# Episode 895: "JAWS First Impressions"

**Source:** Kaneda's Pinball Podcast (Patreon feed)  
**Type:** podcast_episode  
**Published:** 2024-01-03  
**Duration:** 18m 27s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-895-jaws-95757273

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## Analysis

Kaneda provides a detailed first-impression analysis of the newly revealed Keith Elwin-designed Jaws pinball machine from Stern, criticizing its $13,000 Limited Edition price as unjustifiable given the simplicity of mechanics, missing Brody character, and lack of dramatic shark action. While acknowledging the game will play well due to Elwin's design pedigree, Kaneda argues the artwork is uninspired, the shark mechanism is underwhelming (a small rubber toy), and pricing across the entire pinball market has become unsustainable.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] The shark mechanism is underwhelming—just a small rubber toy that 'doesn't do anything' rather than an animated, dramatic element — _Kaneda describing first official photos and gameplay video_
- [HIGH] Jaws Limited Edition should be $10,500, Premium $8,500, Pro $6,000—not the current $13,000/$9,699/$6,599 pricing — _Kaneda's pricing critique throughout the episode_
- [MEDIUM] Brody (the main character from the film) is missing from the playfield, likely due to licensing restrictions from the rights holder — _Kaneda noting licensing constraints and later confirming Brody appears in LCD video clips_
- [HIGH] Jaws has less artwork and fewer interesting mechanisms than Godzilla, yet costs $2,500 more — _Direct comparison between Jaws and Godzilla pricing and features_
- [HIGH] The playfield is 'much simpler' than Godzilla with a wide-open center, creating fast gameplay but a barren appearance — _Visual analysis of official high-res photos_
- [MEDIUM] Stern's current pricing strategy is designed to prevent owners from flipping machines for profit — _Kaneda's interpretation of pricing motivation_
- [MEDIUM] Avatar Limited Edition buyers of James Bond and Foo Fighters have lost $3,000 vs. Premium Edition buyers who lost only $1,500-$2,000 — _Secondary market value analysis by Kaneda_
- [LOW] The pinball hobby will not survive 2024 at current pricing levels — _Kaneda's prediction/opinion about market sustainability_

### Notable Quotes

> "This does not look like a $13,000 machine. If it was $10,000, I'd be looking down at this Avatar Limited Edition with much different eyes."
> — **Kaneda**, ~8:30
> _Core thesis of the episode—pricing is the primary problem, not design or gameplay potential_

> "And then you see The Shark mechanism in action and The Shark doesn't do anything. Like the boat pops up and there's this rubber The Shark that looks like it's a little chew toy that my dog would play with."
> — **Kaneda**, ~9:00
> _Vivid criticism of the signature mechanical element_

> "You know, that's my main thing. The first half of this day, I was seeing all these posts with people being like, the Limited Edition of Jaws are already sold out. I'm already starting to see the FOMO generated with the distributors."
> — **Kaneda**, ~11:45
> _Commentary on community FOMO despite skepticism about game value_

> "At $13,000, and Ghostbusters Avatar Limited Edition was $7,500 or $8,000. Are you seeing $5,000 more in mechanical wow in Jaws than you did in freaking Ghostbusters?"
> — **Kaneda**, ~13:00
> _Direct pricing comparison highlighting perceived lack of value differentiation_

> "I think this is the beginning of the end of these ridiculous prices. I don't think this hobby is going to survive 2024 at these prices."
> — **Kaneda**, ~17:30
> _Explicit prediction of market correction or collapse_

> "Stern where they just kind of go far enough on everything. But nothing really blows you away."
> — **Kaneda**, ~12:00
> _Characterization of Stern's design philosophy as adequate but uninspired_

> "I really wanted to see some of that, like this big mechanical The Shark that wiggles back and forth and his gills, you know, there's something about Jaws' gills when he's out of the water and he's moving left and right."
> — **Kaneda**, ~9:45
> _Specific expectation-setting about dramatic mechanical action that didn't materialize_

