THE CRUNCH
Microsoft has given a cautious nod to calls for 3D Pinball to return to Windows. Pavan Davuluri, executive vice president of Windows and devices, replied to a social post reading simply "bring back 3D pinball", and on the Inside Windows podcast said: "we've had a great history in Windows of having games in-box, and noted on 3D Pinball, we will add that into the matrix for things to think about." That is a long way from a commitment, but it is a sign of official interest in reviving a game that vanished from Windows after Vista.
Space Cadet was a fixture for anyone who used Windows 95 through XP, having shipped with the Microsoft Plus! 95 expansion before its unceremonious disappearance at the launch of Vista. Microsoft veteran Raymond Chen has previously explained that bugs arising from the shift between 32-bit and 64-bit Windows were the reason it was dropped. The game has remained playable through unofficial means ever since.
An official revival may not be simple, either. The Space Cadet table was one of several designs Microsoft licensed from Full Tilt! Pinball, effectively an unofficial demo of the full game, which was published by Maxis, now part of Electronic Arts. Any return would presumably need to navigate that licensing history.