Agreed. Stern is thinking short term and risking alienating a good portion of their home buyers. These price increases suggest they think that ther home buyers are made of money and will gladly pontly up whatever they ask for the honor of buying one of their new releases.

Some will still play aling for now but many of us posting here have decided to draw the line and tell Stern no mas. If enough of us do that, Stern will feel it. If you are tired of these neverending orice increases and flippers, send a message and stop buying.

It was the same policy with Rush LEs.

So? I'll never get to drive let alone own a Bugatti Veyron either.

That may be the case for some games like TS, but just try to get a 007 LE at MSRP! They are promised to final customers with deposits down and long waiting lists hoping people back out.

That's a fair statement, and a different twist for sure...if we put $$$ aside, the 60th is a completely different game, but still based on same theme, released simultaneously ( well kind of).
Can't ( wont) buy both, so it does feel like an impossible situation...I actually liked BM66LE art better that the SLE, still had the topper, and they played the same.
Will I ever get a chance to play/purchase a BondLE at msrp in the future? Maybe, but who knows.
Same ask for 60th= even less likely.

We're not only choosing which $$$ pill to swallow, but truly what flavor...think they both will be great games, and suspect there will be many " A vs B" arguments ( of merit, I'll add) in later threads...

Gz le on here PRICE ESTIMATE
We have seen this game for sale in the Pinside Market 114 times. The median asking price is $15,000

That's a lot more than a few pin scalpers

I think your idea could rally the troops to ban bond but only after the gameplay is released. If it's a fun game I doubt pinsiders would be behind the idea. Folks would sell a game and dig into the piggy bank to purchase one. However, if the gameplay is meh and the elwin game looks like it should be sold at 8k then I think #banbond could be a thing.

To justify price for SLE they should make it a wide body. But Gomez hates them.

Elwin is doing the SLE

The more I look at the movie poster art the more it looks like a ripoff of the GNR LE cabinet. This is a theme I’m interested in, but I will wait and see. Im hoping it looks better in person.

One of the more ridiculous carguments I've ever heard! I could try and explain why it's a poor analogy, but I doubt it will go anywhere (so I'm not going to bother).

Yeah, but you WILL be able to play a Bond Premium, which is the same game as the LE! All mainstream titles to date have versions that the general pinball population can play (aesthetics aside). Very, very few of us will ever play a 60th Bond if they only make 250 for the US. Hopefully, they will make more than is being talked about!

If not having access to an SLE bothers you that much, here's a thought: "Pretend it doesn't exist!"
FYI in a similar vein I'm furious at the moment, having just found out we're not having Kobe beef for dinner tonight... AGAIN!

Because you can't so you resort to rhetoric.

The Bond SLE is a premium product, if you want to own it pony up the cash.

There is nothing that states Stern's premium product must be derivative of other pins it sells.

This is 100% true, I'm not arguing Stern isn't free to do whatever they want. I believe it's bad business on many levels, but don't need to say more than I've already said in other posts. Your position is crystal clear...it's all about ponying up the cash. Since you appear to have 42 games listed in your profile, I guess I shouldn't be surprised by your reaction. Whatever...

More rhetoric and dodging.

43 actually, have two Black Holes.

Going through my movie cabinet last night looking for movies to watch & I went through my 007 collection including every 007 movie. I had a thought of my disappointment for not incorporating some of the newer films-post Connery. Well how could you do that many genres? I think by just having snippets of each era. Feel like if they had the entire catalog available-they should have used it for Pro, Premium, LE instead of Kapow boutique machine. Still am wondering what Steve would have came up with. Would love to see his scrapped design just for shits and giggles.

I am not advocating ban Bond. I actually hope it is a good game. All I am saying is if you are getting tired of neverending 5-10% price increases, don't fall into the FOMO trap.

I may add Bond to my collection at some point. I am in no rush, though, and am fine with taking a wait and see approach. It will require some patience but deals may (or may not) bmaterialize on the secondary market.

Thanks, we do what we can!

We are stoked about Bond Pro.

Bummed about the delay.

Right before full reveal I made a spot for it hoping that it would arrive in the normal 1-2 weeks haha. Come on November…

People have been calling for a hobby wide boycott of pinball manufacturers for decades now.
Decades...

Someone not as lazy as me should seach the RGP archives. Or just go back 5 years here on Pinside. Someone says it every year.

"If we all band together, we consumer's can change this!!!"

It's a feel good theory on paper but it discounts human nature and doesn't play out in the real world.

Can we all at least band together to ban spam flipper ads in the middle of forum threads?
One step at a time ..
1BF21EEA-9A10-4A59-9F11-1EA8D9981732.gif

Good for you.

