This may be the most Pinside post in history.

No official announcement/reveal yet and nobody knows when it will be ("soon"). Single level playfield implies no ramps but Gomez said about this Elwin game: "He's got a shot I've never seen before ever and I don't know where he came up with this."

Thing is Stern can continue to flunk marketing 101 when they have a customer base that will buy 1000 LEs sight unseen. Add in all the premium and pros that are also order on top of the LEs and they don’t need to even try and ace marketing.

Lol, when people keep saying things like they are “flunking marketing 101” when they are selling out LEs this fast and have backlogged orders on their titles reminds me of the part in The Princess Bride where Vizzini keeps saying “inconceivable “ and Inego says “I don’t think that word means what you think it means”

That is pretty much how I feel with people complaining about a lot of issues with Stern games and Spooky games. They sell out. All the time. When Stern makes too many (bigger licenses) they still sell, it just takes a bit because of slow times (Sept-Nov are exceptionally slow for any retail).

They don't need marketing, heck we are still going through legacy ways of how to get parts from distributors!

No, Jaws was code for Jurassic Park.
Rush was code named Finn.

Don’t know what either Bond is yet.

My ‘F’ grade was in reference to the “here’s the latest and greatest” … [leaked photos] … and now we’re going to hold out on the release to create even more fomo garbage that they’re trying to pull.

They’ll sell everything they make it’s just the way they do it is very unattractive.

Edit: and I think they’re going to find that they’ve hit the ceiling on pinball for the time being.

No denying it’s been messy and frustrating to follow

Venom, Jaws, Sonic The Hedgehog, Back to the Future. Not sure on order but Jaws 50th is in 3 years as is BTTF 30th.

Those are coming.

Sorry, but FOMO is entirely on the weak-minded folks who always buy into the hype and speculation everytime a new game is on the horizon. Not Stern. No one is obligated to participate in any of this.

Anyone can easily log off these threads and shut off the podcasts.

And if people are struggling to justify buying a pinball machine, maybe they should step away and perhaps let someone else handle their finances since its apparent these situations are just too much to handle.

My opinion is FOMO is on the passionate driven hobbyists that want a beloved title to accentuate their home. Play with family and friends and have that ‘stop and look’ every time they’re in the room. I do it with my collection and my car.

Stern is obligated to provide a value drive within us to buy. Like most other luxury hobbies greed and laziness on both parties drives prices too high and value is lost.

Pinside is a great place for like minded folks to vent, rant, flex, share, etc. I felt obligated to share in this thread and regret nothing.

Huge ditto...

People bitch on here for all kinds of stupid stuff...

Complaining on how Stern is handling ( or not) this release is certainly a viable topic.

( I lose zero sleep regarding hobby activities...lots more important stuff out there)

There's a way to experience all of that without the slightest FOMO and without the need for some perfect marketing system.

To have any kind of fear in a hobby of all things, and blame someone for it, is laughable.

My point is that if FOMO becomes an issue, people can walk away. It's easy to blame Stern, but again, there is no obligation to any of this.

Plenty of other passionate-driven pinball machines to experience.

It’s gonna be glorious to watch unfold

Thank you for clarifying. I agree that nib is awesome but when it’s disappointing it can be devastating.

Thinking that a room full of apex collectors actually feel fear? Yes, laughable. More like Flex Or Miss Out.

I thought TNA was a great modern single level playfield game. I wonder if somebody at stern ever said don't make this a super Le. Price it at pro/Premium range and let as many pinball collectors as possible enjoy it.

They re-made Nellie into three other games. They will do the same with this layout if it’s popular. Stern has absolutely not said this is the one and only time you will see this layout…it’s merely the first time.

No

BTTF is not coming or Sonic

There are many of us that have purchased LEs at or under $10,5K pricing. Bond LE at $13k might just be the last one we purchase at these crazy high prices, except for BTTF, if that ever comes out. All the weaker LE themes might not get our money in the future. It may take the market one or two LE releases to learn few will buy in the secondary market of the future, at such high prices.

And your source is?

If by "not coming" you mean in the next year or two, you are probably correct. Who knows beyond that? I doubt Sonic, but I think BTTF has a chance in a few years. My guess is that even Gary himself doesn't know for certain beyond 18 months or so in the future. Buying up themes years ahead makes sense. There are only so many designers, so green lighting a build makes no sense much beyond the standard development cycle time frame.

Too many hints that Stern leaves on their social media even like a year ago.

They have the license for Sonic and I understand companies don't always use their license (see JJP and Harry Potter and how close that came years back) but I don't see why these don't get released TBH

Harry Potter is still coming from JJP, they are just waiting till nobody cares about the license like they usually do.

Fantastic Beasts IV, lol

Like Top Gun?

They have had the Harry Potter license for I want to say 7 years plus...or "had" at least

As I recall, David Fix said on some podcast that Stern does not have that license (or rather he was told Stern did not have the license). He certainly could have been wrong.

I don’t think they have the license. I know they went after it, but thought they came up short. They need to do a better job of keeping their projects under wraps, they always leak out way early.

Isn't that right now?
but the world is ready for Top Gun 100%

20 years ago for me...

Harry Potter will be a must buy theme. However, it will probably cost $20k (for a pro)

Or comic version with Mignola art. So many stories you could incorporate into the rules. Also BPRD as the supporting cast. Hellboy would be awesome.

Somebody is making that one.

That’s would be a Top theme for me!

My distributor still doesn't have a price on these...

Stern Stargazer you can get all 3 spinning at once so it's possible with an even less drag that an opto spinner would provide.

So when is this game going to be shown? Why even talk about it if they are never going to let us see it.? They are straight up playing games with you. Manipulation games.

I 100% agree with you that they are playing games with us and the distros.

Let’s return fire as a group, I am claiming a game from my distro, but not going to say what I will pay. LOL

Thats why it's called the FOMO build up. After the actual reveal it will be crickets 48 hours later.

Wonder if they will reveal before the Premium stream tomorrow?

I was trying to think of what else has a feature out in the middle of the PF by itself that this could be and came up empty. But Odd Job's hat is in about that location.

Why take attention away from the cornerstone game? I think there's a good chance we don't see the 60th anniversary game for another month.

Probably right....given the time frame for shipping ( thought December), seems odd they would wait a whole lot longer though...

If the last thing he worked on was JP Home, then the timing would fit pretty well for him to be able to do Bond 60.

I thought he was working with Jack on his cornerstone debut?

Gomez: "60th will be revealed in about a week."

Gomez also said he pulled a mech from his game and it ended up going in Keith’s game.

Getting excited to see this thing!!

I believe the mech he was referring to was the in-field display. He said something along the lines of "the screen used for home pins is in Elwin's playfield where my Q gadgets are" and I think he basically said he had that at first but pulled it out because he didn't like how it made the game play / feel