# Episode 1026: "Kaneda's Evil Dead First Impressions"

**Source:** Kaneda's Pinball Podcast (Patreon feed)  
**Type:** podcast_episode  
**Published:** 2024-11-22  
**Duration:** 23m 23s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-1026-116511097

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## Analysis

Kaneda provides a detailed first-impression analysis of Spooky Pinball's Evil Dead, praising the game's artwork (Christopher Franchi), mechanical innovation, and toy density while expressing concerns about the horror theme's mainstream appeal, the $10,000+ total cost, and modern pinball's overpricing problem. He recommends waiting rather than buying day-one due to expected secondary market depreciation and upcoming competing releases.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Evil Dead will retail for less than $10,000 (approximately $9,995) with a $1,300 optional topper and available collector's edition only — _Kaneda directly states pricing in opening analysis_
- [HIGH] Limited to 888-unit production run — _Kaneda explicitly mentions '888' multiple times throughout episode_
- [HIGH] Christopher Franchi is 'the greatest acquisition' Spooky has made in recent years — _Kaneda's direct statement about the artist's impact_
- [HIGH] Evil Dead features a double-barrel shotgun shooter lane, lower playfield, two pop-up heads, opening floor mechanism, moving hand toy, and tape recorder on apron — _Kaneda describes multiple mechanical features from trailer analysis_
- [MEDIUM] Bruce Campbell provides voice callouts but they lack animation/energy compared to film delivery — _Kaneda expresses concern about trailer voiceover quality and compares to Alice Cooper's Nightmare Castle_
- [MEDIUM] Evil Dead will depreciate to $8,500 on secondary market within months due to limited mainstream theme appeal — _Kaneda's prediction based on current market patterns and theme analysis_
- [MEDIUM] Jersey Jack is discounting Avatar to $11,000 at IAPA and has made 'boneheaded marketing mistakes' — _Kaneda reports seeing Avatar discounting at IAPA event_
- [MEDIUM] Evil Dead uses mostly flat plastic rather than sculpts, with the cabin being a weak point aesthetically — _Kaneda's design critique based on trailer observation_
- [HIGH] Spooky will generate approximately $8.88 million in revenue if all 888 units sell at $10,000 MSRP — _Kaneda's direct mathematical calculation: '888 × 10,000'_
- [MEDIUM] Games like Harry Potter, King Kong (Keith Elwin), and Dungeons & Dragons are upcoming and will compete for FOMO-driven purchases — _Kaneda lists competing releases expected in coming months as context for Evil Dead's market position_

### Notable Quotes

> "Christopher Franchi just crushed it. Like he is the greatest acquisition that I've seen in the last few years."
> — **Kaneda**, ~2:30
> _Establishes Franchi's importance to Spooky's visual direction and quality perception_

> "I'm a little bit surprised that there's no Book of the Dead in this game, though. I was looking at all the mechs. I'm like, where's the Book of the Dead?"
> — **Kaneda**, ~8:45
> _Highlights minor missed opportunity in mechanical design from Evil Dead franchise IP_

> "The best thing to happen for Spooky Pinball was Stern to release a $1,000 Metallica topper that looks like mailed in crap."
> — **Kaneda**, ~11:00
> _Competitive positioning: Evil Dead topper value proposition relative to Stern's offering_

> "I think the thing I don't like the most about this game is that it's Evil Dead...I wish this much effort went into Big Trouble in Little China, Gremlins or Goonies."
> — **Kaneda**, ~14:30
> _Core criticism: execution excellence undermined by narrow-appeal theme choice_

> "It's not a bolt to your floor theme that you're not gonna wanna let go...the amount of people that are diehard Evil Dead fans is pretty small in the pinball buying demographic."
> — **Kaneda**, ~19:00
> _Theme attachment analysis explaining expected secondary market depreciation_

> "Everything loses value. So you really have to ask yourself, why do I need to own a new in-box game right now?"
> — **Kaneda**, ~21:30
> _Central thesis: modern pinball pricing dynamics make day-one purchase economically irrational_

> "You can go get a Guns N' Roses LE new in box for $6,500. If you fully option out Evil Dead, you're over $12,000. This is what's wrong with pinball."
> — **Kaneda**, ~31:00
> _Pricing comparison critique showing value misalignment across modern releases_