"But first, let's see how it plays..."

They are going all out on this.

Fittingly, the new James Bond 007 pinball machines will be on show for the first time to media and public in London. On September 26th the games will be on display and available to play as part of the Bond-themed Christie’s Late, a public event celebrating the forthcoming Christie’s Sixty Years of James Bond Charity Auction. Shortly after, they will be a part of the James Bond at 60 weekend at the British Film Institute on the South Bank, September 30th-October 2nd.

WOW....

Too bad I'm not in London:

Location:
8 King Street
London SW1Y 6QT

Date and time:
26 September, 6–9pm

St. James’s Galleries
007 Pinball Arcade

https://www.christies.com/events/christies-lates-london-james-bond/about

Paid my LE in full this morning.

Fun Fact: Jimmy Page played guitar in the orchestra of the original Goldfinger recording. This is a good read below. Let’s hope they have the Shirley Bassey version in the game.

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/jimmy-page-goldfinger-theme/

Christies and the BFI.

That is a big deal and a plus for Stern. Two major institutes in two different industries. Happy for our friends in the UK if any are attending those events.

.

Now that's what you call a marketing Jackpot.

Bond, then BTTF and I’m out of the NIB game… I’m expecting a right bending over if/ when a Kapow BTTF is released.

No amount of KY is gonna stop the butt hurt

Will be happy with my collection then.

This is a BOND Hype club, but it has been dominated by the price increase, which is putting a dampener on things.

I’ve started buying a few Bond toys to add to the game, a Little Nellie for above the ramp, might add a few LEDs to the rockets..

What have the Bond buyers got in mind!?

47503761-7AC4-43A1-8409-ED4B18106524 (resized).png

Same here, unless CGC remakes Addams Family, or Indy, or BBB, or...

Lots of senseless crying in here. I’ve been in this hobby for over 20 years. My first TAF 2K my first medieval madness 2K…. Paid 4K for TAF Gold. Got out of the hobby for awhile paid 6k for my next TAF. Sold it wanted another paid 9k for one. If you want the pin you’ll pay. Bitching about it doesn’t change the market. If this is the first price increase you’ve seen you’re wet behind the ears. If you don’t want to pay don’t buy. If you don’t want the machine don’t buy. If you don’t care for the machine great. This is a hype thread not I know everything there is to know about life so let me bitch and complain. Everyone who paid low and are now sitting on pins that have quadrupled in value will never bitch about selling high.

Well I’ve got 2 of those already, I miss my IJ..
But hey can’t keep them all.. unless you are mega rich.

But themes and humour are what I go for.
Not many things left that I grew up with, or was into when I was young.

Got the same Little Nellie, will also be upgrading the db5 to a more detail version, complete custom artwork package in the making, including foil decals and mirrored backglass.

Depending on the finished artwork will go with a gloss black powder coat job with a silver/white flake or gold plated trim.

I’m totally out after my Bond LE

… until they make something else.

Lot's of senseless/blind defense of unwarranted price increases too, right?

What's even more senseless to a lot of us is people saying and buying everything like the price increases we have seen from stern are normal and acceptable without conversation/noticing it and that we should just all suck it up. A $700 increase on a premium??? It's Ridiculous. FACT. Sure most of us can "afford it'. But a lot of us feel like we've already been paying way more than we should for what we're getting (bang for the buck). Things are BETTER for Stern than they've EVER been also. Things aren't so great for a lot of us right now and our hobby is what we fall to.

The original MSRP for a Mandalorian Premium in MAY 2021, was $7799. In September 2022, a year and 3 months later, Stern wants $9600 for a Premium. That's a 23% increase in MSRP!!

When things were good for consumers (us) and the inflation rate was low, Stern was nailing us with somewhat surprising price increases and we have been willing to overpay (in my eyes, even for ridiculously cheaply made toppers).. and the fact that we all have indeed went along with it shows we didn't care. We didn't bitch then. Let's not pretend like this is a first time increase or even a reasonable, once in a while increase... it's egregious and showing a lack of respect for the hobbyists that they are more than willing to not only take the dollar increase we'll give them.. but they'll take two and smile.

Most of the people I know that are upset are the ones that actually have plenty of money also. So it's not about the money, it's principal.

And you're right... I'm voting with my wallet.

Earth to Cobray, come in Cobray…
Respect is not part of this. Stern making money, selling at current market demand is what this is about.
The counter to your argument is when flippers do their thing and that it’s disrespectful to Stern.

Here’s a product. Here’s a price. The game sold out immediately. If you don’t want one, that’s cool. You needn’t feel disrespected. It’s not personal.

