# Episode 1142: "Top 5 Things in Pinball Kaneda is Looking Forward To!"

**Source:** Kaneda's Pinball Podcast (Patreon feed)  
**Type:** podcast_episode  
**Published:** 2025-09-30  
**Duration:** 25m 43s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-1142-top-140121360

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## Analysis

Kaneda discusses five things he's looking forward to in pinball: Big Trouble in Little China homebrew, Back to the Future (Dutch Pinball), Stern price increases (as entertainment value of a bad decision), Sonic the Hedgehog (Jersey Jack/Steve Ritchie), and Beetlejuice (Spooky Pinball). He expresses concern about market oversaturation with mediocre games, criticizes Stern's business strategy and Pedretti Gaming's remake approach, and praises Spooky Pinball as the only manufacturer truly driven by passion rather than committees.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Back to the Future (Dutch Pinball) has been in development for over two years and is still not done; unlikely to be completed by end of next year — _Kaneda states directly with apparent insider knowledge from his relationship with Barry/Melvin_
- [HIGH] There will be no announcements or teasers about Back to the Future at Pinball Expo despite the seminar title 'Let's Talk About Dutch Pinball's Future' — _Kaneda claims direct knowledge and warns attendees not to expect any BttF news_
- [MEDIUM] Alice in Wonderland (Dutch Pinball) production will be ~350 units, far short of the promised 500 units — _Kaneda states 'what I'm hearing' without naming specific source_
- [HIGH] Stern Pinball will raise prices in 2025 or early 2026 despite declining demand — _Kaneda explicitly states he has a 'reliable source' on this claim_
- [MEDIUM] The pinball hobby is currently oversaturated with mediocrity but will improve over the next three years — _Kaneda's personal opinion/prediction stated as conviction_
- [MEDIUM] Pedretti Gaming will not implement Melvin's improvements to Big Bang Bar remake, instead making it more pedestrian — _Kaneda states opinion based on perceived pattern of Pedretti Gaming's approach vs Chicago Gaming Company_
- [MEDIUM] Sonic the Hedgehog (Jersey Jack) will not be released until Expo 2026 due to Harry Potter production commitments — _Kaneda's inference: 'Harry Potter sales are just insane and they're going to keep going'_
- [LOW] Dune (Barrels of Fun) has not sold close to 800 units while Spooky's Beetlejuice will sell 1,000 in nine minutes — _Kaneda's prediction/hyperbole without concrete sales data_

### Notable Quotes

> "We are oversaturated with mediocrity. There's no other way to talk about the pinball hobby right now."
> — **Kaneda**, ~mid-episode
> _Core thesis about current market state; signals broader community concern about game quality_

> "Collecting is over, really. No one really cares anymore if you got a CE or an LE. No one cares. No one cares."
> — **Kaneda**, ~mid-episode
> _Major sentiment shift signal: end of FOMO-driven limited edition market dynamics_

> "The most creativity happening in the world of pinball is happening at the homebrew level. And I also think that the only place we're going to find the next Keith Elwin is in the homebrew aisle at a show."
> — **Kaneda**, Top 5 #5 (Big Trouble in Little China)
> _Identifies homebrew as talent pipeline and creative center of gravity_

> "For passion to flourish, for passion to be successful and profitable in pinball, you have to make the right decisions."
> — **Kaneda**, Beetlejuice section
> _Core philosophy: links commercial success to passion-driven design vs committee-driven decisions_

> "I feel like the opposite [of passion]. I feel when I talk to my Stern friends, they feel anxious. They feel stressed."
> — **Kaneda**, Beetlejuice section
> _Internal morale concern at Stern; signals organizational dysfunction_

> "Stern Pinball, you need to look at a Jersey Jack machine and say, 'We can raise prices until our game looks this nice.'"
> — **Kaneda**, Sonic the Hedgehog section
> _Direct quality comparison: JJP as design/aesthetic benchmark_

