Yes Stern has a lot of 'new' themes (WD, GoT, superheros etc). But these are all very safe and corporate. I was talking to some of my customers and going over new games with them. Got a lot of mehs at the theme. They didn't dislike it but were not excited about it. The GB approach is better at least artwork wise, it is just an old theme.

When we have had some older games around I get a lot of feedback on how awesome they look but they like the play in newer games better and play them more. Combining the two is where it is at. I hope Pat Lawlor's game is a cool theme.....

I think Twister was a great movie. But 20 years later most everybody wants Medieval Madness and Attack from Mars. Games that became legendary in their own right.

20 years from now there won't be such a game from current times and all these licensed themes you can throw in the same pile as Twister.

Sick of waiting for your GB Pro? Gary is like a Honeybadger, he just don't give a &*%&!!!! Oh, and he's still thinking they could probably get away with another $200 price increase on the next pin since everyone is so eager.

Time to lean....time to clean! Factory is no doubt spotless!

I grew up with a Target Alpha, Swingers, Hot Hand, and Time Zone in the house. It wasn't the licenses that kept me going to the basement to play...

Star Wars Episode I was hugely commercially successful. The most successful Star Wars movie ever until Episode VII based on tickets sales.

It wasn't the licenses that kept me dropping quarters in them at the arcades either.

They didn't even have licenses until Wizard came out. Funny, I could almost see the writing on the walls when that one showed up.

Yeah....just imagine if the movie was actually any good.

Sounds like a first world problem to me, being able to afford NIB but having to wait for it. I'd be irritated too, that's why I don't buy NIB or prepay for anything. Had a vendor say "give me the cash" and come get your product later. Yeah buddy, let me jump right on that.

With all the delays, surely Stern must be working on securing the next great licensed theme!

The-Color-of-Money--1986--80s-films-298553_507_755_(resized).jpg

Sterns licencing of "remade" themes is not so much a comment on Sterns licencing choices as it is with the entertainment industry in general. Big media is becoming more and more risk averse and relying on previously proven themes. Disney and Marvel, Star Wars, Ghostbusters etc etc. No wants to take the risk.

Well that it explains it then. You don't want to try to feed sheep steak if they will be happy consuming ordinary grass.

Pretty sure sheep are herbivores

It's a theme they can live with.

That's like denying the NFL is relevant to many people today because football existed 100 years ago.

Oh God - I sure hope this doesn't impact the TRON re run that Todd was talking about. Or set back the TRON VE people have been talking about for the last 3 years.

I see you own Hardbody, so you get a pass!

True. But isn't that what Stern would want? Wouldn't want to become victim of your own success. If the 2nd hand market is affecting your sales you are making the wrong pins.

All those EMs he loved were based on baseball, rock, ice skating, and cards. EMs had "original" themes, but overly recycled themes.

Tron....Now thats a good game! GB, meh

Word is Tron VE has been pushed back to 2017 now.

This is certainly true. But when you compare the box office of movies like Gods of Egypt or Jupiter Ascending to the likes of Star Wars and Avengers it is clear the public right now wants to become more engrossed in the universes they are familiar with than invest time and money into new stuff.

The days of brand new IP like the Matrix taken over pop culture are gone for now it seems.

But mostly hot women! That's what's missing today...

Jared, why have machines been delayed?

(Doesn't hurt to ask and I'm pretty sure you're reading this thread)

Tron VE? Wow... Wonder what the starting price will be on that considering the used market value the game seems to command. Maybe it's been answered before, but I'm also curious as to what the chances are of another rehash of LOTR?

This whole VE term is misleading because the latest SM VE was more of a remake opposed to IM VE which was more like the original with minor upgrades. Which will we get in future VE titles?

Stay tuned....

Good question. No idea but one would have to think Tron VE will have the same artwork. The Tron IP really only centers around the movies and the game nailed the movie perfectly.

Hahahaha! I'm pretty sure an irc script could emulate Stern's social media posts. Sometimes I wonder why they have anyone manning the controls at all. It's not like we ever get any useful information out of it.

