"Valentines Day. Bummer."
-Dr. P. Venkman

Someone speculated it in this speculation thread

indeed classic RIP Harold Ramis Wish he was still with us to see the pinball and new movie

harold-ramis_(resized).jpg

Funny how a machine that hasn't even been announced yet already has a bunch of haters publicly dissing it. How about we all step back and think about what STERN is possibly going to release:

1. A NEW game based on a OLD theme. A very old theme. How cool is that? They showed in The Walking Dead that they were willing to take a risk and make a mature game, now it appears they are willing to do the same and make a game based on a hit movie(s) from decades ago. That shows some guts and is going to make a lot of people happy. If this is successful think of all the other 20+ year themes that they can consider resurrecting. So before you go online and bitch bitch bitch about this theme sucks and isn't for you, think about the impact that has on future STERN buyers and it's impact on the possibility of getting that holy grail theme made that resonates with you personally.

2. Artwork - seriously, can people stop bitching about artwork? Again, STERN appears to be taking a leap in getting hand drawn, STYLISTIC artwork done on a game. So you don't like it, that's fine, you don't need to bitch about it. Move on. Some people thought Michaelangelo was a hack. The beauty about art is it's NEVER going to appeal to everyone. Stating you personally don't like it over and over again is nauseating.

3. Displays - Jody said this is the year for STERN. Maybe this game, but probably not, but unless he's got his facts wrong it sounds like this year. Give it a break already - what percent of your time concentrating while playing pinball is spent looking at the display anyway, whether it be a frickin score reel, alpha numeric, DMD, or HD LCD. Let's focus on what really matters - the game play - shots, rules, flow, audio, theme integration, the whole package. LCD or no, it's not going to make or break this pin or any other for that matter. A pin with an incredible HD LCD with a shitty layout is still going to suck.

You base the the whole lcd vs dmd as a home user. For pinball to survive it has to included operators for our future generations. Kids would rather play redemption machine because of the bling. Slot machines went this route and they draw a crowd. It needs to happen for such a great theme your thinking is from the 90's this is why weather you or I like it or not Woz kills it on location. The Lcd brings people in.

Agree with all your points and excited for Ghostbusters. Ghostbusters as a license is now HUGE again. At Christmas time, I noticed retail stores stocking 2016 calendars, K-Mart selling Ghostbusters t-shirts and chain pop culture stores selling anything from action figures to lunch boxes. Stern attend the Las Vegas licensing expo each year and all the popular licenses are there for them on a platter. They would have their new pinball titles pretty much laid out for them, just a matter of picking and negotiating I suppose. You can see from their social media photos where they had some fun with Gary Stern and the various license images.

As for the LCD, yes, it's a big let down for me if they don't go with it this time (I don't think they will), but it's way overdue in their pinball machines. On the other hand, would Wrestlemania be a better game with an LCD as the display?

Not funny; it's standard practice

The operators that I know that keep accurate tabs on what % of games get played relative to WOZ in the line-up and WOZ is almost never the number 1 earner (and these are locations heavy in kids and the random player). Who knows how STERNs business model has evolved - - is the operator still their largest customer base or is it the home buyer? Dont get me wrong, I'd prefer an HD LCD screen over a DMD any day, I'm just not going to get my panties in a bundle because of it.

A good example of how a ColorDMD or LCD is needed right now, in 2016, for Ghostbusters and all future pinball machines- especially if pinball is going to attract the younger crowd today in the same way it did for most of us as kids.

Last week I had my brother in law over with his 11 and 8 year old kids. They saw the 2 pinball machines running (TWD Prem and MET Prem) and as they were playing them, one of them said to the other "That one is really old, lets play the new one". I told them they are both new and asked why it looked old to them. One of them said because the newer one had a cool color screen and the other one was all red (TWD).

Kids literally thought TWD was older because of its DMD screen vs my MET with a ColorDMD. That was the day I ordered a ColorDMD for TWD just to have instead of the old school dots.

Not a scientific approach, but in the minds of kids - the people who will drive this hobby further - speak their minds. Their minds suggest Stern needs to get off their asses and install ColorDMD's or LCD's into their future machines and stop screwing around. It really is weird to think new the only new pinball machines being released that have old school Dot Matrix Displays are made by Stern, the #1 pinball company in the world.. when these small companies like JJP, Heighway, etc have higher tech modern looking machines.

unusual day for a launch for 14th being a Sunday but a while back heard the rumour that it would be released from Australia with Gary being present.

