Nah, two new pins with themes that are post 2010? I'm interested in seeing where both go.

Not a big fan of either, which is actually kind of refreshing because after a decade of themes of dad rock and '80s metal, 1960s TV shows, and classic fantasy movies, I was feeling like they had me a little too easily pegged.

That said, if they ever want to make an Age of Empires or Motorhead themed pinball, I'm all ears.

Stranger things is probably the bigger more popular license. I personally prefer Rick And Morty funny show with lots of funny quotes.

Both great

https://gfycat.com/babyishsaltykoi

Both

Need a both option

Both A+ themes. I'm more confident in a good theme integration on Rick and Morty as the voice work is so critical and they have Justin Roiland doing the call outs. Even the teaser video was awesome.

Hopefully both games are great.

Absolutely out of touch with that one.
Rick & Morty is a licensing juggernaut.
That show rains money for everyone. Everything Justin Roiland touches becomes popular.

Justin Roiland caused god damn RIOTS at McDonald’s over sauce from the 90’s that he thought tasted good.

A freaking TV show caused obese Americans to riot at a fast food restaurant.

Stranger Things, while being popular has already felt waning interest.
Look for what’s on clearance. I can find lots of Stranger Things merch.
R&M? Nah, those fans are rabid.

Here people are eating sauce off the sidewalk after a man smashed a packet of the sauce (at the time each store was given maybe SIX packets)

The sauce is still selling for about $20 a packet on eBay.

Except that ST is a Netflix only show... while R&M is a Cable TV show.
Betting R&M has a bigger audience.

I doubt we'll see a ST pinball machine. (happy to be wrong tho)

Agreed. Based on track record, there’s basically a 0% chance Stern will do what it takes to pull it all together and stick the landing. Show clips, licensed music, licensed product placements (Eggo!), custom callouts from multiple actors from the show...they’ll never do it. It’s just not in their wheelhouse.

Spooky always gets the license-holder heavily involved on a personal level. It’s in their company DNA.

I'd never heard of Stranger Things until the pinball rumors came out

Never say never on Stranger things

This is not just about theme - it's about who is making the theme, so Stern ST vs. Spooky R&M. I think Spooky will do a better job.

Both great themes, but based on how Stern does things now, I have little faith Stranger Things can be done well. Real assets & real actors doing custom callouts...or bad CG recreations & horrible fake voices? A big part of ST’s appeal is the 80’s nostalgia. The music & brands are part of the show, and pretty unlikely we’ll see those aspects in the pin.

Rick & Morty will be legitimately true to the license, integrated properly. This will be so great to see compared to fakes like Jurassic Park.

Most people are watching shows on streaming services. Both shows are huge, but most Rick & Morty viewing is on the Adult Swim app & Hulu.

It’s literally Stern’s next game, by Brian Eddy.

Both!

Both!!!

Brian Eddy vs Scott Danesi.....can’t wait.

Seeing the reaction and praise for R&M like we have seen so far indicates to me that not picking this title was a big miss for Stern. But I am also really glad Spooky got it, because it will be a boon for their portfolio!

Google says stranger things is crushing R&M in viewers 24 million to around 5 million.

And stranger things is supposed to be revealed in a couple weeks by Stern.

Stranger things is dead. RIP

Have only watched Rick and Morty. I know nothing of Stranger things.

Is Stranger Things a Brian Eddy disign?

Stranger things is awesome but I’d imagine that the custom callous by Justin Roiland will be the cream of the crop here. His ability to improvise lines for the show will shine on a pinball machine.

The vocals on the show are recorded at least 3 times. He does them once as rick. Again as morty, then again as both characters. Quite often they’re recorded while he’s drunk to get the burps in for rick.

The voice work on this pin could be way better then any other pin for theme integration

This is what I hate about Stern. They did it with TWD and now JP. For location games where I can barely hear the audio that is fine but if I'm buying a game for my home collection then I want the full package and not some generic zombie or dinosaur game just using the license as the title and art. It's one of the reasons I enjoy the Soprano's and if they made it today it would probably be a generic mafia game with Soprano's artwork.

great poll idea.

Make love, not war man.

Like really.

Yeah, total dark night for Stern.

So let me first say, I love Stranger Things and have never seen Rick and Morty. That being said, I think that Rick and Morty will lend itself to a better pinball theme, given its humor.

