Alien (Limited Version)
Pinball Brothers, 2021
Avengers: Infinity Quest (Premium)
Stern, 2020
Batman 66 (LE)
Stern, 2016
Batman 66 (Premium)
Stern, 2016
Batman 66 (Super LE)
Stern, 2016
Cactus Canyon (Remake - LE)
Chicago Gaming Co., 2021
Cactus Canyon (Remake - Special Edition Plus)
Chicago Gaming Co., 2021
Deadpool (Premium)
Stern, 2018How many pins have you pre-ordered with deposit or ordered and paid-in-full AND you are waiting for the game?
Buying a new pinball machine has become an exercise in patience. There’s no inventory at distributors so expect to wait from 1 up 18 months (EHOH premiums). The silver lining is having so many choices.
1B588A9E-D576-4C3F-89F7-7EDAF3F846C3.jpegHave one on order and the second will be this week. Upside - no room for them so have six months to a year to figure that out 
Keep those votes coming in. With Stern backordered by 10k pins and other manufacturers hampered by parts supply, there has to be more than 34 people with a game outstanding.
Currently have 3 on order:
Deadpool Premium
Halloween CE
Alien LV
Absolutely cannot wait for any them, but it's gonna be a while! Also not officially ordered (no deposit yet as there is no estimated build date), but I am on the waitlist for Elvira whenever that happens.
Had to change my vote from 4 to none. Decided to wait and buy new pins AFTER they are made and so cancel/sold my deposits. That means I’ll end up buying HUO new titles from Early Adopters. I am fine with that, as I am not a nib, Fresh-Air Snob. Instead I’m a Non-Preorder Snob, which is superior 
The above 170 votes account for 280 preordered games. We’ve heard Stern alone has a 10k game backlog, so many more votes are needed.
Quoted from TheClownpuncher:Tried to vote but have insufficient user level. LOL
I have 2 on order.
Try refreshing your page, it shouldn’t give that error
Any news on when Godzilla premiums will be on the line again? I was told by my distributor maybe March if not then it will be august. That was back in early December ‘21. This will be my first pin ever I’m very impatiently waiting from excitement LOL! Already picked out my 2nd pin once the damage to my bank account settles from this one. A black knight SOR pro…..unless I get to impatient then it might be #1
GZPRE shipment officially coming in March, then next batch was set for Aug but moved to Dec 2022. Whichever version proves true, no more than two GZ premium runs for 2022. There will still be a large unmet demand so expect at least one run in 2023. If time expires, Stern needs to re-up the GZ license. IMO Stern should make GZ into perpetuity. Never Stop building pinball’s #1 ranked pin, Baby.
I heard on TPN podcast that they are doing runs of Godzilla premiums in march, may, and July now. I was told back in December when I ordered mine it would be august I’m hoping these extra production runs out in place will allow me to get it sooner!
Quoted from jeffspinballpalace:Had to change my vote from 4 to none. Decided to wait and buy new pins AFTER they are made and so cancel/sold my deposits. That means I’ll end up buying HUO new titles from Early Adopters. I am fine with that, as I am not a nib, Fresh-Air Snob. Instead I’m a Non-Preorder Snob, which is superior
This strategy doesn’t work as well now. I keep seeing HUO prices higher than NIB. There just isn’t enough stock to go around. If a reasonably priced HUO comes up, it’s gone in less than 10 minutes. The only reason I have a game on order is that I won’t find that game for less than NIB in the next 6 months, and 6 months from now, it will cost even more.
Quoted from DaveH:This strategy doesn’t work as well now. I keep seeing HUO prices higher than NIB. There just isn’t enough stock to go around. If a reasonably priced HUO comes up, it’s gone in less than 10 minutes. The only reason I have a game on order is that I won’t find that game for less than NIB in the next 6 months, and 6 months from now, it will cost even more.
Agreed...Also, was told 2023 for Zilla premiums. I assume that’s for people looking to buy now and not someone that put down a deposit months ago.
