Not sure yet but in the past price increases have also been applied to existing titles.

I'm not going to say I won't buy another game as I'm interested in the next Whizbang release. I won't be buying another normal release pro/premium/LE NIB though. If there's something I really want I'll wait and get HUO after the original buyer waits for it, deals with the code, adds mods, and fixes all of the gameplay issues.

Stern makes some really good games. I'm not sure price increases are going to be received well when 2016 had major shipping delays, major QC issues, price increases, and very little in the way of code releases. "Stay tuned" for the next price increase.

Who told you this? Stern is very interested in finding this person.

Yep, in 2015 I paid $4400 for metpro LED delivered to my door. If the new actual cost is $5400 or so that's almost a 20% increase.

I said when BM66 pricing came out that they would use this "special" release as a springboard for another big price increase. Release a game that you claim is a special small run for a big price increase. Go back to normal releases with a $400 price increase and the BM66 buyers won't hardly notice. When you just paid $9500 for a BMLE or $7900 for a premium all of the sudden $8400 and $7200 doesn't feel so bad.

In the end as long as they keep selling out the LE's and seeing good sales numbers pricing will continue to go up. It think the people most frustrated are the ones that have been buying NIB sterns for the last 5 years that are suddenly priced out now. Personally I don't really care, I'm not going to be a NIB buyer going forward anyway. The value isn't really there for any of the NIB games. I can get a HEP on the used market that was restored within the last 3 years for the price (or possibly cheaper) then the price on any of these companies full featured or limited release games. Or maybe I get 3 really good used games instead for the price. Simple fact is most good pinball machines are fun and the amount of fun does not vary 8K worth of fun. For the price of BM66LE you can get a nice Congo, Fishtales, and BSD. What is going to be more fun? The only NIB games that are going to interest me are the Whizbang releases and even those I'll try to get HUO if possible. The value just isn't there in any NIB games anymore.

I think we will continue to see most of the LE's sell out quickly on any popular license. People that buy LE's are a different market group for the most part. They know there is not value in the difference between a premium and an LE but they want it anyway and the money is not an issue. Mid level titles like Aerosmith might really struggle to sell out though. I think the big drop will be in the premium sales. I normally know several people getting premiums of the next title and a couple getting LE's. For BM66 I know 2 people getting LE's and no one getting a premium.

Yes people are going to line up for star wars. Guess what though, it will just be another stern and it won't be the magical game everyone is looking for. People have already built it up to a level that it has zero chance of living up to expectations. The same thing happened with TWD and GOT. Both are solid enough games but neither are loaded with toys and both failed miserably with capturing the theme. Pinsiders had to fix the call outs on TWD just to have voices from the show and GOT doesn't feel like you are in the GOT world at all. 2 huge extremely popular licenses that couldn't live up to expectations.

I've ben joking with a friend for a year that it's going to be another run at the SM layout with a bouncing death star in the center instead of a vengeance ship.

No they haven't. I think XmenLE was the last true backglass. All of the others are just mirrored translites glued on. Well, unless it's mustang or GB. Those didn't even get mirrored translites. Tron and Avatar have the 3D translites instead of mirrored ones.

It was worth every penny for the pink chalk they called gum

Replaced the LCD in my laptop the other day for $64. Lets not build in excuses for it to suck at a price increase before they even ship the first pro.