Quoted from MK6PIN:

potentially my biggest query at this point.....doesn't seem to be a Stern trait up to this point.....

Quoted from dzoomer:

I don't see a BM66 theme game getting made unless it was a boutique edition. Seems to me that Stern has taken an opportunity to try something new.

Quoted from Chambahz:

You know what? There's no pleasing Pinside.

Quoted from Kiwipinhead:

Dear Ladies & Gentlemen
There will be NO Pro, as this is not one of the 3 cornerstone games we make each year.
 
We will begin manufacture of Limited Editions in November, following with Premiums for the rest of this year and more Premiums next year.
 
You will not receive a new model cornerstone game, with Pro, Premium and LE versions, until after the first of next year.
............
So there you have it

Quoted from LTG:

You mean like Gary Stern and Ka-Pow ! Pinball ?
LTG : )

Quoted from PW79:

they're now in 24" to 29" wheeled sizes (instead of 20") so folks can obtain their childhood grails & actually fit on em!

Quoted from kpg:

Taking a look at this 2017 Yamaha FZ-10 you can just look at this machine and think, wow, there are some expensive parts on this machine and it probably cost a pretty penny in parts and labor to assemble it.

Quoted from blue95:

Hopefully Homepin can get mass production on line and put some price pressure on them.

Quoted from SimonBaird:

Homepin can really put pressure on especially once they have their core component manufacturing completed. I would say they would be aiming for less then 5000usd maybe even as low as 4000usd. However I still think that for companies such as homepin or even spooky to really take it to stern they need to have a strong design and programming team in place. I belive homepin will be able to get the manufacturing side right, they are already shipping multiple containers of cocktail tables a month, so they know how to get product out the door. However one of the main reason stern is so popular is they have great designs in Borg,Ritchie , Treaudu plus some amazing programmers such as Lyman. Just like with the golden days of Williams/Bally, the really key is game design and rules. If these companies only try and develop games with their own in house design teams, then unless they have the next undiscovered Lawlor or Ritchie working for them, there is a good chance the games won't threaten Stern. We hear a lot of people say "making pinball is hard" maybe they should also say "designing and coding pinball is hard".

Quoted from Banker:

I have an LE , what the worst thing that could happen ? I hate it, sell it for a small loss. How is that worse than what happened to all of the buyers of MM, MB , CC , ect that paid thousands of dollars more than the remakes. It's a hobby,
buy what trips your trigger.

Quoted from Rarehero:

What about the whole top secret no-pictures thing ?

Quoted from badbilly27:

I'll give Gary a lot of credit where others won't. He kept the lights on. He kept producing. He stayed with DMD design while everyone complained but kept things going. Enter new outside investors - now cost cutting. That's ok if tech innovation, less parts. But no playfield rails, apparently switching vendors and in turn creating quality control issues, shakers removed from premium/LEs, etc.. You're letting the new investor direct you too far from your vision, your name, your legacy just for the bottom line. You don't need to apologize for trying to create more revenue/profitability. But there's a right way - the way Stern was built - and the wrong way, trying to create dollars instead of pinball machines to amuse.

Quoted from PW79:

This must be what Frolic & Ice think every time Stern rolls out a new title

Quoted from frolic:

Weeeeeeee!

Quoted from Kiwipinhead:

Dear Ladies & Gentlemen

There will be NO Pro, as this is not one of the 3 cornerstone games we make each year.

We will begin manufacture of Limited Editions in November, following with Premiums for the rest of this year and more Premiums next year.

You will not receive a new model cornerstone game, with Pro, Premium and LE versions, until after the first of next year.

Quoted from iceman44:

So Homepin is going to make great pinball for $4k-$5k and bury Stern and everybody else? rotflmao
Who does this sound like?
"Our goal and sole aim at Homepin is to get the machines finished and running - I don't like paperwork or accounting so that comes LAST as far as I am concerned! LOL."

Quoted from frolic:

Historically Stern shows up with a new game at CES first week of January.

Quoted from vid1900:

not the Pin-bitchers

Quoted from kidchrisso:

Did I miss the Hitler video ?

Quoted from flynnibus:

You are missing the part where the 'Stern way' was failing and on the brink of shutdown. The whole reason the new investor was taken on was to save the ship. You are romanticizing while ignoring the impending doom that forced the change. Gary's way had kept the lights on, but had not saved the company in the long run.

Quoted from paul_8788:

Agree with the first sentence, I disagree with the rest. What makes pinball a great hobby imo is that there are several facets to it. Some like buying/fixing older machines, some just like playing, not even owning. Some are into the competitive aspects, some like buying NIB and modding. Some people like mixing up all of the aspects. I guess I could be categorized as a "NIB slut" as I like the experience of buying NIB, and I like the features and complexity of newer pins than older, although I have owned and fixed up some older pins in the past. But if it wasn't for us "NIB sluts", there wouldn't be several companies building new pins and parts for the "masterpieces of old" would be getting harder and harder to find instead of easier.
The hobby is about whatever someone who is interested in pins is interested about and it all contributes.

