# Episode 892: "Kaneda's 2024 Predictions"

**Source:** Kaneda's Pinball Podcast (Patreon feed)  
**Type:** podcast_episode  
**Published:** 2023-12-27  
**Duration:** 30m 26s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-892-2024-95334512

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## Analysis

Kaneda predicts a transformative 2024 for pinball manufacturers, forecasting strong years for Stern (driven by Jaws and Keith Elwin) and Dutch Pinball (Back to the Future), while warning of serious challenges for American Pinball, Jersey Jack, and HomePin. He emphasizes that theme licensing and mechanical quality matter more than designer pedigree, and that manufacturers ignoring community feedback risk irrelevance.

### Key Claims

- [MEDIUM] American Pinball has not sold all Galactic Tank Force units and may not proceed with next titles unless they do — _Kaneda cites rumor about GTF sales threshold blocking future releases_
- [MEDIUM] Barrels of Fun will produce approximately 700 Labyrinth units (not all 1,100 planned) — _Kaneda's prediction based on market observation and secondary market expectations_
- [MEDIUM] Jersey Jack's Elton John is 'dead on arrival' with distros holding stock and prices dropping to $9k from $12k — _Kaneda observes distributor inventory and secondary market pricing trends_
- [MEDIUM] Dutch Pinball will reveal Back to the Future on Back to the Future Day (Oct 21) but game may not ship immediately — _Kaneda's prediction about reveal timing and production constraints_
- [HIGH] Stern passed on Back to the Future license due to asset unavailability—this is 'false' — _Kaneda directly corrects rumors, stating game will have full assets_
- [LOW] Keith Elwin games are so commercially powerful that one hit funds Stern's entire year financially — _Kaneda's opinion comparing Elwin's impact to Taylor Swift album cycles_
- [MEDIUM] Stern plans to release new Metallica LE alongside Keith Elwin's Jaws in 2024 — _Kaneda reports hearing this rumor; indicates Stern's strategy to re-release successful LEs_
- [MEDIUM] Spooky Pinball's TCM and Looney Tunes will outsell Jersey Jack's Elton John — _Kaneda's comparative prediction based on theme appeal and pricing strategy_

### Notable Quotes

> "I think American Pinball is a company that's in jeopardy of closing its doors if it doesn't get people a theme they want and put a lot into it and deliver something that's competitive with the other large manufacturers that are out there."
> — **Kaneda**, early segment (American Pinball discussion)
> _Direct assessment of existential risk to American Pinball_

> "There's no value anymore in Barry O's name. There's no value even in Dennis Nordman's name. You either make a great game that everybody wants, or you're just going to fail instantly in this pinball hobby."
> — **Kaneda**, American Pinball segment
> _Core thesis: designer pedigree no longer protects weak games; themes and quality matter more_

> "If all things go according to plan, Dutch Pinball will be the talk of pinball in 2024. They have the hottest theme that everybody wants."
> — **Kaneda**, Dutch Pinball segment
> _Strong endorsement and prediction; identifies Back to the Future as transformative for company_

> "From a financial standpoint, it doesn't matter [for JJP]. They have so much money, nothing really matters when it comes to money...but to me, 2024 is a defining moment for Jersey Jack Pinball. For me, it's all about one thing with this company. It's their legacy."
> — **Kaneda**, Jersey Jack Pinball segment
> _Shifts critique from financial to reputational; emphasizes JJP's loss of community trust_

> "This is the thing about Keith Elwin. He's so damn good that one Keith Elwin game is equivalent to like one Taylor Swift album. If you nail it, you can go on tour for the whole year and make money all year round."
> — **Kaneda**, Stern Pinball segment
> _Explains Stern's commercial strategy and Elwin's outsized market impact_

> "Stern doesn't care about the collectors. They don't care about the integrity around the Limited Edition and making things limited and making sure their collectors who supported them all these years maintain their value. They don't care."
> — **Kaneda**, Stern Pinball segment
> _Accuses Stern of abandoning collector base with repeated LE re-releases_

> "If you're going to do something, Chicago Gaming Company, it's not just the build quality. Do everything right. Do the social media right. Do the correspondence right. Don't reveal a game when it's a year out from being on the line."
> — **Kaneda**, Chicago Gaming segment
> _Calls out poor communication and delayed announces eroding brand trust_

> "I think Spooky Pinball are the playbook on how you go from a tiny boutique to a nice medium sized pinball company...they just keep succeeding at that."
> — **Kaneda**, Spooky Pinball segment
> _Positions Spooky as industry model for sustainable boutique growth_