> "I think there needs to be more accountability for the themes these companies are selecting...for like almost $9 million at stake, that's the theme we're gonna make?"
> — **Kaneda**, ~36:30
> _Industry criticism: theme selection strategy given development investment scale_

> "It's really hard for any game now to really wow us...at these prices, I don't even feel like we're close to seeing what we should be getting."
> — **Kaneda**, ~34:00
> _Meta-commentary on diminished value perception and industry-wide pricing disconnect_

> "FOMO is kind of dead. It really is. When I see stuff now at these prices, I just don't feel compelled at all to get in on one because everything loses money."
> — **Kaneda**, ~25:00
> _Market sentiment shift: elimination of fear-of-missing-out as purchasing driver_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Kaneda | person | Host of Kaneda's Pinball Podcast; respected community voice providing detailed analysis and purchasing recommendations |
| Christopher Franchi | person | Artist at Spooky Pinball; credited as primary visual designer for Evil Dead with acclaimed artwork style |
| Bruce Campbell | person | Voice actor providing callouts for Evil Dead; criticized for delivery lacking energy/animation |
| Kerry Hardy | person | Referenced as claiming Evil Dead is Spooky's 'Godzilla' (likely referring to Spooky's Godzilla game) |
| Keith Elwin | person | Designer associated with upcoming King Kong pinball game mentioned as future market competitor |
| Alice Cooper | person | Referenced in comparison: Alice Cooper's Nightmare Castle callouts were criticized as boring, similar concern about Evil Dead voice work |
| Spooky Pinball | company | Boutique pinball manufacturer releasing Evil Dead; subject of pricing, theme strategy, and acquisition analysis |
| Stern Pinball | company | Competitor referenced for Metallica topper pricing comparison and broader industry pricing practices |
| Jersey Jack Pinball | company | Competitor criticized for Avatar game reception, discounting strategy at IAPA, and theme selection failures |
| Evil Dead | game | Spooky Pinball's horror-themed widebody; 888-unit limited production; $9,995 MSRP; subject of this episode's analysis |
| Evil Dead (franchise) | product | Film franchise providing IP license; includes Evil Dead 1, Evil Dead 2, and Army of Darkness |
| Avatar (Jersey Jack) | game | Competing premium game; criticized for lack of toys/mechanics; priced $11,000-$15,000; being discounted |
| Metallica LE (Stern) | game | Competitor game; topper priced at $1,000; used as negative comparison point for value proposition |
| Guns N' Roses LE | game | Referenced as available new-in-box for $6,500; used in pricing comparison showing Evil Dead's value disadvantage |
| James Bond LE | game | Premium game available at $8,800 MSRP; used as superior value alternative to Evil Dead |
| X-Men Premium | game | Compared mechanically to Evil Dead; Kaneda argues X-Men has superior shot layout and design despite similar toy density |
| Alice's Adventures in Wonderland | game | Premium game at $12,500; compared for sculpture quality but lacks Evil Dead's toy density |
| Harry Potter (pinball) | game | Upcoming pinball release mentioned as future FOMO competitor to Evil Dead |
| King Kong (Keith Elwin) | game | Upcoming pinball game by designer Keith Elwin; mentioned as future market competitor |
| Dungeons & Dragons (pinball) | game | Upcoming pinball release mentioned as future FOMO competitor to Evil Dead |
| Rick and Morty | game | Previous Spooky Pinball game with mainstream theme appeal; used as example of Spooky's successful IP choices |
| Scooby-Doo | game | Previous Spooky Pinball game with universal appeal; contrasted with Evil Dead's niche theme |
| IAPA | event | Industry event where Jersey Jack discounted Avatar; venue for observing market dynamics |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Theme Selection Strategy, Pinball Pricing & Market Valuation, Mechanical Innovation & Toy Design, Artwork & Visual Design, Secondary Market Depreciation
- **Secondary:** Voice Acting & Audio Production, Competitor Positioning (Jersey Jack, Stern), FOMO & Consumer Psychology

### Sentiment

**Mixed** (0.55) — Kaneda expresses strong admiration for Evil Dead's execution, artwork, and mechanical innovation but is deeply critical of theme choice, pricing strategy, and modern pinball market economics. Praise for Spooky's technical achievement is substantially outweighed by concern about commercial viability and buyer value. Overall tone is constructive criticism from an informed advocate, not hostility.

