** The Next Spooky Pin(s) **

Any of these three would do well, I’d be in on a South Park from Spooky for sure.

My guess is it’ll be one of these four: Beetlejuice, Evil Dead, Scooby Doo, Resident Evil

It’s Scooby Doo. Just a random uninformed guess, but that is my opinion, I think that is the game they will partner with CGC on. What their next in house build will be is hard to say. Friday the 13th would be really perfect for them, but how many could that title sell? Man, hard to say...I bet the rights are crazy for that theme. Resident Evil would do really well with the right launch.

Resident Evil

Buffy would be a possibility for me. I think I’d pass on Scooby Doo.

Link us to it please. And maybe give us a summary as well. Thank you!

That would sell out in the first day just like R&M did...so would Evil Dead. I would come in and buy either of those two games for sure.

Funny, I just watched this movie three weeks ago for the first time in at least 20 years. Was a great 90’s movie and it has aged well. Not iconic enough to get its own pin 25 years later.

Isn’t the Goonies license confirmed to be with either American Pinball or Deep Root (I can’t recall which of those two it was confirmed to be held by)?

I think Spooky really nailed it at 750. Sure, they could have sold 1,500 eventually but the buzz wouldn’t have been nearly the same and they would have been making the game till the end of 2022... Talk about lightening in a bottle with that theme.

Gosh yes, not even close. Forget the box office from 30 years ago, just look at places like Bradford Exchange today, you can buy gobs of Nightmare stuff, don’t think I’ve ever seen a single Beetlejuice item. Frankly, the best thing that has come from Beetlejuice this century was the musical, that was possibly the best Broadway show I’ve ever seen (but different story, and totally different sound track obviously).

When do you need to renew your fang club membership by? I thought the membership automatically renewed every year but that doesn’t seem to be the case?

There is something here that is over my head. I’m trying to read between the lines but can’t figure it out.

This is a great point, who would do the call outs? Gotta say, I was really hoping for Evil Dead.

Do we know when the game will be announced?

I’d be 100% in for a Spooky Evil Dead pin. As others have said, I’d be fine with it being based on the recent series, that show was hysterical and would lend itself to pinball well. I wonder if the license is expensive?

Yes, or Alice in Wonderland...I’d buy that too from Spooky if we’ll done.

I think it would be a cool pin to play at other people's houses, absolutly, but would be tough to put in my house with kids. I know I've had games like TWD and what not, but Halloween would just be a bit more problematic.

Do we know who the designer is or who the coder is?

I always order direct from Spooky. Join their gang club. I need to renew my membership as well actually, I’ve been waiting to learn the theme before doing so.

Rumor is 1,000 games. As for R&M has to be 25 or less left...rank speculation from me on that.

I am so in for Evil Dead or any Ash product. Spooky is going to take my Godzilla money from Stern with that title for sure, the irony of that is pretty thick too. Gosh...this is going to be pretty awesome with Spooky’s elite theme integration and what not.

I honestly couldn’t be more excited about a theme. I hope it has some significant Ash vs Evil Dead material. The season one fight in the morgue between Ash and the penis was easily the funniest thing I’ve ever seen on television. That entire show actually was basically AoD continued.

Anyone know when the formal announcement may be and when the orders will commence? Let’s get this hype train rolling!

Well...darn...I didn't get that the Evil Dead poster was not a serious thing... Alas, I was super pumped yesterday, now I'm a bit down as it is clearly not Evil Dead. I wonder what the game will be...

Nightmare would be a significantly better theme than Halloween. The main bad guy not only talks but has humor. I could see them possibly selling out 1,000 Nightmares eventually if the game is incredible but the artwork will be challenging to pull off and it’ll be incredibly important in selling the game.

Spooky really needs the Evil Deal franchise to be their next release, that would be an instant sell out.

I don’t think anyone will argue that R&M was the most perfect theme Spooky could have acquired. Repeating a theme as perfect for pinball as that one was will not be easy for Spooky...and they certainly will not find that next elite theme in the pure horror section. All the same, Nightmare is the better theme in comparison to Friday 13th and Halloween...dialog and humor are important...having Robert England available is important.

Evil Dead would have been better. I think it’s Scooby Doo...Evil Dead would have been better that too.

Scooby Doo will likely sell well enough, there will be some demand for it. My prior posts were focused on the three horror movies that were being discussed.

All the same, I think R&M is a better theme for pinball in 2021 than Scooby Doo. It’s modern. It’s hot as it could possibly be. There have been numerous failed attempts to bring back Scooby Doo...they never make it past a couple seasons. Just because something is super nostalgic and super recognized doesn’t mean it’ll sell out in four hours like R&M did...you need more than recognition you need enthusiasm. Rick and Morty had a ton of enthusiasm...just ask McDonalds...Scooby Doo doesn’t command near the enthusiasm that R&M does in 2021.

R&M is hands down a superior theme to Scooby Doo...and it’s not close. This doesn’t mean Scooby Doo is not a good theme, it’ll sell.

Looks like a photo shop.

I don’t believe that brand recognition matters all that much, if it did then Bible Adventures would be by far and away a top tier theme that everyone would be working on and trying to bring to market. Enthusiasm for a brand, on the other hand, is all that matters and the reason R&M sold out in four hours.

I mean, I guess we will see soon if the next Spooky is in fact Nightmare, F13, or Halloween and they sell out in less than 4 hours. I’m still holding out hope it’s an Ash based game (which will instantly take my Godzilla money from Stern).