> "If I were to make a prediction, I just gotta say this. I don't think they're gonna do it [JJP turning it around]. They just seem to be a company that doesn't listen to the feedback and doesn't make any changes."
> — **Kaneda**, Jersey Jack Pinball closing
> _Pessimistic assessment of JJP's ability to reform despite talent and resources_

> "Spooky Pinball games are already on the line. They give you the topper for free. There's just a lot to like about what Spooky Pinball's doing...they're going to sell more games than Elton John. I mean, that is just embarrassing for Jersey Jack Pinball."
> — **Kaneda**, Spooky Pinball closing
> _Direct competitive comparison; Spooky's strategy of included toppers and free value drive sales vs JJP's premium pricing_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Kaneda | person | Host of Tee'd Off Pinball Podcast; provides annual manufacturer predictions and industry commentary |
| American Pinball | company | Chicago-area manufacturer; struggling with Galactic Tank Force sales and leadership questions |
| Barrels of Fun | company | Houston-based boutique manufacturer; released Labyrinth; second game in development (possibly Beetlejuice or Gremlins) |
| Chicago Gaming Company | company | Pulp Fiction developer; focusing manufacturing capacity on that title; criticized for poor communication and long delays |
| Dutch Pinball | company | Netherlands-based boutique; Back to the Future licensee; Kaneda's #2 prediction for transformative 2024 |
| Stern Pinball | company | World's largest manufacturer; 2024 driven by Keith Elwin's Jaws; planned Metallica re-release; criticized for collector indifference |
| Jersey Jack Pinball | company | Premium boutique; Elton John underperforming; awaiting Mark Seiden game; Kaneda predicts legacy crisis if feedback ignored |
| Spooky Pinball | company | Wisconsin boutique; releasing TCM and Looney Tunes; Kaneda models them as ideal boutique-to-medium-company trajectory |
| Jaws | game | Stern pinball designed by Keith Elwin; Kaneda predicts strong 2024 opener for Stern; expected to justify premium pricing |
| Back to the Future | game | Dutch Pinball licensed title; Kaneda predicts 5,000+ day-one orders, production capacity crisis, possible $20k pricing |
| Galactic Tank Force | game | American Pinball original; unsold inventory blocking company from next releases per rumor |
| Labyrinth | game | Barrels of Fun debut; ~1,100 units planned; Kaneda predicts 700 sold, ~$12,500 with topper, won't increase in value |
| Elton John | game | Jersey Jack Pinball title; Kaneda calls it 'dead on arrival'; prices dropping $12k to $9k; distro inventory concerns |
| Metallica | game | Stern Pinball rumored for 2024 re-release of LE; Kaneda indicates strategy to re-launch successful titles |
| Keith Elwin | person | Pinball designer; Jaws designer; Kaneda models him as commercially dominant force equivalent to Taylor Swift in music |
| David Fix | person | American Pinball leadership; Kaneda criticizes his claim of multiple games in development |
| Dennis Nordman | person | Classic Williams designer; Kaneda notes his name no longer carries commercial value for American Pinball's Whitewater 2 |
| Mark Seiden | person | Jersey Jack Pinball designer; next game rumored to be Harry Potter or The Matrix; Kaneda flags this as make-or-break for JJP legacy |
| Jack Danger | person | Stern Pinball designer; Kaneda reports possible second title in 2024 (Pokemon or He-Man speculated) |
| John Borg | person | Stern Pinball designer; rumored Metallica re-release possible involvement |
| Heighway Pinball | company | British boutique; Centaur remake in development; Kaneda predicts rough 2024 due to weak demand vs Bally/Williams alternatives |
| Pinball Brothers | company | Scandinavian boutique; music pin in development (Scorpions rumored); partnering on Bally/Williams remakes |
| Multimorphic | company | Ultra-boutique modular platform; Kaneda predicts sustainable but niche 2024; difficult resale of platform games |
| HomePin Pinball | company | Boutique manufacturer; Spinal Tap shipping; Kaneda predicts closure risk by end of 2024 due to no market traction |
| Pedretti Gaming | company | Partner on Bally/Williams remakes alongside Pinball Brothers and European Pinball Corporation |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Manufacturer competition and market consolidation, Theme licensing and IP strategy, Limited Edition pricing, scarcity, and collector value, Game design quality and mechanical innovation
- **Secondary:** Boutique vs. mass-manufacturer strategy, Code quality and post-release updates, Production capacity and manufacturing constraints, Community feedback and manufacturer responsiveness

### Sentiment

**Mixed** (0.35) — Kaneda is bullish on Stern, Dutch, Spooky, and Turner, but deeply pessimistic about American Pinball, Jersey Jack (despite resources), HomePin, and Heighway. He acknowledges Stern's commercial dominance while criticizing their ethics toward collectors. Overall tone is critical of manufacturing decisions and theme choices, but optimistic about specific game design (Jaws, Back to the Future).

