Why would these insiders pick fights that have no positive outcome from them? Why would this permeate from multiple different direct sources? This isn't parroting of rumors..

the comment you made, and i followed up on, had nothing to do with who 'steals' from whom and whether it was good/bad/indifferent or the 'same', as you put it. it was about whether pinside would have a PARTY, and who they would favor, as a result of who 'stole' from whom; which definitely would depend on the two parties involved, the direction of the snub, and the degree of fanboyism each manufacturer enjoys on this site.

second, from what i gather, the satisfaction jack might realize from hijacking and producing a title gary wanted vs one that charlie wanted might be different as well. so as far as the individuals involved, its probably not the 'same' in that respect either.

finally, i am an advocate of free speech and believe members should have the ability to discuss topics fairly without having rules selectively favored/enforced against anyone.

It's a discussion - if you aren't interested in it, feel free to leave it.

It's a cite of behavior instead of just emotional banter.

Stern has had a pattern of behavior since the competitors that have come on the market that are heavy handed and IMO disrepsectful to the other vendors. If that is 'evil' - I don't know if I'd use that word. "Dirty"? "Disrespectful"? Yes I would

Can we use the transporter from a DE Star Trek to split Stern into wimpy good Stern and aggressive evil Stern?

I hardly ever post here anymore and trash like this is the reason why.

You’re so off base I don’t even know where to start.

Jody is singlehandedly responsible for some of the most popular stuff that Stern has been able to put together.

Stern is a privately owned business. The way they run their business is up to them. They don’t answer to you or me or anyone else. The market decides by buying or not buying their product. As a customer I’ve been incredibly happy with their output over the last several years. Every time there has been a problem big or small they’ve taken care of me, including Jody personally.

Those that are in the know understand the challenges behind the scenes. Every one of these machines that comes out has been built on the blood, sweat, and tears of a small army of people.

Those that aren’t love to run their mouth on Pinside.

It is the goal of every license holder to get the best deal for their license possible. It’s called business.

Personal attacks like this really hold this site back and it’s disappointing to see. You should re-evaluate your life if you get worked up to the point of a post like this.

THANK YOU STERN AND JODY for enabling the hobby to grow and putting out some amazing titles. Ignore the haters.

Can the real Jody Yankberg please stand up? please stand up.

“Who gives a Shit” was a rhetorical question. This is a linguistic device frequently used during discussions of all types.

The point is, there’s nothing disrepresctful about mining your competition’s Ideas for your own use. Unless you think it was better when Firepower was the only game with lane change and multiball?

As far as the other nonsense, the only respect I care about is if a Pinball company respects the player by putting out games that don’t suck. That’s what I’m judging them on right now, now whatever disputes are happening behind the scenes as these guys fight over your money.

I'd echo what Levi said, who gives a shit if Stern releases a mixtape and a vinyl album? Scott did it with TNA and everything after that is because other people thought it was a cool idea. The end. He started a trend, how cool.

Snatching the Godzilla license was definitely a strategic move and a shot straight across Spooky's bow. I don't doubt that. It still doesn't make an entire company "evil".

Is it true all new Sterns will come with this 8 track?
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Don’t mince words....tell us how you really feel.....

Someone else actually wanted to make a Munsters pin?

2fg8b9 (resized).jpg

A lot of people at Stern are class acts and stand up people that go out of their way to make their fans/customers happy, like with any large company there are always a couple of bad apples!

And not every decision Stern make is gonna please us all, I’ve been pissed at things in the past but after Maiden and now Deadpool, Stern are making some awesome f’in awesome pins!

I agree I don't "get" Munsters AT ALL.

But a lot of people are salivating for it and as I've mentioned before Pinside CAN will games into being just by typing them enough.

I wonder if Stern is going to do a Godzilla pin based on the upcoming Warner Bros. movie (with 11 from Stranger Things). They obviously wouldn't if another company was making a different Godzilla machine.

That being said, I don't like somebody charging into another meeting. It's completely unprofessional and a jerk move. I can't see TOHO Godzilla being a Stern game ever (won't sell thousands of units). It would have to be the WB blockbuster.

A dismissive one that doesn’t treat the other side as if the point had any merit. And your response was to the subject or premise of the thread... if it’s so trivial in your view, then don’t bother with it.

There is difference between copying game features... and marketing/promotion. Especially when the parties in question are radically different in scale and market presence. One can use their scale to simply project the idea was theirs all along and take credit for it.

What I was responding to was your post that basically painted stern as a target for hate that was just going to happened regardless... like it was not due to anything they do. Well, I highlighted just the most recent example of choices they have consciously made that fuel that distaste some people have. It’s not just the top guy taking heat... they are taking heat for choices they’ve made. Be it support choices, product choices, leadership, or now... the actions of individuals in how they have represented the company. This dislike of stern did not come out of the blue.... it festered from their actions.

He was specifically (and dismissively) responding to your comment re: the inclusion of a mix tape with game purchase. He was not addressing the premise of this thread, which is broader and more metaphysical in nature.

Why? Either way they're copying something that a certain segment of buyers will be excited by and that will help sell more games.

And we are back in who gives a shit territory.

Hate to break it to you, Scott isn't the first person to put a Cassette tape out, or issue a media accompaniment to a video game or pinball machine. Williams was putting out promo LPs for Gorgar. Atari games I bought in 1982 came with comic books. You could buy a double LP for the WIPEOUT video game in 1997. None of this is new, none of it is owned or invented by Spooky, and Stern isn't committing a moral or legal crime by getting on the bandwagon and doing it better.

For the life of me I don't understand why anybody cares about this stuff. It's almost as if Stern is making games so awesome on the reg that people are running out of things to complain about.

You don't see ME bitching about all the BOOOMs all over Deadpool do you?! That's MY thing.