> "When Stern raises its prices, I would avoid them at all costs. Because if we all stop buying, they're not going to go out of business. They're just going to lower prices."
> — **Kaneda**, Stern price increase section
> _Market advice to community; frames price increase as self-defeating strategy_

> "Stop trying to do three cornerstone games a year. Just make two amazing games a year... make these games spectacular, and your line will never stop operating."
> — **Kaneda**, Stern price increase section
> _Specific business strategy criticism: volume vs quality trade-off_

> "They're the only company right now that is defying the expectations of the organization... Spooky Pinball is a place now where passion isn't just alive and well. Passion is thriving."
> — **Kaneda**, Beetlejuice section
> _Strongest endorsement in episode; positions Spooky as cultural leader_

> "I think Spooky Pinball is going to drop the mic. I think they're going to have a statement game like we've never seen before."
> — **Kaneda**, Beetlejuice #1 ranking
> _Highest confidence prediction; frames Beetlejuice as industry-defining moment_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Kaneda | person | Host of Kaneda's Pinball Podcast; influential pinball media personality with claimed insider connections to manufacturers; self-describes as pinball therapist/financial advisor to community |
| Barry | person | Co-founder of Dutch Pinball (Barry Driessen); known for slow, deliberate development process ('bakes a loaf on a really low heat') |
| Melvin | person | Melvin Mohlin, co-founder Dutch Pinball; speaking at Pinball Expo seminar titled 'Let's Talk About Dutch Pinball's Future'; Kaneda identifies as friend |
| Retro Ralph | person | Pinball content creator; Kaneda plans reconciliation at Expo; described as taking pinball content very seriously |
| Robert Mueller | person | Owner of deeproot Pinball; presented unrealistic production claims at Pinball Expo seminar with John Papaduke and Steve Bowen |
| John Papaduke | person | Associated with deeproot/Zidware; presented at Pinball Expo seminar claiming ambitious production goals |
| Steve Bowen | person | Designer; presented at Pinball Expo seminar with Mueller and Papaduke on production ambitions |
| Kale | person | Kaneda's associate; will attend Pinball Expo with him (Kale Hernandez, Electric Bat Arcade co-host) |
| Rachel | person | Kaneda's associate; will attend Pinball Expo with him |
| Rick | person | Associated with Pedretti Gaming remake strategy; criticized for poor IP stewardship decisions (Theater of Magic, Addams Family, Circus Voltaire, Big Bang Bar, Toten) |
| Brian Allen | person | Artist; will create new artwork for Toten remake under Pedretti Gaming; Kaneda argues unnecessary |
| Steve Ritchie | person | Legendary pinball designer; designing Sonic the Hedgehog for Jersey Jack; Kaneda calls him 'greatest designer ever' |
| George | person | Stern Pinball executive (likely George Gomez); Kaneda sarcastically encourages him to raise prices |
| Seth | person | Stern Pinball executive; Kaneda sarcastically encourages him to raise prices |
| Gary | person | Stern Pinball executive; Kaneda sarcastically encourages him to raise prices; listed among manufacturers who lack Spooky's passion |
| David Van Ness | person | Barrels of Fun founder; Kaneda observes he seems defensive about Dune performance |
| Zombie Yeti | person | Stern Pinball art department; Kaneda notes is 'mad at me'; signals tension in personal relationships |
| Franchi | person | Stern Pinball artist/designer (Christopher Franchi); Kaneda states they will 'sip champagne at Expo'; positive relationship |
| Joe Kaminkow | person | Associated with Dutch Pinball Back to the Future project; Kaneda has faith in his work |
| Luke | person | Associated with Evil Dead pinball (likely Spooky); Kaneda reports positive relationship resolution |
| Spooky Pinball | company | Boutique manufacturer; producing Beetlejuice; Kaneda's #1 ranked upcoming game; identified as only manufacturer driven by genuine passion |
| Jersey Jack Pinball | company | Boutique manufacturer; producing Sonic the Hedgehog with Steve Ritchie; Kaneda's #2 ranked manufacturer; benchmark for quality/aesthetics |
| Dutch Pinball | company | Boutique manufacturer; producing Back to the Future (#4 on Kaneda's list) and Alice in Wonderland; known for slow development; Kaneda respects but criticizes production delays |
| Stern Pinball | company | Major manufacturer; primary target of Kaneda's criticism for mediocre games, poor strategy, and organizational dysfunction |
| Barrels of Fun | company | Boutique manufacturer (David Van Ness); producing Dune; criticized for unclear strategy and underperformance |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Pinball market saturation and oversupply, Manufacturer strategy and business decisions, Passion vs committees in game design, Upcoming game anticipation and timeline predictions
- **Secondary:** Homebrew pinball as talent pipeline, Limited edition FOMO market collapse, Pinball Expo 2025 announcements and seminars, Stern Pinball organizational morale and internal stress

