I’m not so sure Stern hasn’t let the window of opportunity pass by on the Tron VE. Two years ago I think it would have sold just fine, but I think the NIB market today wants games with the new display. I don’t know, I keep going back and forth on this.

People will say "just redo it for LCD", and that probably means moving the game over to Spike 2, and doing a whole new high rez asset package. Maybe it's worth it, I dunno, I have zero insight into what that would cost. I can tell you roughly what the LCD work would be, not insurmountable, but not bang out in a week either. Porting to Spike 2 I have no idea.

But if I was Stern I'd probably rather put all that time and effort into a new game, and not something that already has a certain level of collector saturation. Something like Iron Man where it's just upgrade some decals made sense. But that's low effort next to redoing an LCD.

I can't see any vault game happening with a DMD anymore. Just doesn't make sense now.

How about people like me that don't want a modded Tron?

Oh, no, no... I said maybe literally the exact same words on some previous TronVE dreamfest thread and I was shut down by a "Ute" who schooled me that the new gen doesn't want to drive anywhere, negotiate anything, and put cash down on anyone's glass, like their Grandpa did. They want it delivered NIB to their doorstep, maybe even, God forbid, set up for them by the delivery guy! I was told to enjoy my overpriced Tron LE and they'll continue to press Stern for the NIB experience. ha.

My own prediction? There is pent up demand for maybe 50 Tron NIB "experiences" and then reality will set in and the dreamers will start thinking about what the same $7k or $8k? will get you NIB nowadays, and we'll finally stop hearing the drumbeat.

If they do a LOTR vault they should get rid of the path of the dead and put in spinners to collect souls.

Not all TRON's are heavily modded. Like most pinball hunts, may take some patience (and compromise).

It's going to look so outdated sitting next to other new machines. I cannot imagine anyone new to pinball or ops choosing one with a premium price tag over the latest pro that would no doubt be cheaper. The market would be very small since a lot of people that would buy Tron already own one. I would guess only a fraction of those wanting a vault would pass up other new games and actually buy one. If Stern redid the entire game and ported it to Spike that might be something but then you run the risk of nobody liking the changes.

As an upper playfield? How would that work exactly?

Stern was still selling ST pro and ST premium until just recently.

Tron Vault around $5600 SAM should sell.

Yes it should. But with Stern’s price model now I surely doubt it. Not much in this machine as far as mechs probably a cheap build for them to rerelease. An easy cash grab for sure.
Probably $6-$7k easy especially with Disney stamped on it.

They exist. My LE is bone stock with the exception of cliffys. Has less then 100 plays and still has the original code since it's spent most of its life in storage. I have mods for it but haven't installed them yet so technically it's unmoded (for now).

But why? Seems like you're just keeping it in a time capsule instead of playing it. That's some extreme discipline.

NIB DMD games?

Pfft, pass

When I remodeled my gameroom I couldn't have them in there with all the work being done. It took a while to finish the room and I've been slowly putting them back but it ends up I had more games then space which is why I recently sold a few. Luckily I got places like PinballPA and Helicon close by to enjoy games at while I'm still finishing up otherwise it would have taken a lot of discipline. I'm in the middle of a TZ teardown so when I do get some free time it's usually spent working on that so I can get it finished and back in the lineup.

Legitimate question:

If you're irritated about people wanting and/or discussing a Tron VE, why are you in the thread? Why not save yourself the agony and skip this thread?

Pretty much guaranteed that Tron will be remade since I just picked one up. 2 weeks after I picked up an IM a vault was announced.

no, get rid of that playfield all together. put spinners in the orbits.

Same happened to me on AC/DC, but it was a week later. I swear the guy knew (he has a lot of contacts in the pinball business) and dumped the machine on me.

Six months of 2019 left....I think it's time for someone to create a new thread? haha

I sold my damn Tron over a month ago... where the heck is the VE

To 99% of people who see a pinball, they ALL look outdated. Pinball is retro, and always will be. The people playing pins on location aren’t just playing new games. They’re not playing pinball because there’s an iPad between the speakers.

Stern has the next two VE’s lined up, but they will only play the card if they have to.......In walks Deeproot........Oh wait, that’s not a Deeproot, that’s just Gary Stern! Looks like Deeproot is going to be late to the party. I guess we won’t be seeing a VE for a while.

I heard Deeproot's first game will be Tron LE VE

This is why they would remake it. Instead of the used market high price you could get a new one for a similar price. People would buy new instead of used, the used market will suffer. That is what stern does not care about , the used market.

I’ve lost hope for 2019. Stern has their hands full already this year. Maybe next year....or the next...