I really enjoy reading these threads- great points all around.

As a baby boomer, I remember seeing pinballs everywhere in the 1970s and then they kind of disappeared... I went off to school and start a family etc. Really did not pay attention to pinball.

Of course, now that I am a pinball addict of 4 years, I am much more familiar with the history. If Stern had not stuck around during the really tough times in early 2000, none of us would be having any of these discussions.

Stern runs a business and they know that there are lean times as well as boom times. Good and bad times are in the future, but when is unpredictable.

Whatever Stern and the other manufacturers can do to stay afloat (these are not Fortune 500 companies by any means) to keep pinball going is a good thing. Most of us are not business people although we are all consumers.

Yeah, the current market really stinks. Inflation is back and the stock market is taking a crap. Pinball is a great diversion and I hope it survives.

Bond is a killer theme- I hope the game play lives up to all of the hype.

600 years of Bond!!!

Does everyone feel I would be fine ordering the SPIKE 2 shaker from Pinball Life for this? Only reason I'm asking is because the last one I bought from them (for AC/DC) actually touched the tilt bob and completely interfered with it. Maybe it was a fluke install of the tilt bob, but thought I would ask rather than repeat that nonsense again.

It should be fine, the shaker motor installs on the right on the other side away from the tilt bob. I just installed one on Rush last night, works great.

These prices are way up and the market is soft and will get worse. Those are pretty much facts.

The PRO is barren, with a split ramp and some flippers. I guarantee watching that rocket bounce back an forth the whole time will leave you queezy. Also the yellow is so blah.

I would not buy unless it's your dream theme and you plan to keep it for a long time.

Close ups of toys on BoingBoing from Gomez interview:

https://boingboing.net/2022/09/25/cool-figures-in-the-new-007-pinball-game.html

Untitled-1 (resized).jpg

Speaking of BoingBoing, it appears not too many people noticed my post re Lazenby's "rapey" admissions of late either - wonder if this has anything to do w/ the product delays or him being omitted any future Stern stuff:

https://boingboing.net/2022/09/12/60s-bond-star-george-lazenby-fired-from-bond-music-tour-after-telling-story-of-sexual-conquest-that-sounds-a-lot-like-rape.html

Gomez is not really a designer anymore. He calls the shots and Gary is too cheap.

Gomez is arguably a designer, but he runs the engineering group @ Stern and doesn't take the lead on specific games very often.

I predict the gameplay video for the Gomez Edition will not live up to the hype. The KME 60th anniversary design is highly likely to live up to the hype, given his teams track record.

Y’all still complaining about price? This is a hype thread. Just because you have $20k doesn’t mean you “can afford” to spend $14.5K on an LE or $10k on a premium etc.
It’s a toy, a really expensive toy.
I feel for you if you’re priced out of the market but you’re not going to change anything. 1k LEs all spoken for upfront or sold out in less than 30 seconds on Sterns site.
You’re in the minority and the market dictates cost.
Stern could’ve charged $15k for the LE and still sold out instantly.
It may not be “worth it” to you and that’s cool. Get a pro, play on location, split the cost with a friend and trade time. Whatev.

While I’m ranting, the argument that “most of the LEs are bought by scalpers” is trash. The most $$ you’re going to make flipping a high cost LE is on release day. That’s why some folks paid $20k+ for TS4CEs.
Pinside is an echo chamber. It’s not the majority of the buyers of this machine. Until sales slow down, Stern has zero reason to reduce price and backlog themselves further.
The train is still rolling full speed ahead and all these new enthusiasts with millions of dollars don’t care about a $1500-$2k increase. They want the best model and they want it sooner than premiums so long as they like the theme. Playfield design isn’t even that important. Looks at Led Zeppelin. Sold out LEs rapid quick.

Can we go back to irrationally hyping them game?

Bond needs no hype. This is a straight up dream theme for many of us!

I am very curious about the 60th year anniversary edition...

A few details below from Gary Stern's letter posted on
https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2022/09/22/stern-officially-launches-james-bond/

"All James Bond 007 ship Insider Connected™ capable. Utilizing the power of the internet, we will issue special Bond “Assignments” only possible on connected games.

James Bond 007 games will be available in November. We will begin with Pro Editions, followed by Limited Edition games, and then Premium Editions. The 60th Anniversary Limited Edition production will be in December. Information on accessories is coming soon."

...

"Prices on prior cornerstone models will increase to the James Bond 007 level on January 1, 2023."

...

"Jack Danger will stream James Bond 007 Premium/LE Editions. For updated information, please check https://facebook.com/sternpinball"