Option 3, letterkenny.

This is also my thought. The whole JP thing turned me off, but I haven't played it yet, so I haven't completely dismissed it, however I would have preferred a completely original generic ripoff of JP game, than the 'half license' way they went about it.

This is well said. I prefer Stranger Things to Rick and Morty but I think I might like Rick and Morty as a pinball machine for this reason(humor). Just thinking about the voices in Rick and Morty make me realize it will sound amazing and be funny.

Having only watched Stranger Things, I know nothing of Rick & Morty.

Looks funny, but I can't imagine I'll ever get around to watching unless I'm on a plane at some point and it's an option.

If Stern could get their shit together with QC and value, I'd say mostly both.

Stranger Things started off with a deadly first season, then it sorta tanked with bad writing. Rick and Morty is consistently clever. R&M for the win.

Too bad no license for RAZA to see it battling the others, maybe it can be pitted against American Pinball in the non-license wars.

I think the R&M license on its own lends itself to pinball better. For Stranger Things to be successful I think you'd have to license a lot of the 80's songs and products to make it feel authentic. Stranger Things relies on nostalgia and outside licenses. If only the theme song and characters are licensed I think that takes away from a lot of what makes the show successful.

I love rick and morty but I never made it past season one of stranger things. I hate that show but I know a lot of people love it... and as much as I dislike it I can acknowledge this. The real question How stripped down with the stern game be in comparison.

R & M just worries me because i never like the audio they use for cartoons in pins.
The voice work will he awesome I have no doubt, but hopefully they can stay away from repetitive sounds overwhelming it.
Pickle Rick is awesome, I don't need to here it with every bumper hit.

ST I'm worried aboot everything.

Both of these themes could make excellent pinball machines. It all comes down to execution of the layout, rules, artwork and media assets used.

Most Rick and Morty fans don't look like people that can afford a pinball machine. So Stranger Things is the easy winner here in terms of potential sales. Of course execution is key...the best license with poor execution will not sell that well either.

That’s an ignorant and baseless claim.

Here’s a fact: MOST PEOPLE can’t afford pinball machines. Period.

Here’s the thing...just the raw numbers of popularity don’t always translate to pinball machine sales. When Gary licensed Wheel of Fortune, it was because it was the most syndicated, most watched show on Earth. CSI & 24 were mega hits. Rolling Stones & Aerosmith are huge in music. AVENGERS lol. None of these hits in their respective media translated to huge pinball sales. Popularity isn’t a guarantee of desire to buy a pinball machine.

For the record I’m talking about home sales. I think both will do equally stellar on location.

Radioactive Space Monsters vs. Tom Sawyer!

True most adults cannot afford a pinball...but a show based in the 80's with appeal to people that are GenX obviously has more potential sales. Rick & Morty is a show geared towards teens or people in their twenties.

I have never watched Rick & Morty, the only people I know that have watched it are my son and maybe a few of his buddies. They can afford a burger and shake after class but are years from being able to buy their own pinball machines.

I am sure their are some older manboys that are fans of the show, but in general one license clearly is more in the sweet spot here.

They’re both gonna be solid from a license prospective, no doubt. Spooky has become instantly relevant overnight in the same convo with Stern in terms of license themes.

I’d give a slight nod to Stranger Things for the better property based on scope, audience awareness, demographics.

The real question is, which company will do their respective license justice and provide a complete Pinball experience with that license?

LOL. "I have never seen this show and my teen kids have; therefore it's geared toward teens."

Logic 101. Thanks!

Demo for R&M is 24-39....and it actually does well with far beyond that range.

I don't know a single adult that watches the show personally and would expect most of my friends have never heard of it. It seems like everybody knows Stranger Things. Sure some like it more than others.

I doubt I would get many "What is Stranger Things" in random polls of my friends. I would get a ton of WTF is Rick & Morty.

I know a few hundred people from all walks of life, from all over the world. Seems valid to me...

This license is famously something popular with stoners and young people. I am not making this up.

Not the kind of license I would pick, but I wish Spooky luck. I am sure the pin will be fun.

You usually need to buy a house first before buying pinballs...most millennials rent.

Your bubble of experience and those you know isn’t the world. R&M spans all demographics. Spooky will sell out instantly.