It's a numbers game. Computer/console games are mass produced in the millions & then easily emulated/pirated if you want to play them in the future...and even then, physical retro games climb up in value to collectors. Pinball machines are only made in the hundreds, sometimes in the thousands. Addams was the one that reached 20,000 units. There just aren't that many of each game, and they are complex factory-built machines. Interest in pinball HAS been next to nothing for the past 3 decades...but there's just enough interest compared to the finite amount of units to keep prices high. ONLY THING that causes a price crash is every single person with pins dumping their collections simultaneously.

What exactly is a “woke” title? Please cite examples of the licenses you think Stern will get post-Gary.

They said that decades ago. There will always be enough people to keep the finite # of pinball machines desirable. They’re just too cool & fun & in a league of their own. Jukeboxes became irrelevant because there are a million ways to play music. The original thought was that pinball was replaced by the video game, but now we see they’re entirely different things. Good games are forever, and pinball has nothing to replace it. The physical machine is the only true way to play. Someone will always want them.

Because you can't. The "fear of the woke takeover" is just propaganda. It's not a thing. Ultimately, the market decides...and Stern knows who their market is. Nostalgia, geek pop culture movies/shows/comics, and rock & roll sells pinball machines...you won't see anything change.

You think Rick & Morty is "woke"?

Rick & Morty is geek pop culture. Perfect pinball theme.

Gotcha...no, those are separate things....although Nostalgia crosses over with a lot of it. Rick & Morty might even be nostalgic, even though it's new...since it's a riff on Back to the Future and many sci-fi tropes.

Examples:
Nostalgia - Batman 66, Munsters, Elvira, TMNT, Ghostbusters
Pop culture movies/shows/comics - Star Trek, Walking Dead, Stranger Things, Game of Thrones, Deadpool, GOTG
Rock & Roll - AC/DC, Metallica, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin

Don't deflect. You wrote a lengthy post about how “woke” themes will destroy the hobby when Gary retires. The onus is on you to defend that position with logical & factual backup.

Everyone can have an opinion, but even opinions must be based on facts & reality.

Nothing I said is in question. It is a fact that Stern makes games based on nostalgia, pop culture, and rock & roll music. Look at every game they’ve made for 20 years. Those are my “credentials.”

You clearly follow the talking points of rando internet users.

That was satire?

...well, if you have to explain the joke...

I wasn’t coming to the defense of anyone. I took that post as a serious diatribe, and asked for an example to back up your premise. If it was a joke, well - that’s that then.

...and who am I?

I’m Batman.

EXACTLY, humor must be based in truth to work. This has been a lesson as to why "right-wing humor" doesn't work. Try your material on Parler, you'll be a huge hit there. Your buzz-words like "woke" and "triggered" will go over great there.

There's a difference between a joke, with context, setup, punchline...and just a depiction of harassment. Had Oktoberbest's backglass been filled with humor & jokes all over the place, I don't think the monkey thing would have been a big deal...but since it was just horrid artwork, and that was the only thing to grab your eye...yeah, it was just cringey.

Comedy and culture change...constantly. What "flew" years ago doesn't always fly today...and sometimes that's OK. People grow, learn, evolve. I grew up loving Eddie Murphy's Delirious stand-up....CRIED laughing....but a lot of those jokes just don't work anymore in today's context. I might watch it again and giggle...but when my daughter grows up, if I showed her that she'd probably look at me and say "WTF is wrong with you"....and that's OK - the world changes.

Talk about censorship is a bit overblown. There are a few old shows where a few eps were pulled...and some of those, like The Golden Girls mudmask ep, was a bit of a stretch to pull...but hey, if you're a Golden Girls diehard, you've got the DVD with the episode. As for FG, it's still on. Disney owns it, for crying out loud...and the episodes are still on and uncensored. The right is crying about The Muppets being "cancelled". The Muppet show is more complete and uncensored than it's ever been. The Diz+ eps of The Muppet Show have more content than the old DVD collections. There's a content warning on some eps...but what's wrong with that? Win win. Warning for those who might be sensitive to some things...but it's there complete for anyone who wants to watch it. There is still tons of funny stuff being made, humor isn't dying. Watch "Bad Trip" on Netflix, Eric Andre is hilarious. FX has great shows - What We Do In The Shadows, Man Seeking Woman, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia are great. There's so much content out there now...it's overwhelming...something for everyone. Enjoy.

I feel like someone always inevitably brings up Blazing Saddles in these conversations...so, before that happens...just know, young people LOVE Blazing Saddles. Something I got hooked on during COVID was videos of millennials watching old movies for the first time...not one has ever complained about it. They love it. Maybe this will give you some "hope" or something lol

SP movie is still funny. The story & humor is all about poking fun at hypocrisy. That’s timeless. The show is still on. Not censored, not cancelled, people still think it’s funny. People still like laughing.

Seriously, check out Eric Andre if you haven't yet...I think it's your type of humor...and it's new!

Please look up the term "Projection".

Also as far as posses go, I'm more "insane clown" than "silent".

That tracks...however, I haven't seen that thread...I'm not familiar with that individual.