I'd say Mr Ritchie is the highest earner in the industry. He's a legend, and legends are very expensive. If I was Stern I'd be cutting him loose and using his salary to hire new talent. That's a LOT of money to go shopping with, and it could get them a lot of new talent and fresh ideas.

It's a WMS mech but not driven by a fliptronics board. I was so looking forward to the return of WPC-style flippers back when they announced WOZ, but they screwed something up and my WOZ flippers more or less sucked. They worked ok after rebuilding them to have absolutely zero binding at all, but they never had the snap and power of fliptronics systems, and they would fade pretty badly during a long game (and WOZ had more than it's share of long games). Fans helped a bit but still ehh. Every JJP I've played since has felt the same, up to and including GnR.

OTOH, my 2003-build LOTR with Terry's special coils and fans works great, even on long games. The flippers still feel like whitestar and IMHO not as good as fliptronics, but still much better than WOZ.

Which Stern would know before his first game....how? If someone like Ritchie with 40 years of experience can make BKSOR and LZ....everyone is a risk to some degree, plus Stern had to invest in Elwin to get him up to speed on all their tools and procedures. Non-competes are extremely common in niche markets with a high skill floor like this.

C'mon. Use that pink stuff in your skull. The only way what you said makes sense in response to what I said is if Stern released him from a non-compete early. Why would they do that?

Terrible analogy because I am a dunce when it comes to electronics (but a degreed mechanical engineer) but if you and I had the same car with Bose sound systems, but you listened to AM radio and I listened to XM, our listening experience would vary greatly.

Basically, the flippers are the same mechanically, but what drives and sends pulses to the flippers can vary. I think that’s why some rate B/W so much higher.

Ha, right? I remember how big a deal that seemed to me at the time that they were "Using Williams parts!" Little did I know at the time that the electronics matters just as much as the physical parts. Oops.

Yep. I still don't know how they managed to make them worse than WPC, but damn if they didn't find a way.

I'd gladly pay $100 more for any new game that ships with Capcom flippers and similar electronics. Those flippers are the one thing I miss from BBB. Still got PM, BS and FF here so I didn't go cold-turkey at least...

Oh he could have a design done right now and it wouldnt come out until 2023 with JJP. By the time they are done with GnR production and Toy Story itll be around then. Unless they really do up production like was stated. I could see Ritchie helping Lawler but I doubt Lawler thinks he needs the help!

If he switched he wouldn't be able to make a new game for at least 3 years out? They have toy story and 2 other titles in the burner and their production is one game every 18 months.I would be surprised if he switched, or on the surface I wouldn't recommend it if he actually wants to create games.JJp already has two great designers{Eric and Pat} and not able to produce games to keep up with what they could be doing.
Hmmmm, Unless he took on a different role and taught JJP how to get games out the door.

I have zero actual knowledge, but would be kind of surprised if this is true. Steve Ritchie and JJP are pretty much polar opposites in many ways.

When asked why he left Stern for another pinball manufacturer, Steve Ritchie said "Work Better"!

What ever he does, its his choice. Whatever he decides I'm happy for him.
Personally, I'd be surprised if there is any truth to this rumor.
Id be more likely to believe he's retiring... Not switching

And the fact that Elwin is the new King and kicking ass. Maybe his ego is taking a blow and he wants to show he can still do it and blames Stern for low BOM

Bottom line sales matter i don’t care who you work for or who you are

I agree, in the last 6 years he did Star Wars, Black Knight SOR and Led Zeppelin. All AAA themes but were not well received and were highly criticized. Meanwhile Elwin seems to be Stern's new golden boy. Brian Eddy has hit a home run with Mandalorian as well. Maybe Stern had a three strikes your out rule. Then again, I thought he said Texas Pinball festival was to be his last appearance 2 years ago presumably because he was to retire soon afterwards.

TBH, it is crazy how many flat plastics you see in BKSoR (and I think SR even made note of it in an interview) and meanwhile Elwin gets 3+ flippers in all his games, 3+ ramps in all his games (often 4 ramps)… etc. The “open space filled” factor is so high in Elwin games vs SR games (LZ, BKSoR and SW vs. JP2, AIQ and IMDN Pros alone). There must be a reason.

It’s the “Lyman factor”.

Stern saw all the “I won’t buy a game unless Lyman is on code” posts… and Stern now has Lyman on $8k games only. That helps bottom line. All of us who praise SR games will buy SR games… so why should Stern put extra $$$ into his games? You’re going to buy them anyways!!! Meanwhile Elwin had to prove himself. They gave him the keys to the car and he’s delivering.

Just you all wait 15-20 years from now when you say “I won’t buy a game unless Elwin is on design, and Tanio is on code”… and what you get is an IJ4 rehash and a $15k price for the Pro because you asked for it over and over again.

Steve unleashed! While his last few games are fun it seems pretty clear that his designs are held back by budget restrictions.

