I hear what your saying but it’s a HOME edition not a Operator or Route edition. Pretty sure that is the intention of a Pro.

Don’t get why people feel like Stern F’ed them over the barrel or something here.

It’s a little over priced for what it is otherwise I think it’s fine.

I'm assuming since it has a "blank" coin door, that the test/volume switch assembly is present?

Are there any pictures of the insides of this machine?

Pretty sure someone asked about this during the stream. Other than the lack of coin mechs the rest of the hardware is standard commercial grade stuff down to the tilt bob. Spike 2 system, service menus, USB code updates etc....

Good news from a servicability standpoint. It also looks much more pro having a real coin door on it, along with speakers in the head.

Spiderman home looked absolutely terrible.

Yeah, sort of an evolution I guess. Transformers looked ridiculously bad, spider man at lease shot half decent and looked somewhat normal.

Interesting note from yesterday about the cabinet with the visible bolt heads. Can’t remember who said this during the 9 hours of stream but the games were prototypes and it was suggested that the cabinets were a whiteboard prototype.

Maybe the final product will be constructed like a normal cabinet.

If this does well for them, I think they may want to re-release Spidey and maybe Avengers home versions in this new cab style.

Well I meant in store of course, you'd figure part of the idea is random foot traffic seeing the games in store as a way to grab a new audience, not people who already actively search pinball online.

If they were going to target a big box store to have one of these on display and take orders then a large national electronics retailer such as Best Buy would be the way to go.
Wide age demographic with customers who are into electronics, high end audio video and other tech items.

Stern did try selling machines in Best Buy several years ago.

Yeah I agree. Maybe that is part of the reason for the cheaper price point, to get in to places like Best Buy, Frys, etc. Perhaps they have been turned down in the past by such places because of the price point was too high or maybe not enough of markup for the store itself to warrant floor space. Not sure, but maybe Stern are going after that now. I do notice Best Buy has basically become a store of mini stores, where most of the floor space is carved up by other companies to use and showcase their products so a Stern section to be would be right at home in there.

Was this nationwide or a test case? I ask because I never saw them in stores here in LA. Having said that Best Buy as a store has changed quite dramatically over the past few years, so maybe it's time to revisit this idea.

All endless bitching and joking aside, a pinball company HAS had success with the home model before, sold via retail - Bally sold a ton of Fireball and Captain Fantastic home units. And those games are pretty good, and have a decent pro feel despite being 3/4 size or whatever.

That was a much different time however, pinball was huge, and this was the closest possible home option for most people. I don't think those Bally home games were cheap, either. ANybody know the price and the comparison to an actual NIB game back then?

Didn't notice that.

And those Bally home models used a full sized commercial playfield in a smaller cabinet. It still felt like a solidly built cabinet and the play felt like a commercial machine. It also used commercial Bally assemblies on the playfield. Even included the standard playfield prop rod for servicing the playfield.

At the time they were introduced, I believe the Bally home models retailed for $895.

I have seen some jewelry and watches in the 10-15K range there, but nothing in the 25-50K range in person (even if available via their online shop).

Yeah - standard machines and never had any on display to get a taste. At lease not in the Philly metro area and we have some large Best Buy’s with all the high end stuff.

They ought to give these a go there.

They did have success selling them at the sharper image when they were in business in the early 2000’s. That’s where my potc was bought from.

All about the target audience.

They also sold them via the web through Sears for a bit.

Quite expensive really!

But the home entertainment options were much more limited back then. But I think this is the closest comparison in pinball history to what Stern is trying today. What was a Bally NIB back when those games came out? $1200?

Don’t recall that but they need to get a physical display model in the flagship stores of major markets.

Example for my area would be the King Of Prussia store outside Philly.

It’s a magnolia home theatre store and has all the top high end appliances etc...

Most customers have more money than they know what to do with at these stores

This is the target audience to get people’s feet wet.

Yes indeed home entertainment was limited in those days. As I recall, a brand new commercial Bally pinball such as Evel Knievel retailed at $1595. I think some distributors sold them as low as $1450 to some operators.

This post cracks me up. And I think really speaks to all the angst in this thread. You're imaging a scenario where you get embarrassed that someone comes to your house and makes fun of your coin door, and then shames you for not spending more money.

What kind of dickhead friends do people have? "Wow you have a real pinball?" ... "Oh, there's no coin slots, nice job you broke ass, I'm going home with your girlfriend".