### Signals

- **[product_launch]** Evil Dead officially revealed via trailer; order banks opening day of episode; production timeline approximately 1 year (confidence: high) — Kaneda mentions 'order banks are opening today' and references watching trailer 'last night'
- **[design_innovation]** Evil Dead features multiple novel mechanical elements: double-barrel shotgun shooter lane, pop-up heads, opening floor mechanism, opening ramp, moving hand toy, and spinning tape recorder apron piece (confidence: high) — Detailed mechanical descriptions throughout episode; Kaneda states 'never been done before stuff' and 'unique, never been done before stuff'
- **[sentiment_shift]** Community FOMO declining due to consistent secondary market depreciation and overpricing across modern pinball launches (confidence: high) — Kaneda: 'FOMO is kind of dead. It really is. When I see stuff now at these prices, I just don't feel compelled' and 'It's really hard for any game now to really wow us'
- **[product_strategy]** Evil Dead priced at $9,995 base; $1,300 topper; $1,500 butter cabinet option creates $12,500+ total cost structure compared to James Bond LE at $8,800 and Guns N' Roses LE at $6,500 (confidence: high) — Kaneda's detailed pricing comparison analysis and market positioning critique
- **[market_signal]** Kaneda predicts Evil Dead will depreciate 15-20% within 6 months to approximately $8,500 due to limited mainstream theme appeal (confidence: medium) — Kaneda: 'people who order on day one...you might be able to pick up the game at a show...you're going to see these games for sale...for like 8,500' and 'Evil Dead...is not a bolt to your floor theme'
- **[business_signal]** Jersey Jack reported discounting Avatar to $11,000 at IAPA event, indicating demand weakness and margin pressure (confidence: medium) — Kaneda: 'Jersey Jack...they're like pushing this redemption stuff. And they're also selling their games at a discount...you can go to IAPA and buy an Avatar for $11,000'
- **[product_concern]** Bruce Campbell's Evil Dead callouts criticized for monochromatic, low-energy delivery lacking animation and sarcasm necessary for pinball context; compared unfavorably to Alice Cooper's Nightmare Castle voice work (confidence: medium) — Kaneda: 'Bruce Campbell call-outs are really monochromatic and very boring...he's not delivering them with any real energy or any real sarcasm...you need to direct him to be different than he was in the film'
- **[design_innovation]** Evil Dead topper positioned as premium offering at $1,300, significantly outvaluing Stern's Metallica topper at $1,000 in design quality and novelty (confidence: high) — Kaneda: 'the best thing to happen for Spooky Pinball was Stern to release a $1,000 Metallica topper that looks like mailed in crap...for just $300 more, you're going to get one of the coolest toppers ever'
- **[sentiment_shift]** Community experiencing 'purchasing fatigue' due to constant new releases at high prices; buyers questioning value proposition of new-in-box purchases (confidence: high) — Kaneda: 'It just never stops. Like, it just never stops. These games just keep on coming out, and they're all really expensive' and 'It's kind of made my giddiness for new in box pinball to be so short lived'
- **[product_concern]** Evil Dead relies heavily on flat plastic rather than sculpted details; cabin artwork particularly criticized as appearing cheap for $10,000 price point (confidence: medium) — Kaneda: 'There's a lot of flat plastic in this game. There's not a lot of sculpts...I don't like is the cabin...It just doesn't spin, but it's very much flat plastic looking. And for $10,000, I wish they would have made a much nicer sculpt'
- **[industry_signal]** Kaneda argues Evil Dead represents conservative/niche theme choice despite $9M+ revenue stakes; advocates manufacturers should pursue broader mainstream IP (Beetlejuice, Gremlins, Goonies, Big Trouble in Little China) with higher universal appeal (confidence: medium) — Kaneda: 'I think there needs to be more accountability for the themes these companies are selecting...for like almost $9 million at stake, that's the theme we're gonna make?...There's gotta be money to get better IPs'

