So, with the "raging debate" about these "classic style" pins, it just dawned on me that Stern is kinda missing out on an easy and awesome opportunity: why not do a series of Stern classic re-releases? Seems like with minimal R&D to just move everything to modern boards & parts, the BOM could be below even those Home pins, and there's no licensing to boot. Maybe I'm an outlier, but I'd happily pay pro prices for the hard to find ones like SG and QS, but I bet they could move a lot, and profitably, for home pin level prices. Yeah, it's not gonna draw anyone new into the hobby, but the market is already substantial...seriously, kinda gross to say it, but $5k classic pins brand new verges on impulse buy level for much of the collector crowd, and it seems realistically profitable in my head at least.

Yes, I know Stern isn't listening, doesn't care, and probably doesn't need this money. I'm just curious how many others would be stoked for something like this?

And they can't produce them to sell at a profit for $5K either. You know this. $5K pinball machines have plastic lockdown bars and one tiny display.

I have a hard time imagining these costing more to produce than JP or SW home, though I agree there probably wasn't enough money in those at those prices anyway. The games are great but most have don't have a tone going on. But yeah, realistically I was thinking pro pricing, because I think plenty would happily pay that and even if they COULD make enough to justify it at 5k, there's no benefit to leaving money on the table. I'm sure they'd sell a lot more at such pricing (seriously, people would impulse buy that), but not like 50% more. I'd gladly pay 7k for the rarer ones, if not meteor and the like, and I can't imagine that wouldn't net a better profit than a cornerstone pro, but who knows.

Like I said, I know it's not happening regardless, just curious who else would be stoked if it did. Some of you guys just live to shout down any fun with your REASONS and REALITY, lol.

Just some devil's argument thoughts though:

- making one of these would make little sense, because yeah, it'd take some r&d to move everything to modern Mechs and boards, or they'd have to invest in "new" old parts. But a SERIES of these could solve that, as you'd really only have to do that work once - not a bunch of unique parts in individual games - and realize the benefits for 5 -6 games over a few years.

- I'd really think at pro pricing, a straight remake of Star Gazer would make a better margin than a cornerstone pro. Not sure how much more, and I could be wrong, but would help justify their existence vs. "just make more cornerstones". Cab might be an issue though, and I'd be much less excited personally if they stuffed them in the current cabs.

- I don't need anything other than a new copy of those games, straight up. But Haggis did make Stern a model if they wanted to use it - 7k classic, 9k "premium" with updated rules and maybe a new trick or two.

- I would be irrationally excited to own any of these games with IC. Damn, now I really want to live in magical Christmas land where this actually happens.

Well I'm glad I could provide you with some fun to murder again, lol

I mean, those home pins have RAMPS, and we all know from umpteen recent threads how much THOSE add to BOM!

Seriously though, thinking a little harder I guess it would probably be similar, but I still can't see it costing more. Moot anyway, because to my mind the real issue is there wasn't enough profit in those home editions to justify their existence anyway.

But yeah, I don't manufacture pins. I make DREAMS to alleviate my boredom, fresh for you to CRUSH to alleviate your boredom. Healthy ecosystem here on pinside.

Valid, though I wonder how much those things REALLY save on the home pins in the first place, given the expense in making things JUST for those home pins in the first place. Do those things cost more than JP or SW licensing? I did forget those were MDF Playfields. I don't think many of us would demand a real coin door though. Kinda surprises me coin Mechs aren't optional in general at this point. Thanks for expanding my imagination. And murdering a small part of my fun.

Again, I don't think $5k games make any sense anymore in the first place, so it's moot. Also, we're in agreement it's unlikely to happen even if it WAS financially reasonable. Can I go back to fantasizing about a shiny new Star Gazer for 7k now?

I won't play more than two people on anything made later than the 80s because of that. And if you wander off to another game anyway I'm draining your fucking ball, lol

I hope so.

Another magical Christmas land thought: imagine using the generic Stern cab art they did on later games, and designing them to just swap in different populated Playfields ala P3. Hell, I'd probably pay 9k for one if I could buy a new game playfield to swap in for say, 4k. Obviously a much bigger project to make something like that work, but doable. Bet you'd get a fair bit more interest if you could have one game taking space in a lineup, with a couple other Playfields stuffed outta the way.

But yeah, more money in 10 more dad rock pins I'm sure :p

All valid points. Still, I think it could work with something like this solely because most folks have finite space, and with classic games in particular it's nice to mix it up periodically...and the one thing you're just wrong about is boxed Playfields taking up as much space as another pin. I'm about outta room for pins, but I have tons of places I could stack a few boxes Playfields.