# How to Kill Your Own Sales

**Source:** Cary Hardy  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2025-03-28  
**Duration:** 12m 32s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmrVwtMfyws

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## Analysis

Cary Hardy critiques Jersey Jack Pinball founder Jack Winery's seminar performance, arguing that his casual announcement of Harry Potter as the next title during a discussion of Avatar undermines current game sales and kills marketing momentum. Hardy observes concerning physical signs throughout the 53-minute seminar (tremors, zoning out, mental decay) and criticizes the announcement as poor business practice compared to how competitors like Stern handle future title reveals.

### Key Claims

- [MEDIUM] Jack Winery displayed multiple signs of mental decay, zoning out, and tremors throughout the 53-minute seminar — _Cary Hardy observed these signs and notes he noticed similar tremors during Avatar's initial release trailer; presented as personal observation rather than medical diagnosis_
- [HIGH] Jersey Jack Pinball has three licenses already in the works and their next three titles lined up — _Jack Winery stated this directly at the 3:30 mark of the seminar according to Hardy's summary_
- [HIGH] Announcing Harry Potter during the Avatar seminar kills current game sales and damages Avatar's market momentum — _Hardy's core thesis: manufacturers like Stern never announce future titles until current games are done selling; this is standard industry practice_
- [MEDIUM] Stern executives like George Gomez and Seth Davis never announce upcoming titles mid-production cycle of current games — _Hardy's assertion based on observing competitive manufacturer behavior; used as comparison for why JJP's approach is unusual_
- [MEDIUM] Mark Seiden showed a micro facial expression of surprise/disapproval when Jack announced Harry Potter — _Hardy observed this reaction at the 39-minute mark but notes it was subtle; he wished he could see Ken Cromwell's reaction_

### Notable Quotes

> "I would not spend a dime out of your pocket until you see the game. I wouldn't spend anything. Nothing. That's just unheard of."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~24:00
> _Directly quotes what Jack Winery's announcement effectively communicated to buyers, highlighting the sales damage_

> "You will never hear Stern tell you, Hey, stop buying Dungeons and Dragons because we're releasing King Kong next."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~25:00
> _Core argument about manufacturer best practices and why JJP's move violates industry norms_

> "I saw the micro facial expression on Mark Sine's face, but I would have really loved to have gotten the look on Ken Cromwell's face."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~29:00
> _Highlights that even internal team members (marketing lead) likely recognized the mistake in real-time_

> "well you guys already know that uh our next title is harry pottery"
> — **Jack Winery (paraphrased by Cary Hardy)**, ~39:00
> _The actual announcement moment, described as weak and poorly executed with weak crowd response_

> "Throughout the entire video, if you kind of just look at Jack, there are multiple signs throughout this 53-minute long interview or seminar where there's definitely signs of mental decay, zoning out, the tremors."
> — **Cary Hardy**, ~2:00
> _Sets up Hardy's health/cognitive concerns about Winery that frame his argument about decision-making_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Jack Winery | person | Founder of Jersey Jack Pinball; hosted 53-minute seminar where he casually announced Harry Potter as next title |
| Cary Hardy | person | Pinball video content creator and analyst; host of this video; recovering from illness; provides critical commentary on industry practices |
| Mark Seiden | person | Avatar game designer at Jersey Jack Pinball; featured in the seminar; Hardy notes his first cornerstone game and that the announcement undercut his moment |
| Ken Cromwell | person | Marketing/PR lead at Jersey Jack Pinball; Hardy speculates he had negative reaction to the Harry Potter announcement |
| Kirk Hobbs | person | Audience member who asked the softball question about next Jersey Jack title during seminar |
| Johnny Pinball | person | Content creator whose video of the Jersey Jack seminar Hardy used as source material |
| George Gomez | person | Stern Pinball designer/executive; cited as example of manufacturer who handles future title announcements properly |
| Jersey Jack Pinball | company | Pinball manufacturer hosting the seminar; subject of Hardy's criticism regarding sales/marketing practices |
| Stern Pinball | company | Competitor manufacturer; cited multiple times as example of proper announcement/marketing practices |
| Avatar | game | Jersey Jack Pinball's current flagship title (2024 release); Mark Seiden's design; whose sales momentum Hardy argues was damaged |
| Harry Potter | game | Jersey Jack Pinball's announced next title; prematurely revealed during Avatar seminar according to Hardy's critique |
| King Kong | game | Stern Pinball title; used by Hardy as example of game Stern would never mention during previous release sales cycle |
| Dungeons and Dragons | game | Stern Pinball title; used by Hardy as hypothetical example of game manufacturers don't publicly pit against future releases |
| TPF | event | Tournament/event that Hardy attended and became sick from (got 'major crud on Sunday') |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Marketing strategy and best practices in pinball manufacturing, Jersey Jack Pinball seminar and Jack Winery's performance/health, Avatar game sales and market momentum impact, Harry Potter announcement timing and damage control
- **Secondary:** Comparison of manufacturer practices (JJP vs Stern), Jack Winery's potential health/cognitive concerns, Ken Cromwell's marketing role and reaction, Mark Seiden's debut game experience and spotlight

### Sentiment

**Negative** (-0.75) — Hardy is critical and disappointed with Jersey Jack's handling of the announcement. While not hostile, he is clearly frustrated with what he sees as poor business decision-making and problematic health/cognitive concerns about Jack Winery. Tone is analytical but pointed.

