Well, there ya go!! You can put a deposit down on a Haggis game and get it before you get a brand new release Stern!!!

Go Haggis!! Delivering games faster than Stern!!

Makes ZERO sense now to try and order from one of the big distributors like XXXXXX (removed the name, I love them, just an example that's been mentioned here several times- pick any of the big Distros!).

There is already a bunch of people in this thread that are showing how they got GZ Premiums from smaller dealers already. Who wants to be "300" in line when they get 60 machines? When you can be #7 in line for a dealer getting 10. Everyone THINKS they are a VIP at some of the big dealers... but now that the lines are getting big and the heat is turned up, seems like people are getting hosed or left in line to fight it out with others just like the lines at Walmart on black Friday. I think some (including me) are finding out that we actually aren't the VIP's we thought we were lol. Numbers are slim, and some are going to have to be burned.

This is really going to change things going forward... on the next Stern release, it will be a shit show of who gets to be put in line first! Lots of pin flippers to fight with and you're going to get placed behind each of the big distributors real VIP's. How the hell is anyone actually going to try and get a game with the desperate onslaught of everyone here trying just to get a (new release) game? You know, a new release game without a year wait???

Hell, I personally know of one person in the hobby who automatically gets an LE from a dealer and he/she ALWAYS puts it up for sale at a profit within 3-9 months (with very rare exception, and it's always NIB still). Not saying it's right or wrong, but if it's a title you REALLY want, too bad for you.. going to have to buy from the flipper.

That's my $.02. Love you guys and the hobby. Sucks that it's gotten to this...

So what happened to the Godzilla March/April production? If this is the case, I'm pissed!

Well, I'm looking for a NIB Godzilla Premium at MSRP. I was a day 1 order from a big distributor, was informed today that I'm "not in this batch" with no reasonable timeframe now! I really had things planned out for my GZ to be here.

If anyone knows of a distro with an extra, unspoken one in stock (or someone backed out), please PM me. I know there has to be a few here and there.

Maybe this is a long shot, but you never hit a target you don't try for, right?

I'd bet that we all know at least one guy that buys LE's to flip and is on a distributors list as a VIP. And in my case, the guy that is buying LE's to flip them absolutely doesn't need the "flipper" money.

Well, in all fairness, a pin being on the line meant that those with orders were going to most likely be getting their game. Now that is really not the case. And I was one that thought I was going to be a March delivery GZ Prem (ordered day one), but now I have no clue. So the "off topic" is for a reason and somewhat justified IMO.

Just because a game is on the line doesn't mean anyone here is necessarily getting one.

And if we're talking production line, I really wish Stern would shock us with a Tron Vault.. would that be too much to ask?

I know of someone who has had a GZ Prem on order from Cointaker since launch. I've been waiting for him to get his game so I can play it and not have to buy one myself

Talked to him again today and he says he is getting NOTHING as of now... was initially a January delivery, then March, then April, then June/July.

It appears to me that the big dealers are getting big #'s of orders (as they should), but the unfortunate result is that they (in this case, Cointaker, but I'm sure it's most if not all the big distros) can't get games. The communication part... that's a whole other thing. Most of the dealers I've dealt with go off "possible ship dates" almost exclusively, mainly because things from Stern are so "iffy'.

It's hard to believe that we're at a point where games, even the ones ordered at LAUNCH of the title, are going to take 9+ months to get for what appears to be a good amount of buyers.

More like the fact they are just coming off production and there isn't a huge line of buyers like Godzilla and some other past titles. To me, I think it's more accurate to say "aren't rabidly desired RIGHT THIS MOMENT". You can go down a long list of "undesirable Sterns" that during production stalled a little in popularity, but once production has stopped and the NIB's dried up.... they'll be back up again. And it's funny to think that a games success or popularity can be based on whether someone can make money on the game or not as opposed to it being worth a little less once it's opened. If you think Mando is a bad game just wait, in 2 years when production is long past and code is polished it will probably be ridiculously priced just like all of the other OOP Stern games.

So I have to ask, why is COINTAKER having so many problems delivering Godzilla machines?

What you're being told and what actually happens are probably going to be two different things. My buddy has had a premium on order since September.. was told January, then march, then April, now who knows when.

Meanwhile, small dealers are delivering Premiums to people in just a few months...

I told him he needs to order from somewhere else next time...

I don't understand the price increases really... the only newer game I could get close to what I paid for (and not take a huge loss) is Godzilla... so why would I want to pay more now and take a even bigger loss? And like most here, I have the money to buy what I want, but I'm not reckless and/or a sucker

I used to have a "price to pay to have it at home" mentality as it was reasonable, but now it's a huge kick in the nuts to the tune of thousands. I think the newer guys are the ones buying the NIB at the high prices and the guys like me that have been in the hobby for 20 years are playing on location and buying used and letting the NIB buyer take the hit.

I think THE most desired remake they could do right now is TRON. I think I'd buy 2, one to open and play, one to put in storage so when I wear the first one out I have a new one to go to..

Van Halen would be amazing.

Motley Crue comes to mind also.

Pink Floyd? imagine the possibilities.

Def Leopard... deep catalog and good fan base!

Foo Fighters.

Not that I personally like or endorse any of these, but just a few rock groups that I think could be picked to be a rock pin...

There are a ton more mechs on the older games, so even at todays inflated prices, they will have less profit margin on a vault like Tron.

And let's get real here... Stern ONLY cares about profit.

It's amazing how many people are just willing to let this slide and ignore it. We should be ADVANCING in pinball mechs, not going backwards like all machines are Home units being cheapened out. Especially with the constant and high price increases.

If anything, we should be seeing two-stage pop bumpers! But stern continues to cheapen, under impress, and raise prices all while acting like they are doing us all a favor.

I vote and will continue to vote with my wallet.... I'm not sure I will ever buy another stern NIB ever again... I find myself loving the older titles more and more and more. Wish I would have kept all of my old machines!!

Prices are starting to level off some thought from what I've been seeing. Nothing will make IJ a fun game to me no matter how much it costs. It's more of a trophy that's a cool title. The slow wide body flow and everything else just gets boring quick... But hey, it sure looks nice and is a cool title and that seems to be more of a thing now than ever.

Ridiculous argument given the price increases. What if the ONE coil fails? Now the entire pop area is out! This isn't about gameplay, it's about STERN BEING CHEAP.

Stern can and will most likely start removing all kinds of mechs, lightning, mechs, and things (and charge more) and then say "you won't notice a difference". But he's not kidding anyone but himself.

Got his cell #?

The cheapening of the pops mechs just shows (blatantly) the mindset of the company that we already knew was there. To me, this is one of the most blatant changes. Hell, you can go all the way back to when they decided they were no longer going to spend the money to place the on/off switch under the right front corner of the game where it was easy to reach and instead make owners shimmy between games to get to the switch... I could go on and on on where corners have been cut/cheapened. All while we've seen record price increases far exceeding normal inflation rates.

The BIGGEST concern for me now? The continued cheapening of our hobby all while paying way more. Now that they've seen they can do this to the pops, what's next? Both slings firing at the exact same time? Both flippers firing at the same time? In pinball we don't look forward to the advances anymore, unfortunately, but wait for the next price hike and exclusion/cheapening...

It was certainly a cost move... your assumption implies that they couldn't run a UL approved wiring setup to a switch up front or change the design of where they placed the boards to do so... instead of spending more money to do it right, they just said "F" it and dropped a switch in the backbox.