Only because some have this conceived notion that 'an LE is supposed includes everything'

Or are short sighted people that think "it didn't cost them anything, it should be free!!"

Q: Why does this thing cost $600?
A: Because Stern believes people will pay it

That's it. That's the bottom line. It's not about COGs, it's not about licensing, it's not because of DLC. It's because Stern believes people will pay that price for the product they are pitching.

The grievances can be summed up really easy.. and they're the same after the last accessory announcement of the Stern UV kit.

Those upset are people that...
1. think the LE should be all inclusive
or
2. think selling options or upgrades is bad -- Because we expect all things 'post announcement to be free'
or
3. Generally opposed to selling software (sorry dude.. welcome to the 90s)

Meanwhile... ignoring that selling software or locked features is something done for decades and is all around us. Stern is just late to that party. Stern has been selling accessories for years now (and doesn't necessarily announce everything at game launch).

Is stern doing these delayed launches on purpose? Highly likely!! It's called marketing!!

How do you keep your product in front of people and part of the buzz? You don't blow your wad all at once. You add to your offer... you do promotions... you do things to bring attention back to your product at a later date.

The market forces Stern is adapting to are nothing fancy. Frankly it's just Stern catching up to the rest of the world. Sure some people are going to be upset it's not the same as buying a game 20 years ago... but the world isn't the same as 20 years ago. There are a lot of new ways people monetize and sell products.

If you don't like it... just don't buy it! If enough people don't... they'll change their ways. If not... then either accept it or find alternatives. The painting Stern as some villain schtick is so childish. Just speak with your wallet. If what Stern is charging for LEs isn't what you are willing to pay... don't!

Don't remind people of that...

LEs used to be different PFs... people whined about that too... stern converged that LEs had same PFs and differentiated in other factors... people still whined... stern has features that are unique to a model.. people whine... stern releases features available to ALL models... people still whine.

What's the common thing? If people don't get everything for the price THEY want... they whine.

The game is 100% to what you bought. Just because there are other options out there... it doesn't somehow take away from what you already bought.

When someone comes out with a new mod for your game... but you don't have it... does your game somehow shrink?

These are accessories... why is that so hard to grasp?

How about custom roms? Soundtracks? Pinsound.. which is a combination of both?

"Code is not an accessory" Sure, in some dinosaur minds... prevalent on pinside.

Everywhere else in the world, including on those computers or phones nearly everyone of you is using is a software defined feature or option.

The idea that an add-on is only defined as hardware, and can't be software is just people clinging to some old construct.

"Code" as in maintanence of what I already purchased... that's been free in Pinball. It's not even free in many industries... "Code" that is value add above what you originally purchased (like... different features or modes) has been sold as value-added options for decades.

Get over it.

So... all software is incomplete if it's not 'all features enabled'?

Did someone tell all those Tesla owners yet? Or how about all those Windows and Microsoft Office users? and it goes on and on...

It's called OPTIONS - not all are always included in a particular purchase.

And Goat Frenzy is 'core gameplay' more than things like soundtracks, integrated lighting, toys, etc? Whatever....

Let's go back to GoTG and compare the game when it had like 2 songs.. compared to what they finished with.. and reevaluate what you consider to be part of 'core gameplay'

The fundamental issue in this back and forth is the idea that some people consider '100%' of a game to mean "I have everything that was offered" - and if I don't have that... I've been penalized. And that in isolation is just not how the world works. If you don't buy all the options - you aren't entitled to all the possibilities out there. You got 100% of what you bought. Not 100% of everything possible.

"100% code" is a construct dreamt up here by people trying to articulate their view. And it's a fundamentally flawed one that doesn't work the way they are trying to use it.

Tron Pro is 100% of Tron Pro. Tron LE has more than Tron Pro - that doesn't make Tron Pro somehow only a 90% game.

If Stern releases a vault edition of a game that magically has MORE than the original game... the original game doesn't become less of a game. It's just less compared to another.

So what.. everyone has the same opportunity to buy it and add it to their game. Past decisions on which model to buy are not changed by the availability of this accessory.

This is the same argument people tried to make about the UV kit. But it doesn't hold water. The add-on is available for all models. This argument would only work if the kit was limited to some models and people were excluded because of the choice they made without knowing the consequence.

The thought process of which model is best for you is not changed by the availability of this add-on.

You keep using that word... I do not think it means what you think it means.

It's not "code" - Every game has the code. It's "features" you lack unless you bought them.

I say the pro is 100% because it includes everything they said it would when they sold it to you. Your condition of "not having an option" for "Can I play with madness" influencing your interpretation is the problem with your mindset. Your decision (or even availability) of option doesn't make the game less than what you were sold.

Do people not remember the TOPS system? Do you consider all your 200x era games "incomplete code" because you didn't add in the Tournament Button and Header, and enable the tournament mode?

Will Stern continue to add add-ons to games AFTER they launch? I'm sure they will and that's not a bad thing... especially if they are items available to all models.

1) Trying to have everything ready (including non-essential add-ons) will only risk delaying games more... and ultimately result in a reduction of offerings
2) It's good marketing for Stern to roll out new add-ons to existing products to refresh interest in the product. Longer sales availability of games in the channel is GOOD for customers
3) More accessories in the market will open up opportunities for 3rd parties as well

People can be bothered Stern is monetizing features vs giving them away just fine... but you don't get to redefine reality to justify your belief.

So every TOPS compatible game is not '100% complete'?

Man.. all these years and no one knew...

Charge for something the complainers REALLY want and watch them complain even more.

At the end of the day its not lack of value that is the rub here- its that its not given for free. Anything not that is Stern is horrible because people would get software improvements for free before this. Anything NOT that would bring out the pitchforks

Nothing short of that is gonna change their mind.

Im not a buyer for this. The value isnt there for me.

But I understand the commercial model and acknowledge it's wide valid use... not try to justify my dislike for the offer by trying to vilify stern as some monsters... or make up some realities to try to justify my dislike.

I know exactly where this leads... but i also know toddler temper tantrums is not how you influence commercial activity.

Speak with your wallet - not with creative writing

You don't makeup new realities to justify something. Logic needs to hold up to all tenses