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** HomePin Pinball facing closure risk by end of 2024 due to lack of commercial traction (confidence: medium) — Kaneda: 'I think we might see a few pinball companies close their doors in 2024...I would have to say that HomePin Pinball is on that short list of companies that I don't think are going to make it through the end of next year.'
- **[sentiment_shift]** Spooky Pinball's sustainable business model and included toppers outperforming Jersey Jack's premium-pricing strategy (confidence: high) — Kaneda: 'Spooky Pinball games are already on the line. They give you the topper for free...they're going to sell more games than Elton John. I mean, that is just embarrassing for Jersey Jack Pinball.'
- **[licensing_signal]** Dutch Pinball Back to the Future confirmed to have full assets available (contradicting rumors Stern rejected it due to asset scarcity) (confidence: high) — Kaneda: 'There's been some false reports and misinformation that Stern Pinball passed on this game because there are no assets available. That is 100% false. This game is going to have in it everything you want.'
- **[market_signal]** Pinball Brothers securing Bally/Williams remake licensing alongside Pedretti Gaming and European Pinball Corporation (confidence: high) — Kaneda: 'Pinball Brothers, along with Pedretti Gaming and the European Pinball Corporation, are going to start remaking Bally Williams games. And so I think it's going to be a huge 2024 for these guys.'
- **[market_signal]** Barrels of Fun Labyrinth secondary market weakness; production of ~700 of 1,100 units planned with slow secondary market movement (confidence: medium) — Kaneda: 'I don't think they're going to sell all 1,100 of these games...once people start to see Labyrinth on the second-hand market, the game's not going to go up in value.'
- **[market_signal]** Jersey Jack Elton John secondary market prices dropping from $12k MSRP to $9k, with distributors holding unsold inventory (confidence: high) — Kaneda: 'distros have them sitting in a box. Nobody wants to take the risk and buy an Elton for 12. You know why? Because in just a couple months it'll be nine.'
- **[personnel_signal]** Jersey Jack Pinball unable to reform despite talent and financial resources; Kaneda predicts continued decline if Mark Seiden game is wrong theme (confidence: medium) — Kaneda: 'If Mark Seiden's game comes out and it's not a theme that people want...people are not going to buy these games and they've turned their back on Jersey Jack Pinball now for three titles in a row.'
- **[market_signal]** Jersey Jack Pinball facing customer resistance to premium pricing; Elton John LE pricing strategy underperforming vs boutique competitors (confidence: high) — Kaneda: 'they really should have gotten the CEs out the door first. I don't think they sold even close to a thousand CEs of Elton...Limited Edition are not selling'
- **[product_concern]** American Pinball's Galactic Tank Force has not sold out, blocking company from moving to next releases (confidence: medium) — Kaneda cites rumor: 'unless they sell all of those machines, they're not moving on to the next titles'
- **[product_strategy]** Barrels of Fun second game in development; Kaneda speculates Beetlejuice or Gremlins as next IP (confidence: medium) — Kaneda: 'now that we know it's not the Fifth Element, I think the game that this company might have might be Beetlejuice or it might be Gremlins. And if they have one of those two themes, it makes me happy.'
- **[sentiment_shift]** Stern Pinball accused of abandoning collector base through repeated LE re-releases (Metallica rumored for 2024 re-release) (confidence: high) — Kaneda: 'Stern doesn't care about the collectors. They don't care about the integrity around the Limited Edition...They're going to make a new Metallica knowing how great that game is.'
- **[business_signal]** Stern employing multiple Metallica LE re-release alongside new Keith Elwin Jaws to drive continuous revenue stream (confidence: medium) — Kaneda: 'I'm also hearing there's going to be two Keith Elwin games that come out in 2024...a new Keith Elwin Jaws...a new Metallica coming back...Stern's approach [is] they're now going to start throwing at us not just new stuff, but old stuff, new in the box again.'

