Stern opens the new year with a fresh game from the recently out of pinball retirement Brian Eddy, Stranger Things.
A great show but not so great transition to a pinball theme. Only the first 2 seasons. This game should have used all 3 current with the 3rd being the best with the shopping mall and Neverending Story song.
The game relies too much on the young kids and as the kids get older the theme will tire.
Game will do well on route. Home use staying power will waver.
Stern will keeping plugging away with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for Summer and LED Zeppelin for Fall. There will be a sprinkle of a vault in there to combat lackluster sales. But as dealers and home owners have only so much room and money titles with begin to bottleneck and sales numbers will be down compared to 2019.
We will not see a new Elwin title until 2021.
2020 will be Jersey Jack Pinballs year !
Coming off the coattails of Wonka, the spring starts off with a bang with Eric’s Guns n Roses. A narrow body onslaught feature heavy hitter. Then in the fall we get Pat’s Toy Story featuring all 4 movies. Full steam ahead JJP lays the foundation of solid sales with two fantastic themes and JJP will release 2 new titles within the same year.
Chicago gaming company will come out with Cactus Canyon, they will continue to chip away at Stern Pinball with their competitive Pinball pricing and the classics that Pinball collectors are searching for. They may even release a new unlicensed title.
American Pinball plugs away with Hot Wheels. Sales will be ok and they hang on.
What comes after that will determine a make or break moment. They need a hot license.
Spooky Pinball. They do everything right. Theme matters. They got it and they have the family small home town feel good hit of the year. A year and a half at that ! They are locked in and here for the long haul.
Deeproot will struggle to take a market share as it will be a juggernaut competitive market by the other manufacturers.
Again theme matters ! If you don’t have a strong license you will reap the consequences of sales too other pinball manufacturers.
Pinball Brothers will make a return.
Just my .02
Happy New Year.
What’s everyone think of my predictions from a year ago?