### Sentiment

**Mixed** (0.35) — Kaneda is enthusiastic about future games (especially Beetlejuice, Sonic, Back to the Future) but deeply critical of current market conditions, Stern Pinball's strategy, and overall industry health. Sarcasm about Stern price increases reveals frustration. Strong positive sentiment toward Spooky Pinball and Jersey Jack contrasts sharply with negative assessment of Stern and Pedretti Gaming.

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Stern Pinball planning price increases despite declining demand and declining consumer confidence (confidence: high) — Kaneda: 'As demand for their product continues to decline, they are going to raise prices... This is going to be fun to watch. I have my popcorn ready.'
- **[community_signal]** Kaneda's media platform serves as informal counsel/advisor role; audience relies on his recommendations for purchase decisions (confidence: medium) — Kaneda: 'Half of our job... is to give you good advice. And in the world of pinball, good advice is what to get and what to avoid.'
- **[competitive_signal]** Jersey Jack established as quality/aesthetic benchmark; Stern explicitly compared unfavorably to JJP on playfield design and visual presentation (confidence: high) — Kaneda: 'Stern, you know you can't raise prices. Stern Pinball, you need to look at a Jersey Jack machine and say, "We can raise prices until our game looks this nice."'
- **[design_philosophy]** Spooky Pinball positioned as passion-driven boutique manufacturer vs Stern's committee-driven corporate approach (confidence: high) — Kaneda: 'There is no way for passion to win out in a company when you're filled with too many committees... I think Spooky Pinball is a place now where passion isn't just alive and well. Passion is thriving.'
- **[market_signal]** Oversaturation with mediocre games causing secondary market losses and financial strain on collectors (confidence: high) — Kaneda: 'There's a lot of dudes holding on to a lot of pins that are losing so much money every month' and broader statement about oversaturation
- **[business_signal]** Stern Pinball experiencing internal stress, anxiety, and morale issues; known personnel considering departures (confidence: medium) — Kaneda: 'When I talk to my Stern friends, they feel anxious. They feel stressed... I know stories of very well-known people over there wanting to leave, resigning'
- **[community_signal]** Christopher Franchi transition from Stern to Spooky Pinball; positive relationship with Kaneda suggests planned collaboration (confidence: medium) — Kaneda: 'Franchi and I are going to sip champagne at Expo' and 'Franchi's not mad at me'
- **[product_strategy]** Sonic the Hedgehog (Jersey Jack) unlikely to release until Pinball Expo 2026; delayed by Harry Potter production backlog (confidence: medium) — Kaneda: 'I don't think we're going to see it until Expo of next year... Harry Potter sales are just insane and they're going to keep going'
- **[product_strategy]** Back to the Future (Dutch Pinball) delayed significantly; over 2 years in development, unlikely completion by end of 2026 (confidence: high) — Kaneda: 'His Back to the Future has been in development now for over two years and it's still not done. And I don't even know if it's going to be done by the end of next year.'
- **[sentiment_shift]** End of collecting-driven limited edition FOMO market; community no longer cares about CE vs LE status (confidence: high) — Kaneda: 'Collecting is over, really. No one really cares anymore if you got a CE or an LE. No one cares. No one cares.'
- **[business_signal]** Pedretti Gaming remaking classic Williams/Bally games without innovation; consumer reception expected to mirror Funhouse 2.0 failure (confidence: medium) — Kaneda: 'Melvin made an amazing prototype... they're not going to implement his amazing changes... They're going to make it more pedestrian like it was originally'
- **[personnel_signal]** Homebrew pinball community identified as primary creative innovation hub and recruitment source for major manufacturers (confidence: medium) — Kaneda: 'The most creativity happening in the world of pinball is happening at the homebrew level... the only place we're going to find the next Keith Elwin is in the homebrew aisle'