> "I think for most people out there, the most you want to spend on the creme de la creme version of a Stern is $10,000."
> — **Kaneda**, ~18:00
> _Market psychology assessment of customer price ceiling_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Jaws | game | Keith Elwin-designed Stern Pinball machine, officially revealed with high-res photos, Limited Edition priced at $13,000, Premium at $9,699, Pro at $6,599. Features upper playfield (Orca), kinetic ball mechanism, shark fin, spinning disc, chum bucket, and other mechanical elements. |
| Keith Elwin | person | Legendary Stern pinball designer; spent two years developing Jaws. Kaneda expects the game to 'shoot great' and have strong flow due to Elwin's proven design pedigree. |
| Kaneda | person | Podcast host and prominent pinball analyst; providing detailed first-impression critique of Jaws and broader pinball pricing concerns |
| Stern Pinball | company | Major pinball manufacturer releasing Jaws; criticized for overpricing and insufficient mechanical innovation relative to cost |
| Godzilla | game | Previous Stern game used as comparison point; has more artwork and interesting mechanisms than Jaws despite costing $2,500 less |
| Ghostbusters | game | Earlier Stern release with Avatar Limited Edition at $7,500-$8,000; used as pricing comparison to highlight Jaws value gap |
| Zombie Yeti | person | Artist credited with detailed artwork on Foo Fighters and Venom pinball machines; Kaneda contrasts their dense art style with Jaws' simpler approach |
| Jason Knapp | person | Pinball community member with high-res photos of Jaws; referenced as early source for game visuals |
| Michael Bernard | person | Referenced in context of Jaws artwork; appears to be artist but Kaneda does not credit him directly for the design |
| Jurassic Park | game | Stern pinball machine referenced for comparison of mechanical innovation (T-Rex eating ball) and character inclusion (main character present unlike Jaws) |
| Pirates of the Caribbean | game | Jersey Jack Pinball machine with rocking pirate ship mechanism; cited as example of innovative mechanical storytelling that Jaws fails to match |
| James Bond | game | Stern Premium Edition machine; secondary market value reference for comparing financial loss across LE/Premium tiers |
| Foo Fighters | game | Stern premium title; referenced for pricing strategy and secondary market depreciation; Pro Edition lacked upper playfield like expected Jaws Pro |
| Jersey Jack Pinball | company | Competitor manufacturer; Elton John described as 'dead on arrival' in 2024; Kaneda questions if Jaws will be Stern's market savior |
| Spooky Pinball | company | Competitor manufacturer with games already revealed; referenced in context of Stern's competitive landscape |
| Elton John | game | Jersey Jack Pinball title at $15,000 and $12,000 price points; criticized by Kaneda as excessively overpriced |
| Venom | game | Recent Stern release; used as example of expensive game sitting in distributor inventory; noted as Limited Edition that failed to retain value |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Jaws mechanical design and innovation, Pinball pricing and market sustainability, Licensing constraints and character inclusion, Secondary market value retention and FOMO strategy
- **Secondary:** Keith Elwin design philosophy and track record, Comparison with competitor machines and manufacturers, Playfield artwork and visual design quality, Community expectations vs. mechanical reality

### Sentiment

**Negative** (-0.72) — Kaneda is disappointed and frustrated despite acknowledging the game will be mechanically sound. Frustration centers on pricing, underwhelming shark mechanic, missing Brody character, and what he perceives as a systemic overpricing crisis in the industry. While he praises the design approach (simple artwork) and expects good gameplay, the overall tone is one of exhaustion and concern about market viability.