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## Transcript

 You hear me now? Good. Blueprint 2, baby! It's the worst of times. It's the gift and the curse. R.O.G. Yeah, number one. Click here if you represent us. Throw them diamonds up. Yeah, now let's be clear. I ain't going nowhere. Sit up, sit up, sit up, sit up, sit up, sit up, sit up. Welcome everybody to Kaneda's Pinball Podcast. I'm your host, Kaneda. Spooky Pinball's Evil Dead. you are probably watching the trailer right now. I watched it last night. I've been absorbing it. I've been thinking about this game. And I want to give you my first impressions of Spooky Pinballs. If Kerry Hardy is right, it is their Godzilla. Do I think this game is as good as Godzilla? No, I never would have said that. But here's what I want to talk about. I want to talk about what I like about this game. I want to talk about some things I might have done a little bit different. And I also just want to zoom out a little bit. I want to talk about how I feel this game is going to do in the current pinball landscape. I mean, nothing is cheap, but this game is less than $10,000 by like five bucks. There's only going to be one version of the game, a collector's edition. And there's also going to be this crazy cool topper, maybe one of the coolest toppers ever for $1,300. bucks. But here's my overall take looking at this game. First and foremost, Christopher Franchi just crushed it. Like he is the greatest acquisition that I've seen in the last few years. The fact that he's going to make all these spooky games look this good. I mean it when I say it. He's been in pinball now long enough to know how to make these games look so damn good. But man, these games are so damn expensive. So, you know, is it enough? And here's my overall take on this game. First and foremost, yes, there's a lot of stuff in this game. I'm so happy to see toys. I'm so happy to see drop targets. I'm happy to see things you actually bash with the ball. I'm happy to see magnets, lower playfields. We're seeing like unique, never been done before stuff. Let's go over some of the stuff I really like. Okay. So I really, really like the art package. I love the topper. I love the fact that they got super creative. I love that double barrel shotgun shooter lane. I love the level of creativity that led to that. Like what a really smart and clever thing to do. I've never seen a pinball machine do anything like that before. I love the fact that there are guns in this game. If you're a John Wick owner, you're seeing more guns being loaded in Evil Dead than you will ever see in John Wick. I love the fact that this game has stuff that is more than meets the eye. And what I mean by that is that there's hidden surprises in this game, that there are things that pop up from underneath the play field. You got two heads that pop up a la Medieval Madness. You've also got the floor that opens up, it looks like, straight up the middle. You've also got that right ramp, it looks like, that also opens up that lets the ball either pass through or go up the ramp. So there's a lot of dynamic physical motion happening in this game. There's a lot of physical things that the ball is interacting with that looks like a lot of fun. And that's what pinball should be. I love the hand on the left side of the game that moves back and forth and you have to hit it. It looks like you shoot it with the shotgun. I really like that. I love the attention to detail on all the artwork by Christopher Franchi, but I also love the attention to detail on stuff like the shotgun cartridges. If you look at the back of them, it says spooky pinball on them. I love stuff like that. A lot of really fun creativity went into this game and you can see it when you look at the game. I also just love the colors. There's something about the colors that Franchi used on this game. It's got that aqua mixed in with some purples and blues. It's just very colorful. It's very inviting. When you look at the full cabinet with the artwork and the topper, it looks just so damn cool. It looks like a really cool pinball machine. It almost looks like timeless. Like this thing just feels like something you would see at a drive-in movie theater where zombies are about to take over the planet and the lights are flickering and you look over to the arcade section of the movie theater and there's this Evil Dead game coming to life. You've got the topper going up and down. By the way, that $1,300 topper, the best thing to happen for Spooky Pinball was Stern to release a $1,000 Metallica topper that looks like mailed in crap. And for just $300 more, you're going to get one of the coolest toppers ever, where it actually looks like the character's coming out from the backbox and coming towards you. What an awesome idea. It looks absolutely incredible. I love the fact that there's even like a lower play field in this game. It looks like a lot more fun than the lower playfields in Avatar. One of my favorite things in this game is the tape recorder on the apron. It's a physical tape recorder that spins, that syncs up with the movie. And we know that this game is going to have an overload of evil dead clips and scenes. and they're going to have Bruce Campbell do the call-outs. Now, I know he does the call-outs in the movie in a very monochromatic way. I hope that's exciting because when I was listening to the trailer I did