Quoted from DaveH:This strategy doesn’t work as well now. I keep seeing HUO prices higher than NIB. There just isn’t enough stock to go around. If a reasonably priced HUO comes up, it’s gone in less than 10 minutes. The only reason I have a game on order is that I won’t find that game for less than NIB in the next 6 months, and 6 months from now, it will cost even more.
This is so true. The two best strategies are: 1) pre-order at msrp, which will probably be lower than huo and wait for game to be delivered. Sometimes parts are short and game is pushed out 3-9 months more. Or 2) buy existing game for more than msrp and get it now. The repurchased game may be opened and huo or still sitting on pallet as nib. But it offers immediate satisfaction. I choose option 2, in spite of it costing way more, when I don’t want to wait a year.
Quoted from jeffspinballpalace:This is so true. The two best strategies are: 1) pre-order at msrp, which will probably be lower than huo and wait for game to be delivered. Sometimes parts are short and game is pushed out 3-9 months more. Or 2) buy existing game for more than msrp and get it now. The repurchased game may be opened and huo or still sitting on pallet as nib. But it offers immediate satisfaction. I chose option 2, in spite of it costing way more, because I don’t want to wait a year.
Good luck with whatever your strategy ends up being. Patient or impatient...I myself seem to fluctuate between the two. Never settling on one or the other. Depends on the title I suppose? I’m in on a Godzilla pro, but have to wait until mid summer. Btw there is a Godzilla le for sale now for just over 15k. I’m truly hopeful one day this crazy inflation subsides, but who knows?
Quoted from TomN:Good luck with whatever your strategy ends up being. Patient or impatient...I myself seem to fluctuate between the two. Never settling on one or the other. Depends on the title I suppose? I’m in on a Godzilla pro, but have to wait until mid summer. Btw there is a Godzilla le for sale now for just over 15k. I’m truly hopeful one day this crazy inflation subsides, but who knows?
For the most part, this is true. I had Mando Premium, Deadpool Premium, Godzilla Premium and Rush Premium on order. Mando and Deadpool were both predicted to be before end of 2021 at the lower prices. Neither turned into reality. For Mando, I ran across a local Mando LE for 10K with only ~100 plays, so I scooped that up as the Mando Premium would have been close to 9K anyway. For Deadpool, I held out and got my NIB delivered a week ago. Paid under MSRP delivered... no way I could have found a used one for close to that. If I were a flipper, I could have sold my NIB DP Premium and made a healthy profit.
As mentioned, I think you have to be open to both. Get in line for a NIB and pounce on a used one if it pops up.
Quoted from jeffspinballpalace:This is so true. The two best strategies are: 1) pre-order at msrp, which will probably be lower than huo and wait for game to be delivered. Sometimes parts are short and game is pushed out 3-9 months more. Or 2) buy existing game for more than msrp and get it now. The repurchased game may be opened and huo or still sitting on pallet as nib. But it offers immediate satisfaction. I choose option 2, in spite of it costing way more, when I don’t want to wait a year.
I probably should have included the other factor in my reasoning... I'm thrilled with my current collection. I could walk up to any game I own and have a great time playing pinball. A new game needs to have something pretty special for me to want to buy it. The last game like that was Deadpool, which I figured I'd only own for a few months, but of course, isn't going anywhere. So immediate satisfaction for me comes from the games I already have. Adding something new is just a bonus.
I got back into the hobby after several years. One of the barcades in Dallas has a nice lineup of modern pinball machines (Stern, JJP and some of the remakes like Monster Bash) and I got hooked on Godzilla. They have an LE and I haven’t had as much fun playing a pinball machines before I played that (and I’m not even a Godzilla fan). But this one is incredible (I have TZ, IJ, CV, LOTR, WOZ at home for comparison) so I put in a pre-order for a premium. I don’t mind the wait (2023) but am surprised that it’s gotten so popular as to require a year long wait list for a $10k toy.