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Jersey Jack Pinball indicated they have three licenses already in the works with next three titles lined up (confidence: high) — Jack Winery stated at 3:30 mark of seminar that they have 'three licenses in the works' with 'next three lined up' - information Hardy notes companies typically don't publicly disclose
- **[competitive_signal]** Mark Seiden's first cornerstone game (Avatar) had its spotlight moment undermined by premature announcement of next title (confidence: high) — Hardy emphasizes this was Seiden's 'debut cornerstone game,' 'his moment' to showcase design progression, and the Harry Potter announcement was poorly timed for his success
- **[market_signal]** Avatar is already a strong-selling game per Hardy's assessment; premature next-title announcement damages momentum (confidence: medium) — Hardy states 'from what I can tell, Avatar is already a great selling game' making the announcement timing even worse for sales
- **[market_signal]** Jack Winery casually announced Harry Potter as next title during Avatar seminar, which Hardy argues violates standard manufacturer practice of keeping future titles quiet during current game sales cycle (confidence: high) — Hardy extensively documents that Stern (George Gomez, Seth Davis) never announce upcoming titles mid-cycle; this is a core industry norm JJP violated
- **[personnel_signal]** Jack Winery displayed multiple signs of physical and cognitive decline including tremors, zoning out, and mental decay throughout 53-minute seminar (confidence: medium) — Hardy observed tremors dating back to Avatar's release trailer; notes signs becoming 'more and more obvious as time has progressed'; speculates condition will worsen; questions whether he should be 'behind an open mic in the future'
- **[announcement]** Jersey Jack Pinball's Harry Potter announced during Avatar seminar at ~39-minute mark (confidence: high) — Jack Winery stated casually: 'well you guys already know that uh our next title is harry pottery' with weak delivery that drew minimal crowd response
- **[sentiment_shift]** Weak crowd reaction to Harry Potter announcement suggests confusion rather than enthusiasm; Hardy attributes this to poor delivery/weak announcement style (confidence: medium) — Hardy notes only ~30 people in room; announcement was casual/weak so 'didn't really kind of like promote an applause'; Hardy contrasts with how proper announcement would have generated cheers