This coin door envy thing is too much. This is like all the people freaking out over MMr coin mechs, when we all know damn well they've never dropped a coin in their games in their entire lives, and never will. They're never routing their NIB games, someone might plunge too hard and ruin the shooter lane finish.

If you would be embarrassed to have someone over and see your blank face coin door then maybe this hobby is just a way for you to show off how you spend money. Or you have shitty friends, I dunno. But what a thing to get anxious over.

That would equal up very closely to this then, about 25% off msrp.

For me, the coin door and lockdown bar is more about serviceability. It's important and separates it from being "a toy" imitation of a pinball machine.

At any rate it's hilarious to think any of his non-pinball friends would give enough of a shit for that bizarre fantasy to play out.

Regardless, I'd be absolutely floored if your average non-pinball acquaintance could tell the difference between the Stern Pin star wars and a "real" pinball machine.

but we're now entering the era where the people with money are also tech savvy. unlike 10 or 20 years ago where well off parents didn't question and bought stupidly expensive items for their kids. yes, I'm sure that those people still exist, but I'll wager that they make up the minority of the wealthy these days

Oh Larry, you sure are somethin else!

It's not a mullet, it's a cat ya dingus. Kidding! It's called a full head of hair, some of us got one rather than a receding hairline, crow's feet, and third chin

Yes. I agree. Even a "blank" coin door has a place for the service/test/volume switch assembly. It also allows you to reach in and unlatch the lockdown bar so you can slide out the glass.

Of course it is comparable. It is essentially a Pro without a coin door and a smaller LCD, and therefore, a 5" shorter backbox. Same playfield size. Same translite. Watching the stream, it also appears to have a rule set that is at least on par if not than better than a Bally Williams game. Roughly the same weight and feel. Quality music and animation. Commercial quality mechs.

Therefore if I can have a "pinball experience" that is equivalent to a Pro at $1800 cheaper then you have my attention. A coin door doesn't add fun to my experience. At $4000 it is much more likely that I could buy a NIB every year. It serves a purpose in the market.

I was at ComiCon in San Diego yesterday and saw these first hand. OC Pinballs (great guys!) brought in a bunch of models for the show and had a handful of these Home Edition Star Wars. They looked “ok” to say the least. But, for someone wanting a pinball machine it’ll probably do well. Definitely not for anyone here on Pinside that likes to collect “real” machines. But hey, hopefully the marketing strategy will work. More pins out there means more interest. Hats off to Stern! My son met Gary yesterday and he was awesome!

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2 inches less deep too so it will look smaller than your other machines. I guess the depth of a pin2k? Maybe that wouldn't bother you...

This is correct. I also believe that this is not an attempt to try and sell these at big box stores that people are talking about. The purpose is what is the lowest price you can go to get a full NIB pinball experience. I am sure Stern has reached out to their Distributers and have gotten feedback of non pinball people walking in with a certain budget for a toy. Once they see the prices of them they walk away and settle on a foosball or other game room type toy. I said this before in the thread that this would be perfect for our rec room at work. The owner has always asked me about pinball and wants to get one for the office but says that his budget was always 3.5K - 4K for a new game. Well here you go. I showed him this and they are very interested. They can now buy a brand new game from a Distributer and they do not have to deal with buying a used game from a seller with a theme they don't relate to. Everyone at the office knows Star Wars and this is a win for casual people at work to have some fun. Similar work environments or youth programs always have a certain budget and Pro machines were just not in that budget. I will be very excited to have this at work. The Jack Danger stream looked like a lot of fun.

People keep saying that like I can just go out and buy a used SW Pro on every street corner. Maybe on the East Coast there are Pros that I want to buy on every corner. Here in the midwest, there are a very limited number up for sale with sellers frequently asking top dollar for their "lightly" routed machine. So then the question shifts to "why buy an unknown, used pin when for a couple hundred more I can buy new delivered to my door?"

Additionally, I have evaluate whether I want to drive 4-12 hours to pick up a machine that I've never seen or played before - its a hug risk and undertaking. I have to pester friends into coming along to load the pin. I get no support after the sale. If I buy NIB, the truck pulls up to my home and drops it at my walkout basement door.

Of course it doesn't bother me. 2" may be important in the bedroom but not in a cabinet. TNA has a similar form factor and no ones bitching. Looks great to me in a line up.

People complaining about 2 inches.

Besides the obvious low-hanging fruit of the joke, I've owned probably 150 pinball machines that were 2 inches shorter than a 90s bally williams game. Can't say it ever bothered me.

Maybe this thing was part of the license agreement with Disney, like they wanted something to sell at Disneyworld. I mean, SW fans will pay $3K for a lifesize Stormtrooper mannequin.

