I mean deep in the sense of a lot of story and objective based modes with unique mode choreography for each versus modes focused on complex stacking multiplier rules that lack choreography elements (unique music, movie clips, light shows, etc all timed to shots). The last thing I want to see in a Harry Potter pin is a bunch of generic multiballs (sorry Godfather and GNR) with the same rotating multiball name animation playing on the screen while every shot is lit for a jackpot.

Have a Harry Potter pin cover all 7 films (well 8 as the last one was two movies) and say 5 main modes, a multiball, and a wizard mode for each film (school year). That would be fun, and it would be amazing to have 35 - 40 modes like described above in a game. However, what's been buzz kill to me are some of these latest games with generic rules and or those focused more on points versus a journey. Every mode should instead feel focused and story based with it's own unique mode choreography. Have some cool hooks for completing modes such as items to collect (example, collect so many items from mode completions to an unlock a mini wizard mode). Stuff like that is fun to have in games and is far more rewarding IMO versus rulesets focused mainly on points.

If a ruleset for a modern game at today's price is too basic I'm not buying as it just won't have legs to last in a home collection IMO. Deeper higher quality rules = more value.

The best pins have approachable rule sets for the casuals, with deeper rules for players that want to go there. I would hope JJP understands their customers and goes that route for Harry Potter, too. Wizard of Oz is a good example of that. Melt the Witch is essentially the halfway point, but a goal that would challenge and satisfy casuals, then there's all the other stuff after that, plus the (ultimately boring) Over the Rainbow final wizard/victory lap mode that no casual is gonna see.

I doubt this is real. The Facebook profile that is allegedly Joe has nearly no posts and I find it highly unlikely that someone in his position would make a public spectacle like this.

It will be based off the new show that HBO working on.

Thank god they didn't go with Hairy Pooter to counterprogram a Stern Potter pin.

Agreed. The game should have no more than 7 base modes (1 for each movie) and very limited stacking but knowing JJP they'll have like 28 modes that all feel the same and you'll be able to stack everything together.

If you look at Stern's most successful games, most have 6 base modes or fewer.

I agree that the content of the post is highly unlikely to be real, but the very few posts on the account date back to 2011, so someone would have to be playing the really long game for the account itself to be fake. My bet is that someone broke into the account.

I don't believe this rumor mainly because I don't think JJP is competent enough to get the license and do it well enough to have the game pass licensor approval.

What?! That would be a severe mistake, 7 modes is far too little for such a title spanning 7 movies / school years. JJP is capable of 28 unique modes, just take a look at Hobbit. I agree with the generic feel of some of JJP's latest games, some of the modes start to almost come across as being procedurally generated (the 128 Pirates chapter and 20+ GNR song modes for example, minus the light shows in GNR modes which are unique).

6 - 7 base modes though won't cut it, not at these prices. Bring on 3 - 5 base modes per movie (x7), one multiball per movie (x7), a mini wizard mode per movie (x7), and a super wizard mode (x1) to top everything off. Make it all feel unique with each mode having its own mode choreography plus some cool stuff to unlock along the way.

Also, Stern has had multiple recent titles featuring much more then 6 base modes. Star Wars, and Batman 66 are a couple examples.

It's amazing how one post could kill AP-GTF, Spooky-Scooby and Stern-Venom sales.

Seems like the post is gone now.. or at least not public.

It would take more than a rumor to even dent American Pinball, Spooky Pinball, or Stern Pinball.

LTG : )

Stern Venom should be DOA IMO. If this is a popular and desirable theme, I’m way out of step with the market. Why exactly do people want this?

Cause it’s a new stern

Yeah, I agree. There’s a lot of good content in the books and movies that can lend itself to pinball code. House sorting with a skill shot, 7 horcruxes destroyed before you can face the final wizard mode. 7 years of school. The battle of Hogwarts. Quidditch modes, chamber of secrets, tri-wizarding tournament. The room of requirement to get an extra ball. Fun stuff.

I'll agree to disagree on this one. If you look at any of Keith Elwin's hugely successful titles they all have a limited number of base modes that are nicely varied and fun. Same goes for Tanio games like Deadpool and FF. My favorite Lyman coded game is TWD which has 5 base modes. I think you can go a little bit higher than this but it's usually at the expense of making the modes less fun and unique. Stern Star Trek is an example of this with basically 18 base modes. They start feeling the same after a while. I'm not a fan at all of Hobbit or JPOTC's rules and I don't think GNR's rules are all that great either. I know with Star Wars you have potentially 12 base modes but a handful of those are spotted, depending on which character you select.