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## Transcript

 Hello for you, that's the truth. Do anything you ask me to. Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit. Ah, Merry Christmas everybody. Welcome to Kaneda Spinball Podcast. I hope everybody had a great Christmas yesterday. I hope you spent the last few days with friends and family. Camp Kaneda has been overrun by the Irish Sisters. It's been so much fun. Killian is having so much fun. No, there were no pinball related gifts under the tree other than the gifts that Cody gave me. Cody, thank you so much. I want to thank Cointaker for their gift. And I just want to thank each and every one of you for making my holiday so damn special because the friendships I've made on this show have meant more to me than any presents I unwrapped yesterday. And I absolutely believe that. Thank you, everybody. Here's what we're going to do. Let's have a fun end of the year special. The year's over, right? Are there going to be any more pinball releases this year? Is Stern Pinball going to show Jaws in a surprise move this week? I don't think so. So here's what I want to do. I want to look into 2024 and I want to say what kind of year I think each manufacturer is going to have. And I'm going to do it alphabetically and we're going to make this a really great, fun pinball podcast. And I'm curious if you think my predictions are going to come true. And look, I'm going to do my best to be fair and objective, but not everything I'm going to say is going to be kind because I don't think everyone's going to have a great 2024 when it comes to pinball. But I'll say this, after looking at last year's games and after looking at the themes and the mechanical stuff that went into the games, I think everybody is waiting for 2024 to return us to a little bit more of the halcyon days of old in which the themes were better, the mechanical magic is better, and these games are more masterpieces instead of master messes that are losing a lot of money for a lot of people that are jumping in. All right, so let's start this, ladies and gentlemen. Let's go down the list. What kind of 2024 is American Pinball going to have? Now, they did not sell all of the Galactic Tank Forces, And I heard a rumor that unless they sell all of those machines, they're not moving on to the next titles. Now, David Fix will tell you they've got three games in development. He'll probably tell you he's got 17 games in development. And we know that the first two are going to be unlicensed themes. It's going to be the Barry O inspired game. And then it's going to be Whitewater 2 from Dennis Nordman. And then it's going to be Ryan Ryan McQuaid's game, which I think is Cuphead. So do we think we're going to get three American pinball games out in one year? No, but we definitely need to get a new American pinball game into the marketplace. Now, look, I'm just going to start this off on a little bit of a sour note. I think American pinball is going to have a horrible 2024 because I don't think anything from Barry O's like Old Portfolio or Whitewater 2 is going to be able to compete with what other companies have coming out in 2024. And I think American Pinball is also not going to sell these Galactic Tank Forces. And the real question for this company becomes this. If this company has a licensed theme that people want, remember the rumors of He-Man, they need to get that game out next. There is no value anymore in Barry O's name. There's no value even in Dennis Nordman's name. You either make a great game that everybody wants, or you're just going to fail instantly in this pinball hobby. And I think American Pinball is a company that's in jeopardy of closing its doors if it doesn't get people a theme they want and put a lot in it and deliver something that's competitive with the other large manufacturers that are out there. Spooky Pinball has eclipsed them. I just think this company is slowly dying. And I don't even know if it's slowly dying. It's been dying for a while. So I think American Pinball has a really rough 2024. and again, I always believe they need to shake up their leadership team. They're just not delivering. What kind of year is Barrels of Fun going to have, right? This company came out of nowhere with one of the longest teaser campaigns in the history of pinball. They had the weirdest company ever, but they made a game, Labyrinth, that was on the line when they revealed the game. The response to Labyrinth has been very positive. I don't think they're going to sell all 1,100 of these games, and that's okay because they are already developing their next two games. And so I expect Barrels of Fun midway through next year to reveal their next game. I think this company is going to make around 700 Labyrinth machines. I think orders are going to start to dry up. I think once people start to see Labyrinth on the second-hand market, the game's not going to go up in value. Remember, this game with a topper is closer to $12,500. And so look, that's the price of a Stern LE. and yes this game will always be limited because there's no like other versions there will only be 1100 always but labyrinth is another theme that's not take my money now theme for most people 40 to 60 i get that there's some affinity for it and if you love the movie heck you are happy because you got this game but i think we're going to see the next game from barrels of fun and the next game from this company to me is kind of everything because they need to get a little bit more mainstream. Doesn't have to be truly mainstream, but now that we know it's not the fifth element, I think the game that this company might have might be Beetlejuice or it might be Gremlins. And if they have one of those two themes, it makes me happy. Those themes have nostalgia. Those themes have a lot of people who are still in love with those properties. And I do think this company is going to make the right moves when it comes to themes going forward. I think they know they only need to get a licensed property that has a thousand people out there willing to spend more than ten thousand dollars on it and everything they've done so far has been done really well I hope they don't run into any manufacturing hiccups that is always a