They've already made two of them. Houdini is a great theme/game and Oktoberfest looks to be another!

God forbid a pinball manufacturer utilize a game's budget for a more creative design rather than purchasing the license to yet another mass promoted homogeneous entertainment theme.

I’ve heard rumors that a major license could add $500-$750 (or more) to the cost of a pin. Maybe they save the licensing money to put towards extra mechs/parts

Why???? They are doing a great job already without a expensive license.
Heck a lot of my favorite pins and many of the top 100 are non-license games. You don't always need a license to make a pin desirable. Good game play, fun rules are are all you need.

Eventually they are going to have to pony up for a license.

Everybody says they want unlicensed themes and then they don't buy them.

Been confirmed to be more like $50. Considering the built in characters art and music of most themes, this could actually save development cost by AP in this day of high res screen graphics and stereo sound.

They don’t need it !
Houdini for there first pin is well done
Oktoberfest even better !

Love my Houdini and Oktoberfest is coming

Keep the cost down or put the money
Into the game not on the game !

If they keep making packed pins with original layouts, and good code support to boot they may not have to, especially if they can remain under JJP in price.

Ocktoberfest looks to be jam packed with stuff for the price. Can’t wait to flip one.

$50 dollars ? Per game for a liscence?

Ahhh no

WOZ is $500 per game ! Beatles is $3K

Better for you perhaps. I love both API themes so far. For the most part, I think movie themes are stupid as hell. I get that most of you do love movie themes but I think it's really a lack of creativity to lean on movie themes. Someone had to be creative in the first place to come up with a movie that you love... why not pour some creativity into a new theme that stirs the imagination?

I like original themes. I would love a new take on Sherlock Holmes, Tesla vs Edison or a new fantasy theme like jpop tried to do with Magic Girl.

According to aVid1900 post six months ago the rumored #3 release from AP was potentially Carnival, the biggest carnival in the world.

You may not like the unlicensed themes but it makes little sense to make the same pins competitors are making. If they don’t differentiate their offerings how could they compete w the big boys like CGC or Stern?

Those seeking music or monster themes have many options. Oktoberfest doesn’t speak to me personally but I am interested in seeing one in person.

Come on AP bring us Tesla !
( not the car)

Will AP make a pin with a good licensed theme?.....
NO, not for a very, very, long, long time.

Theme wise Houdini kinda drew me in but I was not a fan of the gameplay. Oktoberfest theme wise I have zero interest. Sherlock Holmes rumors have my attention as I like the theme a bit but the game would need to be fantastic as well to get me to buy it.

I think the special When lit podcast had an excellent suggestion.
AP needs a good license and barry(dutch) has an excellent license and some parts.

Take over the lot and start producing a really wanted machine.

Payment to Barry for taking over?
Former lebowski EA's gets a good discount on the game.

Everybody livets happy there after.

I’m in for Sherlock Holmes if it’s as creative as Houdini and Oktoberfest. There are definitely some cool licenses to be had out there but damn they are thinking up great things on overtime! Ferret and Josh K have done outstanding stuff

Just for kicks, I did a custom top 100 for games from 1985 - 1995.

40% of the top 10 were not a licensed theme. That's a pretty solid percentage I'd say. Interestingly, 40% of the top 20 were not licensed.

If you look back at your history, what percentage have been a licensed theme i wonder? I've only had 1 (granted, my collection is more by what's for sale locally than anything else, and not a great deal of money invested).

I don't think a company needs a licensed theme per say, however, I do understand the "draw" it has with many.

I'd like for American Pinball to succeed, whichever direction they feel they must take.

Speaking for myself, most of my games ARE licensed, but they are all games with licenses for things I actually like - AND the games are killer. TZ, Hobbit, MB, JJP POTC. I’ve also owned Dialed In, which is amazing, and Houdini and Pinball Magic are my only non licensed games.

It seems like a catch-22 with licenses, because you have to pay for them, but you also get to use all the existing media, which can save a lot of money vs creating from scratch. You also get the built in interest from the title. IMO, AP is smart in choosing titles based on things people already know and are passionate about - Houdini, Sherlock Holmes, etc. it’s the audience of a license without the cost

Stern has most good licensees available lined up for years. All other companies are nibbling scraps.

I sure hope not. No more old fart licenses please.

Elvira?
BM66?

Dont forget all the irrelevant music themes.

Don't worry they'll run out of old farty themes.
Sadly, at the rate original themes are going, themes will be sad in general by boutiques indefinitely...

Name what music themes would be "relevant"

Can’t wait for Sherlock Holmes! Not sure if that counts but there are so many interesting modes and choices to be made! Plus the theme implies a very steampunk style a la Houdini (yes yes I know that’s not everybody’s thing)

I’m just thinking about how creative they can get with the theme and make an outstanding game. OKT has so many creative modes and variations it is really next gen.

I dig a lot of the old fogey bands but don’t need to play a machine with their ugly mugs plastered all over them. A Megadeth game, maybe. They have the iconic mascot
Like Iron Maiden. But it needs to be a killer game. Stern struck gold with that one, and then crapped the bed with their follow up.

Anyway carry on. How about more
HG Wells or HP Lovecraft themes?

I dont understand if your trying to claim music hasn't been relative since Metallica or iron maiden? Or you just dont understand what relevant means. But here are some very easy to understand examples.

A band where they still look similar to what they looked like when they last had a hit.

A band that's not played on a radio station with classic or oldies in the title.

A band that doesn't already have a greatest hits(given up).

I could have also ment a classic band that is "relevant" as in just had a recent bio pick Like sir Elton John, Queen, ect.

So I obviously i just stepped into your "trap" so let the schooling begin.