I don't see how JJP can work though with 3 designers when they put out 1 pin a year. Could this mean that Pat's next game, likely Toy Story, may be his last?

Highly criticized by people on pinside and not the rest of the world who plays games because they look cool and have a good IP. Most of the issues are with the code except the skill shot/shot multiplier on star wars (that thing sucks). The games all have good flow and look great in an arcade.

What titles would you like to see Steve make for a JJP pin?

Personally would say Back to the Future (however Stern may already be doing this one, rumor), and a new Indiana Jones pin that covers all 5 films.

EVERYONE'S designs are held back by budget. It's called BOM.

Led Zeppelin may have had a lot of BOM money eaten up by the license, but I kinda suspect BKSoR has equal budget to other Stern titles and a lot of its BoM was eaten up by the Knight figure. It's pretty complex. He's the enemy and the whole focus on the game, so it wouldn't seem out of line to spend the most on him and leave the rest of the 'battlefield' pretty basic.

Elwins got some creative and amazing designs, but I’d take Star Wars in a heartbeat over any of his. Now LZ or BKSOR on the other hand

Ritchie + JJP = Matrix

Maybe retirement is best. We don't need another typical fan layout. Others have said SR and JJP aren't compatible because SR makes fast games and JJP not so fast. Perhaps, JJP is looking for a stripped down game. Probably will increase the price by a thousand for the trouble.

PTC/EFL

Either one.

LTG : )

Kaminkow said yesterday that Steve is still at Stern.

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That settles that.

Still hope for a bright pinball future for Steve !

LTG : )

SR going to JJP to design Ozzy/Sabbath...just to guarantee I won't ever have a savings account.

Looks like the savings account is safe for now.....

Terminator is a Steve Ritchie game

Gotcha beat by a few hours on this one.

If Stern is going to lose a designer at this point I'd rather it be Richie than anyone else on staff.

Ritchie and Kapow.

BTTF 2022

BOOM !

This is so wrong lol CAPCOM BY A MILE!

Also what’s with the “JJP is calling it quits” rumors. Why the hell can a company getting 15k for games close up shop? Plus factor in that JJP is either owned or funded up by an Angel Investor who does NOT give a shit about profitability whatsoever (à la DeepRoot)

JJP exists not because they aim to make money, but because they can make the “dream machines” where money isn’t part of the equation.

This is all to funny.
You have the wrong Ritchie.

Oh! Lionel Ritchie is the next JJP music pin. Now I'm out.

Richie Sambora collaboration for Bon Jovi pin.

You're just bringing this up because you want a pin's abbreviation to be "BJ" forever in the future.

Cary Hardy made a cryptic post on youtube about "pinball changing" and there will be pros and cons about it. He said we'd all know in the next week or so. Maybe its pertaining to this? I saw the FB post too and I thought it was just some dreaming by yet another FB pinball casual but now that this is picking up steam....maybe? If true, we won't even be seeing him on any JJP games for several years.

Btw- Yes, Capcom flippers absolutely rule

Sweet! He can bring his one layout he has been modifying year after year to another manufacturer!

Look, I love Steve. I love his games and I love his gimmicks (all 1 of them). I own several games he designed. He is a great guy at shows and interesting to chat with. But there is nothing about him going to JJP that is exciting to me.

Was going to say the same but once Pinside is down the tracks there is no stopping it. Lol

I like Steve and enjoy a lot of his games. But lets be honest, I doubt stern is too worried about Steve leaving as he hasn't exactly set the world on fire with his releases. Stern has brought in new blood that needs to take over his game spots anyway. It's probably best for Steve and stern for him to be somewhere else.

1? You talking about flashers?
Magna save is pretty sweet… seriously he’s brought us a good many C’mon.

Ritchie is my favorite designer. I don't like every theme he's ever been saddled with, but really like his games. ST:TNG is still my all time favorite. I have and will eagerly try every game he is associated with.

So Mark Ritchie leaving CGC to go to JJP?

Hopefully Steve is not leaving but best of luck if he does. With all the playfield issues of JJP, not sure that is a great choice. Perhaps he will head to American Pinball and have a mini reunion of Williams ex employees....

Looks like T2 and T3 are in your collection

We all love Steve (even when he makes us give him our money). Talked to him a few times and such a great guy. Wish him the best and look forward to his efforts wherever he may roam.

Maybe Steve started this rumor to get a pay bump

Steve unleashed at WMS brought you STTNG and No Fear which both easily had greater BOM's than even a JJP game when inflation is considered. Both very polarizing games. STTNG was remixed for Stern and while fun, hardly revolutionary or fresh. There isn't much gas in the tank design wise - regardless of budget.

STTNG and Stern ST play so differently I wouldn't really hesitate to have both in a collection. Honestly, rules wise, the Stern game is *substantially* better, and not just because of the depth of the rules, but all the little nuances and playfield multipliers from the warp ramp.