feel like oh man like that doesn really get you going And maybe you have to direct actors to be a little bit more animated or a lot more animated when they making a pinball machine The same thing happened with Alice Cooper's Nightmare Castle. When Alice Cooper did the call-outs, they were boring. So I'm a little bit worried that these Bruce Campbell call-outs are really monochromatic and very boring. And he's delivering some funny lines, but he's not delivering them with any real energy or any real sarcasm. And again, I think that's where you need to direct him to be different than he was in the film. I get that he might have acted that way in the film, but he's now not making a film. He's now making a pinball experience. So you've got to make it more funny, more sarcastic, and more campy. I'm a little bit surprised that there's no Book of the Dead in this game, though. I was looking at all the mechs. I'm like, where's the Book of the Dead? You know, with the eye that opens up. I don't see that anywhere here. But look, this game is loaded. Like this game is loaded. There's way more in this game than is in Avatar. I think a lot of people are going to make those comparisons that, you know, why doesn't Jersey Jack have any toys anymore or any mechanisms anymore? If spooky pinball can do this, why would anyone spend $12,000 to $15,000 on an Avatar? Okay, so that's a lot of what I like about the Evil Dead game. I think it's a very, very great offering from Spooky. And you can tell by the layout, it's going to be a very friendly game to shoot. It's very much like an open fan layout game. And I think for most people, that's what they want. They want to jump on a game. It's a lot more inviting to play. And you're not going to have a lot of brick shots. And you're not going to have a lot of frustrating gameplay. you're going to have a much more open feel and a much more satisfying experience with the game and I think with Spooky you know they're making games for more home collectors than they are for tournament players and so I think people who are like oh it's going to be too easy the ball times are going to be too long I'm just going to tell you this right now as someone who just had to lower the post on Guns and Roses because I just got so tired of playing the same game all the time because the slingshots were just throwing the balls into the outlanes every single time. I was just tired of like nudging all day long. And with the depth of the code in GNR, it just wasn't fun always having the same like five to eight minute game every single time and not seeing most of the game. I wanna see more game when I play a deep coded game like GNR. You know, and I also love the fact in this game that you choose which movie you wanna play. I like that. Like they're not gonna mash it all up. Do you want to play the first movie or do you want to play the second movie? All right. So that's what I really like about this Evil Dead game. Now, are there some things I don't like? Yes, there are some things that I would have done differently. There's a lot of flat plastic in this game. There's not a lot of sculpts. There's some sculpts and the sculpts that are there, you know, I don't know about that head on the right side looks pretty cheap. But what I don't like is the cabin. You got this cabin right in the woods. And I was right that there is a cabin in the game. It just doesn't spin, but it's very much flat plastic looking. And for $10,000, I wish they would have made a much nicer sculpt of a cabin because when you rely on flat plastics to create the environment and the buildings, it just looks cheap. And so I think these pinball companies are now kind of going into these games knowing that there's a robust mod community that's gonna take it from here and make a modded version of that cabin that is sculpted. But again, for $10,000, I don't wanna have to go pay some dude $350 or $400 for a new cabin. I feel like we should be getting better sculpts in these games for this much money. You know, you got a game like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland for 12.5, it's got all the sculpts you want. It just doesn't have any of the toys in the mix that you want. I think that's like it's an interesting comparison where like Alice doesn't require any mods after the fact, but it doesn't have nearly as much toys and interactive things as Evil Dead. OK, so what else about this game? Well, let me just say this. I think the thing I don't like the most about this game is that it's Evil Dead. And I look at all this effort and I love it. I mean, I love what I'm seeing here, but I wish this much effort went into big trouble in little China. I wish this much effort went into gremlins or goonies. I wish this much effort went into Christmas vacation, right? I wish this much effort went into a theme that had just more universal appeal. Now, I know they're only making 888. Now, is it an only or is that enough, right? Are they going to sell all 888 today? I know order banks are opening today. It's just a theme that I think if most of you are honest with yourselves, you have to be into really like these cult classic horror movies. And I think the majority of you are not. When I look at a theme like this, it's like I've gone to all the chiller theaters. I know these people are out there. Are they out there in enough numbers in the pinball buying demographic? to justify