Shark Tank VPcabs Update 2026

Brad Baker came up with the idea after his brother, who owns arcades in Cincinnati, asked him to build a pinball machine that didn’t break down all the time. The old machines were hard to maintain and only played one game, which frustrated arcade owners. That led Brad to create VPcabs, a virtual pinball machine with HD screens and over 200 games in one cabinet. Will a shark help take it to the next level? Let’s find out in our VPcabs update and pitch recap.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to VPcabs after Shark Tank.

Brad entered Shark Tank Season 7, seeking $200,000 for 10% equity in his virtual pinball machines. After his pitch, he struck a deal with Daymond John for $200,000 for 25% equity.

In terms of a VPcabs update, the company formed strategic partnerships and launched the Pinball Garage, which expanded both its brand and customer reach.

Shark	Result
Daymond John	Accepted offer of $200,000 for 25% equity
Kevin O’Leary	No offer
Lori Greiner	No offer
Robert Herjavec	No offer
Mark Cuban	No offer

Shark Tank VPcabs Pitch

Entrepreneur: Brad Baker
Business: Virtual pinball machines
Ask: $200,000 for 10% equity
Result: $200,000 for 25% equity
Shark: Daymond John

Brad entered Shark Tank wearing a VPcabs t-shirt. He introduced his business, VPcabs, which builds virtual pinball machines.

Instead of using the standard mechanical setup, he explained that each machine comes with LED screens and a high-end gaming computer housed inside a traditional pinball cabinet.

Players can pick from hundreds of virtual pinball games in one unit. The machines respond to tilt, vibrate, and make real pinball sounds.

He said the experience feels just like playing the original machines.

To prove it, he then invited the sharks to try them and they eagerly ran up to them. Mark Cuban got so caught up in the experience, he struggled to pull himself away from the game.

At that point, Robert Herjavec asked for sales numbers. Brad said he had sold 200 machines over 18 months, making around $750,000 in total revenue.

Prices ranged from $3,000 to $9,500, with the $7,995 model being the most popular. Most of his sales came from trade shows, where he once made $100,000 over a single weekend.

However, the sharks noticed something troubling—despite a 50% margin, the business had only earned $12,000 in net profit.

Brad admitted the company wasn’t profitable yet, but believed it had strong potential.

When Kevin O’Leary asked about licensing fees, Brad said they could reach up to 15% of each sale, depending on the game involved.

Kevin followed up by asking if Brad had taken any money out of the business. Brad said no. He had reinvested everything into growth and admitted to spending early on things that could’ve waited.

Lori Greiner liked the product but didn’t think kids were the right target market. She didn’t believe the business could scale in a crowded gaming market. She went out.

Kevin also passed. He said the business didn’t offer a clear way to repay investors and wasn’t worth the valuation.

Although Robert saw potential, he didn’t align with Brad’s go-to-market strategy.

Brad mentioned reaching out to commercial venues like Dave & Buster’s, which had stopped using pinball due to high maintenance.

Even with that angle, Robert couldn’t get behind it and bowed out.

Mark liked the concept but said it wasn’t a game-changer yet. He went out too.

That left Daymond John. He said he understood the gaming market and already had a business that made similar products.

He offered $200,000 for 30% equity, saying Brad could handle sales while his team handled manufacturing. Brad countered with 20%, and Daymond came down to 25%.

Brad accepted the offer and walked out with a deal.

Do you think VPcabs thrived following the Shark Tank effect? Keep reading our VPcabs update to find out what happened next.

Shark Tank VPcabs Update

According to our VPcabs update, Daymond John still sees this as one of his best investments from Shark Tank.

Since the show, VPcabs has continued to grow.

Brad Baker partnered with Wizard World Comic Cons and Michael J. Fox Foundation to design a custom Back to the Future virtual pinball machine.

The limited-edition game was auctioned off to support Parkinson’s research, helping the company gain more visibility.

In 2020, Brad launched the Pinball Garage in Hamilton, Ohio. The venue brought together a full arcade and bar experience, featuring more than 30 pinball and arcade machines.

In mid-2022, the Pinball Garage nearly doubled in size. The expansion added more machines and introduced a full-service dining section.

The company sells 300–500 virtual pinball machines per year, and its annual revenue is between $3 and $5 million.

You can check out the machines available on the VPcabs website.

We’re calling this VPcabs update a success.

Find out more about the companies featured in Season 7 Episode 28 by following the links below to read more.

Before you go, be sure to check out our list of all the Shark Tank Season 7 products.

Andrew Smith

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Andrew is a lifelong fan of Shark Tank and an entrepreneur at heart. He started Shark Tank Recap because he wanted a single place to track what happens to the companies, founders, and deals after they air on TV. With a sharp eye for business insights and a passion for all things Shark Tank, Andrew makes sure every recap is accurate, engaging, and fun.