Of course the #1 earning game is WNBJM.

So I don't think operators are too worried about the display; just how much it earns.

number_one_(resized).jpg

Give the people what they want... Big juicy melons

Lol, while I appreciate the data, did you see the pin in 2nd place??

Sure did.

So you can see that even an older, B-list DMD game that originally sold for $3700 is having no problem matching the earnings of a $9,000 latest greatest.

Operators don't care what the display is, just how much money it takes in.

i'm still trying to understand what is official about a speculation thread?

Sex sells baby! ( . )( . )

Based on that, my theory ( can't ever test it ) is that a pre 1955 Gottlieb ( multiple ways to win ) , set up perfectly ( ie not sluggish and slow ) would earn a ton. I reckon Sluggin Champ might even get number one spot!

Anyway back to GB - next Friday I reckon for reveal.

Its been said before, so I will repeat it, why would Stern announce a new title when Spiderman hasn't even hit the streets yet? (or if it did, they wouldn't want to hurt those sales)
I am excited about Ghostbusters as well, and I hope its really happening, but I wouldn't expect an announcement so soon.

Do us anyone know the street dates of the last 5 or so Sterns? Just to provide an idea of pacing?

can use this as a rough guide - basic public release with MSRP's

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/sterns-game-release-history

I heard they won't announce GB until this thread reaches 5,000 posts.
So let's keep posting lots of noise and babble.

Babble, and LOUD noises!!!

I would like to chime in about the anti reboot nonsense.

Reboots happen all the time. Sequels are made. Old movies are remade. Series are rebooted with new casts. It happens all the time. Sometimes the results are amazing (JJ Abrahms first Star Trek reboot was incredible)... Sometimes they are disappointing.

I DO NOT share or understand the general negative sentiment regarding the upcoming GB reboot. It's a reboot of a beloved franchise featuring some of THE FUNNIEST PEOPLE ON THE PLANET... Who are also women. They have been leads, and writers, and producers of some of the most successful films of the last decade.

If the Ghostbusters reboot was starring Bill Burr, Louis CK, Seth Rogen, Chris Rock and Jonah Hill I think there MIGHT be some percentage of people saying things like "GB doesn't need a reboot, but hey, these guys are awesome, I'll give it a shot" etc. But that's not what I'm seeing here.

The negativity that surrounds the all female reboot, seems to be based on the fact that it's women. It just comes across as misogyny to me. It's lame. It's all about how "ugly" these women are, or who you would or wouldn't "bang"... Give me a Fu$@ing break. You're on a pinball forum. You (like me!!) are the Nerdiest Nerd in Nerdtown. We shouldn't judge people superficially. Grow the F$&K up!

I'm a big Ghostbusters fan. Loved the first film. It's iconic comedy. It was a perfect storm of sorts. I'm super excited to see the pin.

I'm also genuinely excited for the reboot. It's a reboot of a franchise I love, made by some of the most talented and successful people in Hollywood. They are women. They are awesome.

Welcome to 2016 boys.

Wrong

Its a DMD game

Back to the 1990's

Sounds like you are seizing the moment to be sanctimonious. Robocop reboot sucked, Total Recall reboot sucked, the new Ghostbusters looks like it is gonna suck. It just looks like a bad idea. You can't remake something and expect all the people that love and grew up on the original to embrace a total makeover.So now you want to label a bunch of the guys that love the original as women haters or something? Give me a break.

I'm not labelling the guys who loved the original as women haters. I'm labelling the Neanderthals whose only basis for this film sucking is the fact that it features women.

I agree with you 100%. The reboots you mentioned sucked. I'm also wary when something I really appreciate is repackaged or remade for a new audience... It RARELY works. It's especially hard on people with great fondness or attachment to the original.

This reboot MAY suck. It may have been a bad idea. Neither of those things are immediately true because the main cast is all female.

It's not sanctimonious to point out misogyny, or racism, or homophobia when you see it. That's what I'm seeing, and I think it sucks.

If you want to downvoted me for calling bullshit, that's fine. I was just getting tired of the many times that sentiment was issued here.

What have we seen of the new film? Some teaser posters? Is there a clip? You're sure it's a bad idea, and it's going to suck? Maybe it will. I'm not sure why you're so sure!