challenge with new companies but for all intents and purposes I think barrels of fun we will see game number two I think it'll have more mechanical magic in it than game number one I think they were getting their feet wet with Labyrinth. And I fully expect Barrels of Fun by the end of next year to have their second game on the line and for them to sell out of their second game. I don't think Labyrinth will sell out. All right, CGC, Chicago Gaming Company. What kind of 2024 are they going to have? Well, here's the thing. I think their entire year is going to be dominated by making all of the Pulp Fiction machines. So they're going to be on the line next year. We all know they're finally going to get this game on the line. Obviously, CGC has been dealt a blow that they're no longer remaking Bally Williams games, but I'm not so sure that's the case. I think we have to look at this story. Pedretti Gaming and Pinball Brothers will be making Bally Williams remakes, but that doesn't mean that no other remakes will be made by CGC. The whole thing's a little bit confusing to me, but as far as next year and CGC, I fully expect the Pulp Fictions to take up all of their year. I think the games are going to be well built. I think the delays, though, to get an LE are going to be longer than March. And I still think Chicago Gaming Company and all of their delays has pretty much eroded the enthusiasm around their brand And I think they need to figure something out because it just not working Taking deposits and making people wait forever They have no social media presence They don communicate with their buyers. I don't understand why. If you're going to do something, CGC, it's not just the build quality. Do everything right. Do the social media right. Do the correspondence right. Don't reveal a game when it's a year out from being on the line. None of this stuff makes sense. And they've been in the game way too long to be doing stuff still so sloppy. All right, what kind of year is Dutch Pinball going to have? Now look, if you're a Canada fan, you know what's coming. Back to the freaking future. But if you're also inside Canada's head, you know Dutch Pinball might have more than just one trick up its sleeve. I'm not going to say anything more than that. Here's my prediction for Dutch Pinball. If all things go according to plan, Dutch Pinball will be the talk of pinball in 2024. They have the hottest theme that everybody wants. The people working on that game, not just at Dutch Pinball, but within the license and the IP holder, are everybody you want. There's been some false reports and misinformation that Stern passed on this game because there's no assets available. That is 100% false. This game is going to have in it everything you want. As I said, if all goes according to plan. In 2024, they are going to make every single EA haul who ordered a big Lebowski. For the first time in a decade, Dutch Pinball is going to be playing on an equal playing field with everybody else. They are no longer clawing their way out of their debts and their obligations. And Dutch Pinball is a company that I am so excited to see what they do next. Because as I've said all these years, I think when you look at a game like the Big Lebowski, that's the kind of Bally Williams magic in modern times we've all wanted. Now, here's my prediction for Dutch in 2024. I think they're going to reveal Back to the Future on Back to the Future Day. I'm not sure the game is going to be on the line when that reveal happens. And I think there's going to be some pressure on their part to hit that date and start taking orders on the game. my concern for Dutch Pinball is the same concern everybody has. What do you do with a title that's going to get you 5,000 orders in one day and your company might be making just 10 machines a week? And so I think what's going to be really interesting for Dutch Pinball is how they handle all of this. I don't think they're going to outsource production to the European Pinball Corporation. I don't think they're going to ask Stern Pinball to make these games, as some people have been saying, which is inaccurate. I think they're in the driver's seat of a DeLorean that everybody wants to jump into. And I think what we're going to see them do is have to price this thing in a way that doesn't destroy their manufacturing line. And by that, I mean, you just don't want to take too many orders, even though you'll get the orders. I could see them doing something like we're going to make 88 SLEs. We're going to make 2,500 LEs. And that's it. You I just don't want to take 5,000 to 6,000 to 7,000 orders because, look, you're also Dutch Pinball, and you don't want to only make this game for the rest of your life. You want to move on to your next game. And I think if I was a creative, I wouldn't want to be stuck making one game forever. And I think Dutch Pinball might actually become the one pinball company that I've been waiting for, which is that white-glove, bespoke, high-end boutique pinball company that just checks every single box. It's got the mechanical magic. It's got the theme we want. Not everybody has one. It's limited. And even though you're going to spend a lot of money, think about it. Who out there wouldn't rather have a $20,000 Back to the Future or would you rather have Elton John for $12,000 and Venom LE for $13,000? I mean, think about it. A Venom LE and an Elton John are $25,000. I would rather sacrifice buying those two pins and just buy one Back to the Future for $20,000. And I'm just curious to see if they do it. But look, it's going to be a great year for Dutch. And I think they also have another surprise game coming out up their sleeve that nobody knows about. And we'll see what happens there. But a lot of exciting stuff coming from the Netherlands. All right, let's go on to Haggis Pinball. What kind of 2024 do we think Haggis is going to have? Well, look, they've got Centaur as their next game. I think they finished all the Fathom Mermaid Edition games. It doesn't seem like people are still waiting for those, which is good news. Damien and Marty, congratulations. You got it done. But here's my thing. Now that we know more Bally Williams games that are much more desirable than games like Centaur, I