Not true, we learned that Gary is alive and well via the sign pic yesterday.

Fortunately STERN can afford some forms of delays from what I can tell.
Demand seems consistent and patience is a virtue hahaha!

In all candor, Stern's management of social media is vastly better than it was just a couple years ago.

Is it everything we want it to be? Nope. Could it improve? Certainly. Should they unban a bunch of people who got banned for asking about code for their games? Yes. But on the whole they do a good job of promoting their brand on Facebook now compared to years past.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/ghostbuster-issue-thread/page/9#post-3155271

^^^ If i had to guess

That's true but it did take a little creativity to make robot billiards, alien poker or space surfing.

Gods of Egypt & Jupiter Ascending didn't flop because they were original - they flopped because they were horrible! I watched Jupiter on HBO the other night and it's one of the worst movies I've ever seen in my life! My girlfriend's review: "It's like Liberace fucked Stargate"

I know you can't hear it, but I'm quoting this for posterity. You have a good point.

Suicide girls are as relevant in 2016 as Ghostbusters.

They banned people for asking about code?

You're right. They were at a zero, then dialed it to 11, then dialed it back to maybe a 6 right now.

Seems like the interaction was a little TOO close for their comfort.

The deletion of comments happens on all corporate pages, but we hear about it more due to pinside.

soup-nazi_(resized).jpg

I'm still trying to adjust to Stern's "we don't care" approach to communication and social media. It seems really odd for a company that effectively makes luxury products. It's not like they're taco bell and pissing off a few customers isn't going to hurt the bottom line. They are in a much smaller market of much more expensive products. They may have more demand than they can handle now, but God help them if the pinball bubble bursts or if they ever get any real competition.

Never heard of them...

That's what they're calling the new ghostbusters: Suicide Girls.

Why? Because the trailer made me want to kill myself.

New trailer looks MUCH better. Still does not look like I want to see it.

JJP is saying 2 games a year this year, I will believe it when I see it but that could really help with competition.

Huh? They aren't even doing one game a year. Haha

I'd love to see JJP make a game with a more appealing theme. WOZ isn't for everyone and the Hobbit movies were too disappointing to want to drop $8000 on a pinball machine with that theme.

That would be great for pinball. If they brought in enough capital with the investment it is absolutely possible for them to do it. Power by the hour as is often said.

Hobbit serial no. #0001 and Hobbit serial no. #0002.

Hate on JJP all you want, but I ordered a Hobbit LE yesterday and can't wait to get it. It will look nice next to my GB LE. Played one a couple of weeks ago, with a very pessimistic mindset before seeing the machine in person. Why? I have never seen a Hobbit movie, JJP is the new guy on the block, and I have been looking forward to GB so much.

When I played it, my wife and I were pleasantly surprised just how well done the machine was. The shots, the sound and music, the LCD screen, etc just felt like a huge leap above our Stern machines as far as what you get for the same cost. After 3 games my mindset changed, and here we are a couple weeks later and I have been craving playing it again.. so I decided to just buy one.

Although I am excited for my GB LE to finally arrive, I have to admit I am equally as excited to get my Hobbit. I have no damn clue what a Hobbit is, what a Smaug does, and I don't care.. the game was cool as fuck.

I can't imagine what it would be like to run a startup pinball company, especially seeing how Stern is ran after 30 years of being in business- so major props to JJP contributing to this hobby with some bad-ass quality built pins, and I wish them nothing but success. I loved my WOZ and miss it, but ultimately the theme just never clicked.. but the machine was 10X the build quality of my Stern's and customer service was great. Why even stoop to poking fun at the company? I don't get it.

I don't think anyone here is making fun of JJP, except for their slow development and manufacturing time, but that's normal around here. I haven't been able to see a JJP pin in person yet. I'm hoping a public hobbit comes to the los angeles area. There's a WOZ not too far, but I haven't been able to make it to play it yet. Still... neither theme seems that exciting to me, but I know that some games turn out better than their source material.