Sorry to steer the thread off topic. It was just bumming me out. I'd like to discuss pinball without tolerating in undercurrent of general nastiness.

So, returning to pinball...

GB looks pretty awesome so far. I hope Trudeau has a hit with this one. I loved the Mustang layout, but he really took a beating on WWE. He's a legend, and I'd like to see him have a huge game.

That's twice now you've called something you haven't seen an "abortion". Give it a rest and let a new generation decide if they like it or not.

Also, perhaps it's best that Harold Ramis is dead? Are you kidding me? I am sure that will get brushed off as a joke but seriously, they're remaking a movie, it's not that sacred. Relax.

This pinball machine is a 30 year old re-boot. No matter how you look at it.

That Batman reboot was pretty good.

So was the Dredd reboot.

Sure was. Too bad it didn't make any money. Fun, well made action flick.

All the women haters can rejoice that Chris Hemsworth (aka Thor) plays the secretary, Janine.

Something for everybody.

That's debatable.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes was a 40 years old reboot - excellent.

Casino Royale was probably a 50 year old reboot - and was the best Bond film ever.

I think a pinball machine themed after the original Apes movies would be cool, but then all these people stuck in the 80s would be whining about it because it's not nostalgia for them. Therefore it never happened. Or will happen.

The key there is you saw (I assume) those movies before you made your judgment. So far nobody has seen the new Ghostbusters and is already lambasting it and as I type this I realize I am on pinside so premature judgments is the norm.

I think the ghosbusters chick version is a bad idea. Putting thor as the receptionnist and all the main caracters as cameos to support that movie is like rubbing it in.

I don't who's idea it was but back in the 80 these SNL icons were the big thing in New York and the world. You can't copy paste success with different out of their league ingredients.

That's F ing hilarious!

"The nerdiest nerd in nerd town"

Totally agree, I think this reboot is gonna be great. I love Melissa McCarthy, funny as heck. If it's even close to as funny as Bridesmaids it's gonna be great.

I don't get the whole women reboot thing either. It's pretty clear if women ran things we would all be in much better shape (with a few notable exceptions)

So let's get over ourselves nerds! Knock it out of the park Trudeau

Nostalgic people are averse to reboots in most instances. It is as simple as that. Y'all can turn it into whatever you want.

Nostalgic people are re-boots.

Whether you agree with the fact that people are being misognystic or not in reference to the pre-release reaction to the new Ghostbusters film or not, please go do a search and click on literally almost any given link related to the film. The backwards-thinking, close-minded bile that is spewed from the keyboards of strangers across the globe in the comments section of every article I've read about the film is just plain ridiculous.

That being said, I LOVED the original film and the cartoon, and I'm looking forward to giving the new film a chance (you couldn't even say I'm readily excited for it). So, there's potential that makes my above statement biased in your eyes, which is fine. I'm not trying to start a debate, or say anyone's wrong or right. I'm just hoping to point out that others here are right in the fact that whatever it is about the new Ghostbusters film, it makes some people very very very angry. So angry that they seem to forget the fact that Paul Feig and the women in this film aren't planning to come to each of their homes to pour gasoline all over their previous Ghostbusters dvds and merchandise and burn it all to a crisp.

...So, about that pinball machine we're all excited about!

Yeah, I can't wait for the Sex In The City reboot with an all male cast.

You mean Tori Spelling is still acting?

Edit:

Lol for some reason I thought it read as 90210 not sex and the city. Hahaha that must have are no sense to anyone, the joke was a real stretch as it was hahaha

You mean Entourage??!

Would rather they not reboot it at all. Really don't care if the new cast is male or female. It's just something that doesn't need to be monkeyed with. Maybe in another 20-30 yrs.

Pinball needs to quit re-booting all this shit and move back into the 21st century IMO.

Finally - someone touched the heart of the issue with re-boot movies. If a movie was really, really great, then what's the reason for making a remake that won't measure up? What take a great movie that really can't be improved upon and spend millions of dollars to make something that doesn't measure up and disappoints everyone? Was the new Karate kid better? Or Footloose (nobody mentioned those yet)? NO! Poltergeist and The Fog also sucked. Back to the Future could not possibly be any better - but I'm sure some asshole will eventually drag that through the mud.