think Haggis Pinball's approach and the kinds of games they're remaking, I'm just not sure there's that demand for it. And I know they're making things more colorful and more sexy, but I think 2024 is going to be a rough year for Haggis. I just don't see them selling all of these Centaur editions. And I think they need to sell every single one because the slow manufacturing burn this company has been going on, I find it hard to believe they're making much money. And if I were them, I think they need to shake it up a little bit. I would love to see Marty Robbins is like War of the Worlds, original designed game that he's probably been working on for three years now, maybe four years now. So that's where I think Haggis is. I think when we think about all the companies that are exciting us in the world of pinball, I just don't see Haggis as one of those companies right now. And I think they have to figure out a new strategy. Just looking at what's coming out next year, it's going to be really hard to get people to pre-order this game with a non-refundable deposit, especially after we've witnessed that Fathom Mermaid editions didn't even go up in value. Remember the crazy time when people wanted $30,000 for one? Now you can go get one without any drama, without any wait for less than they sold for new. And I think the same thing is going to happen to Centaur. And I think this company just doesn't have any mojo right now. All right. Speaking of a company with no mojo at 2024, Home Pin Pinball, right? Spinal Tap. Where is this game? I think it's shipping. I don't think anyone bought it. I don't think any are going to be unboxed. And I can go through this company real quickly in 2024. I don't think there's any real excitement for Home Pin. I don't think there ever has been. I don't think there ever will be. I don't quite get what they're doing, but they're still doing it. I don't get who's buying these games. I don't get where the money's coming from. I talk to people every day and nobody has said they ordered this game. And so I think we might see a few pinball companies close their doors in 2024 because there's so much competition. And I would have to say that HomePin is on that short list of companies that I don't think are going to make it through the end of next year. All right. Speaking of a company that will definitely make it through the end of next year, that will make it forever because they don't need to borrow money from a bank. They don't have any investors. They have endless resources. And when you talk to Jack about his company, he almost brags about that. But I always think it's a little bit of a weakness because I feel like there's no pressure over at Jersey Jack to get it right. So what kind of 2024 is Jersey Jack pinball going to have? Well, we know the beginning of their 2024 is going to be a bad one Elton John is not selling I mean distros have them sitting in a box Nobody wants to take the risk and buy an Elton for 12 You know why Because in just a couple months it be nine And so you going to lose $3,000 on a game the moment you unbox it. It's another game that's just the wrong theme for this much money. And they really should have got the CEs out the door first. I don't think they sold even close to a thousand CEs of Elton. And we definitely know the LEs are not selling, even though the art package is better on the Platinum Edition than it is on the Collector's Edition. And so this game is somewhat of a dead on arrival release, which means if you're Jersey Jack and you're looking at 2024, sales of Elton John are going to dry up by like February, March, and then you got the whole year to go. We're all waiting on Mark Mark Seiden's game, which everyone thinks is going to be Harry Potter or the Matrix. And so here's the thing about Jersey Jacks 2024. From a financial standpoint, it doesn't matter. They have so much money, nothing really matters when it comes to money. What I think Jersey Jack Pinball needs to do, and I think they need to get into a conference room, because to me, 2024 is a defining moment for JJP. For me, it's all about one thing with this company. It's their legacy. And I think this is either going to be a year in which JJP reestablishes its legacy within the pinball space, or like American Pinball, and other companies out there, it's gonna start to slide a little bit into irrelevance because they're gonna start to look like a company that just doesn't listen to the feedback, is not making games for what the pinball community wants. They're making games for themselves. And I think if they continue to go down this road and make these really expensive games that don't check all of the boxes, I think Jersey Jack Pinball is gonna be an easy pass for a lot of people when it comes to a new in-box game. and then everyone's just going to wait for your games to be on sale. But when you think about this company and you think about the magic they put into their games and the innovations they put into their games or used to, not recently, but used to, they need to get back to the kind of excitement people had when Guns N' Roses came out. And so I think it's going to be that kind of year for Jersey Jack because I think Mr. Satan's game, if it comes out and it's not a theme that people want, if it doesn't have all the assets if it doesn't have mechanical wow stuff in it people are not going to buy these games and they've turned their back on jersey jack now for three titles in a row and i don't know how jersey jack's going to get their fan base back and they need to and again it's a legacy year for this company they've got the money they've got the talent they need to now put it all together they've had too much time in this industry to not know what putting it all together looks like. You know, I don't want to see video assets without synced up voices. If that's the case, then move on to a license in which you can get everything. Fill that beautiful screen in the right way. Like look at Guns and Roses. That's how you do it. You know, let the assets come at us. Don't overcomplicate it. When I look at games like Toy Story, I'm like, what's going on on this screen? And I don't think people should need a Bible to figure out what's going on with your code. and for the love