Yup...you got that right. EM games are taking a hit and it will keep working its way up the chain as new technology works its way into the consumer product. In an ideal world our games value would stay flat but even with inflation. But thats not going to happen due to technology making the previous version of games obsolete in the eyes of the consumer. This is a "throwaway economy".

Someday soon the DMD games will be old technology too and it will reflect in the value of the used games. Stern will have to get on the bandwagon eventually to an LCD, but they will not be the factor that they used to be in the pinball world if they do not regain the confidence of the consumers by finishing the code on their games. For what people are paying for new games these days they expect a finished product. Or at least they expect that it will indeed be completed later.

It takes more than a bunch of flashing lights to make a game a success in this market that is selling primarily to well informed home use owners. A bunch of flashing lights might make a game a success in a bar, but thats not where the majority of new games are going anymore.

I don't think Stern will need to go that route unless they see sales slump significantly. I don't think JJP will cut into their market until they get to games #3 and #4.

Right now Stern is selling old-tech games like hotcakes.

The question is, can JJP stay in business long enough to carve out their place in the market? I have a feeling presales of Hobbit are slow and will remain that way until WOZ is out and the code is polished. But will JJP be able to hang in there that long? The fact that they've already announced and are taking orders for another LE version of WOZ appears to be a sign that they need operating capital.

Will Stern suck all the money out of the market before JJP can catch their production up? This is the big question.

Stern does have a chance here to be the "nitche" manufacturer by keeping their same platform and reducing their prices to $1000 less than JJP games.

They could then change their moniker to "the only manufacturer of affordable pinball games on the planet".

Actually we are in a bubble now. The definition of price bubble is basically, Prices double and triple within a very short period of time (less than a year). that's exactly what happened almost overnight. The bubble is bursting as many high end games are sitting around unsold.

They've already done that, and then some. Stern Pro games are ~$4500 ....you can almost buy 2 of 'em for the price of a JJP. Premiums are ~$6000

I can't say that I fully agree with the statements about DMD games becoming obsolete like EMs and early ss games, even if the LCD becomes standard. Firstly, it would take more than a handful of LCD titles to even make a dent in the DMD market. Secondly, what sets DMD games apart from the games before them was MUCH more than just a new display. They introduced (or at least made standard) the use of all the things we expect in modern pinball like ramps, modes, multiballs, wizard objectives, flashers, magnets, etc... I don't see anything revolutionary like that going on even in the proposed new designs some 25 years later. Really, if you took the LCD out of WOZ, it's pretty much no more advanced than games back to the early 90's. There's nothing new on the playfield, where you are actually playing the game and focusing your attention.

Brian

And the STLE is (or was) $7900 with shipping. The Avengers LE was $7400 and did not even include a shaker.

?? AVLE DID have a shaker, and it was $6,700 delivered. Freaking bargain compared to STLE.

And if JJP and PPS hadn't come out with the prices they have, STLE would NOT be a $7,900 game.

-Steve Ridge
Louisville, KY

the display doesn't mean shit. Yea, DMD's were invented so who wants to play funhouse anymore? Throw that junk away. Whirlwind, banzai run....all garbage. DMD's made those obsolete.

Link below of the most recent Ebay sale on Feb. 14th, 2014.

19 bidders--sale price was $11,800.

It was claimed to be HUO--but it clearly wasn't (because of the excessive coin slot wear in one of the pics)...it was just a nice original example therefore IMO.

ebay.com link: Original 1997 Medieval Madness Pinball HUO Superb Condition 1 Owner Help Ship

That coin slot wear was the first thing I noticed... HUO my @ss

yuuuup.jpeg

Poll option #5.

Interesting read now that some time has passed...

Well let's reflect. There's a decent mm for sale, asking 7500.00. Actually I see a mix, crazy prices for old games, like 4200 for a modded shadow, over 4000 for an average, stock funhouse, insane. Then I see recently new, higher ranking titles, for 4 to 5k. Those who want new games are dumping their games cheap, so you find 1 seller asking 4500 for the exact same game, identical in every way, asking 7000.
A nib smaug hobbit for 7200, no dice on the sale, a routed one sells, asking 6500.i just shake my head when I see this. Most huo ones weren't selling at 6500.
What's that old saying...something like, there's a fool born every minute.
The other saying I like...a fool and his money will soon part ways.