I think some of you underestimate how many people walk into Costco with $4k burning a hole in their pocket.

There's enough of people that will see a TV on sale or some other $2k-$5k thing and just buy it. I think a good majority of that subset have game rooms and constantly look for stuff to put in them. They don't want to search craigslist for a 20 year old game. They aren't collectors.

I can't imagine doing this, I'm pissed off enough already that I can never get out of costco without spending $200. If I can drop 4K on whim like that my ass is not going to Costco and I'm at least plugging what ever I want into google.

My ex-wife's second marriage lasted a matter of months, so maybe two inches does make a difference

Also insert a joke about "low hanging" here

I know so many of you are a little “disappointed” in this reveal. Hopefully the next release will have a great theme, layout and code!
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Cool! How was Gary though?

I couldn't believe it either. I've been blown away by it.

It's just a different level of impulse buying. They have the cash for it. My max impulse buy at Costco is typically around $500 (google home wifi pack, generator, TV). But there are definitely people who can tack a 0 on that no problem.

If they sell these at "Big Box" stores, I think it will do well. It's not so much that people have money burning a hole in their pocket, it's the fact that it would be there for them to take home right away. Society has turned into an impatient bunch who want it here and now with the least amount of hassle possible. They don't want to have to find a distributor and work the channels when they can save a few thousand bucks to pick it up at the store. These are the people that know nothing about buying machines and never thought to really look into it, they see it at the store, know they want to add something to their game room or at grandparents house for the kids, or that really big expensive Christmas gift for the kids. I say good for Stern making this move. It doesn't hurt any of us. We will still get a new announcement soon for what we all HOPED was this reveal. I don't understand why everyone is going bat-sh!t crazy over this... Seems petty. Another week or two really that big of a deal???

Maybe the un-pinball-informed Costco customer sees the Stern SW home pin there and uses his phone to google it. He finds the Stern website and sees the higher prices for SW pins on there but does not distinguish any big difference between those and the one at Costco. The Costco pin looks like a bargain to him so he buys it.

So you were the second husband?

What are you even talking about?

Just got back from playing the new SW. I have to say it was a lot more fun than I was expecting. Some of the shots were kinda clunky, but all-in-all it shot pretty well and I enjoyed playing it. The ball lock "mechanism" is really pretty cool and works as intended. Easy to knock the ball out, but much harder to land the ball into the perch. A few balls jumped off the death star wireform, and other than the bit of shot clunky-ness my only other real complaint was the size of the screen--way too small. It was too noisy to hear the sound well.

I think I found the future buyers for this one...parents! The kids were drawn to this SW like a moth to flame--could hardly get in a game once the kids got on it they were having so much fun. After playing it and seeing how enamored kids are with this pin, I think Stern will sell a lot of these if they get them to somewhere like Costco or Target. If mom and dad don't balk at the price, Stern may move more than you'd think. Much rather have my child playing pinball than goofing around on their phone all day.

I talked to Zach briefly and asked who designed it. He said Gomez did, which I figured after playing it. If this game played smoother, I'd like it better than the "real" Star Wars. I have no idea of what the cab construction is, or the quality of plywood for the playfield (etc.), and it did seem to sit a little lower than a regular pin (as J. Danger noted in his stream). If kids are the target audience, it should sit lower. At any rate, I think this plays well enough and looks nice enough that real Star Wars nuts will want to have one.

So the Stern strategy is to pray on the uninformed to sell home edition machines instead of the trying to make the best pins which sell themselves strategy?

Yes, and about 6 years ago - Maybe more - Costo sold “classic” (aka “home) versions of IM and TDK. It’s totally possible they’ll move these. Some Gaboni that just won a few grand at the track might buy one for his kids on a whim!

But they only made 2 models - can’t have been too successful for whatever reason.

Just wanted to give credit to post #3

They can make better margins selling a microwave. I doubt they would use up all that floor space for pinball.

Bally made four home model pinball machines:

Fireball (two production runs, first with series 1 boardsets, second run with series 2 boardsets)

Evel Knievel

Captain Fantastic

Galaxy Rangers

SWHE looks like an awesome playing table with lots of features for a much more reasonable price point. Why all the complaining??? What’s good for Stern is good for this hobby. Stream yesterday showed a fun table with great coding at a street price point of only $3999, which will move thousands of tables, IMO. It’s a winner in anyone’s book. Stern still makes more complex tables for Pinsiders, so no worries. Just enjoy the new ride!