Anyone can be 007, as we'll probably see in the next movie, as James Bond is now dead. 007 is a codename for British Secret Service agent number 7 (the double zero means they're licensed to kill). The game should have Bond's name on it... it's his legacy.

In stock pins - better buy them up!

If you're going to flip games, go ahead and flip games but some of these ads crack me up.
One user is 0 for 12 and in the last 6 months has bought several NIB games and then decided multiple times they want to use the funds towards a different game or moved multiple times or is downsizing their collection.
The latest excuse is they bought a bond LE but then saw there was an SLE and want that instead.

Here for Lol’s. Crossposted in Bond thread

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I think the prem is looking like $14ish at todays exchange but as a ballpark you are not wrong lol.

What are they doing? Well the fact that they barely touched the pro is an indication that this is just a response to the secondary market.
I do hope people vote with their wallet and I believe they will.

Once inventory stalls and dealers cant take on more orders because they still have old inventory , things will shift.

They are pushing the market thanks to the stupid inflated of the last two years.

This is soon to be over, the influx of the covid buyers will thin out soon as the economy continues to freefall worldwide.

BUT the fact that they're pushing Bond Pros out to April 2023 for the FIRST home run means they're likely trying to push home users to pay to get in the Premium run. Pro is an attractive price, but they're making people wait 7 months for it, hoping some of those upgrade and get a more profitable Premium.

Yeah, that guy is useless to the hobby. Curious who his distributor is.

Probably taking a cut

Good point and agree 100%
Like in most 3 tier pricing schemes, the middle one is the one you need, the 3rd is the one you want and the first is just there to steer you into the middle one, while, capturing those that can’t afford the middle one but want in.

Apple has been doing this for ages and so does Mcdonalds lol

It works!

Thread page no# 666 btw....

This pricing is the Devil's Work.

" you will Pay !!! "
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So i'm fairly sure Stern's "next" pin is going to be a Bond 007 Goldfinger LE.

Why?

-the long rumored SLE is known to be the single level Elwin with ALL the Bonds

-the LE badges on the Thunderball call it "# x / 1000 THUNDERBALL", not "#x/1000 BOND 007" according to Stern pics

-arguably the biggest Connery Bond film, Gomez' favorite, and screams for custom gold armor

-LEs sold out remarkably quickly

If Stern makes a Goldfinger LE shortly after the Thunderball LE, given that it means more accessibility to LEs for Bond 007, BUT those who bought Thunderball LE but would have preferred Goldfinger LE wouldn't be thrilled at buying so rapidly Stern's product, and I suppose we have to consider speculators and flippers would not be too happy (fwiw), then what is the end result for Stern, distributors, and the LE system?

I think short term good including for distributors, but long term might cause people to question whether to buy a new pin now or wait until all versions released months later. Different than JJP's multiple WOZ editions (Emerald/Ruby/Yellow) or Hobbit editions (Smaug/Black), which they haven't used since those two pins?

Basically the same as Stern's AC/DC Back in Black and Let There Be Rock LE editions. The BiBLE was the more desirable of the two, but they both did pretty well, though the quantities were MUCH less than 2000 LEs.

I wonder if Stern sells 10-20 LEs on their website to drive FOMO and get people thinking all the LEs instantly sold out.

What is the 4th pin that was just released then? This was an Elwin version as well?

*If* Stern was to make Harry Potter ( never) , would they use the same approach. Having 2 or more designers on the game similar to Bond and having Pro through Super Classic Limited Editions?
Or all Designers pitching in on the project?
Just a thought....

My wife told me yesterday that I live too much in the past and am not in touch with today's high inflation market. I think she is correct and I do tend to live in the past-I can't ever seem to grasp where we are today.

My wife's been telling me that for years and I should know better, as a business owner. This year alone, my fuel has tripled in cost, baling twine up 100%, fertilizer up 100%, parts in general up at least 50%, and labor has risen 25%. So of course I have to have more money for my product or I won't survive financially. So,, I retired

Gomez also said on the IC podcast
“If the James Bond game sells well, down the road there may be some "Goldfinger representation."

No. It’s an IC marketing gimmick. Pay $40 for a lottery ticket to buy one.

They don’t want to be in the business of selling direct and possibly pissing off distributors by selling many of the most profitable model. Besides only someone new to the hobby would fall for the “sold out online” ploy. Look at JJP and TS4 - they bragged they sold out of CEs on the first day (to distributors, so technically true) but of course that was pure marketing hype.

I would think Stern would capitalize with an edition for each of the houses, with 4 slightly different versions of the game…CHA CHING

I am trying to do the math here. Apparently inflation is only around 10% Honestly every time some talking head on TV talks about inflation I think to myself I would be thrilled if everything had only gone up 10% 18 months ago a Stern LE was around 9200 now its 13k. Slightly more then 10%

Yeah, but who would want a Hufflepuff?

