1 Yen or less Pachinko

**candyflip** · 11-16-2009, 01:47 AM

I guess this would be mostly for those living in Japan, or visiting often enough to play machines in parlours like these.

My question, in regards to the proliferation of 1 Yen (or less) Pachinko floors in parlours is: What does this mean for the types of machines that parlours will keep around for these low-rent players?

If 4 yen pachi players are in effect subsidising the purchase by parlours of the newest expensive machines, what machines will the ever growing 1 Yen pachi players get to enjoy? And how long will these parlours keep older machines around to service them? Or have I go the model wrong and 1 Yen Pachi players somehow enjoy playing the newest machines like their 4 Yen paying brethren?

Interested...

**compirate** · 11-16-2009, 02:28 AM

Is the exchange rate lower for the 1 yen games?

**candyflip** · 11-16-2009, 05:43 AM

Yes, much. Way less than 1 yen for cash, and when you try to swap 1000 balls for a 1000 yen item in their shop, you'll get something worth about 500 yen or less.

Players really use 1 yen pachi for the pure enjoyment and length of play, not necessarily for the earnings potential.

**compirate** · 11-16-2009, 06:20 AM

Sounds like the penny and nickel slots in the US.

Don't see any reason why they wouldn't get the great machines 3 months after the power players do, run them for several more months just to get the casual player, then retire them.

Just a guess

**candyflip** · 11-16-2009, 05:28 PM

I wonder if they'll run any older machines (say 2002-2003) thru these? In other words, recycle older machines, which cost virtually nothing, thru these floors to save costs...

**compirate** · 11-16-2009, 06:10 PM

Are they allowed to (license stickers)? Maybe a 'Nostalgia' parlor thing? I know they show up in the arcades after expiration.

**candyflip** · 11-16-2009, 06:55 PM

Yes, good point.

Hang on - I'll go off and do some more research, and come back with it.

**candyflip** · 11-18-2009, 10:02 PM

Well, it seems you were right. Parlours are tending to simply move their 3 months old machines towards the lower yen pachi floors, and I see no trend (generally) towards bringing pre-2009 machines in.

Attached are 2 examples from many hundreds I saw that mention mostly newer machines and very few from before 2008.

I'm sure there are 'retro' parlours somewhere that will prove all this wrong, but they appear to be in the minority.