Looks like a great $20000 pinball machine.

This is truly the most shit hype thread ever.

Literally nobody in here is talking about aspects of the layout, despite bitching for months about no details, etc. and now we have photos of everything and a short video… but instead just a bunch of haters complaining about a game they wouldn’t have been interested in to start with.

It's essentially a diamond lady with 1 less pop. What's there to talk about other than the whacked out pricing so someone can feel special? It's the most underwhelming reveal since The Beatles price gouging. It sold out right? So I'm sure our whining isn't hurting anyone's feelings other than those who plopped down the money. Stern is laughing all the way to the bank.

Lol, screw $100. I'll pay you $1000 finders fee if you can find me a BM66SLE or EHoHSLE for under $20k.

So go start that thread then… I got in wondering if I would have a moment to hesitate and look before purchasing, so I did. On instinct. Because so far these Elwin games have been my favorites.

But you know what what, you’re right… all you miserable bastards enjoy yourselves. Have a blast.

But seriously… worst shit hype thread ever.

LOL! Go start that owners thread man. Let’s see who bought one…

We are definitely in “this food looks terrible…and such tiny portions!” Territory with this crew, but I’m not sure what you expected. People have been edging on this for months and you have to give them their sweet release.

Like a puppy with a new toy they’ll tire themselves out and pass out.

The only thing I wasn’t expecting was the deluge of people who STILL think somehow stern can sell commercial pinball machines for “4-5K!” And not go out of business.

Folks. Accept it. Never again will you see a brand new, commercial pinball machine for $4-5k.

Why do I have to keep reminding you all of this?! It’s impossible!

A pre release thread is bound to have naysayers and critical comments, especially a gimmick release like this at an insane price point. You don’t have to take it personal or let it dampen your enthusiasm.

I love Elwin’s games, too, but id rather buy a JP and AIQ premium before spending $20K on this.

I hope it’s fun for the people that decide to get it, but to me, it just makes me sad to see what could’ve been…had all the Bonds and Elwin been on the game for the cornerstone release and not this Stern market test bizarro machine.

The fact that few people have anything positive to say about it should tell you something. My guess is they are going to a bunch of flippers, or as been stated, people who aren't pinball people. I know Levi loves to play the blithering optimist, but it's moves like this that ruin peoples taste of hobbies and companies in general, along with all the other crap they are doing.

Well, if they were really that misguided/naive, they don't deserve to stay in business! I think they understand the price will impact sell through. I still don't think they give a hoot, since the distributors will easily gobble up all 500 and hope for the best. Until the distributors feel some pain, Stern will continue to be sheltered from risk...they are on auto-pilot.

Because we are kidding, but this game is just a baren glorified home pin. No video, on a pin based on movies. Its like TS4 and no toys. Why Bond then?

I mean they saved a shit ton on any sort of theme integration to be sure, cause there doesnt appear to be a need.

Anyway, not a hater and maybe ill see it at Zapcon!

Anyone want my diamond lady for 10k?

LOL. Got to love a good Pinside rage quit.

Sounds like these sold out today.

Best thread on Pinside. Ever. It really captures the juxtaposition of the pricing police and the nut swingers.

No

They also don't need to sell a game for $20K to stay in business.

You are correct but when the smoke clears will we see a run on Diamond lady?

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Couldn’t somebody reverse engineer this game using original EM parts sans the LCD screen in the playfield?

Nope

The original SLE Bond and you want to give it away for $10k?!

$30k minimum!!!

Whose selling this for 18k? That’s a quick price drop if true.

I read this thread and it seems like some people honestly believe nirvana can be found in a pinball machine. It's just a pinball machine!!