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Stern's pricing strategy may be intentionally preventing secondary market flipping to avoid perception of oversupply; Kaneda argues LE premium is designed to restrict resale profit potential (confidence: medium) — Kaneda states 'They don't want us to be able to make a couple thousand dollars on our investment' and notes Avatar LE versions of James Bond/Foo Fighters lost $3,000 vs. Premium's $1,500-$2,000
- **[competitive_signal]** Jaws positioned as potential market-saving release for Stern in 2024, but Kaneda doubts it will solve inventory/cash flow issues at competitors or drive trade-ups from existing machines (confidence: medium) — Kaneda asks 'Is this going to be the game that everyone's going to trade their Godzillas for and make room for and write checks for $10,000 to $13,000?'
- **[design_philosophy]** Stern's approach is to deliver adequate but uninspired design ('go far enough on everything. But nothing really blows you away'); Kaneda contrasts this with his expectation for dramatic, innovative mechanics at premium prices (confidence: high) — Kaneda characterizes Stern as 'a Stern is a Stern' and notes they 'just kind of go far enough on everything' with lack of surprise or drama
- **[event_signal]** Week of January 2nd, 2024 marked by coordinated Jaws reveal: storyline tomorrow, feature videos later, high-res assets, and Limited Edition sales on Thursday; Stern calling it 'Shark week' (confidence: high) — Kaneda references Tuesday, January 2nd reveal schedule and 'definitely going to be The Shark week over at Stern Pinball'
- **[licensing_signal]** Brody (main character) is missing from playfield, suggesting licensing constraints from rights holder; however, appears in LCD video clips indicating partial character availability (confidence: high) — Kaneda notes 'Stern had their hands tied a little bit with the license holder' and observes Brody's absence as 'a little bit strange' compared to full asset availability in Jurassic Park
- **[market_signal]** FOMO-driven pre-release sales: Limited Edition units reported as 'already sold out' before any distributor inventory or gameplay verification; Kaneda attributes this to artificial scarcity and brand loyalty rather than game quality (confidence: medium) — Kaneda observes 'FOMO generated with the distributors and the dealers already. None of them even have their games yet. Nobody's really taken any margin yet on the game.'
- **[market_signal]** Jaws Limited Edition at $13,000 is $2,500 more expensive than Godzilla despite fewer features and less artwork; Kaneda argues this pricing is unjustifiable and unsustainable for the market (confidence: high) — Direct comparison and repeated assertion that Jaws 'does not look like a $13,000 machine' and should be $10,500 max
- **[product_strategy]** Uncertainty about Pro Edition features (likely no upper playfield, similar to Foo Fighters); lack of clear feature/price stratification reduces LE perceived value (confidence: medium) — Kaneda questions 'Will the Pro Edition have the upper playfield? That's a huge question. Will the Pro Edition have the upper playfield? It probably will not.'
- **[product_concern]** Shark mechanism is underwhelming—a small rubber toy with no movement or drama; lacks the iconic image of Jaws attacking something or eating the ball (confidence: high) — Kaneda repeatedly criticizes the shark as a 'chew toy' that 'doesn't do anything' and compares unfavorably to T-Rex in Jurassic Park and rocking ship in Pirates of the Caribbean
- **[sentiment_shift]** Community burnout on pricing: Kaneda expresses concern that pinball is entering 'the beginning of the end' of unsustainable pricing; predicts hobby will not survive 2024 at current price levels (confidence: medium) — Kaneda's repeated assertion 'I don't think this hobby is going to survive 2024 at these prices' and 'There is a price limit we have on fun'