spooky pinball after all of these years. It's like these to me are still the games that they're making for themselves. Like this is not the theme you make when you wanna make a commercially super successful pinball machine. This is where you land when you wanna make something that you wanna make And we seen spooky go back and forth right Rick and Morty something that a lot more people can get into Scooby Looney Tunes those things are much more universally appealing And so as I look at this game, I feel like where we're at right now in pinball, I would have liked to have seen Spooky give us a more mainstream game. something like Beetlejuice, something like Gremlins. I'm just not sure that there's gonna be 888 people today are gonna order this game. Because again, I just don't think it has that mainstream appeal. The other thing is this, as I look at the pinball market and I say to myself, all right, is there a need to order this game today? Do you need to buy this game for $10,000 new in box? You add butter cabinet, it's like another like $1,500. The topper is another $1,300. So you're pretty much at like $12,500 or more with all the bells and whistles if you order the game today with all the accessories. Do you need to order it today? They're gonna be making this game for like another year basically. And if we've seen anything in the pinball marketplace, people who order on day one sometimes have to wait longer to get a game than people who just wait and see. And then you might be able to pick up the game at a show because distros will bring it to a show. And the other thing that's going to happen is this, people. And you know this is the problem with all modern pinball at these prices, that this game is not going to go up in value. And if you buy it week one at 10, you know you're going to see these games for sale. like on the used market in a few months for like 8,500. And the reason why that's gonna happen is because Evil Dead, let's be honest here, is not a bolt to your floor theme that you're not gonna wanna let go. I think this is the kind of theme for the pinball buying demographic where the curious people will buy it, you'll play it, you'll enjoy it, it'll be fun, but you're not emotionally connected to Evil Dead in any way, shape or form. I'm just guessing out here, but I would say like there's probably, and I mean this in the pinball buying demographic, the amount of people that are diehard Evil Dead fans and also like Evil Dead fans that just want Evil Dead one and two. I think Army of Darkness is more of the one that like everybody loves. It is what it is. I just don't see this as having that bolt to the floor universal appeal. And so I still would recommend the wise man would probably wait it out. Just wait to see how the market goes on this game. Look, again, I don't think it's gonna sell out instantly because of the theme. I don't think it's gonna be hard to get one in a few months when they're actually being made. I doubt the code is complete. And by the time it's complete, you'll be able to get one for much less money. This is the problem with all modern pinball. It really is the problem with all modern pinball is everything is kind of overpriced. We all know it. everything loses value. So you really have to ask yourself, why do I need to own a new in-box game right now? And I would say this, the only reason to own a new in-box game is if it's a game you don't wanna resell. If it's a theme you love so much, you're not gonna wanna pass it on. That's the only reason now to go in on any of these games. If you go in for any other reason than that, you're gonna kick yourself because you're gonna see the ability to get the same game exactly how you wanted it with probably no plays for a lot less money. So that's my overall take on this game. It's a beautiful game. It probably is Spooky's best game to date. But my overall feeling is, was the juice worth the squeeze if you applied all of this magic to evil freaking dead? And I think if this was anything else that had more mainstream love, yeah, instant sellout. Yeah, would be really hard to get one. Yeah, people would be paying over Sticker to get it if it was Beetlejuice. They'd be paying over to get it if it was Gremlins, if it was Goonies, but not Evil Dead. And that's my overall marketing advice to Spooky. I think you've made enough games for you guys. And guys, if you want to make like horror movie stuff, fine, but Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th both have a lot more mainstream appeal than Evil Dead. So that's my overall take. I hope that's a fair take on this game. I'm still waiting for Spooky to put it all together. More mainstream theme. Great artwork they've got. They've got like all the great artwork. They've had a few mainstream themes, but nothing really mainstream that was adult other than Rick and Morty. They've gotten better with the toys, with the mechs, with the layouts, with the software. So they're just there in my honest opinion. They're right on the precipice of being there. But who knows? You know, the pinball market is a strange place. I think a lot of people are severely disappointed in Avatar and Jersey Jack. Like I'm looking at Jersey Jack. They're at IAPA and they're like pushing this redemption stuff. And they're also selling their games at a discount. How does that make you feel? You can go to IAPA and buy an Avatar for $11,000. So