I’ve been reading the comments in the thread from people waiting to take delivery. I’m brand new to the hobby and ordered a Rush Premium around the time of the official announcement (January 10 to be exact). My distributor made it clear that I was in line deep into his customer list and should be prepared not to expect delivery until August. (End of March is when the distributor hoped to have an updated timeframe.) Fair enough.
I’m far from concerned but I am curious about how the manufacturing and order filling process works. Is priority given to the older outstanding orders? Or, does the production focus shift to the most recent machine?
I assume Stern plans on cranking out XX number of each machine and their various models and calls it “sold out”.
Perhaps people waiting on 2020/2021 releases were late getting their orders in?
Can anybody shed some light on this? What’s been your experience on estimated vs actual delivery date?
Stern will continue to produce machines in thier "current lineup" for as long as demand is there (and the terms of the license allow it).
for example,
Stern Star Wars Pro and Premium (released 2017) in on the production schedule again towards the end of this year (2022) because of both demand and license agareements.
Stern Led Zepillin is currently "listed" on the production schedule, but there are no plans to make any in 2022. The license allows it to be built, but the demand is not there.
Newer games like Mandalorian, Godzilla, and Rush will be run a couple different times over the course of the year, but games like Jurassic Park, Avengers, and TMNT will only be ran once this year (and then, probably, again next year).
I was talking with a distributor, and he was saying that now Stern went from a demand based production to a numbered production. He said that a distributor used to say how many machines, of what levels they wanted, and were given those by the company. Now Stern allocates a certain number of each level, and gives them to each distributor. That way they know how many of each they have, and how much money they will make on each allocation. And it is up to the distributor to sell what they got.
Quoted from unclerudy:That way they know how many of each they have, and how much money they will make on each allocation. And it is up to the distributor to sell what they got.
And at some point with the steady price increases, it is better to get your allocation, and hang on to it. The supply issue is going to go on for a while, and HUO machines are more expensive than NIB. Just wait until after the next price increase... Profit.
About to be 4 for me...
Ultraman CE
Ultraman BSE
Godzilla Pro
Godzilla Premium
Not really planning on keeping the UM BSE, just kinda sitting on it waiting to see where prices go over time, as I'm not really out any money on my CE if I just let it vaporize at the end of the day... planning on having Godzilla Pro for a few months and then selling it to upgrade to the Premium. Already have the deposit sent on the Premium, but it's sounding like January of NEXT YEAR if things don't accelerate significantly.
Quoted from Frax:About to be 4 for me...
Ultraman CE
Ultraman BSE
Godzilla Pro
Godzilla Premium
Not really planning on keeping the UM BSE, just kinda sitting on it waiting to see where prices go over time, as I'm not really out any money on my CE if I just let it vaporize at the end of the day... planning on having Godzilla Pro for a few months and then selling it to upgrade to the Premium. Already have the deposit sent on the Premium, but it's sounding like January of NEXT YEAR if things don't accelerate significantly.
Then don’t you have 5-6 pins preordered? or did you mean 4 will be made soon?
Quoted from ReadyPO:Have one on order and the second will be this week. Upside - no room for them so have six months to a year to figure that out
Well, now I went from two NIB on order to three, picking up an ultraman pre-order slot:
Ultraman CE
Godzilla Premium
Alien LV
Wasn't planned and ironically, the Ultraman will now be my first NIB and pretty soon, I think.
Alien LVs are suppose to start shipping in three days (I am in the mid-300s on Cointakers list), so if production is at least 40 a week, maybe see this in around summer/early fall (fingers crossed)
Godzilla is now projected late fall/winter by my distributor (unless Stern's letter indicating no April release and more capacity translates in quicker delivery times) so dead last.
games (2) (resized).jpegQuoted from jeffspinballpalace:Then don’t you have 5-6 pins preordered? or did you mean 4 will be made soon?
Define "soon" these days lol...