(oh yeah and John Madden 40 years ago and a bunch of other people in pinball)

Stern releasing game music media or implementing co-op mode or anything like such that has come from Spooky as first is fine. Spooky claiming exclusivity rights on this, hypothetically speaking, would be the dick move in this matter.

It is apples and oranges. The one thing is a matter of getting inspired by competitors and taking it further. The other is the, hypothetically speaking, defensive act of locking others out of business partners, customers and content.

Now don't have another fit when someone calls you Milton. Unless of course, the rules are different for you.

You're talking about stuff done 30+ years ago... and were normal then... to actions 30+ years later when they weren't normal now. A mix tape wasn't a 'retro' thing in your references... nor was it stand-out behavior in it's time. This is a case of you looking at the literal thing and ignoring the purpose or intent.

The point being is company 1 was doing something to be unique and fun... company 2 comes along and sits their oversized ass on the same spot to one-up company 1.

It's just trashy behavior.

I mean.. Deadpool isn't even a retro theme... it's a comic from the 90s and 00s..

SPOOKY PINBALL DALLAS CONFIRMED GUYS!

I'm not reading this whole thread so pardon me if this has been mentioned before, but since it keeps getting bumped to the front page and I see it everyday....

Am I the only one who hears this in their head everytime they read the title of this thread?

B8A7EE09-972F-4730-BD61-470C8B58C530 (resized).jpeg

Yes, but the original. (I'd actually forgotten Metallica covered this one!)

Company 2 isn't going to be around too long if they let stuff like this get to them. Company 2's fans aren't doing them any favors with this crybaby routine, it makes it hard to take Company 2 seriously when the stuff you are going on about is supposed to be a big deal.

Also, LPs are way cooler than cassettes.

90s is retro now -- you just don't see it because you're getting old. Believe me, it happens to the best of us.

But I like your theory that copying is "retro fun" so long as you go back at least 30 years to find your inspiration. Of course this doesn't address your stated concern that people will think the copier originated the idea, so to avoid any confusion, Spooky should probably print a disclaimer on the TNA tape noting that they, like Stern, did not invent the idea of distributing a soundtrack cassette with their games.

Unlike some of the fans, Company 2 is displaying a sense of humor about all of this:

Company 2 is perfectly fine... really. Company 2 stays off Pinside as much as possible and has never bashed anyone hard on our podcast in over 8 years and 101 episodes.

Company 2 stated exactly what happened, how they felt, and moved on. Others are speaking their mind.

Company 2 is a bunch of happy dudes and dudettes making toys for a living.

I don't think we are even talking about the same thing here bro!

Apparently Company 2 is supposed to be deeply hurt and upset that Company 1 is putting out an LP of pinball music, rather than just being flattered.

I would suggest representatives of Company 1 and Company 2 - as well as those from Companies 3-7 - stay off Pinside lest they be driven insane.

Did you lose your day job Levi? Where's all this new energy to troll and spin up drama lately coming from?

You're completely twisting things into your own creations to have something to counter. It's a strawman and amateur.

One can not like someone's actions... even if the other parties are not offended themselves. GASP.. like T-shirt designs with scantly clad women on them!

Incredibly short drive!

I like vinyl... tried to talk a guy into that a few months ago but he was all like "no, 80's was cassettes!".

He was right. I was alive then and everything. I still like vinyl. Why? Hell if I know.

I don't know man, I'm just seeing a ton more stupidity here than usual. It's energizing!

Frankly I'm also really upset that Bugles have stolen the Ranch flavor from Doritos. Not cool, and its angried up the blood!!!

It's fun to put the bugles on your fingertips and pretend you have claws or witch hands.

True, but that doesn't excuse their trashy behavior.

Company 1 puts out a delicious flavor - cool ranch - revolutionizing the savory snack business, and putting out a unique and fun chip.

Then company 2 decides to put out their OWN ranch flavor, hoping to mooch off of some of this success? Whatever happened to putting out your OWN awesome snack flavors? I'll admit Bugles are good, and fun to wear on your fingers, but this is really an obnoxious way for them to act.

I need to go get a snack.

Funny stuff now that this thread is on pg 6 as always the usual suspects are fighting among themselves

I remember asking a self made millionaire how to choose a business to start.

He just said, it doesn't matter what you do, just do it better than your competitors.

As for Stern being evil? Well, all depends on how good the final update on KISS is

If I'm Spooky, I make an ultimate one off Godzilla game, leak videos of it, and then let the pinheads grumble about what could have been while Stern never makes a game out of it because they don't think it will sell enough units.

whys now sounds like a great time to play 'to tell the truth'.

That’s the first thing that popped into my head when I read it.

F*ck yeah, some NWOBHM! (Although the Metallica cover is really strong too!)

I know Stern pulled some shady bullshit on getting the Star Wars license that involved more than just outbidding JJP - it involved starting some rumours about lawsuits and whatnot to muddy JJP's name.

I wouldn't call it evil as much as dirty pool.

Now now.....don't be coy. Tell the whole story

Spooky's first pin was a pre-existing pin converted to a Godzilla theme. It probably meant a lot for them to get the rights to this theme regardless of how successful it could become. Business is Business at the end of the day, with how good Jersey Jack is doing competitive decisions have to be made regardless how big you are.

Well Stern proved they are evil with the release of Deadpool, how is a warm blooded male supposed to choose between a T-Rex (LE) or a giant shark Megladon (Prem) it’s an impossible decisions, done out of pure evil!

God that artwork is awesome!

Buy both, see Firestone Financial for all of your equipment financing needs.

At that point Spooky was just a twinkle in Charlie's eye.

Spooky is going to be ok, I've been soaking up ACNC and wow, what a nice job they did. Deadpool is DOA.