From http://thisweekinpinball.com

Steve Ritchie Working on Unlicensed Theme

According to Pinball News, during his presentation on Friday evening, Steve Ritchie said his next theme would be unlicensed. This comes after the Stern Pinball designer recently commented on Facebook: “I’m sick of licenses right now. I’m having REAL FUN doing what I’m doing on my next!” This is interesting as Gary Stern has mentioned in the past plans to stick with licensed themes. With the recent buzz around Total Nuclear Annihilation and Dialed In, it will be fun to see what Steve Ritchie and Stern Pinball have in store for us!

Great News. Without having to pay the licensor, lets hope Stern can put that money into the design.

Get Mark back in. Ritchie brothers goodness would be epic

I'll believe it when I see it...how is Dialed In doing on location these days?

I feel like it shows. I also know he didn't enjoy himself on GoT, I heard that first hand from people at Stern, he was screaming about the same stuff we were. Give the man something he can feel good about, let him do his work!

Motocross Wars

LTG : )

Cool, Steve is the king of flow. Let you hair down Steve and have some fun and knock this one out of the park.

Who cares? There's more to pinball themes than a binary "Is a License" or "Isn't a License".

Dialed In might be a great game, but the theme bombed, end of story. Just because you aren't using a license doesn't mean you don't have to tell a story and be compelling. Turns out magic cell phone wasn't a story people cared enough about.

Full Throttle bombed even worse, no one gives a shit about Moto GP.

Medieval Madness is one of the most beloved games of all time. There's zero reason to lump the three together under some "not a license" banner.

I was told that marks game is already done with design stage.

Operators care. The pinball landscape today is the same as the 90's? Your Medieval Madness example is pretty tired and irrelevant then.

If Stern is going to do a true one off game for the "collector market" then I could maybe see it being a success. Times have a changed dude.

I wish!
It will Probably just end up putting more money in Gary's pocket.

As long as it's not 'Phoned In'

DARK CAVALIER 3000!!

Maybe it will be 25

It definitely should but I'm sure that it wont.

Richie really needs to hit this one out of the park otherwise maybe it's time to hang it up.

I've noticed that Steve's Stern games tend to not be great art-wise, like moreso than other Sterns. Maybe with no license to worry about there might be more freedom to have some real art direction on the next one.

everyone i've talked to about about the DIs on location around here (there are two) has raved about the game and said they really liked the originality and wackiness of the theme, even though they thought it would be corny when it was first revealed. i think classifying it a bomb is way off base.

From pinballnews.com, link to audio of Steve's talk:

https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pinball-expo-2017/audio/steve-ritchie-pinball-expo-2017.mp3

CSI..... Chicago , the JJP files! I know that would be licensed but hey..

If his next game is an unlicensed game, wouldn't that rule out black knight and high speed? Technically they are licenses.

I think it is time for a surfing or water sports themed pinball machine.

This is a family website!

Ahhh i see how they work. Release another High speed, 3 flippers one ramp and everyone is happy. Mwahahaha

Not a bad idea but still wouldn't be the same with out licensed athletes.

Gorgar 2000

Other than WNBJM and PBR has Stern done anything unlicensed since HRC 16 years ago?

Gary used to be pretty adamant about making only licensed games.

It will be a rehash of something he's done before. LONG ago.

Problem is people aren't willing to spend $8k for that today.

Except they totally are...and they only have to spend 5.5K.
I understand the JJPOTC revolt is going on, but I don;t think change anything that quick. Designers have had their bag of tricks for a long time, it's their calling card and why people like them. SR has his 2 money designs and people love them. Go post that ACDC is the same layout as T2 and watch people call you a racist and an idiot they get so pissed
PL same thing and everyone loves them because they all play diff'rent.

Unless by LONG you mean like Firepower which I agree might be a hard sell....or would it? People eating up TNA @ 6k!

How good would a next generation Steve Ritchie "The Flash" be?!?!?!?!

Son of Flash

Unknown-2 (resized).jpeg

Just like JJP lowered the price of Dialed In!

AC/DC and T2 are the same layout

Got rid of Ac/dc and SM.

SR needs to get over his grand daddy love of himself and get creative again.

$5.5k? You are probably right, SR will sell the pro no doubt. Well, any Stern should.

SR could end up being "THE KING OF THE PRO", not the flow.

That's because it's a good game.

People can be mad at me saying it all they want, but I was in the room when it was unveiled, and you could have snuffed a candle with the oxygen leaving the room, it was a total bomb. Theme wise. Just look at the threads here FFS, it's all recorded.

People started to come around when they discovered it was fun, because gameplay matters.

Orbitor Two!

Come on Steve!! You got this one! Eye Of The Tiger brother!! I still believe in The King!

IMG_3463 (resized).PNG

A fella can dream, right?

I would like to see a system 9 (~1985) 80's throwback:

Firepower III

* the best sounds ever on a pinball machine
* a multi-ball that is near impossible to achieve
* 30 second ball times
* a game with ZERO ball feeds back to the flippers
* two spinners
* a horseshoe
* drops
* LED alpha-numeric displays -- rules simple enough that no DMD is required to explain the rules
* a flat game, or with 1 ramp max.
* great insert light show
* voice, and NO music during the game
* Zero lower pf toys

-mof

Everybody wants a blast from the past

And prices from the past

Ain't gonna happen

I'm sure this is the SR reaction to DI and Pat Lawlor, another terrible seller.

Bring it on. Ego vs ego

I'm a huge fan of Steve Ritchie. Not every game is a home run, but I have loved several of his games. Personal favorites are STTNG, Spider-Man, AC/DC, and STLE. I really like GoT and will revisit Star Wars in a year or so.

I look forward to a new original theme from him.

Personally I couldn't care less about the specifics of the unlicensed theme; what I care about is how it flows, how engaging the toys are, and how rewarding the diversity of the modes makes me feel as I pursue wizard modes. I want the ' just one more game' feeling that draws me back in, coupled with an immersive soundtrack that compliments gameplay and an amazing light show. Oh, and solid build quality with mature code at shipping matters too.

Would Black Knight really be a licensed theme?? It's a character in literature, not specifically created by SR / WMS. Or maybe it will be about the alien satellite orbiting the earth (didn't expect that when I searched for Black Knight!) or a car that has a Black Knight-Rider in it! I'm not saying I want another BK game, just questioning if it would really be licensed to WMS/PPS if they wanted to do it.

Firepower III sounds a lot like Swords of Fury. Minus the whole “no music” part.

I mean... at that point, why not just buy a game from the past you haven’t played yet? There’s a ton to choose from, cost 1/8th the price of a new game, and literally satisfy every previously mentioned requirement.

Rollergames is far from unlicensed

that said I really want another

Unlicensed themes actually require more work bc your doing everything from scratch.

Mick Fanning's Great White Punchout

Anything that doesnt have 2 ramps, 3 jets, 1 loop, a saucer kickout and a bash toy. Come on Steve, tell Gaz to have faith in you!

F14 Tomcat II

Probably speaking from frustration; but I don't believe this at all.
There is no way Stern is going to give up the Licensing cash-cow.

I'd like to be wrong - but I'm not sure I will be.

I hope he breaks away from repeat games like Firepower, Highspeed, Blacknight, Roller games, Tomcat etc... as it is not very original to build on a older game/s - hopefully he is saying - been there, done that

go totally original Steve

lol, dream on

Very strong possibility Steve's next pinball will be Motorsport/Speed related

Stern Trek