of the pinball gods, will you please finish the code on every one of your games? Like this is now getting ridiculous. So again, a legacy year for Jersey Jack. Are they gonna turn the corner and start to build this brand the right way in 2024? If I were to make a prediction, I just gotta say this. I don't think they're gonna do it. I don't think they're gonna do it. They just seem to be a company that doesn't listen to the feedback and doesn't make any changes. And if you keep having the same people make the same decisions every single year, how are things going to get better? All right, let's go to Multimorphic. What kind of year is Multimorphic going to have? Well, look, you know, I mean, this is another one of those small companies, right? There's like boutique companies and then there's like ultra boutique companies like Multimorphic. I think we're going to get another licensed game from Jerry. I'm curious to see what the licensed game is. You know, Final Resistance is getting really good reviews, but it's not enough, right? We all know this. It's not enough to invest in this platform. And I have friends who bought in on this platform and when they try to get out of it and move on to something else, they're in for like $20,000 and you're not finding anyone who's gonna wanna buy all of these modular games. Like it's just not working. And so you look, my prediction for Multimorphic in 2024 is they're once again gonna go down this road in which I think they create some of the most interesting mechanics in pinball. I think their themes though are really hard to compete against the bigger themes from the bigger companies. And again, I just think at this price point, it's really hard to get people to go in on a multi-morphic. But I also think Jerry's got his operation in a way now where I don't think they're really losing money. So I think they're gonna keep chugging along forever. I really do. I think multi-morphic will be around as long as pinball is around. And it'll always be this thing that's the discussion in the Stellenberg family over Thanksgiving. why can't we just make a normal machine Jerry why can't we all just be multi-millionaires he's like no you don't understand this is what people want actually this is what they don't know they want that I need to convince them that they want so that's multi-morphic let's go on to pinball adventures I'm gonna skip over pinball adventures and elements is that their game I mean look nobody's buying these games these companies are making games in which if they sold 50 I'd be surprised. And that's just the truth. I mean, look, don't get into making pinball machines. If you can't at least make a game that's as good as a Stern Pro, don't bother making pinball machines. And there's no room to have financial success if your company is going to build itself on original IP games. You're not going to do it. It's never going to work. You're not J-pop. You don't have the ability to make a game look amazing, even though there's nothing in it like Magic Girl. All right, let's go on. Number 10, Pinball Brothers. The Pinball Bros are going to have, I think, a really interesting 2024. I mean, they're coming out with a music pin. I hear their music pin is Scorpions, you know, Wind of Change guys over there in Germany. Rock Me Like a Hurricane. But we also now know that the Pinball Brothers, along with Pedretti Gaming and the European Gaming Corporation or wherever, Pinball Corporation, are going to start remaking Bally Williams games. And so I think it's going to be a huge 2024 for these guys. I think now that they've figured out manufacturing and distribution and shipping, they can now start to manufacture games that people really, really want. It was a really great move that they got the Ripley edition out the door and for the best price in all the pinball. I think these guys have a bright future and are going to have an interesting 2024. My one question mark with this company remains, are they going to turn into a company that just remakes stuff because I don't think that's the future. And then you think it's like, well, who's designing for them? Who's their coding staff? Who are their artists? And that's the thing that's still a question mark for me with the Pinball Brothers, because most of their company was left over from Andrew Highway. The games were left over from Andrew Highway. And I'm just not sure if this company from the ground up by themselves, not a remake, but a ground up production by the pinball brothers. Can they make a world class pinball machine? We haven't seen it yet. So that's my big question mark with this company. But that being said I think they going to borrow some equity from what people already love And they going to make a couple remakes that people love from the Bally Williams era and then they going to have an all new original European rock and roll music pin So look I think it going to be a good year for them It going to be challenging though you know, to put two to three games out into the pinball landscape and find commercial success with every single one. All right, what else we got? After Pinball Brothers, we've got the Juggernaut. What kind of year is it going to be for Stern Pinball? Well, look, we all know the year is going to start out phenomenally well for Stern. They're going to get Jaws Pinball out the door. It's going to sell like hotcakes. It's going to justify the high prices. The LEs are going to sell out in one day. And I think this game is going to be insane. I think we've been waiting for Keith Elwin for a reason. I think there's going to be some awesome mechanisms in the game. And I think the theme is going to work. I think the coding team over there is going to figure out how to make this franchise work, even if you don't have Brody assets. They did it with Jurassic Park. I mean, we all thought Jurassic Park wasn't going to work and they made it work. So I think Stern's going to start the year with a game that's so damn popular, they're not even going to need another hit throughout 2024. See, this is the thing about Keith Elwin. He's so damn good that one Elwin game is equivalent to like one Taylor Swift album. If you nail it, you can go on tour for the whole year and make money all year round. And that's