As popular a theme as BTTF is Godzilla is about 100x bigger. Something like 60 films since 1954, sofubi and Bullmark kaiju toys that collectors pays thousands for. Sure some Americans don’t care / don’t get it but that does not negate the fact that Godzilla is one of the largest licenses the world over with millions of fans.

Worldwide popularity of a franchise is less relevant in the context of pinball.

Listen fellas, I’m no stranger to the cinephile, uber dork , and geekdom culture. I’ve been a member of the 501st since 2007 and I’ve been to every con and comic show and cosplay event there is and you can name. I know dudes that go to LebowskiFest, which is an annual event. I’ve been on RPF for 15 years. All that said, I think I have my finger
on the pulse of pop culture and what licenses do and do not move the needle for large numbers of people.

That is not to say that there isn’t a loyal following to a particular movie. That isn’t to say that replica cars from certain movies and shows aren’t highly prized and collectible and outlandishly priced. All very true. But BTTF is not, on the grand scale of pop culture fandoms, anywhere near the behemoth some here will have us believe. It isn’t close to Indiana Jones, for example - a license having produced two machines.

And give me a break on certain items being produced for BTTF or a gathering of celebs at a con. Firefly gets that same treatment and was a tiny property. Godzilla has had posters and figures and merch released on Mondo literally in the last week that sold out in seconds. You don’t dig Godzilla. Cool. But to suggest it’s a niche or “left field” license is absurd. It’s massive and ubiquitous and global - a perfect international recipe. I’m not in any way suggesting I don’t like BTTF (the sequels blow, but I digress). But I am saying that it’s just not a heavy-hitter property and there is no comparison here between the two potential licenses. Wanna know how I know? Gary licensed Godzilla and gave it to his MVP and is pumping the hell out of it behind the scenes to the distros.

My trusted Distro says we will see something on Wednesday, September 8.

That’s fundamentally untrue. Why do you think AC/DC was chosen before all the other bands that Stern produced? The first run of pros go onto shipping containers to Europe and Australia. The worldwide market is 100% relevant. A license that leaves Europeans and Australians (in particular) scratching their heads is a non-starter. Hell, Munsters was a questionable choice in that department.

A few more days...

It is also well loved in the US. Hence “the world over” as in all over the world, including here.

If you're going to bring up a Australia , I'll say that Back to the Future would sell at least 50 times as many as Godzilla

And no one over here is scratching their heads about Back to the Future

Two different conversations. The point to which I was responding here was the assertion that Stern doesn’t consider global interest for licenses. I wasn’t weighing BTTF vs Godzilla in Oz. I have no clue.

You're right about that. There is more nuance to it. I'm not sure a mega-band like AC/DC from Australia is a fair comparison to Godzilla. Pinball is less popular in Asian countries. I don't think Godzilla will get them playing more pinball.

not to mention an unlimited BOM on this build....

Stern is only upping the allocations to push out and beta test the new Stern Insider Connected system.

I have noticed Godzilla items selling more than bttf items. For example…the NECA figurines of bttf are stacked full on the shelf. Where as, most other figurines are sold out. Although that could just mean that parents are buying strictly for children, not themselves??

Absolute latest. The stern army webinar is then. I bet the distro one is on 9/7. Meaning we see it then.

All i know is stern better up their licenses and games. Jersey Jack is getting their designers and big licenses lately.

JJP is poaching old blood. Ritchie sucks, they can have him. Also, he wasn’t their first choice. They want after Elwin first.

Led Zeppelin was a grail theme for me though it’s really a weak pin. Keith is gold right now. JJP is at a game every two years and Toy Story is next. It will be 2 years until they release Ritchies game is my guess.

For goodness sake give us Van Halen with Roth callouts for the next music pin. Eruption Multiball!!!

What licenses? What’s after Toy Story?

Ritchie deserves some respect. Tell us what you do for a living and I can tell you how shit you are at it.

