Data East Corporation, commonly referred to as DECO, was a Japanese powerhouse in video games and pinball manufacturing, founded in 1976 with its headquarters in Suginami, Tokyo. The company ventured into the pinball industry in 1985 by acquiring the pinball division of Stern Electronics. Data East stood out in the pinball realm for its technological innovations, such as introducing stereo sound and advanced dot matrix displays. While they leaned towards using high-profile licensed properties for their machines, this approach contributed to their financial challenges in the 1990s. By 1994, despite holding 25% of the global pinball market, the company decided to exit the pinball business, selling its assets to Sega.