Quoted from Who-Dey:

Yep they are doing just fine "now", but that can change really fast. Pissing off your customers is a really bad idea trust me. No business is too big to fail, especially a pinball manufacturer.

Quoted from PW79:

I'm losing interest in Stern.
Anyone else?

Quoted from hank527:

Pricing is insane. JJP could come out with game #3 at 7k and do some serious damage to Stern.

Quoted from CaptainNeo:

See, back in the day for us old schoolers

Quoted from jwilson:

Comparing a Stern pinball machine, made by a tiny manufacturer in very small numbers - less than 4,000 probably - to a production bike made by one of the largest manufacturers in the world that is probably going to make 50,000-100,000 bikes isn't fair to Stern.

Quoted from Air_Pinball:

Nope.

Quoted from TomGWI:

I think the whole 18 month sell back to Stern is just hilarious.
Are they going to give you fair market value for the game?
Will they give you what you paid for it?
If the game bombs, will people try and sell it back to them and be pissed when they pass?
Since your selling it back to them, do they pay the shipping costs?
Do they want my Kiss LE back?

Quoted from iceman44:

So Homepin is going to make great pinball for $4k-$5k and bury Stern and everybody else? rotflmao
Who does this sound like?
"Our goal and sole aim at Homepin is to get the machines finished and running - I don't like paperwork or accounting so that comes LAST as far as I am concerned! LOL."

Quoted from CaptainNeo:

See, back in the day for us old schoolers, this really wasn't an option. If you didn't know how to fix your own stuff, you were not playing. You didn't have parts, so you would have to buy or find 2 or 3 versions of the game and combine to try and save 1. You guys today, have it easy and don't even know. NIB was for operators. Very rarely was it for home collectors. We would buy the reasonable priced stuff that was on route, and make it nice again. That's all we had to go on. You couldn't get into this hobby without knowledge or the ability to want to know. That's why we have so many unknowledgeable people in the hobby now, it's more about throwing cash around, than understanding how things really work, or the real art of it all.

Quoted from Chambahz:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're REALLY new to buying pins, right? Cause it's certainly looking that way.
Stern is/was having issues with the playfields. You (among others) have been promised a complete replacement.
So now, to come on here and post that "NIB purchases are risky now with questionable build quality..." is complete horseshit.
You're SO ignorant to buying pinball machines, that you keep stating that you're going to be JJP exclusive from now on.
You know what? WoZ is the only machine I ever bought that STARTED SMOKING and burned itself out THE DAY I GOT IT HOME.
Jack was awesome, and agreed to replace it with another NIB WoZ, and the team at JJP was great to deal with, but the point is, ALL PINBALL MANUFACTURERS HAVE ISSUES. Nobody is going to get things right all the time.
Heighway Pinball's Full Throttle was a complete bust too! Once again, they agreed that the one I got was a dud, and I got a full refund.
So nothing against these other manufacturers, but quality control isn't a Stern-only issue.
The important matter is whether a company backs its products or not.
At the moment, Stern seems to be the only company that's dealing with playfield issues, but rumour has it that even that has been resolved. Time will tell of course, but I'm betting this is now a thing of the past.
With respect to your comment about the "application form", once again you seem to take everything to the extreme in order to make Stern look as bad as possible.
Stern decided to make 30 very limited edition versions of their newest pin. It would appear as though they made more than they could sell to their closest friends at the price point, so they decided to sell the left overs to the public.
Now, they have only a few (30 at most). So how should they decide who gets them?
Someone could easily come along and buy one up, then flip it for more money, knowing they're in limited supply. Then you'd have true blue Stern/Batman fans crying about how they're being gouged for a game they should have been able to buy themselves. Stern wasn't pleased to see that in the past with Metallica so they've decided to do something a little different this time.
But again, Pinsiders all start to bitch and moan, claiming that they're insulted at what's taken place.
You know what? There's no pleasing Pinside. Look around. CrazyLevi is quite possibly the most vocal Pinsider on the Ghostbusters thread, and he HATES the game. It's a perfect example of the mentality that's considered "normal" around here.
Honestly, and without prejudice: sell your game and go buy a motorcycle if that's what you prefer. I was at a friends place last night for dinner and we all (wives included) played a bunch of Sterns newest games afterward. Nobody complained about ghosting inserts, or the price of the games, or any of the bullshit that's constantly brought up on here. You know why? Because the majority of it doesn't matter. If my friend and I don't buy a Batman, or an LE, or an SLE, then what difference does their application process make?
It will all boil down to whether or not its a fun game with good code. If it's as fun as ACDC, or Metallica, or GoT, or Ghostbusters, or Walking Dead, then we'll probably buy one, even if at the increased prices.
Anyway, I'm probably just adding more fuel to the "crazy-fire" by sharing my thoughts but it's honestly time y'all STFU and either dropped the hobby or just turned off your computers and played the pinballs you have that you like playing.
The constant non-ending whining is so anti-pinball, you look pathetic for remaining a part of a hobby that clearly makes you all so unhappy!
I'd love to stick around and throw more stones, but I have to go clean up a little, and then squeeze in a few games of Walking Dead before heading to a friends place tonight to play GBLE. Sure hope our evening isn't ruined by application forms!