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## Transcript

 Here we go again, crying in bed with a familiar feeling All my friends are loving, I'm the one they call for a third wheeler Sit up, sit up, sit up, sit up, sit up, sit up, sit up Welcome everybody to Canadian Spinball Podcast I'm coming at you from the closet In between my bedroom and my bathroom Because the kids are sleeping If I go into the garage, it will wake them up. Happy Tuesday morning. It is 6.17 in the morning, and I want to talk about pinball. What's going on this week in the world of pinball? Pinball Expo is right around the corner. There are some rumors flying about Back to the Future. There's people putting Star Wars LEs in front of windows. Predator Games are going out to people. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland are going out. I think by the end of the year, what I'm hearing is they will be around 350 units made, far short of the 500. Does that mean people are going to ask for refunds, or will they make all 500 units? We'll talk about that. We'll talk about Melvin's seminar over at Pinball Expo, which, by the way, I want to be on my best behavior over the next two weeks, so I don't do something stupid that makes them not want me at the show again. I have already been asked not to attend a few times, but I'm going. My tickets are booked. If you are going to Pinball Expo, we are absolutely hanging out. All right. What I want to do on this episode of Canada's Pinball Podcast, I want to give you the five things that Canada is looking forward to in the pinball world. What are the five things, if I think about here until like maybe the end of next year, what are the five things happening in the world of pinball that keeps me up at night actually it probably puts me to sleep at night because i want to dream about this stuff because it's not real so before we get there i just want to squash a rumor there's some dude i think his name is enzo going around saying he's got a reliable source that back to the future is off the table so i just went and I asked the actual sources of the people working on this game and it's not off the table. Everything's going just fine. See, it's so easy for some keyboard commando guy that's got a friend, that's got a friend that heard something about a company that he's got a bone to pick with and then you just say something silly like that. I've got a reliable source, people. that Stern Pinball is going to raise prices. Well, guess what? Canada actually does have a reliable source that Stern Pinball is going to raise prices. But when it comes to Back to the Future, a lot of you are excited about this game. A lot of you ask me for more updates. And the truth is, I don't know much. Melvin's not working on Back to the Future. People know that Melvin and I are friends and I'm friends with Barry, but we know this. If we know one thing about Barry, he bakes a loaf on a really low heat. It takes him a long time to bake his bread. Barry ain't making you pizza in just a few seconds. You know, he's not throwing in that dough into the wood fire. His back to the future has been in development now for over two years and it's still not done. And I don't even know if it's going to be done by the end of next year. What I can tell you is this. Those of you going to Pinball Expo, expecting maybe to hear about Back to the Future, expecting maybe a tease of Back to the Future, expecting anything around Back to the Future, you're not going to hear anything about Back to the Future. There won't be anything. There won't be teasers. There won't be images. There won't be any discussion about it. They are working on the game, but I know that the seminar title, let's talk about Dutch pinball's future, has people thinking, oh, we're going to hear about Back to the Future. So you're not. You're not. But I still think you should go hear what my boy Melvin has to say. I think it's going to be exciting, and I think it's going to be entertaining. And here's the best part about Melvin's seminar. It's only 30 minutes. These hour-long seminars at Pinball Expo are inane. Have you been to them? like they sit there. Hey guys, is the microphone working? Let's upload this PowerPoint slide that we spent no time on. And let's show you over 87 slides, how we made the revolving staircase. Let's show you how we rework that rank. A lot of adjustments had to be made to the book. Let's show you right now through 18,000 slides and the crowd, my gosh, the crowd of these seminars dead, dead. They just sit there. You know, I've been to seminars, man, where people should have been standing up and booing people off the stage. Like Robert Mueller got up with John Papadiuk, Steven Bowden, Jon Norris. All