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## Transcript

 So the question on the chat is from Kirk Hobbs. He's curious, when is the next Jersey Jack pinball machine, the next title, going to be announced? One of the easiest softball questions that all manufacturers get during a seminar or any type of interview, this is literally a floater to the interviewee. And the answer is always the same. It's very simple. He should knock it out of the park. the next game the next jersey jack game it's harry potter we know that i stand corrected what's up guys and welcome back to the channel where i talk and do everything pinball so that sounds interesting to you then hit the subscribe button down below now let me go ahead and get this out of the way i am recovering from being sick due to tpf that's the only reason I've got all I know is that I got the major crud on Sunday and I'm still recovering from it hacking up and it's just not pretty I am working on a TPF video that will be released sometime in the future whenever it's done but I figure I would knock this video out before it gets to be too much of old news because a lot of people are aware about this whole thing that happened during the seminar for Jersey Jack Pinball, but I figure let me add a little bit of my commentary and my thoughts on it to the mix. So it's the seminar for Jersey Jack Pinball, and the whole video was entirely 53 minutes and 18 seconds long. I want to give props to Johnny Pinball. I am utilizing the video off of your channel to show all of you. So I kind of got basically time stamps of interesting things that took place that I feel like are somewhat noteworthy. But throughout the entire video, if you kind of just look at Jack, there are multiple signs throughout this 53-minute long interview or seminar where there's definitely signs of mental decay, zoning out, the tremors. And I've noticed the tremors back during the Avatar's initial release trailer. I suspected something was off with Jack with the way he is. And by all means, this is not me trying to tear the man down. I'm just saying these are things that I've already noticed, and I think it's becoming more and more obvious as time has progressed. And I think that this possible sickness that he has is only going to get worse, like they tend to do. And I think this is definitely more than likely the giant spotlight for the people at Jersey Jack that maybe they shouldn't have him behind an open mic in the future. Now, you're probably like, why, Kerry? What's the big deal? So he said what their next title was A lot of people already knew what it was anyways i i get you but you have to look at it from other perspectives as well and technically you know it jack he can do what he wants he started the company kind of thing but you also have to look at it from it killing the market on your current game and that's why every time that question gets asked to a manufactured you talk to look at all the previous footage from other interviews with george gomez david fix if you want to mention him but any other time when someone asks about what's you know when we're going to see the next title it's a usual response of something other matter of like when it's ready when it's done you know but they never go this is what it is don't buy anything else that's just things that they never say i i also look at it as this is mark sidon the designer for avatar this is his what first time also in texas this is his debut cornerstone game this is his moment essentially to go through this entire seminar and show off the progression that he had throughout creating this game. And at the 39-minute mark, Jack decides to throw a hand grenade or a wrench into the cogs kind of thing. And what's funny is that, you know, it's not planned. It wasn't expected. And you could even see it on Mark's side in space during this question and how Jack answers it. It's micro... I'm sorry, guys. It's micro, but you can see it, that it definitely was unexpected and an oh snap moment. Harry Potter, we know that. But it's not even just that. We're talking like at three and a half minutes in, Jack's having basically his opening monologue and discussion of which it's kind of like hopping from one topic to the next and then he gets into talking about how they have three licenses in the works and they've already got their next three lined up and that's just information that you don't need to tell anybody kind of thing that doesn't really ever get spoken about either kind of thing I mean typically from Stern they'll usually say that we've got plans for the next, you know, two or three years or whatever. I think I've heard them say something like that before. They've got their titles lined up that far in advance. Now, this is just pure speculation on my point, but I do feel that this is more than likely not the first time that Mark and other employees have seen something of like of this nature with Jack. Because like I said, this type of possible disease or condition that he has doesn get better over time But again I highlighting the points that this was a moment for Mark to take it all in Let the spotlight be on him Let him enjoy this And also, let the distros that are trying to sell their stock of Avatar games, let them get that out the door. And then a question comes along that should be an easy softball to keep people just hanging in there. You'll see the title coming up eventually or in so many months or something like that. But you don't want to kill the current sales of your game that's currently on the line. And from what I can tell, Avatar is already a great selling game. And so then you tell people to not spend another dime until they see Harry Potter. I would not spend a dime out of your pocket until you see the game. I wouldn't spend anything. Nothing. That's just unheard of. Like I said, you will never hear Stern tell you, Hey, stop buying Dungeons and Dragons because we're releasing King Kong next. You won't hear them say that. Now, people may be saying it in the chat or on Pinside or me or whatever, but you're never going to hear George Gomez or Seth Davis come out and say, you know, King Kong's next, you know, in the middle of their current game. All that matters at that point in time is the game that's on the line. They don't talk up another game until it has been officially announced, for very good reasons, because they want to keep selling what they currently have. They don't want you to focus on the new hotness just yet. I saw the micro facial expression on Mark Sine's face, but I would have really loved to have gotten the look on Ken Cromwell's face. The guy that's in charge of marketing and everything for the company. I would have loved to have seen his reaction if there was any. But that would have been a moment where I would really wish I was in the front row to turn my head and to look to see what the reaction is. Because that had to have been an, oh my God, no, he just didn't type of thing. And I want to say that even towards the end, they asked about future licenses. And I think it became another moment of where he was probably going to say something that he shouldn't. and more than likely if i was a betting man i'm betting that he probably saw ken down there in the front row going shaking his head no type of thing it is from ss billiards he's asking they are asking will Steve Ritchie ever get to do top gun I don think that was an answer but it was a funny moment I definitely including I hoping that I going to have this all put together and everything for you guys But it one of those where yes we all knew that Jersey I say we all but a lot of us that are deep within this hobby were aware that Jersey Jack Pinball had Harry Potter And the strong rumor was that Harry Potter was their next game. but he already assumes that hey you guys know what's next and then talks it up and i know a lot of you think that you know that there should have been a much more of a cheerful applause type of moment whenever Jack Guarnieri's senility came through and announced the next freaking title of that they're of their making but the thing is there's only what maybe 30 people in there And whenever he announced that he announced it in such a weak manner, it didn't really kind of like promote an applause. It was one of those moments where I'm sure people were confused. Like, did he just say that like out loud on purpose? I mean, I know that the crowd had to have been like turning their heads and looking at each other like, did he just say that type of thing? So that's why people weren't cheering and clapping. If he would have been like, all right, guys. I'm telling you right now, brace yourselves and kind of work the crowd up to let them know. And then told everybody our next title is Harry Potter. then the applause and cheers and everything would have been kind of like expected kind of thing but the way he says it all just well you guys already know that uh our next title is harry pottery and i think he was expecting some applause and cheers and everything too but uh it's just the way it was and how he announced it was weak so therefore the response was weak and now with the way he's announced it it's gonna be you kind of deflated the balloon that was building up for mark seiden for his avatar game and you've also kind of diminished the amount of surprise that the public would have for your upcoming title but jack did end his seminar in a informative manner and i'm going to end the video on that note as well thank you all for tuning in hopefully my voice is better in the future in upcoming videos but i will see you guys on the next one there's one thing that it takes to be successful you can't give up i could have given up on this company thousands of times right but if you don't give up you don't lose you

_(Acquisition: youtube_groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 838c9aa8-cef6-4418-94bc-af3499bf0230*