Quoted from jarozi:Here's to hoping JJP can shake Stern up enough to increase quality across the board, at least to the level pre-Iron Man. Be really great to have both companies competing and putting forth consistent A-title effort.
I believe this is exactly what you are going to see happen. Nothing creates quality products, innovation and creativity more than competition. No competition means means one can be lazy and cut costs . . . you are the only show in town.
Look at wresting in the late 90's . . . great television (well, good television for wrestling) . . . as soon as WCW was gone the then WWF product went to nothing. They didn't need to put on a quality show any longer and they began killing their own industry.
I believe Stern is trying to step up their game currently and we are going to see some really good pins coming from that company moving forward. Tron and AC/DC are really just the start (I hope) as Stern will not quietly surrender the quality arguement to JJP . . . they will at least match it (or try to, they are at a big disadvantage in trying to produce 3-4 pins a year to his 1) once they are able to look at what his final product will be.
This is an exciting time to be into pinball. Competition is great!