these guys got up there and said they were going to make more games in one year than Stern Pinball has ever made. They said something silly like that. We were going to make more games in one year than every other manufacturer combined. And you know what people did? You know what people did in the crowd at a pinball show? They clapped. They clapped. That's what you're dealing with with pinheads in person. You know, it's funny when you read Pinside and everybody's so tough. Everybody's so stride and everybody's convictions are so loud and proud on Pinside. And you know what? When you see these guys in person, they're in the corner wearing the cargo shorts. You know, they'll walk right by Kaneda and they'll say nothing. And then on Pinside, if I see Kaneda at a show, I'm going to tell him blah, blah, blah. They say nothing. You can't miss me at a show, baby. Gonna wear the Gucci. Going to be rolling with Kale. Going to be rolling with Rachel. Going to be rolling with Retro Ralph. Retro Ralph doesn't know it yet, baby. But when I see that mofo at the show, we're going to lock eyes, baby. Because he needs to stare me in the eye. He needs to look me in the eye to finally forgive me. And the moment he does, I'm going to be like, brother, welcome to the Wolfpack. And just put a Gucci trench coat around him. Light a cigar. Pour him some 21-year-old Japanese whiskey. Put my arm around him be like you back baby You back The only thing that lost Ralph was Ralph takes this thing seriously He actually wakes up and takes pinball content seriously Like, how can you do that in a world in which people are dying left and right? People are starving. The medium income in the world is like $8,000 and the dude's taking pinball content seriously. You know, you got to remember who your audience is. people who have given up on being serious. That's who buys pinball machines. You can't be serious. I'm a serious man. And I'm going to put, well, maybe you are if you put Star Wars LE in front of a window. Have you seen this machine? It's like sitting there in front of this arched window way, this whole wall of windows looks like a mansion, man. Yeah. I wish I had that guy's square footage, but not that man's taste. Do none of these men have access to women who have taste? That's my question. All right. You're like, what's going on in your closet? I know people. I haven't had much sleep. I've been working all weekend. I've been working since my birthday last week. It's been crazy. So what are the five things I'm looking forward to in pinball? Because let's face it, there's no other news. There's no other news right now. What's the news right now in pinball. We're all waiting for Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice is going to raise the bar. It just is. I think when Beetlejuice comes out, it's going to sell out instantly. It's going to raise the bar and it's going to make everything else that people have been throwing money at. It's going to just sink the prices of all that stuff. You know how I feel. The hobby's in a very volatile place right now. We are oversaturated with mediocrity. There's no other way to talk about the pinball hobby right now. We are oversaturated with mediocrity. I do believe that's going to change. I do believe the next three years are going to see some of the best pinball ever. But right now we are oversaturated with mediocrity and there's a lot of dudes holding on to a lot of pins that are losing so much money every month. And when they want to get the new stuff, that's going to be great. They're going to have to sell these and that's going to add more oversaturation to this hobby. I think it's very volatile. I think right now, what I love about pinball right now, collecting is over really. No one really cares anymore if you got a CE or an LE. No one cares. No one cares. We are now at a new stage in pinball. Just buy what makes you happy. Don't care about what other people think about it. The flexing is over. There's no more flexing. Nobody cares. When I watch people unbox all of these machines. Nobody cares. Nobody cares about a Big Bang Bar remake. There's a lot of that going back and forth. Melvin made an amazing prototype of the game. He handed it to Pedretti Gaming, and they're not going to implement his amazing changes. He would have made the game stunning. They're going to make it more pedestrian like it was originally. They're not going to enhance it. The reason why CGC Games are so awesome is they made the original games better. Pedretti Gaming does not know how to do that. I don't know why Rick is handing to Pedretti Gaming, Toten, Theater of Magic, Big Bang Bar, Addams Family, and Circus Voltaire. Nobody really feels like Pedretti Gaming is where