And yet people think these used POTC machines are worth 15- 20k. Personally, I wouldn't offer more than 7500 bucks for a used LE JJP Pirates at this point. That offer isn't going up as the years go on either.

Even if they actually got around to completing the game, the hype has died. The new shiny objects that have unfinished code and stupid price tags are here. And we're all suckers for buying them unfinished with the hope that one day, many years from now, they might get around to it. Maybe.

This doesn't get called out enough. The lack of software support from all the manufacturers is astonishing.

I had to pipe up. Apologies. I'll go back to the lurking area now.

Stern is better at getting around to it at some point but not calling them out for the same problems is pretty forgiving. They ship unfinished games, too. I've had more than a few that were pretty wonky when you dug into them.

Just as a side note to this, I think this all stems from the blending of two worlds. In the past manufacturers just had to make a shiny object that would eat a quarter or two from a passer by. The code wasnt very polished and didn't need to be. Operators didn't care about code. The only concern was (and kinda still is) is this shiny thing eating quarters or not. So nobody complained.

Now there is this new world of pinball. Home consumers. They expect a complete game. They expect it to be rules deep and have hundreds of hours of content. Rightfully so. They just spent a lot of money on a high end toy.

The manufacturers are still straddling the fence of these two worlds and haven't really stepped up with regard to code and content. Or not remotely stepped it up enough, anyway. Hence the complaints.

I won't tell them how to run a business but I would suggest that fewer titles and MUCH more software support for a MUCH longer period of time of those titles would probably make the pinheads happy.

It's inexcusable that this machine doesn't have its wizard modes. Thats the final word. Inexcusable

EHOH is what's in my living room right now. It needs code attention. There are still clear placeholder events popping up during play.

I like the game. But at 9.5k I admit I expect it to get fixed at some point and I feel probably the same as you POTC owners do. I overpaid for it & I'm mildly salty it's unfinished and not likely to ever get fixed.

Inexcusable.

You bought a pinball at its launch that was more an idea than game. Then watched its development for a few years after buying it.

If this is OK then I submit you have a pretty low bar of expectation.

Video game companies do this a lot, and often get away with it, but the cost to buy a video game in development is usually 20 bucks. We're talking about machines with 8 to 10k price tags that are essentially abandoned with bugs and missing features.

There is room for all the manufacturers to improve in this area. A lot of room. Apathy won't encourage them to change, that's for sure.