The Godfather

Unlimited eh?
My imagination runs wild now.
If Godzilla breathes fire - I’m way in.

Are the new machines already made and ready to ship?

Yuck.

JJP with their one game per 18 months production capability, biodegradable playfields, and up-to-the-minute razor’s edge licenses like Guns N Roses and Toy Story? Stern needs worry about them? Please.

Probably ship within a few weeks like always.

Hoping for a Matrix pin soon. Maybe CGC has this license but new movie by Dec.

7A934DF9-2C11-4613-8249-E5CBE62A32C2.jpeg

Why wouldn’t they be putting equal effort into pushing the standalone system to connect to the other Spike 2 games that Ops already bought and are far more likely to buy en masse? Nobody is buying multiple new pins for location because of the Connected system.

Really? Are we that obsessed with it here mate? I know I'm definitely not at all. It's just an 80's movie to me and definitely not one of my favs next to a slew of others.

Well I know you guys down under are really into Rush…

100% agree. That's why any thoughts or plans for a Rush pin makes no business sense.

Totally unfounded and baseless rumor, but Monsters Inc.?

LEs will be sold out within the first hour. And Rush is such a popular band in the US, I'm sure the premium and pro models will do really well, too. Just talking out my ass here, but I'm pretty sure Oz doesn't account for a huge percentage of Stern's sales, so as long as they make up for it with US sales, they won't lose much sleep over it.

Rush is rumored to be a boutique run. That would make more sense.

I believe mnpinball said it would be a full-featured game. I don't remember the last time that guy was wrong.

I missed that. If he said it, it is true.

Hey at least JJP cares about the environment!!!!

Hahahaha lol Scream … I don’t mind a "Baptism Multiball"

Aussies typically buy 10% of the LEs. Not a "huge" percentage, but significant.

Way to make it personal. You’re the best kind of guy. We’re all so proud of you! Name a Ritchie pin within the past 20 years that really amazed, I’ll wait. I stick to my unpopular opinion. He is my least favorite designer, always has been.

ACDC is one of my fav pins ever produced. I think by the sales numbers, I'm not alone in that thinking.

to each their own, prob my least fav pin outside of munsters as far as recent sterns. The only Ritchie games I dig are Getaway and BK2000. Just my opinion, I don’t mean to be harsh…I’m just born that way.

Show the man some respect. My number 1 pinball experience in my lifetime was with Steve Ritchie. The man is a pinball legend.

I think ACDC is one of the best games of all time.

No need to carry on like a dickhead. It could be why you are so unpopular.

Hell Yes. Yes, yes yes. Yes to the power of yes, and yes x 1000000.
(That's a yes from me)

In the current pin economy I am sure Stern would indeed get sufficient North American sales to justify a Rush pin, but do they really want to alienate a bunch of other markets?

I like those and Spider-Man is great too

Give Ritchie a decent (not even extravagant, just decent) BOM and he delivers:

Spiderman - Awesome
AC/DC Prem/LE - Classic
Star Trek Prem/LE - Great
Game of Thrones Prem/LE - Amazing

Star Wars started the new BOM restrictions for Ritchie. Then BK:SOR, then LZ. All less than they should have been if he had been given a decent BOM. After three severely restricted BOM machines, it's no wonder he went to JJP and Gary is giving Elwin an extravagant BOM for Godzilla. Lyman - gone. Ritchie - gone. Time to start investing in the product again at Stern. Fortunately Gary's also still got Tanio, who showed with Deadpool he will be a force to be reckoned with.

But Gary shouldn't rest too easy. If JJP is smart they're already after Tanio.

I totally subscribe to that scenario too. I definitely adds up to me and lines up with other boutique runs we've seen from Stern.

And even more at the moment with all these random cashed up newcomers coming in that just like the sound of buying an LE despite being totally new to pinball and not thinking about collecting. Thought that bubble could be about to burst with lockdown starting to bite a lot of people's disposable income, not to mention how the Stern price rise looks at our end.