Collectors will, pinball the market is back (for how long I do not know), and the economy is improving.
When I say "collector", I am not just talking about pinball fans, but COMICBOOK fans. Stern did their market research on the timing of release of these reimagined VE.

Personally I see all the changes are positive, not just the art. It is the way it should have been some 2007, no offense current Spider-Man owners.
Nobody has like every game, I do not.
It's not my "niche", but it will appeal to many others.

Prices are what they are for TINY production runs for games these days. It is unrealistic we will see a production run from Stern above 10k in a LONG time. That would deflate price costs in the long run until inflation catches up, but neither is going to happen.

It's not just new artwork.
Who is paying for the new callouts, animations, toys, mechanics, and reliability to start it off?
I cannot speak for production costs, but new pinball machines are baselining in parts and labor at least $5500 even if is a retheme. Labor is not cheap, even though Stern has learned to cut costs...

If a collector does not want to spend $7500 why should they anyway?

A little research goes a long way.

You already can pre-order it for $7100 and get free freight shipping to your door. That does not even consider a person can get extra discounts by knowing a distributor up to $1000 or more in some cases, after a game has "rested" for a while.

People paid a FORTUNE for the Bally EM Fireball in 1972 at $985. Today that is $5700, roughly the cost of a good used car. It still sold.

I stand corrected on price, it is easy to make a small mistake on numbers. If the amount is changed the cost is reflected.

It was innovative, but operators still did not want to pay that amount because most said it was "too expensive", and held ground with their existing stock.
Bally made the home edition to offset for private homes. It was very successful. There were different challenges as well during that time.

It was the same argument as this one.
Maybe Stern should release a "home edition" Spiderman (like they were considering for other titles under prototype) and make everybody less happy with fewer features?

Perhaps you were not around when the original Fireball debacle occurred...

Pinball has become more expensive yes, but not unreachable for new collectors unless they want "all NIB machines" or "all Top 10 pins" as a measure of their epeens or lack of ability to perform technical repairs. It took me over 25 years to find what I was looking for in this instant gratification world. Not everything "stayed" either. It was just not possible.

If people don't like the price don't buy it.
Stern is not going on this one because they are not targeting pinheads or operators for this release. They are targetting comic book fans and new types of collectors as a market "testing of the water" along with price considerations. If it works, they win big.
This not about pleasing PinSide.

After reviewing the Stern "promotional" video, there certainly is room for improvement regarding lighting and DMD animation code.
Hopefully, they are correctly something of the shortfalls prior to main production.
If not, buyers could become new Stern test subjects again.
Either way, I still believe the game will sell well to non-SM owners who like the art, non-pinball collectors, and operators needing something fresh. I could never estimate production numbers as distributor pre-sales are too early to tell right now.
I got my "ping" from several distributors advertisements via email just yesterday, but this is just does not fit my collection.

This video sums up 15 pages of PinSide comments on this topic quite nicely.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=ah7f--gg5sU

I call complete BS.
SM Red was never an overstock machine at distributors. It sold well, and was never in "close out" even in 2008.

Smallest cost I saw in 2007-2008 for NIB SM Red in any sale was $3500 (no shipping included of course).
That was nearly $0 profit margin for any seller, distributor or private resale.
That was REALLY REALLY LOW, and still $200 higher than what was stated.

If this was a "back alley" deal from Stern direct (which still occurred at the time), then congratulations.
Stern has put an end to this practice especially eliminating any "holding" factory stock in significant quality, unless the game is an outright, complete bomb in the future, and distributors make terrible pre-order decisions or there are massive order cancellations, which then black eyes the distributor from Stern.

That is not going to happen again, just like the days of grabbing "B/C title" late 80s (System 11) and early 90s (Pre-WPC and WPC) BLY/WMS DMD pins for $500, unless completely stripped of all boards and blown out playfields, which even then is still questionable.
This includes "container deals", because half is what is shipped is complete garbage now and raises the cost per machine, which turns said machines into part donors.
Most brokers are not taking the risk now with the loss.
There are a couple of potential exceptions, but I could count them on one hand.

I don't wish Stern ill will either way, but I hope collectors can temper their wallets.
This machine should never MSRP at its current price, the rest is fine if they really want a comic SM.
The same went for Whoa Nellie, which is slowly coming down to earth from the moon.

Interesting your say that.
Did you get your MET Pro used?
I have not seen to many NIB MET Pros go for under $4600 (shipping not included).
That is "bare bones" with connections and a zero profit margin.
General prices are $5000 with discounts.
Secondary market is not full either.
Seems to be at your threshold.

Unfortunately, most A titles are all well above $5k now used or new, premium or not.
When is the last time you saw a superb TAF go for under $4k?
To my memory around 2002-2004.
Certainly, limits your options, if you like late model SS, which is indicated.
"Get the other titles while you can".

What seems pretty evident to me in comparison is why WoZ and The Hobbit are more expensive based on the underside shot of assemblies, if you have the patience to wait accordingly.
SM VE not so much.
Hopefully, Stern does a better job in their next title.
Its been pretty "hit or miss" the last 10+ years, we all know that Stern can do better.
They have the talent, the industry muscle, and the facilities to do it right.

Congratulations!
Did I say it was impossible?
Has this turned into a "best deal" thread?
I thought we already had one of those?

I do not defend or "own" things I cannot see, and neither should you.
That is like believing everything on Wikipedia or members on PinSide that own "Alien" pinball machines.
I have seen a whole lot of things in this hobby that make me go, "hmmm".

Feel free to post the sales receipt, and I will stand corrected on your behalf.
However, total cost should include prep, palletization, and shipping for the total of the machine and state taxes, if applicable.
If it lower or equal to $4600 (with a $100 shaker motor as stated), I am impressed at your negotiation skills and connections.

Too many machines have passed through my hands to start using the internet or word of mouth as the primary reference source for pricing.
It is not synced at all, and Ebay is even worse as it is not a viable direct source other than to inflate prices.
That is why the cost factor has already gotten out of hand in the past decade both for the new and used markets, and it COMPLETELY relevant to this posting.

If SMVE flops, maybe it will slow down the ceiling.
I don't want Stern to fail, but things are well past being in hand.

The Amazing Spiderman in its true glory.
Stern could have taken some art and playfield tips for game advancement.
*Almost* a feasible design (some of the ramp flow and a few of the features are "video gamey").
Habitrails are rock solid to enhance the "web slinging".

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