I think it has more to do with the cost of the license.
I can easily afford the $750 but would have just about 0 motivation to spend that much on a topper.

It looks like a sweet topper for $199, not a bad deal at $249 but $750 it is an outrageous price for what you get. If your buying that topper you must have disposable income that you can light a grand on fire every month and not notice. If your in that position all the power too you, enjoy it, everybody else is just making really bad decisions.

There is a ton of personal judgment happening in this thread within a hobby that's usually incredibly supportive and filled with some of the better people on the planet.

If anything I think most of us feel bad for SW owners. They have patiently waited over 2 years for the thing and now stern increased the price to $750 and are limiting production to boot! If you have the cash and really want it, cool no judgment here have fun. I just think stern is bending SW fans over a barrel on this one.

I think part of it is how predatory this topper is and the elitism involved. If your a huge Star Wars fan and had your $400 in hand your getting screwed here. The whole limited edition thing is just fuck you I got mine. I am sure there is plenty of profit to be had with this thing even at $300 but why let everyone that ones one buy one and make $50 a pop. It's way less work to make $450 profit on the elite and tell them they are special. So they tell the average fan sorry you just not elite enough for this product. It's not really surprising people are critical of this type of business practice.

Patiently? They've been pissing and moaning the whole time.

i don't think that topper matches the new comic artwork at all. It looks like it was made for the original runs for sure.

It's hard for me to understand how it's "bending anyone over a barrel" for an optional accessory. For a replacement part with a high cost, I can see how that would stir that emotion. This is an optional accessory. Folks can vote with their wallet, right?

Marc

Not when you're a pinball addict man. You gotta get your fix, and it sucks when your pusher shakes you down.

Exactly my thoughts. I'm wanting a comic edition, but the topper wouldn't look right. That would help on passing. If I had an original run, it would look better, but still not $750 better.

I appreciate Tseamans posting some pics that everyone asked to see. You are free to post what you like but I find that an unnecessary and rude comment. Comments like that keep people from posting pictures.

It would be even sweeter at $125!

At $75 the sweetness would be off the charts!

I'm getting sweaty just thinking about it.

Maybe if you spent less on your basement you'd have more machines like him

Because when you use terms like that it just makes the story so much more fun to read. Its all about the drama.

Ditto on this. Very thankful for the pictures. Love the GB and bttf in there too.

Is the base of it a cooling fan?

Air conditioning or possibly a dehumidifier?

I thought maybe there was a speaker in their to make sounds independent of the machine.

Does it do anything in attract mode?

It’s definitely mounted correctly. The wires come out of the baseplate of the topper where the plaque is and has to match up with the hole in the box. The grill in the front, I believe it’s a speaker grill. It does make R2D2 noises it’s not super loud but definitely can be heard. Yes if left alone he does some attract noises.

Have you played a game with it installed or not working properly?

Wondering how much it gets used in game play?

Appreciate the photos and effort, but since it’s broken, looks like we need to wait for pinsider #2 to get this for a decent assessment. Tseamans what is the latest on the issue with it?

Forgot to ask, how did you get it so early?

What a dick comment that was! The guy is sharing photos and gets attacked for not spending more money on his basement finishing? This is a pinball community. Do you even know what that word means? Very juvenile comment. Thanks Tseamans for posting the pics.

The moment I saw it I wanted it. Discussed with wife the price. Guess what I got for my Christmas present this year? Anyway, ordered it from GAP and I only live about an hour from Chicago so I got it fast.

Also because of the switch issue, I tried to play it but it was, let’s just say distracting, with the motor noise. Anyway it does operate a lot during gameplay. There are circuit boards throughout the inside back so I’m sure it does more.

Mounted on the machine it looks bigger than I expected. Looking forward to seeing a video. Thanks for the pictures.

Wow it looks like absolute garbage. I mean even worse than GB.

Love the buy buy buy on this from the distro's. Again I can't technically fault then but man - waking up and having to push this garbage on people would make me rethink what I was doing. I blame Stern too for putting these folks in that position. Super greedy..... And then dummies buy it so here we are again in the vicious cycle.

It is just a toy that sits on top of another toy. Why get worked up about it? I get people not liking the topper, not liking the price, and commenting on it. Don't understand the need to insult other people who feel differently.

+1. No need to be so negative. The only thing objectively wrong with it is the price. Pinball is not a poor mans hobby. If it’s not worth it to you, fine, don’t buy it.

Me too. I hope you get your issues resolved quickly and thanks for providing hands on information about the topper.

It’s comments like this that give pinside a bad rep. You may have a good point in there somewhere but you diminish your message with your exaggerated over the top hyperbole.

If you're decisions impacted only you, sure - do what you want and waste your money. The problem is if there are enough people like you, buy all of these dumb overpriced toppers and send the wrong message to these companies, we all pay the price (literally) as new items will follow the same path (overpriced, limited quantity, etc).

So yeah - I'll speak up when I think companies are checking to see how stupid we are as a community and folks like you proudly say - really stupid....here's my money.

I honestly don't care if you think the topper is stupid, that I am stupid for buying it, all the rest of your overblown angst. Don't need your or anyone else's support and approval for how I spend my cash. I do find your stance kind of funny though. Looking at your collection history you are a bigger part of the pinball hobby price explosion than I could ever be.

Just not sure why you feel the need to insult other people. To each their own I guess.

lets just say there is a great market opportunity on toppers in this hobby.
I'm sure someone can make a ten Times better topper, at half the price.
I've said it before, we need more smart and Creative people in this hobby.
Hackers etc. Get more young people in this hobby and issues such as this and f. Ex. Beatles game only having a few songs,
will solve themselfs.