So Eddy is likely next up, would an updated more flow shadow layout be a crime? I know I’d love a new take on shadow add yeti venom comic book art

YES! And Tanio onboard!

There's a lot of opportunism happening, too. The supply chain issues really screwed things up, but a LOT of sectors used that as cover to raise prices much more than they actually needed to based on conditions. It was just a convenient and understandable excuse that provided cover for what became record profits. The reason "supply chain" and "increased costs" alone don't wash is in many sectors they're bunkmates with "record profits."

Bloomberg says as of last month, profit margins are the widest since 1950, and I believe it.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-25/us-corporate-profits-soar-taking-margins-to-widest-since-1950

How can you squeeze more flow into The Shadow? The game's a fast-action flow monster already!

A completist collector needing to squeeze out that 4th edition to have them all!

This statement is very true. There were short term issues, the worst being the auto industry because of the large chain of parts involved and the needless shutdowns.

Many other sectors are purely price gouging now because they can. Now the government is literally raising interests rates so you will stop buying all of this stuff that's already priced too high.

Spend today’s dollars before they lose purchasing power tomorrow.

Could be worse. Canada, Japan, Australia, UK currently have terrible currency weakness compared to USD.

In Japan the US Dollar has RIDICULOUS purchasing power currently at about 144 yen to the dollar. The highest I've ever been in Japan for was about 133 in the 1990s. That was GREAT - everything on sale, and this is even higher. The worst time I was in Japan was when it was about 80 yen to the US Dollar. That SUCKED. Japan's already on the expensive side, so that made it way worse.

So, moral of the story is, US has its problems, but is weathering the back side of the pandemic storm better than most in the world. The fact that manufacturers are using the pandemic as cover for predatory price increases is ugly. Stern, and its investor/managers it seems, is not immune.

I’m sure a guy like Brian could work something out. There are a few dead end shots on shadow make those loops for fast returns, add an inner orbit maybe, the upper playfield could be changed up to add more flow, obviously wouldn’t want a copy of shadow so some things would need to be changed but the basic shadow and diverter ramps would be amazing to have again.

We're on page 666, that must mean Ozzy or Black Sabbath is next?

Ah, I see what you're saying. Basically bring back the Shadow ramp and diverter system and maybe a few other greatest hits from The Shadow and drop them in a new design that's more flow focused. I'm actually surprised the diverter system was never used again. It's hardcore and brilliant.

I think Bond looks like an amazing game. Let’s face it! 007 is a top tier license. A “license to kill” for, you might say, and Gomez definitely looks like he’s done it justice.
Still, this is me every time Stern doesn’t announce Goonies…

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You GOONIES!

Removed

Only 1 band comes to mind

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We're on page 666, that must mean Ozzy or Black Sabbath is next?

or this...

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Post to help move us off this page. I like pinball. Please Gary give us BTTF.

Is Stern back on a 3 pins schedule from now? Will they all be cornerstone?

Still thinking Top Gun Maverick, Jaws, BTTF. But they kind of have to do another rock band game, it's in their DNA to make some! I would have said Pink Floyd, but Waters is still in trouble lately.. The Police?

Hey if their out of BondLE, a TronLE just showed up in the marketplace for 20K

What about another super hero game?

I'm tired of the superhero pins....unless you consider He-man a superhero. I would go for that.

As far as rock band pins...I just feel that Ozzy is due... especially with his newly released album out.

How has Stern (an Illinois co.) not made a Blues Brothers pin and celebrated that Chicago heritage? The music, the callouts, the pin buying demographic, the video clips, the artwork, the topper possibilities are so ripe!

USD is spiking (almost parabolic) because Fed is being the most aggressive on rate hikes and tuff talk on inflation. It's not healthy and it hurts US competitiveness. Markets don't like it either, Fed may end up going to far to fast.

Fed tightening has accelerated it, but MANY different countries had weak currencies relative to USD before the recent extreme fed tightening rounds.

And still no excuse for the amount of price increases in many sectors because they're paired with record profits. Greed, plain and simple, using inflation and the pandemic as a cover. Stern is not innocent in this.

I personally would love a Blues Brothers pin. I have said in the past that there are too many dead actors/musician's families and estates wanting a piece. I joked in the past each pin would cost 18k to get all those assets. With current prices I am changing that to 37k. Only other option is cartoonish characters with voice actors with maybe 2 or 3 songs...no thanks.

Hammerhead seems to dislike either The Police, a super hero game, Jaws, Top Gun Maverick or BTTF! What is it man, I'm burning to find out what you would fancy?

Big Ben 2.0

Make this Big Ben vs Giant Cats and you're unto something!
Edited: kinda moves and looks like that Bond Bird1 spacecraft, I see some potential! Lol

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