Los Angeles, CA
dr strange
(Topic ID: 163185)
Linked Games
24
Stern, 2009-
AC/DC (LE)
Stern, 2012
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AC/DC (Premium)
Stern, 2012
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AC/DC (Pro)
Stern, 2012
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Addams Family Gold (Special Collectors Edition), The
Bally, 1994
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Addams Family, The
Bally, 1992
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Aerosmith (LE)
Stern, 2017
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Aerosmith (Premium)
Stern, 2017
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Quoted from J85M:Is the maiden layout really that good?
I don't have that much experience with it either, but it did impress me as quite unique and as Keith Elwin's entry table somewhat historical. I just feel of all the modern stern it is most loved on design and most divisive on theme so a good candidate for re-skin.
6 months later
I would think Avatar the Last Airbender would be ripe for a pin; super popular with the under 30 crowd, and their parents.
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sorry for the noob question, but what's the Disney/Stern connection? I keep seeing reference to the "Disney" guy (usually derisively). Is that Gary Stern somehow?
Once again I advocate Avatar The Last Airbender as the ultimate youth allure theme. I say this as the dad of a 21 year old. Among my daughter and her friends this is their "star wars."
Why the heck is anyone talking about Foo Fighters? lol This is the list Stern or anyone should be using to decide the next music pin.
https://ledgernote.com/blog/interesting/best-selling-artists-of-all-time/
Sorry but next up is Drake (who I can't stand, but obviously I'm out of touch, as are, i assume, most of us here).
After that we skip Michael Jackson for obvious reasons and it's Rihanna, which would make a damn fine pinball theme.
Eminem, Madonna, and Justin Beiber to round out the top 10 (that haven't already had a pin).
Foo Fighter and Ozzy are small potatoes compared to these guys, sorry.
Quoted from PantherCityPins:I think you are discounting the buying demographic for pinball machines. The target demographic is 40-60 year old men for most of the pinball machine buying market.
But I think that's exactly the attitude that keeps the demographics of pinball small and sheltered. There are plenty of millionaires who love Drake (gag) and would never consider pinball because all they see is Rush and Led Zepplin. If you want to expand the purchasing base you need to give them something new that actually interests them. Who knows how a Drake (gag) pinball machine might perform because the current companies haven't tried anything that ballsy and mainstream yet. Everything is either Dad rock, Pinball History, or SciFi/Fantasy/Comics. The only real contemporary, non-nostaligia themes I see in the top 50 are The Big Lewboski, Stranger Things, Rick and Morty, The Walking Dead, Dialed In and Toy Story; none of the music themed. Sooner or later one of these companies is going to have to go out on a limb and produce a hip-hop pin for the under 60 crowd.
Quoted from Roostking:I'll say it again, companies do market research, why would Stern produce something if they are unsure its going to sell? Stern is not being held hostage by us.
Not to be rude, but you can say it all you like; do you have any actual evidence or proof that Stern does market research beyond pinside and pinball gatherings?
Do you really think market research led them to decide Rush was the most desired musical themed pin they could produce? 
Or Sean Connery Bond for that matter? I suspect Grantman may be closer to the truth. A cheap license popular with the over 60 crowd seems the safe bet, no market research necessary.
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Quoted from Roostking:Stern does have a marketing dept, would that possibly entail market research?
https://sternpinball.com/2021/11/16/stern-pinball-enhances-sales-and-marketing-department/
No, dude, you are just proving my point. Marketing is sales, (happens after the product is already developed). Market research is research and development (before the product is made). Fairly unrelated. No where in that guys job description does it mention market research. :-/ But again, if anyone has any proof Stern does real market research outside the all ready established pinball community, I'd love to see it.
But I think PinStalker has it right.
Quoted from PBhead:How about an FFFB
[quoted image]
that would be so cool but honestly (though me and all my freinds grew up reading them), way too obscure. better to do an original table; "Dirty Smelly Hippies!" or "Weed Smoking Drop-outs!" or "420: The Pin" or "Ganga Queens" or "Mari Jane."
Futurama as a tribute to BBB seems like an obvious way to go
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cobra kai seems like another no-brainer. perfect retro title with plenty of love from the main demographic and still hip for the new generations. maybe not a cheap license though.
2 weeks later
Quoted from Pin_Fandango:Definitely the next Elwin.
damn an Elwin Jaws pin sounds like a solid winner right out the gate.
2 weeks later
Quoted from zombieyeti:I am a people pleaser tho - so I don’t like letting people down.
dude, your art is awesome, 'nuff said.
Quoted from jeffspinballpalace:Good info. Where most people go wrong is they don’t generalize that Stern builds roughly 20k games a year at an average price of $10k is $200M gross in sales. Assuming 1/2 cost incurred for all labor, all materials, design, manufacturings, sales and support and Gary and partner may divy up $100M in profits. Five years would generates $500M in cash. Based on that level of profitability and cash flow you’d expect the company to fetch $1B in an all out ipo.
So that is where some of your accounting is a meaningful way to arrive at a similar conclusion.
I doubt they are making 50% profit. More likely around 15%.
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i suspect their are many fewer comic premiums out there which is why the demand. I too much prefer the original art, for what it's worth.
3 weeks later
3 months later
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I'd like to see Stern try another original IP theme again, enough with the comics and 70's bands. I was thinking... ZOMBIE YETI! (could even be a re-skin of an great design, like Iron maiden...)
Pretty sure the next big Stern pin is going to be Tracy Chapman themed... https://news.yahoo.com/tracy-chapman-gets-love-country-213440891.html
well I wonder which segment of the market has more room for growth... top or bottom?
I'd like to see a really well designed and made, but simple & no frills, beginner home edition at Costco for $4k. Where's godzilla home edition?
Or has Stern already given up those?
Quoted from Zen_Monkey:I agree with the designers who believe the only thing that matters is what’s on the playfield.
playfield design in 9/10ths, but a bad theme can always be a deal breaker for home ownership. Case-in-point, Iron Maiden. I have nothing against metal, and many of my friends are metal-heads, but I couldnt' have that pin in my home. And it's probably Elwin's best design. Gawd I wish they would reskin it.
so theme does matter in this market. Maybe not to routers, but that's not really the market anymore.
as for getting kids in, I hate to say it, but the easier games get more play. No one likes Star Wars except me. Everyone, all the kids, love Sharkey's Shootout.
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1 month later
3 months later
Neither the space nor the money for a NIB game, but I'm quite excited that I'll probably be able to play this on location before the end of the month.
3 weeks later
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