UM CE - 2 ish months
BSE - A lot longer
GZ Pro - Hopefully 3 months
GZ Premium - Um....next year.
Folks, it is time to update your answers. Seven months have passed and many games were bought or sold since. Some didn’t participate in the poll the first go round and now’s your chance. Polls are still open and there’s no better time to recalibrate. Attached snapshot of where we stand today. Maybe we’ll see changes. I’ve gone from 0 to 1 preorder.
Previous results by all poll takers showed 1/3 people preordered 1 game, 1/3 people owned 2 or 3 games and the balance was split among people with either no games or more than 3 games. Just vote and we’ll see. Oh boy, someone’s making Bank Shot again?
BB8083E2-459E-4A87-B445-D9DD5F79E1D5.jpegUpdated from 1 to 0. And not because my order came in. After 7 months I started scrubbing around to find one, and I did. Bought it, dropped it into my gameroom, love it. Did I pay more than I intended? Yes, and I don't care because I know how short life is.
1, Elvira here. On a side, dealing with Zach at Straight Down the Middle is dreamy. Good people, and accommodated shipping to Alaska?!? Hells yes.
Quoted from Alaskanzen:1, Elvira here. On a side, dealing with Zach at Straight Down the Middle is dreamy. Good people, and accommodated shipping to Alaska?!? Hells yes.
Spent a year in Anchorage on work. Two movie theaters had pins. One was a good place but it only had POTC. That game was maintained and you could report an issue and it would be fixed in a week. Anyways, the first six months passed and I was going crazy wanting to find a pinball to play and that’s when I discovered the above places. I put 1,500 games on POTC at 50 cents and became sick of playing it. Perhaps it is still there??
For reference one could buy a huo POTC for under $4k. The extended version went like this. On the day I returned from Alaska I was seeing mirages of pinball machines. I arranged that first day to visit my buddy Mike Chestnut and play his self-restored games, sporting his metallic hardware . All kinds of highway delays, construction and shitty drivers so I was speeding to make up time. In TN, I was pulled over and asked if I was in a hurry. I told him yeah, I gotta play some pinball. At that moment his car speaker crackled and there was a big problem at the bank. So he left me with a verbal warning and got in his car and left. That was the beginning of a great day. 
Quoted from jeffspinballpalace:Spent a year in Anchorage on work. Two movie theaters had pins. One was a good place but it only had POTC. That game was maintained and you could report an issue and it would be fixed in a week. Anyways, the first six months passed and I was going crazy wanting to find a pinball to play and that’s when I discovered the above places. I put 1,500 games on POTC at 50 cents and became sick of playing it. Perhaps it is still there??
For reference one could buy a huo POTC for under $4k. The extended version went like this. On the day I returned from Alaska I was see mirages of pinball machines. I arranged that first day to visit my buddy Mike Chestnut and play his games. All kinds of highway delays, construction and shitty drivers so I was speeding to make up time. In TN, I was pulled over and asked if I was in a hurry. I told him yeah, I gotta play some pinball. At that moment his car speaker crackled and there was a big problem at the bank. So he left me with a verbal warning and got in his car and left. That was the beginning of a great day.
POTC is where I cut my teeth (good ole Century theater). Its gone! They replaced it with a Star Wars (Stern Pro) in 2015?). Too bad, I used to have #6 high score here on that thing (fyi, my bud Max was maintaining those games, good times). Now days, there are a ton of pins on location (Koots probably has the greatest concentration) but its nothing like the States. Im longing for work trips to commence post covid so I can get my fix, though i did jaunt down to Portland last year to hit a few spots. Note taken: Pinball can get you out of a ticket.
Still waiting one one machine, Oktoberfest, almost a year now so I'm itchin' to play like you wouldn't believe.
Quoted from Wizkid93:Still waiting one one machine, Oktoberfest, almost a year now so I'm itchin' to play like you wouldn't believe.
Worth the wait! Prost!
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