Quoted from PW79:

Thats because you're a <1 yr member
Unless you were someone else before?

Quoted from Jeekayjay:

Who the hell is homepin and where can I buy one of their machines please.

Quoted from Rarehero:

Fixing your own issues felt good. Playing a game you did a kick ass fix/tweak/restore was extremely satisfying!!!

Quoted from Air_Pinball:

Nope.

Quoted from clg:

Homepin on its own is not going to challenge Stern as a designer/builder of pins. But think of Homepin differently.
He has a factory in China and a complete supply chain put together from local (Chinese) suppliers with hardware that Homepin has designed. His first game will demonstrate his ability to use all of this to produce working games built entirely in his factory, with his hardware from his suppliers. If he were to partner with someone doing design and software and he did the manufacturing things could get quite interesting.

Quoted from Rarehero:

Bringing games back from the dead felt good.

Quoted from clg:

If he were to partner with someone doing design and software and he did the manufacturing things could get quite interesting.

Quoted from badbilly27:

Respectfully, you're also missing the part where it coincided with the recession impacting all american businesses. No romanticizing, the investor was necessary to help Stern get through tough times like many other businesses required.
Since neither of us had a seat in Stern's conference room to review financials and which decisions led to what outcomes, let's neither of us pretend we know more than anyone else in this thread. Investor seemed to help Stern. But Gary has years of industry experience manufacturing games. That counts for more than you're willing to give him credit for.

Quoted from Chambahz:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're REALLY new to buying pins, right? Cause it's certainly looking that way.
Stern is/was having issues with the playfields. You (among others) have been promised a complete replacement.
So now, to come on here and post that "NIB purchases are risky now with questionable build quality..." is complete horseshit.
You're SO ignorant to buying pinball machines, that you keep stating that you're going to be JJP exclusive from now on.
You know what? WoZ is the only machine I ever bought that STARTED SMOKING and burned itself out THE DAY I GOT IT HOME.
Jack was awesome, and agreed to replace it with another NIB WoZ, and the team at JJP was great to deal with, but the point is, ALL PINBALL MANUFACTURERS HAVE ISSUES. Nobody is going to get things right all the time.
Heighway Pinball's Full Throttle was a complete bust too! Once again, they agreed that the one I got was a dud, and I got a full refund.
So nothing against these other manufacturers, but quality control isn't a Stern-only issue.
The important matter is whether a company backs its products or not.
At the moment, Stern seems to be the only company that's dealing with playfield issues, but rumour has it that even that has been resolved. Time will tell of course, but I'm betting this is now a thing of the past.
With respect to your comment about the "application form", once again you seem to take everything to the extreme in order to make Stern look as bad as possible.
Stern decided to make 30 very limited edition versions of their newest pin. It would appear as though they made more than they could sell to their closest friends at the price point, so they decided to sell the left overs to the public.
Now, they have only a few (30 at most). So how should they decide who gets them?
Someone could easily come along and buy one up, then flip it for more money, knowing they're in limited supply. Then you'd have true blue Stern/Batman fans crying about how they're being gouged for a game they should have been able to buy themselves. Stern wasn't pleased to see that in the past with Metallica so they've decided to do something a little different this time.
But again, Pinsiders all start to bitch and moan, claiming that they're insulted at what's taken place.
You know what? There's no pleasing Pinside. Look around. CrazyLevi is quite possibly the most vocal Pinsider on the Ghostbusters thread, and he HATES the game. It's a perfect example of the mentality that's considered "normal" around here.
Honestly, and without prejudice: sell your game and go buy a motorcycle if that's what you prefer. I was at a friends place last night for dinner and we all (wives included) played a bunch of Sterns newest games afterward. Nobody complained about ghosting inserts, or the price of the games, or any of the bullshit that's constantly brought up on here. You know why? Because the majority of it doesn't matter. If my friend and I don't buy a Batman, or an LE, or an SLE, then what difference does their application process make?
It will all boil down to whether or not its a fun game with good code. If it's as fun as ACDC, or Metallica, or GoT, or Ghostbusters, or Walking Dead, then we'll probably buy one, even if at the increased prices.
Anyway, I'm probably just adding more fuel to the "crazy-fire" by sharing my thoughts but it's honestly time y'all STFU and either dropped the hobby or just turned off your computers and played the pinballs you have that you like playing.
The constant non-ending whining is so anti-pinball, you look pathetic for remaining a part of a hobby that clearly makes you all so unhappy!
I'd love to stick around and throw more stones, but I have to go clean up a little, and then squeeze in a few games of Walking Dead before heading to a friends place tonight to play GBLE. Sure hope our evening isn't ruined by application forms!

Quoted from kpg:

Thanks for the great story, I hope you releasing all that aggression and anger when writing that long post has affected your life in a positive way. Take some deep breaths... now release.

Quoted from Who-Dey:

I bet he was bangin the hell out of that keyboard as he was typing. He probably was huffing and puffing and had sweat dripping off of his forehead and everything lol.