Um....the VUK still has to go somewhere? Unless you're just suggesting remove that entire shot and diverter? If you're going to replace the playfield with a wireform (which would SUCK because POTD like it or not is a great place to "park" balls during a multiball) then just....put the spinner on the wireform, or at the ramp entrance like Avengers. That way you're still requiring THAT shot.

Well, I just bought a loaded Tron Pro last week, that means without question Stern will run the VE this year. So have no doubt gang, the VE is coming now.

NIB purchases have become a crapshoot. Let me give you a specific example: I just considered a recent Stern LE from a pinball buddy (not mentioning the title because I want this comment to be anonymous). Game had awful visible wood grain...he purchased it NIB. Same thing happened to me on my IMDN Premium...awful wood grain. Ended up purchasing a Stern Premium instead of the LE (from another collector) because the PF was so much nicer (no visible wood grain). Ended up saving 3-4K as well!

The ONLY benefit to buying NIB is availability/time. In addition, many collectors “dial in” the game which takes time & expertise.

Back to TRON VE...highly unlikely. I’m going to be putting my TRON Pro up for sale and I have no doubt it’s nicer than any “yet to be announced” VE!

Hey Stern, I'm in on a Tron VE!!! Cash in hand!!

It would be awesome to open a fresh box with a Tron Pinball inside... just because I would want to. Love this game and want another (sold my original LE many years ago)

Disney is currently building a Tron Roller Coaster in the U.S. and there is definitely hype behind this title both inside and outside the pinball world!

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TBH I'd rather they remake Stern Meteor with an LCD.

I wouldn’t mind an all new Tron pin revision like BM66 was. A vault edition I’d expect less than 1000 sales but a new pin (rules, display, art, layout) could get a full run of thousands.

With all the other great games that have been released in the past few years or are in the works, a TRON VE has really dropped down on my wishlist.

Stern would really need to make it special for me to get excited about one again.

SW is not shitty looking.

TRON VE will never happen. Stern did 4 TRON runs from 2011-2013. Plenty of TRON's come up on Pinside...gorgeous Pro's for 6-8k and LE's for 9-11k (depending on "mods", condition, etc.).

Even if Stern did do a TRON "Vault", it wouldn't measure up to the SAM examples currently in circulation. I've owned 3 TRON's and still have 2...one of the best pinball machines ever produced. A tough, very special game!

Tron VE 2020. Features include:

- One long single target bank, replacing the drops on LE
- Blue EL wire ramp lighting (RGB available on VE Grid Edition for +$1500)
- Spinning disc and motor replaced with “spinning disc” collectible key fob
- Moving Recogniser (on DMD)
- All VE aprons signed by uncredited-guy-who-gets-derezzed-early-on
- Music by “Daft Punk” (* tribute act)
- Playfield decorations unique to each purchase that look like artwork chips

2 points

1. I think Stern will continue to do vaults in the future
2. TRON is an excellent vault choice due to its popularity

so I think you will see a TRON vault one day.

If Stern released a new game as shallow as Tron in 2020 they'd be crucified. I mean, Munsters has more depth. Sure, Tron has everything else going for it, and is fun despite wood-chopping shallow code, but still. I'd rather they spend time making more awesome games like JP2 in 2020.

But people don't expect 'like the new games' they are expecting a vault. Tron gameplay is fine the way it is - just like Monster Bash.

I know, I'm just saying let's temper our excitement over a game that the peanut gallery would rip to shreds if it was released today. It's fine for what it was/is.

... The foolish man said, apparently unaware he was on Pinside.

Here’s the problem why the used market demand such high prices besides demand ......... a stock TRON looks like ASS but plays fantastic.

It’s 2/3k in mods that make it such a beautiful game.

I think Stern knows this and will have to put a few cosmetic enhancements on the vault - what they are is anyone's guess.

I'd like to see you get through Sea of Simulation...

The longer the wait the more I think that opportunity has sailed away, at least for a "simple" vault.

The game is good but there is so much new stuff coming out that'd be hard to justify a NIB purchase for a game with lackluster cab and playfield art and is, for the most part, pretty barren...

...revaulting this into a spike would financially not be feasible but new Cab & Playfield art as well as the lit ramps (wich is easier/ cheaper now then it was in the dark ages) would be a must (imho)!

(Trade money for sexy hand drawn neon lady game. )

He didn't say it wasn't hard. He said it was wood-choppy and shallow. Both of those things can be true.

But knowing Yancy, he's probably been through it, too.

Several times. Once straight to Portal without even playing SoS.