I'll be the first to admit it does look like a fun shooter. But the artwork is terrible. $20K is crazy - for any pinball. And $2K for shipping? Is Gary Stern or Keith Elwin lugging the thing out personally to each customer? And who cares that Elwin signed a placard? If his name is really such a gold standard I hope he is making a killing at Stern. If anyone deserves it is him. (I wonder if he really signed them - or if he is taking a page from Bob Dylan's playbook - hello autopen)

I really hate the limited edition FOMO overpriced business model that has pervaded the internet the last few years. Sneakers, baseball cards, sports cars, fashion, bitcoin, and the list goes on and on... Can't anyone make money the old fashioned way - you know - build a good product, charge a fair price, and sell a gazillion of them? Instead everything is just manufactured exclusivity with a huge premium.

Pinball was (and should be) a communal and inclusive hobby. It's about getting together with your friends and having fun. What's fun about this? 500 machines total - worldwide! Flippers will be asking 30K. Rich collectors will have a bunch ensconced in their private collections (still boxed!). And if we are lucky a handful will make their way to a few popular arcades and/or pinball shows where the real diehards will get to wait in a line 20 deep to play a game.

I only bought my first pinball machine a few months ago and I'm already exhausted. I was all in thinking pinball was going to be my next hobby. Now, I'm not so sure. It's pretty obvious there is a huge supply/demand imbalance. Stern as the leader should be investing in the supply chain and manufacturing capacity. Instead we get this elitist crap. It's such a turnoff.

Sorry for the rant. I'll go take my medications now.

When there's no hype you get tripe

Is Sanchez in this game? That’s all that matters!

Let’s not cry any rivers for Stern

I figure JJP and Stern are behind the real market by 6-12 months or so.

Spooky, CGC, AP etc are the winners of these price increases.

$13 LEs? $10k premiums and heading towards $8k pros?

Just like JJP, Stern has misread the market. I realize they have a big backlog, or at least did before announcing increases on games people have put a deposit down for over a year.

Stern simply doesn’t care what we think as long as we keep paying the hikes.

Well the jig is up imho, we ain’t talking about $4-$5k games anymore.

When did STH come out? $8,700 for that LE. 500 of those

I tried hard to get there on the 60th game as much as I love Bond, just can’t get in the same ballpark.

Then what’s next? As a habitual LE buyer over the years, no mas at $13k/1,000 pins for me, I don’t care what it is or who designs it.

It’s just pinball.

New people to the hobby? Doubt it, Covid and free $$$ caused a massive pull forward in Demand of just about everything

A new phenomenon exists. Buy a game today and lose $$$. That’s probably the way it’s meant to be BUT not everybody gonna like that.

Especially the flippers that fueled the insanity.

BondLE, Bond 60th, TS4? Just the beginning of the worn out Goose.

Does Stern care right now about Bond 60th? No they get all their cash in full this week.

It’s the Distros that are going to get stuck holding the bag.

Oh, and then there are many more releases coming to load up on inventory.

At these prices? Yeah the reality check is upon us.

Some will continue to think, no worries, the party never ends and the road goes on forever.

That’s ok, still have plenty of options and fun to be had in this hobby

Congrats to those that get it and love it!

It’s true.

You can’t get there at $18k?

What would it take?

How can you resist this? You know you want it!

Once more, for the people in the back.

Assuming this game with ALL of the Bonds and the Beatles are by far the most expensive themes ever, I wonder what it comes down to on a per game basis? Stern and the distributors are certainly making their share here, but how much is the licensor raking in? I assume it is somewhere between a big and a huge cut of the profit. One thing for sure is the license holder is the one truly making the easy money here.

Ok here's my bulls#%t theory... but I think it fits the facts..

For the last two plus years Stern has been Swamped with orders...
Orders that Stern cannot fulfill...
Stern raises prices.. understandable with crazy world inflation and supply chain restraints.
But the price rises do not slow the orders for new games.
Stern raises prices again... same result.

Sometime in this timeline Stern believes the Pinball renaissance is real.. and signs the contract to move to a new Factory, basically doubling its floor space.

Stern does the only thing it can in 2022 and reduces it's new builds to two Cornerstone games, and works on the backlog.

Bond is announced with another large price increase, with the new Bond prices retroactive to older titles as of January 1st 2023.