it's at. The other thing they're going to do is they're going to redo the artwork. Brian Allen's going to do the artwork on games like Toten. If there's one game that doesn't need a new art package, it's Toten. So again, I don't know why they're doing these things. The strategy doesn't make much sense. And I think the consumers are going to respond to this stuff the same way they responded to Funhaus. And that is nobody's buying this stuff. And Rick, what he should have done is gone to American Pinball and had them be the other company that makes his IPs, not Pedretti Gaming. So I just think this thing is ill-conceived and I think consumers are not going to show up. Damn, Kaneda, when you actually just start spitting the truth like this, this is why we subscribe. All right, what are my top five things that I'm excited about in the world of pinball? Number five, the Big Trouble in Little China homebrew game. I can't wait to see what this guy is working on. He did the Tony Hawk game. It was amazing. I think he also did Friday the 13th. I don't know if that's right or wrong, but man, I can't wait to see this game. And the reason why, other than the fact that I love the theme, and when he does it, he's going have all the clips from the movie. He doesn't have to ask permission. He can just let passion guide the project. The other reason I'm so excited is I do think the most creativity happening in the world of pinball is happening at the homebrew level. And I also think that the only place we're going to find the next Keith Elwin is in the homebrew aisle at a show. And so these guys are the future. And if you're a pinball manufacturer and you're tired of the same old fan layouts and you want to inject new life into your company, this is who you should be looking at. And these guys, because I do believe that homebrew machines are basically a resume to land a job with a major manufacturer. So I can't wait to see this game. I can't wait to see how he implements Jack Burden and Lopin and all the stuff of that world. It's such a perfect campy theme for pinball. My dream is, is that he makes this game and because Spooky Pinball has a relationship with John Carpenter, that they find a way to make it. If Spooky Pinball through their John Carpenter relationship can get to Kurt Russell and make this game, I will spend $20,000 on it, Spooky. I will buy all 999 units. By the way, I heard from Luke. We're absolutely cool. He totally appreciated the advice I gave him. And, you know, he just had a pin side moment. But all is going well over there. All these evil deads are not experiencing play field bulge. So if you have one, you're fine. Number four on the thing that Canada is the most excited about looking forward into pinball is is Back to the Future There no way around this This movie I seen it like hundreds of times and I know this game is based on all three movies which I okay with because it technically a trilogy I really think there going to be an emphasis on one and two. I would rather have all three than having just Back to the Future 1 and not Back to the Future 2. So I am so excited for this game because it's just one of those games that just connects with me. I need to own a Back to the Future. Now, I also have Faith and Barry and team and Joe Kamnikow that they're going to do it right. They're going to have Michael J. Fox in it. These rumors that like Michael J. Fox is not going to be affiliated with the game. He's probably not going to give you custom call outs for obvious reasons, but they're going to get everything into this game. And I know it's going to be a while until I get it. And that's another reason why it's something I'm looking forward to because I know I'm not going to have to buy it anytime soon. It's great, right? It's great. I feel like I'm going to be alive long enough to get my hands on it, but I'm not going to have to write a check anytime soon. And knowing that Dutch can't make many, I do feel like this game could be like $15,000, only one version of it, and they will sell every single one. And then they can make 88 SLEs. Barry, if you're listening, just make 88 SLEs for $20,000 and sell every single one. For everybody listening right now, there's only going to be 87 SLEs available for $20,000 because Canada's got game number 88. That's how you do it, Barry. Just unapologetically do it, brother. Do it. We're going to do it anyway, brother. The number three thing that Canada is looking forward to in the world of pinball is Stern increasing prices. I am so excited to see this. You know, as someone who loves to watch companies make boneheaded marketing moves, there will never be in the history of everything I've covered in pinball, a greater boneheaded move than