I don't normally post in these crazy threads but reading this one I'm blown away, I have read some silly sh*t on pinside during the years I've been here, but I think this might be the most moronic thing I've read here and I have read a lot of Kaneda's posts!

Increased prices does not show greater market demand when the production is being limited. Increased pricing with increased production would show a greater market, all the price hikes show is Stern & JJP have been watching the market and have seen there is a small niche group willing to shell out big bucks for a limited or in demand title - TRON or GB are perfect examples of both scenarios.

The overall pinball market is shrinking at a steady rate and anyone in this hobby can see that with their own eyes, it's glaringly obvious when you walk in your local arcade, I'm on vacation this week in Spain and it's the same, 3 locations with pins, free every time I've been while every other arcade/redemption game is being used constantly, we live in a world where society demands the latest, greatest & newest tech with instant reward/social gratification unfortunately pinball just doesn't offer it to today's general society.

Jack is trying new things I'll give him that, are they the innovations pinball needs? IMO it's not the right steps but at least there steps, but Stern are simply trying every trick in the marketing 101 handbook to take every last cent out of their customer base without adding a thing infact they regularly take away features.

Price hikes are all well and good for this little niche of buyers but when they can't shift there "old" games to get the latest and greatest ultra super duper limited edition there will be no pinball market left used or NIB, how is any of that good for pinball?

My point regarding arcade use/location interest in relation to the home pin sales was simple IMO and I could be wrong but if the casual/regular arcade user is not interested or gripped enough by a pin to drop a dollar/euro/pound for a game or two, then I don't see these same people being gripped enough to go out and buy a 9k pin, which is why I cannot see higher and higher prices being any good for pinball, it's simply going to shrink the current customer base and give potential new customers yet another reason to look at/buy something else.