Sources
Contributors to this record: Flipcommons AI Descriptions (Manufacturer), Flipcommons Catalog.
- description
- Flipcommons AI Descriptions (Manufacturer)Data East Corporation was founded in Japan in 1976 and built its reputation as a video game and arcade cabinet manufacturer, producing titles like BurgerTime and Bad Dudes. In 1987, the company expanded into pinball, establishing a production facility in the United States and entering the American market as a direct competitor to [[manufacturer:bally]], [[manufacturer:williams]], and [[manufacturer:gottlieb]]. Data East's pinball machines were characterized by aggressive licensing of popular entertainment properties — [[title:robocop]] (1989), [[title:the-simpsons]] (1990), [[title:star-wars-data-east]] (1992), and [[title:batman-data-east]] (1991) all appeared on Data East tables. The company also attracted talented designers, with games like [[title:lethal-weapon]] and [[title:guns-n-roses]] earning strong operator and player followings. After a period of financial difficulty, Data East sold its pinball division to [[manufacturer:sega]] in 1994, ending its direct involvement in a category it had entered only seven years earlier. The machines it left behind represent a distinctive chapter of 1990s pinball history.
- opdb_manufacturer_id
- 10Flipcommons Catalog
- name
- Data EastFlipcommons Catalog
- slug
- data-eastFlipcommons Catalog