We already have a lot of creative individuals in addition to the big companies. There are many individual members on here who have created awesome mods. I love that, some of my favorite mods are from mom and pop type of folks. I think that’s awesome. You can see the love they have for this hobby in their creations. These great entrepreneurs give us what the big pin companies don’t. Really neat mechs and add one to make our pins awesome. And we are all the better for it.

When you think about the Black Knight topper at $429, that is almost proof that Star Wars is an anomaly for whatever reason and that this may not be a trend. The LE model is still a head scratcher for me. That’s what irks me more than anything.

It really doesn’t matter how smart and creative the community is, they will never be able to freely sell a Star Wars topper with the assets we know from the franchise on the market. Same goes for Batman and any other highly protected IP. Also, I want a game interactive topper. Not something that is tied to a couple of flashers, but truly interactive and triggered in the code.

Very hard for an independent folks to pull that off and not be shut down.

I pre-payed for this one when ordering the machine. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough and required a bit more to complete the purchase. I drove in tonight to pick it up. Sounded like orders are piling in to the dealers; More than anticipated. I wonder if a different topper will be produced after the 500.

Toppers are great fun for those who aren't in the game. Makes everyone feel involved and adds atmosphere. This one's head is crooked, and (2) cabinet screws prevent a flush rest on top. I'll pull it back down to adjust the assembly and block the light escaping from its base. The head/motor noise is quite noticeable and quickly followed by motor sound from the speakers. R2D2 sounds are more plentiful during game-play; More-so when hitting Mystery. It's new and intrusive to what I have been accustomed to. It'll grow on me, I'm sure.

Pinball - SWTopper (resized).jpg

Yeah I bet lol. I'm sure that they wouldn't BS you to make you feel better about paying 800 dollars for that Haha. If you like it that's all that matters though and it's your money so you should spend it how you want to. Congrats.

Sure they are man.. I'm sure they are about sold out according to dealers lol.

Thanks for the video. So those sounds are coming from the speaker in the topper?

I try to put toppers on all of my pins. Hundreds of dollars spent on silly light up decorations on top of an expensive toy. It's probably not the best thing to spend money on. But...spending 8, 9, 10k+ on a toy is probably not much better.
IMO toppers are ALL overpriced for what you actually get, but I still buy them. Because I like them. They look great up there!

GOTG only lights up (400). TWD too (400). DP at least has a spinning thumb (400). BM66 projector is really cool (250 I think). Although the BM66 Villians topper only lights up and costs 600! (I didn't buy this one).
So... even though I feel that the new SW one looks like the base is unfinished, AND I feel that having LE badges on toppers is a really silly idea, I DO think that a moving, light up, beeping R2D2 looks really cool up there. If I still had my SW I'm sure I would want this topper. It's only 150 more that the Villians topper. At least it moves!

We (the pinheads) need to remember that we spend LOTS of money on toys. LOTS! We shouldn't judge guys because they spend more money on lights or mods or decorations. And we definitely shouldn't judge guys for their decision to spend their money on toys VS their homes (or anything else).

Nick

Does R2 do anything interactive with the actual gameplay?

I know you guys aren't going to want to hear this but I have to agree with the guy who says it will be worth $1000 in the future. At the very least it will maintain it's value.

My reasoning is as follows...

I don't have any toppers but many collectors love them. There have probably been thousands of Star Wars machines sold. All it takes is for 500 of these owners to want one and the price will rise. It will take awhile until supply dries up, but in a few years (maybe 5 or so?) when future collectors, who don't care what the topper sold for in previous years, go and purchase a Stern Star Wars pinball, the topper is going to be a 'must have' item for them. That's just the way it works. It will make it easier for the seller to sell his machine as well. Most future buyers are going to ask the question "Does it have the topper?" I have been involved in collectibles for a very long time. I can give you 100 examples to back up my prediction but I won't waste your time.

Believe me, I can't stand the greed either but the most basic economic law of supply and demand have proven this sort of thing time and time again.

I like toppers also and I've got TWD, MUNSTERS, and AS. I dont like the GB topper so I didnt get it but I will probably get the IMDN one even though its overpriced. I couldn't get the SW topper though honestly because it's just too ridiculously overpriced.

They are cool though..I think it's funny how some people love them and how some people hate them. Seems like its 50/50 on that.

Wonder what the licensing fee from Disney/Lucas Arts was on just 500 units. Saw George Gomez in an interview and he said that they were going to be really expensive after approved unit was finally done. I assume he meant licensing from the way he spoke in the interview. So don’t think this is all Stern on ridiculous pricing.

Get Kapow involved and that licensing debacle shot Beatles and Batman way up in prices too. Think Stern boxed themselves into a hole before licensing was actually completed and approval done. They had promised one and if they didn’t come out with it, they’d have all of us mad at them, but still mad because of high pricing. A no win situation. I do think they way over priced the topper. Too bad all 500 units can’t sit in the warehouse for Stern to learn they shouldn’t do this.

Way too much apparantly. Lol

Er, you have an Alien in your collection

Dammit that looks cool!

All fair points. The BM66 Villains topper was $399 MSRP when you could find one, but yes I agree, let folks spend their money how they want and don’t judge. This is one of the coolest game interactive toppers released.

Hmm with all those screws/bolts showing I think the other guys are right. You’ve installed it backwards.