I'm not a buyer of Harry Potter anyways so I don't really care too much since I'd only play it on location. JJP's pricing and lack of code support have me firmly on the sidelines for future games. I do wish they would dial it back on the number of modes and the amount of stacking in their games.

Theme wise I think cartoon Venom with Yeti art would sell pretty well. Movie Venom DOA

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Unless that’s a fact Joe K. account, how would anyone in their right mind question this?

Is this is some twisted sicko’s attempt at trolling JJP using Joe K.’s photoshopped facebook profile page? Joe’s last FB post appears to be November 28th 2022. Did Joe K. really post the bogus bad HP artwork on a Stern cabinet no less?

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It’s a K-man troll. Move along.

Ok, that makes sense I guess. I’m not hip to the Venom comic or its following. The movie just seemed stupid. At least the trailer, which is all I saw.

He wouldn't do that, he's all about positivity with this hobby.

I have Joe K in my Facebook friends list. I saw the post on his Facebook page and it has now been deleted. The last post is actually from 3rd May this year. It's still an active account.

It's definitely his own personal Facebook account. Nobody is running a long game of posting personal family photos for years just to make a fake post about JJP having Harry Potter pinball and then deleting the post.

How bout a new artist for once? McFarlane is the right choice for Venom. I have zero desire for a Venom pin but if Todd was on it, it would peak my interest considerably.

Come on buddy so do I and I’ve never seen the post. You’re helping the troller. It was never I repeat never posted by Joe. Show us the proof because you can’t.

This was huge news today. I took the screen capture and sent it to my friend who is a big Harry Potter fan. It happened. I have no reason to lie about this. See below.

What a crazy world we live in now where everyone is so distrusting. Everyone continue to argue and call a stranger a liar. Wow, what a great place Pinside is.

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Lets call Bullshit on that bullshit announcement

Like some shit that would spew from Special K

Until a pinball machine is announced by a company, it's not real....but it happened and I provided proof that there was an actual post from the person in question. End of story.

The info was very much posted by this account - i saw it myself. And it's hard to believe it's not John, if the person hasn't created a fake profile for his wife too, a wife that the page says he's in a relationship with.

Do I miss something here? There's no Harry Potter slot machine? Jersey Jack Pinball seem to have a good relationship with Warner Bros though, who owns the rights for Wizard of Oz, Willy Wonka and also Harry Potter. Feels more likely they could land the license for it. If the rumors about The Matrix is true then you can add another one to the Warner Bros list.

We have a few trolls in his hobby

And The Hobbit .

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Embracer owns it and LotR IP now.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/18/embracer-group-buys-rights-to-lord-of-the-rings-and-tolkien-related-intellectual-property.html

Google needs to get its act together

For me, I would buy a Venom machine before I would even consider HP
Read all the Venom comics in the 90's - never saw a HP movie

IF Joe did post this , pretty unprofessional and you would expect blowback . Most of the companies know what each other are doing .
Spooky knew Stern got Godzilla , AP knows who's got Sonic . It's a small world , the Pinball world .

Google is more interested in selling your clicks than giving you correct results anymore. You can get MUCH better answers by starting your search with "Reddit" then adding whatever you're looking for to that.

Try searching for "who owns hobbit?"

Then try searching for "reddit, who owns hobbit?"

The much better results should come from the search with reddit, because it's a curated community with results like the old-timey Google when the correct answer was the most important thing, not selling your eyeballs and clicks. Same problem with Amazon search. Useless these days.

If you'll excuse me now, I have to go yell at some kids to get off my lawn...

Would JJP making HP crush your world or something?You seem to be real concerned that this might happen.lol

Whomever gets this theme should concentrate on 1 movie per release and run the complete series over a decade or more .To me this was the biggest mistake with Star Wars .There’s plenty in each movie to fill a pinball in both layout and code .This way ,”whomever” would be giving the fans the most bang for they’re buck humanly possible .

Is your avatar the paperboy that terrorizes John Cussack?

I love the Asian race commentators

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Fairpoint but they would have had to deal with them when getting the licence , helping them establish a good relationship with WB .

Yupp

Love the scene when he multiplies in his dream haha.

I am friends with Joe K. on Facebook as well. He definitely posted this. Why is this so hard for some to accept/ believe?

can you post photos of these slot machines? nothing shows up searching the net.