Stern Pinball in 2025, maybe early 2026, increasing the price of their product. As demand for their product continues to decline, they are going to raise prices on a platform that doesn't look much different than the old platform. Spike 3 is not some big leap forward. And yet they are going to increase prices as their consumers are losing thousands now on every single stern they buy. This is going to be fun to watch. I have my popcorn ready. You're like, Canada, wait, one of the things you're looking forward to is a company make. Yeah, yes, I am, because it is going to have such a high entertainment level. And think about it. The beautiful thing for each and every one of us when Stern does this, it's going to make it so much easier not to spend money. Half of what a financial advisor and I feel like I'm sort of like your therapist. I'm like quasi your pinball therapist giving you some financial advice on what you should buy. Half of what a financial advisor or therapist, half of our job, if you will, is to give you good advice. And in the world of pinball, good advice is what to get and what to avoid. And I'm just telling you, when Stern raises its prices, I would avoid them at all costs. Because if we all stop buying, they're not going to go out of business. They're just going to lower prices. You all know that to be the truth. They don't need to raise their prices to stay in business. For Stern to stay in business, they need to lower their prices and pick better themes and make less games a year. When I say less games a year, I don't mean by volume. Stop trying to do three cornerstones a year. Just make two amazing games a year where you focus on those two games and give those games more resources and more bomb, and you will make more money in the long run. And then do one remastered game a year. Make three total games a year and make those games spectacular, and your line will never stop operating. The way they're doing it now isn't working. Games are rushed. IPs are not strong enough. and the remastered strategy is all over the place. Stern Pinball needs a hard reset. So go ahead, George. Go ahead, Seth. Go ahead, Gary. Raise those prices, baby. I got my popcorn ready. I can't wait to see people laughing your faces. All right, what's the number two thing that Canada is looking forward to in the pinball world? I hear Cassie and crying. So we're going to wrap this up in just a little bit. The number two thing I'm looking forward to, Steve Ritchie's Sonic the Hedgehog. I really, really, really have been thinking a lot about, you know, out of all the themes that are in the mix, we've got Sonic, we've got Pokemon, we've got Back to the Future. The reason why I think Sonic, to me, is going to be the game is really the theme is perfect for pinball. Sonic is a pinball basically flying around his world, hitting pop bumpers, doing loop-de-loops, jumping, collecting coins. It's all about speed. And then you've got the designer, who's the greatest designer ever, who knows how to work with speed and flow. And you give Steve Ritchie, finally, a campy, fun, universal theme like Sonic. You base it on the iconic Sega Genesis version of Sonic, or the old video game classic version of Sonic. and I don't know how to not smile from ear to ear. I grew up with Sonic. I love Sonic. I don't love the new movies. I don't relate to that. So when I heard that this is based on the original version of Sonic and it's Steve Ritchie's greatest layout and it's going to be a Jersey Jack game, I mean, when you look at the Jersey Jack game, I mean, come on, Stern, you know you can't raise prices. Stern Pinball you need to look at a Jersey Jack machine and say we can raise prices until our game looks this nice And so I think Steve Ritchie is going to have a little bit of a statement game like no other with this I think it's going to be bonkers. And also because it's not going to be limited. I think they're going to do the same thing as Harry Potter. There's not going to be like some frenzy where I have to get it now. I think it's just going to be a game that we're all going to want. All right, there we go. Sonic the Hedgehog. When do I think it's going to come out? Oh man, that's a good question, Kaneda. Keep asking questions of yourself. That's not weird. I don't think we're going to see it until Expo of next year. I really don't. I really don't. Harry Potter sales are just insane and they're going to keep going and there's going to be enough Potter orders to take them through almost all of next year. So I don't think it's coming out until end of next year. All right, The number one thing I'm looking forward to in pinball. The number one thing. What is it, Kaneda? It's three words. Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. If you don't turn on that game by saying Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. I'm leaving for just a day though. I'm coming back. I'm not leaving for good. I'm leaving for just a day. It kind of would be hard to do that outside of a home location. But it would be super cool if it was an add-on or something like that. I just can't wait for Beetlejuice. I'm so excited to see this game. I think Spooky Pinball is going to drop the mic. I think they're going to have a statement game like we've never seen before. I think it's going to sell out in nine minutes. I think everyone else, Gary, George, David David Van Es, Padretti, the Pinball Brothers who aren't brothers, everybody else who's making pinball machines, Rick, I think everybody else is going to realize one simple thing. that this hobby and this kind of amusement device, this thing we love called pinball, the number one thing that will always rise to the top is passion. And I know this all too well. There is no way for passion to win out in a company when you're filled with too many committees. There's no way for passion to survive in a company when there's too much pressure. There's no way for passion to flourish when there's too many legacy people there with opinions. I think spooky pinball is a place now where passion isn't just alive and well. Passion is thriving. And I don't feel that over at Stern anymore. I feel like the opposite. I feel when I talk to my Stern friends, they feel anxious. They feel stressed. They feel like they're trying to convince me it's otherwise. And I know it's not. I know stories of very well-known people over there wanting to leave, resigning, doing different things. When I talk to Zombietti, he's mad at me. Franchi's not mad at me. Franchi and I are going to sip champagne at Expo. When I talk to David David Van Es, I always feel like he's trying to convince me he made the right moves. He knows he didn't make the right moves. Dune is not even sold close to 800 units and Spooky is going to sell 1,000 in nine minutes. And so that's the thing about Spooky. The thing I love about them is they don't have to do all this talk. They're just making what I believe to be the most passionate pinball product in the world right now. And the reason I believe that is they've been through the gutter. They've been through all those years of failing and they've learned through all those failures. And I've witnessed all those failures and I've seen them grow not just as a company, but as people. And I've seen what they're capable of. And I think they're the only company right now. And I mean this. They're the only company that is defying the expectations of the organization. And I love that. And I spend every day of my life fighting every single day to let just a little bit of my passion survive during my main job every day. It's so hard. I go up against committees, skepticism, Gen Z kids who have never seen any of the movies I grew up with. I battle this every day. And it's a miracle if I can get a few ideas out the door a year. And that is why, as someone who goes through that on a daily basis, I support and can't wait to see this game because I know what it's going to be. I know it's going to be a labor of love. I know it's going to have everything they want in it. And I know they're not going to stop until every ounce of the passion they have and the soul they have makes its way into this game. And I just don't feel that from the other manufacturers. I think second would be Jersey Jack. I think Jersey Jack is a place when I talk to people over there, they're having a good time. And that is why I do believe this. I think there's a short window where some of these Stern guys might have a chance to join up with JJP. But when that door closes, I'm telling you, there's not going to be many places you want to be. You know, I know Dutch Pinball is building their games with passion and, you know, they take forever. You know, when I talk to the people over there, I don't think that's a toxic environment. Yes, of course, like barrels. I know you guys are putting all of your passion into it, but also for passion to flourish, for passion to be successful and profitable in pinball, you have to make the right decisions. And I think Beetlejuice is the perfect decision. And I think the fact that Stern Pinball passed on Beetlejuice and this lackluster Star Wars is what they're putting in the world. And Spooky's going to put Beetlejuice in the world for $9,999. I love that. And that is the number one thing I can't wait to see, and we're going to see it soon. Kaneda out. © BF-WATCH TV 2021

_(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 8b3299aa-f00c-4ea1-86a0-21e5e4bb97ca*