Stern announces 500 Bond SLE at a stupid price for " collectors "

Theory.. Stern is simply treading Water until it can open the new factory, and hopefully increase production by mid 2024.... and POSSIBLY lower prices eventually, on Cornerstone titles.
and yeah yeah.. I know companys don't ever lower prices... until they are forced to.
Bond 60th is just a cash infusion to build less games at a higher price to bridge the gap until the new Factory can get up and running.

Simply.... Stern is trying to tamp down the new orders.
If I'm wrong then Iceman44 is correct.. see above.
This year could be tough for Stern.. We will see if the demand for backordered games hold up at the new Prices.

I was interested in Bond Premium until the price Increases.
Looks like Rick and Morty is my last NIB...
I just won't consider buying from any company at a 9 K + level.

Keith's single level design looks awesome... Would love to drop a few Quarters in and play it...
wish it was a home pin, or home pin Pluss++ for $8000.

Cheers.

In my mind it’s still 3-5k too high at 18k. Especially if there is no video or audio content as rumored.

Actually they are in a win/win situation.

They already have the license
Get Elwin on an exclusive title - let him create a pin that doesn't meet the cornerstone guidelines
Limited run and charging a high price - plenty of cash flow

They'll sell all 500 eventually. While I wish personally it was a larger run with a lower price, from a business standpoint - it's a great move for them.

I’m not a hater but I think even at that your being generous if you compare the game to the LE version

If any distributors are really selling this at 18k I'd buy it. Put it on location for 9 months, make half my money back, and then take it home and I have paid the correct amount of this game.

I don’t know where all this “no content” stuff is coming from. It’s gaining steam with zero evidence. Why would they buy this license and not use any of that stuff?

Okay but what if you did that with a GZ or basically any other game?

Lol, I wasn’t even going to try to address those. “Let’s price it to take a loss and multiply it by 5000” is probably not a great business strategy

We will see when the distributors eat the cost.

There are really good modern pinball machines available for a fair price, like Houdini, Scooby Doo, Cactus Canyon, Oktoberfest.

Cactus Canyon remake is $8000. That’s $4500 in 1998 Dollars. I couldn’t find the original Cactus Canyon 1998 MSRP but I’d be surprised if it was a lot less than $4500.

True, but I can buy a Godzilla any time. This is limited. I could've done this with Godzilla a year ago and a year from now. But I can do this with this game during this time only. I guess, technically I could buy it second hand and do it also, but I would do it right now.

It was $3500 if I remember correctly.

Make $9k in 9 months on a street level game? People would have to put money in it…

Every single person here who leaves their home and plays on location is going to drop at least a buck or two on this game when they see it, out of curiosity if nothing else.

Just like your mom.

Not when there are Bond Pros and Premiums I can play instead.

Good question. What would it take? I def want it but …

I actually like the artwork. The interview did it for me. Not my cup of tea, a throwback game for $18k. Beatles fills that void.

But I can see why some people will like it. Totally different retro style.

All pinball is fun

The brochure doesn’t highlight any of it and the interview with Keith and Pacheco didn’t allude to much code wise

Even they talked about probably no more throwback games in the future, pinball is a “ramp lovers” game for the masses

Wish they would elaborate if more movie assets are in the game other than artwork, which is cool imo

And they expected very few if any to make on location. Didn’t have to state the obvious

Hype threads are guaranteed to be quite toxic...ALWAYS ARE..go look at old WOZ, BM66, etc....this is not a Diamond Lady, its an Elwin Bond ffs. Let the rage flow. Owners thread will have the info you'll appreciate.

Be happy for your purchase w your $$$. Looks like a great game....Im excited, cant wait to play it and after being on the fence, happy w what I saw ( finally).

Until someone buys a game for me, could really give a shit about the negativity....

Another reveal day on PinSide...thats all...

Ice, didn’t you say you were out if the price started with 2? Well it doesn’t. Let’s go you know you want it!