ed by the same corporation. Premier manufacturers. All All have have introduced introduced manufacturers. exceptional games, but pinballs are not not exceptional games, but pinballs are outdated like most video games, so outdated like most video games, so operators are are not not pressured pressured to to change change operators is that all all them as often. Another plus them as often. Another plus is that ofthe themanufacturers manufacturers have have been been workworkof ing diligently diligently on onimproving improving the the elecelecing tronics and making the games more tronics and making the games more Pinball has has service-free for for operators. operators. Pinball service-free of the industry and that's been a staple been a staple of the industry and that's to change. change. not going going to not ofthe the industry industry The jukebox portion of The jukebox portion is seeing a definite rejuvenation is seeing a definite rejuvenation ofnew new technology technology and and the the because of because ofcelebrating celebrating the the 100th lOOth ananpublicity of publicity ofthe thejukebox. jukebox. The Theimpact impact niversary of niversary the compact compact disc discjukebox jukeboxisis being being ofofthe NEW GAME GAME PURCHASES PURCHASES NEW GAMES GAMES 1988 1988 Videos Videos Dedicated Dedicated 153,000 153,000 Kits Kits 90,000 90,000 Pinballs Pinballs 28,000 28,000 - 1987 1987 1986 1986 225,000 225,000 173,000 173,000 • . 18,000 18,000 28,000 28,000 13,000 13,000 14,000 14,000 .. 4,000 [ 4,000 12,000 12,000 Standard Standard . . Jukeboxes Jukeboxes CD CD • • • • • . • · . 12,000 12,000 Pool Tables Tables Pool 16,000 16,000 Merchandisers Merchandisers 16,000 16,000 13,000 13,000 7,000 7,000 Dart Games Games Dart 16,000 16,000 12,000 12,000 10,000 10,000 8,000 8,000 Basketball Basketball 6,500 6,500 • • . 16 ,000compared compared totojust just siderably; 16,000 siderably; ,000 last year. Then we over 7 over 7,000 last year. Then we 40 %of ofthe theoperator operator reported that thatover over40% reported population was not operating cranes, population was not operating cranes, but that that number number dropped dropped significantly significantly but % . A large number of operators, to 35 to 35%. A large number of operators, % , reported that cranes and mer84 84%, reported that cranes and merin their states, chandisers are legal chandisers are legal in their states, whilejust just 6% 6 %said said the the machines machines were were while 10 % said that they illegal. Another illegal. Another 10% said that they didn 't know know whether whether cranes cranes were werelegal legal didn't or not. Last year legislation was a maor not. Last year legislation was a major concern for many operators and we jor concern for many operators and we noted that machine purchases would noted that machine purchases would increase once once the thelegal legal hassles hassles were were increase settled. For many, that time has come, settled. For many, that time has come, although some states are still awaiting although some states are still awaiting lawmakersdecisions decisionson on whether whether lawmakers ofskill skill cranes and rotaries are games cranes and rotaries are games of or gambling. or gambling. Thoseoperating operating cranes cranes and andmermerThose chandisers reported average weekly chandisers reported average weekly of$177, $177, down down aa gross collections collections of gross % from the $19 1 last year and and slight 7 slight 7% from the $191 last year down 32 % from the $266 reported the down 32% from the $266 reported the year before . Gross revenues from year before. Gross revenues from cranes and and merchandisers merchandisers accounted accounted cranes of the industry gross for $284 million for $284 million of the industry gross totals and the equipment made up littotals and the equipment made up aa lit% of the equipment on locatle over 2 tle over 2% of the equipment on location, down down from from the the 3% 3 %reported reported last last tion, year. year. There was was good good news news and and bad bad news news There in pinball. First, the good news was in pinball. First, the good news was that operators operators purchased purchased more more pinball pinball that games, over 28,000 compared to games, over 28,000 compared to 18,000 the year before. However, the 18,000 the year before. However, the bad news is that they weren't making bad news is that they weren't making STATE OF OF THE THE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY VITAL VITAL STATISTICS STATISTICS STATE Gross Collections Collections (Billions) (Billions) Gross 1988 1988 6.4 6.4 1987 1987 1986 1986 1985 1985 5.4 5.4 4.0 4.0 4.5 4.5 1984 1984 4.5 4.5 . • 64 64 57 57 57 57 53 53 92 92 68 68 . . . . . . · . 5, 100 5,100 1,750 ,000 1,750,000 4,700 4,700 4,500 4,500 9 ,000 9,000 1,450,000 1,450,000 350,000 350,000 6,000 6,000 1,500,741 1,500,741 255,000 255,000 Weekly Gross Gross Weekly Per Video Video Game Game Per Dedicated Dedicated Kits Kits Operator Population Population Operator • • Locations Locations 460 ,000 460,000 1,510,000 1,510,000 375,000 375,000 New Game Game Purchases Purchases New 330,000 330,000 298,000 298,000 Games On On Location Location Games PLAY METER METER 1989 1989DIRECTORY DIRECTORY 1010PLAY • • • • 293,392 293,392 233 , 150 233,150 • • 1,652,324 1,652,324 378,464 378,464 260 ,324 260,324