It isn't really just a stern bubble but the entirety of pinball. Eventually the people with big money will move on and games will stop selling. The pinball bubble needs to burst before the Stern one does. But can Stern survive? If trends/prices go back to what they were in the early 2000s what will that mean for Stern? Can they produce a game and sell for $4000 and turn a profit? Maybe but things will need cut (code) more than likely.
At that point will people be willing to sell the CV that they bought for $6700 for $4000? Maybe as long as all games have value relative to each other but what of the people looking to get out? They told their wife "this $6700 CV will never go down in value" and now it is time to sell. Will they? Or will they just hoard it out of spite for their piss poor decision?
Would anyone see a reason to start a new company to make pinball machines? JJP prices would have been insane in 2002, even with all of the tech/innovation. If prices adjust back down to then would JJP just throw in the towel? Would Heighway and Dutch Pinball continue? There may be little incentive for them at these price points.
If/when this "bubble" bursts it could be very bad for the hobby.

Yes but at some point the money will dry up. Will my kids (7yr and 5 month olds) care about this crap? Maybe because they grew up with it. Will their friends, probably not. I only care about it because they were around when I was a kid. More arcade machines than pinball but pin was always more fun to me. Remember that people have finite money to enjoy the finite games of yesteryear. The younger someone is the less money they more than likely have.

I do not, just pointing out that it will all end eventually . With Stern's newest pricing I would not buy a bond in the company.

True my money could be construed as not finite (certainly not infinite). But the money I am willing to spend is finite (or what the wife lets me have). That is more what I was getting at.

That is what I am waiting for . Ready to pounce like a chupathingy... errr puma.