Maybe if we tag Vegas9 and ask politely he will help.

American Pinball does their announcements when they are ready to ship .

That doesn't mean they couldn't stop by in here to say hi, tell us it's on the way, or anything else to hype things up a little. Their employees are pretty active in other threads, so it'd be cool to see them come over to these parts too.

I'm fine with them announcing/revealing the game when they are ready to ship, but a tease would be great, like the way Spooky did it.

Take a pic of a toy and post it.
Take a pic of the backside of the playfield.
Take a pic of the DMD showing an image in color.

Small stuff to let us know it's happening and make us want it and talk about it and generate a buzz!

This is what I'm saying - just some little nibbles here and there to whip up some more excitement. Look at the Next Spooky and Next Stern threads - constant conversation and speculation, which is fun for consumers and keeps the brand on people's brains.

I definitely understand and appreciate the hesitancy to not want to reveal before the pin is ready, and I hate making it sound like I'm trying to tell American how to do their jobs. But by all accounts this company has excellent build quality and support, and some extra juice for their next pin could really get things flowing. And like VT Pinball said, I just want some fun info for myself lol. I'm not aware that Hot Wheels or other American titles have sold out - they haven't really gone with limited runs or anything - but maybe some teasers could help generate some more sales.

Or it can be just me and NoQuarters in here talking to ourselves til the reveal.

All good. It's coming. Hang in there.

So I heard somewhere (maybe it was here) that the next pin is unlicensed, followed by a licensed pin? Are we going to see a pin this year and maybe one next year? Has anyone heard if Joe Balcer is continuing to do the next pins?

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pinball-magazine-pinball-news-may-2021-recap-pincast/id1369141531?i=1000524003360

It's been posted here on Pinside that Joe is no longer with them.

Dennis Nordman is, and besides the game he is working on. He is training others ( 4 I think ? ) to design games in the future with his guidence.

Joe is with Homepin now.

LTG : )

Hey AP - Are we there yet ?

I'd think it's got to be pretty darn close...

I'm curious what folks' thoughts on the two unlicensed themes mentioned in the podcast might be. Strong speculation for Legends of Valhalla, but does that leave us with Sherlock or other for #2?

Sherlock would be interesting if it's an innovative Nordman design. LOV just looks tremendous to me and would likely be a buy. My only hesitation there is the layout shares similarities with TMNT (upper flipper on left side to loop shot, under flipper shot, viking ship lock = turtle van lock), but I think there are enough differences to set it apart. Videos I've watched show some crazy code depth and really interesting magnet play, and those ramps just zoooooooom.

Will be interesting to see if they still do the game Joe designed that was supposed to be #4 now that he's at Homepin but I wouldn't be surprised if his contract allows him to finish any contract work he had signed on for with AP.

Please make.

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I don't care for this theme, but the way people kept bringing it up in the Spooky thread makes it seem like a good idea. Plus they just did a deal with Mattel Hot Wheels, so I'm sure they have some contacts to get to He-Man now.

I can't see this without thinking about the Robot Chicken skits about it.

Rumor was he was pulled off of #4. So not likely it will be built or finished.

LTG : )

I just hope the next game is integrated well. Not designed and then a theme thrown on it. Then another theme that is totally different than the prior theme thrown on over top of that. It becomes very obvious to some of us who played awhile.
I like all of Nordman's game and the themes never really mattered to me.

And once Soooky reveals you still have anywhere from 12 to 18 month before you get your game. Between then many pins will be announced and shipping and the next new “shiny thing” will hit.

Still debating about putting a deposit down for Halloween, but no game play videos and possibly a year and half wait is just too much. A lot can happen in that time frame.

Would love to play an AP game and add one in the future. Can’t live on Stern alone.

Octoberfest did not bomb and is not a wide-body like was stated by one interviewer

I thought it was basically confirmed to be Valhalla

Anything yet. AP, throw us a tidbit.

18 months for my ACNC! I'll never do that again. Waaay too long of a wait for me.

If AP was smart whatever theme they’ve been working on they would immediately change the license to Scooby Doo based on the Spooky Thread. Or surprised Stern / JJP didn’t swoop in and try to secure that license. I thought AP was producing Sherlock Holmes. The 3rd installment with Robert Downy Jr comes out this December so my guess is it’s “Sherlock Holmes & Dr. John Watson.”

Just a curious question about LoV and due to the history. If LoV was produced, would it be the same setup as the few that were released with some polished code, or a redesign?

I hope it would be just a manufacture of the current game with added support for LCD work and music and callouts. Leave the rest alone.

Seconded. Haven't played but have watched enough video to know the layout and mechs are incredible and really it just needs animations and storytelling help. Could maybe see adjusting one of the mode start shots to be more accessible, but at the same time there are three of them so plenty of opportunities to get going and lots to do outside of modes as well.

On the one by me, the left mode Star shot under the flipper is a very safe backhand from the bottom left flipper.

Decent amount of rejects if you go after the shooter lane one from a forehand though.

18 months is insane. That is a huge wait time, especially in that time frame how many pins will come out. This hobby moves so fast.

I like the Spooky peeps and enjoy their games except RZ but it says a lot about the current pinball market that all those games sold out in 4 hours with no gameplay footage or any opportunity for actual hands-on play plus you have to wait at least 6 months and maybe as long as 2 years to get your game. Congratulations and more power to them for being able to do this but it's still pretty crazy in a hobby that was down to one manufacturer putting out stripped-down pretty crappy games not that long ago.

Excuse me sir. Avatar and NBA are some of the greatest games ever made. Haha

We are in boom times for our hobby and let's enjoy them . They may or may not last .

Avatar LE is low key pretty cool. The art is awful and the code is boring, but mechanically it's relatively impressive.

In the back of my mind I've always wanted to re-theme it after one of my favorite albums of all time, Deltron 3030. It's a hip hop concept album set in a dystopian future where an imprisoned mech warrior tries to overthrow the evil corporate overlords with rap, magic, and technology.

Oh I’m familiar with Del. I like your style.

It is crazy that people will throw down $9k for a game that they haven’t seen being played, not hear any music, all the call outs, and if the upper playfields slow the game down at all. Man I don’t have enough blind faith to put the money down.

Anyone know a video that shows the ship on LOV doing something?

The ship doesn’t move, it’s a physical ball lock that is fed from the side ramp via the upper flipper. Lock three balls there for multiball.

The licence is not available. The Pinball Company has it

I hear that if you get drunk enough it rocks side-to-side.

Ship-gate. DOES IT MOVE?!?

Hey, they've got to be adding something if AP is going to bring it out -- rock that ship!

There's already a good amount in it! Ship lock, Thor's hammer, Kraken magnets...

But where’s the magic? I want to see the ball do something magical!

6 months left with the promise of 2 pins. This is going to be interesting!

Oh they are definitely only doing one game in this year. I thought they already confirmed that?

As of that Pinball News podcast in late May/early June they were talking 2 pins, but yeah tough to see that happening at this rate.