what a Keith Elwin game is. And Stern knows this. And so no matter what happens after this game, Stern's gonna have a great 2024. Now, my prediction is the games that follow Jaws and Keith Elwin are gonna have a harder time getting our money. But that's why I think Stern's going to go back to the well. They're going to make another Metallica knowing how great that game is. We know this is now Stern's approach. They're now going to start throwing at us not just new stuff, but old stuff, new in box again. And as much as we complain about it, it's not going to stop people because there's too much new money coming into the hobby who don't care. All the new money does not care that your Metallica LEs are about to plummet in value because there's going to be a new one. They're all going to run in lineup and get the new one. And if Stern taught us anything in 2023, they don't care about the collectors. They don't care about the integrity around the LEs and making things limited and making sure their collectors who supported them all these years maintain their value. They don't care. You know, so I think it's going to be like one of these years for Stern. And I'm also hearing there's going to be two Keith Elwin games that come out in 2024. I'm hearing that like John Wick might be his. So we might get a Keith Elwin Jaws, a Keith Elwin John Wick, a Jack Danger second title coming out. Maybe it's Pokemon. Maybe it's He-Man. Jack Danger's first game, just one game of the year. And so just right there alone, a new Jack Danger game and a new Keith Elwin game or two. And then we've got a new game from John Borg and possibly John Borg's Metallica coming back. Now, all of a sudden, doesn't it start to look like Stern's going to have an incredible 2024? And they're going to take so much money out of the pinball marketplace by doing what they do. And nobody does it better than Stern. So, yeah, I'm here to tell you right now, I think Stern's year is going to be killer. And I think the year is going to be defined by Keith Elwin Jaws at the beginning of the year and Dutch pinballs back to the future at the end of the year. Those two games are really where I would save my money. And if anything else comes out that could surprise us, so be it. And then we've got Spooky Pinball and Turner Pinball rounding out our companies. Now, what kind of year is Spooky going to have? They're going to have a fine year. Like, Spooky Pinball knows what they're doing. They already released both of their titles that they will be making in 2024. The excitement around them is pretty good. It's pretty good. It's not like instant sellout kind of themes. but they've got Texas Chainsaw Massacre. They've got Looney Tunes. And heck, if you want to buy one of these games, it's not going to be too hard to get one. The price is not terrible. And there's only going to be 888 of each game. So you're going to have something that's somewhat limited. I don't think either of these themes really speaks to me. So I'm not going in on them. But I understand why people like both themes. And they look like they're the best shooting spooky games to date. The games are already on the line. They give you the topper for free. There's just a lot to like about what Spooky's doing. There's a lot to like about the team over there. And I think they're going to have a fine 2024. I really do. Every year we're like, well, Spooky needs to do this, this or this, or they're not going to be successful. And then they just keep doing what they do. They get a little bit better with each game and they keep succeeding at that. And they are the playbook on how you go from a tiny boutique to a nice medium sized pinball company. I mean, they're going to sell more games than Elton John. I mean, that is just embarrassing for Jersey Jack. You know, especially if you put the two games next to each other. But that's the difference. Like, you just got to figure out what people want. And you also have to have some goodwill. Like, it goes a long way. You can never underestimate the importance of customer service and being connected to your community. I mean, everybody at Jersey Jack Pinball needs to go read the book Unreasonable Hospitality. They need to understand that the hospitality around a brand and how you treat the people around your brand is just as important as the products themselves. And you could put all the RGB LED lights you want into a game. But if you don't engage your community the right way and you're banning people on Facebook who are asking, where's the code? That's not how you do it. People bought your products, Jersey Jack, and they're just asking questions and you're banning them. that's not the way to go. So it's going to be a good year for Spooky. Will they sell all 888 in one year? I don't think so. I think they have enough orders to keep them busy all throughout 2024. All right, Turner Pinball. Am I even going to like deal with Turner Pinball, this Ninja Eclipse game? I'm not going to waste my time. Nobody's buying this game. These guys don't know what they're doing. They bought the Raza game and all the rights to Raza. If this company were smart, just make like 200 razas and sell them for like 20 grand. You'll find 20 collector suckers to do it, but nobody's gonna buy Ninja Eclipse. You know, and this is one of those companies where I have no idea where the money's coming from. Are these Nepo babies? Did you inherit some money? I have no idea, but nobody's gonna buy Ninja Eclipse. Everybody, thank you for being a member of the Kaneda Club. It's always fun looking towards the future to see what's gonna happen in the pinball world. I can't wait. We're about to get Jaws. The shows are going to get really fun because a lot of new games are going to come out. There's that period between January and Texas Pinball Festival where it's like, all right, a lot of new stuff starts to happen in pinball. Everybody be good. I'll be back before the New Year's to wish everybody a happy New Year's. But until then, until then, let's go drink some more espresso martinis. Kaneda out. I want to meet you And walk across the valley And walk on a wild field If you just believe in me

_(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 07d16f7a-27b8-4bd1-88ed-73be0a0384e6*