Data East

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 Bally, Williams, and Gottlieb.

Data East’s pinball machines were characterized by aggressive licensing of popular entertainment properties — Robocop (1989), The Simpsons (1990), Star Wars (1992), and Batman (1991) all appeared on Data East tables. The company also attracted talented designers, with games like Lethal Weapon 3 and Guns N’ Roses earning strong operator and player followings. After a period of financial difficulty, Data East sold its pinball division to 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.