they're already slashing prices on their existing games. And to me, that is the ultimate marketing fail of Jersey Jack Pinball. They should not be discounting their games right away. They know they have to because they made every boneheaded marketing mistake you could possibly make starting with themes that people don really want And I have to be honest Evil Dead is also a theme that most people don really want But the good news for Spooky is this they don need to make a game that most people want They only have to make 888 of these games. And will they get 888 orders? Over a year, I would say yes. Are they gonna get that right now? Probably not. Again, because history has shown us, if you wait, I think you're still going to be able to get this game for like a couple grand off in six months, because in six months, you're going to see Harry Potter. You're going to see Keith Elwin's King Kong. You're going to see Dungeons and Dragons. And I don't know about you gang, but FOMO is kind of dead. It really is. When I see stuff now at these prices, I just don't feel compelled at all to get in on one because everything loses money. Like everything loses money. So the smart guy is just waiting it out. And I almost feel bad for these manufacturers, but they all did it to themselves. They all have done it. Is spooky pinball competitively priced at $10,000? I would argue not really. Like not really, because remember the evil dead license is not expensive. And so is there more in this game than X-Men premium? X-Men's a much more expensive license. Mechanically, there's a lot in X-Men just like there is in this game. And from a shot layout and a creative design standpoint, I would still say X-Men is far superior than what you're seeing in Evil Dead. So it's like, I don't know. It's like if you've got $10,000 burning a hole in your pocket, there's a lot of great games you can get. You can go get a James Bond LE, which has amazing code and much more expensive and mainstream IP than Evil Dead. You can go get at James Bond LE for $8,800 now. And that's the thing about all pinball launches. These companies need to keep you in a bubble. They want to get you like in a tunnel where all you're looking at is this game. They don't want you to step back a little bit and say, hey, wait a minute. I can actually go get a Guns N' Roses LE new in box for $6,500. $6,500. If you fully option out Evil Dead, you're over $12,000. This is what's wrong with pinball. And I'm really worried about new in box because I think every new pinball launch now, we're going to be looking at it like this. Like, is the juice worth the squeeze? Do I need to own it right now? And it sucks because for all these companies, we just don't feel the same giddiness we used to when a spooky game was like $7,000, when a Stern LE was 8,500, when there was only 500 LEs and only 200 CEs for Jersey Jack. It's a whole new world right now. So yes, I do applaud them on the effort. The market will do what the market does. But again, my recommendation to everybody is I would wait. I would play the game. I would make sure Evil Dead is something you really want. I wouldn't be blinded by beautiful artwork and toys. I think you're going to have to know this is going to be a game that you really want. And gameplay is important. Gameplay is important. Even though this has a lot of toys and it's loaded, will that equal a really fun experience? And for a lot of you, you've already got enough great games. I mean, I'm watching people this week unbox their Metallica LEs, and I'm like, it just never stops. Like, it just never stops. These games just keep on coming out, and they're all really expensive. And let me just say this. It's really hard for any game now to really wow us. Like, really, really wow us. like blow us away. It's just really hard because at these prices, I don't even feel like we're close to seeing what we should be getting. When you look at like the magic of Bally Williams games and all the crazy mechs and how well executed everything was. And now these games are all like 12, $13,000 for every single game, regardless of the IP, regardless of what's in it. I don't know. It's kind of made my giddiness for new in box pinball to be so short lived. Like I get excited for like a few hours and I'm like, I'm good. I'm good. Like, why would I buy it now? Why would I buy it now? Give me one good reason why I should buy it now. You know, people are like, oh, you got to support the companies. Look, spooky pinball is basically going to make $8,880,000 if they sell every single one of these games. So it's like, you know, people are not struggling. and I think there needs to be more accountability for the themes these companies are selecting. I mean that. I wouldn't have landed on Evil Dead. I just wouldn't have. Again, for like almost $9 million at stake, that's the theme we're gonna make? I just think there's gotta be money to get better IPs if there's $9 million at stake. Everybody, love you guys. Thanks for the support. Go check out this game. I think the feedback is gonna be very positive. I think it's going to be Spooky's best game to date. But I think the market is in a very precarious situation right now. And we'll see. The market will do what the market does. Everybody have a great day. Kaneda out. Outro Music

_(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 5d9f745f-6f35-4a20-a61f-9563c50c01e9*