You are aware that R&M signed a seven season extension correct? They will still be making new prime time R&M in 2030...between now and then there may be several iterations of Scooby Doo that fail to stick around for one reason or another...mostly due to competition from more current shows like R&M. I agree with your point that the fact that people keep trying to breath life back in to the Scooby Doo IP is a sign of some significant interest in the brand and, again I will say, I think Scooby Doo will sell well enough for Spooky...but the IP for R&M is hot and current with off the chart enthusiasm and Scooby Doo just doesn’t have that.

If all you need is recognition and IP age to have a fantastic theme...how about we get Bible Adventures going? It has more recognition and is far older than even Scooby Doo plus no licensing fee!

It’s been basically confirmed that Spooky has SD, the issue is the rumor is that even though they have it it’s not next (possibly it is the game they would partner up with CGC with). At this juncture I think SB is in fact next and the horror movie stuff is just a misdirect. One thing is for sure, Spooky has done an incredible job of maintaining the secrecy of the next release...no one has a clue.

Take my Godzilla money from Stern Spooky! Make this game please. If not this release, secure the theme for later.

Ash can sell out some pinball machines!

One thing is for certain, Spooky has seen the demand for Evil Dead in this thread. The consumers want this game, the consumers want Spooky to make this game.

I had no idea they had a list like this. Just emailed them. Thanks!

That’s in the All Pinball sub forum though. If there was a Spooky focused poll AoD and Ash in general would take down basically every theme. For Spooky Pinball, AoD is the top movie theme available. It’s certainly on brand.

I’m a buyer of a Stern Evil Dead / AoD but only if Lyman is the Stern coder for the game. Frankly, Spooky is the only company I’m truly confident in really making a world under glass for an Ash property.

Hopefully we didn’t get the attention of one of the other manufacturers such as Deep Root...this needs to be a Spooky title.

Yea, I didn’t want to say it but that was the most depressing post from Ben I can remember reading. I was holding out hope for an Ash property, but that post seems like a dagger in the eye of the book to me.

I’d be in for this theme for sure, but I’m not sure how well it would do commercially. Would a western theme (other than Mando, LOL) sell in 2021? Westworld perhaps more than Tombstone.

Alright, since we’ve left the world of what Spooky might really be announcing and just be going through our own personal dream themes that we wish Spooky would make...here is my absolute number one dream theme...that I know will never be made but can always dream:

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Heck yea, scooping Queen from whoever has the Queen license would be amazing. Queen needs a pin, why not make that pin be Highlander.

I’m spending entirely too much time in this thread, I dreamed last night about Spooky’s next theme...it was:

Quicksilver 2.0 licensed from Stern Electronics...the horror portion of the project was Mirco was tasked to make the playfields.

This is one of the first mentioned pins other than Evil Dead / Ash that would get me to buy buy buy, right away. Had a great sound track too. I must have watched that movie 300 times or so.

90’s Outer Limits was awesome, but limited popularity. Of course, Spooky only needs a theme to have enough popularity to sell 500-1,000 games…

One pin that I would but in a heartbeat would be an Interview with the Vampire (Ann Rice) theme. The 90’s movie with Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise was great, but the entire Lestat book series is great. Like so many other things though, not enough fans.

Yea…my biggest hope is that Ben is playing misdirection and it will be an Ash property…I am holding out hope! My guess is Spooky announces next week.

Absolutely worth picking up. I’d love to get one but I’m low on dry powder at the moment and waiting to see what the next Spooky pin will be. You won’t regret getting ACNC.

Sadly, Ben also ruled out Army of Darkness. I’m hoping he was just doing some misdirection.

Hellboy would be an awesome theme. Hadn’t considered that one.

I think the message technically is “Spooky has earned a tremendous amount of trust from the pinball community”. No way would I have bought Ultraman from any company other than Spooky.

Not all lawyers are bad people!

That started to be more accurate the deeper into production Spooky went, but it did not start off as accurate. The first 100 or so R&M’s went to customers that have bought all prior releases and to various others they owed games to (such as the license holder and what not) or location play, etc. Once all of those are done then order number mattered for R&M. Everyone should expect the same for Halloween and Ultraman and this protocol is very understandable for Spooky in my view.

No, we want an Ash v Evil Dead / Army of Darkness pin!!!! That’s the message that needs to be received.

I have the perfect next band theme for Spooky that I hadn’t thought of before… Nine Inch Nails.

The Pretty Hate Machine album would be great for a machine in and of itself.

AMH is awesome, but it is the past. Focus all efforts on Ash v. Evil Dead / Army of Darkness please. Don’t get sidetracked on this mission by doing AMH playfields.

Yes, that is some hardcore trolling right there for sure. We all know the next game is in the Evil Dead universe for sure.

I do wonder what Spooky’s next title will be though, whether they will do another multi game run out on a single playfield and - if so - if they do whether they will do three games instead of two next time. Spooky had to mine some fantastic market data in this thread.

I also wonder if Spooky will ever redo a theme previously done by another manufacturer that Spooky feels they could do better or modernize. Just think of a spooky South Park, Game of Thrones or perhaps Doctor Who.

Everyone looks to be a critic on the internet… Given their last three games have been instant sell throughs, I do not believe they should even consider a rebrand. The goodwill Spooky has in this hobby is off the charts.

Spooky is a lot more than just some brand anyway, it’s a full blown development studio and a manufacturer rolled into one. They have their stuff together exceedingly well right now.

Heck, Dusk till Dawn would make for a cool pin. Not really any vampire themes since BSD that I can think of. Time for a cool one.