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## Transcript

 all right and just like that jaws pinball is out in the world no more speculation no more wondering what is in this game. We are now looking at the first official photos of Keith Elwin's two years in the making Jaws pinball. I think 95% of my predictions about what would be in this game have come true. We've got the Orca. We've got the other small ship with the kinetic ball that lifts up. And then we've got the mechanical shark underneath. Well, he's not so mechanical. We're going to talk about that. We got the spinning disc from the Avengers. We've got the upper play field. We don't have this sort of clear translucent plastic that I thought was going to be in this game, but we now know what Keith Elwin's Jaws machine is going to be like. Photos are being shared all over the interwebs. Jason Knapp seems to have high res photos. Kaneda's got low res photos. I've seen video of the game in action. And so here we are today on Tuesday, January 2nd, and we now know what the game is going to look like. Look, over the next week, we're going to get everything on this game. We're going to get this storyline tomorrow. Then we're going to get the feature videos. Then we're going to get all the high-res assets. The LEs will be for sale this Thursday. this is definitely going to be shark week over at Stern Pinball. And so here's the thing. Whenever we see a game for the first time, it's always hard to sort of figure out how to process a new pinball machine when we see it for the first time because we haven't played it. And I can tell by the gameplay video, as I watch this game being played, it's going to play like a Keith Elwin game. So if you like Keith Elwin games, I think you're going to enjoy this game. The thing is this, as I look down at this game, it's not that it doesn't look like it shoots good, because of course it's going to shoot good. It's Keith Elwin. It's probably going to shoot great. There's just something about a Stern machine where, like, our expectations are always super high. And I have to just say this, looking down at this machine, It's definitely much simpler than a game like Godzilla. The artwork is much simpler. And I think some people are going to like that. I think some people might consider it to be a little bit more barren looking. But when you look down at this game, it definitely looks like a game in which Stern did not have all of the assets they wanted in the machine itself. And you can definitely feel the missing presence of Brody, the main character from Jaws the movie. Him not being on that play field. You get the sense that Stern had their hands tied a little bit by the license holder with this game. And as I'm looking at the game right now, there's a lot of blue. There's a lot of blue in this game and that makes sense. But I'm just staring at the game right now. There's this great high res image I'm looking at of the game. And it almost looks like you have your chin on the lockdown bar. And you're looking out over the play field. And you're looking at the Orca in the upper left. You've got the smaller ship that Jaws pops up from underneath. You've got the spinning disc that's to the right. You've got the chum bucket to the left. You've got three drop-down targets on the left side of the game. You've got a third right flipper midway up the right side of the game. And really, like, a lot of the action in this game seems like it's going to take place in that upper left area of the game. The whole middle of the game, the whole center of this game is wide open. So that means this game is going to be really fast. You also see the posts in the inlanes on both sides of this game, which are going to pop up and give you the ability to lock the ball. I think Jurassic Park has that on one side of the game. And just looking at the game, OK, because right now, all we can really comment on are the mechs in the game, the artwork on the game and some of the design geometry layout of the game. And that's it. And that only half of a pinball experience We know that there still so many questions to be answered when it comes to the code in the game What the storyline going to be How close to the movie is this game going to be And how are they going to deal with Brody? I've seen some clips from the LCD screen and I think you see him. So will he be in it? Are they going to get voice actors to do his iconic lines? A lot yet to be determined in that area of this game. and just looking down at this game and looking at the LE version of this game and looking at the mechanisms in this game, I just want to say this. I think this is a really, really good effort from Stern Pinball and from Keith Elwin. My problem now in pinball is this. This does not look like a $13,000 machine. If it was $10,000, I'd be looking down at this LE with much different eyes. And that's my main issue is this hobbies become so expensive at the prices that pinball is at. And then you see the shark mechanism in action and the shark doesn't do anything. Like the boat pops up and there's this rubber shark that looks like it's a little chew toy that my dog would play with or that Killian would play with in the bathtub. And that's Jaws in Jaws pinball. You know, there's something about Keith Elwin, like Godzilla does nothing and Jaws seemingly really doesn't do much. And I was just expecting a lot more drama from the shark itself. Like I just pictured Jaws coming up from underneath the ocean and he was gonna eat the ball like the T-Rex in Jurassic Park. And you know in the movie where he's wiggling back and forth, like there's none of that. And I really wanted to see some of that, like this big mechanical shark that wiggles back and forth and his gills, you know, there's something about Jaws' gills when he's out of the water and he's moving left and right. And also his name is Jaws. Like you want to see his teeth and his mouth open up and he doesn't do anything. It just looks like a cheap rubber toy. And then I'm reminded who we're dealing with here. It's Stern Pinball. And so, yeah, it's a really good effort from Stern, but I'm just at this point now where a Stern is a Stern is a Stern. And at these prices, what should we expect in a pinball machine? I mean, that's my main thing. The first half of this day, I was seeing all these posts by people being like, the LEs of Jaws are already sold out. I'm already starting to see the FOMO generated by the distributors and the dealers already. None of them even have their games yet. Nobody's really taken any money yet on the game. And as I'm looking at this game and I'm looking at the artwork, I'm looking at the mechanisms in the game, I'm looking at the white armor with the weird shark bite being taken out of it. When you look at that shark bite on the armor, that's not how a shark's mouth is. It's not circular. It has more of an edge and a point to it. It doesn't even look like a shark bite. It just looks weird to me. You know, it looks a little bit strange. It looks a little bit off. And it looks like a stern. It looks like stern where they just kind of go far enough on everything. But nothing really blows you away. And that's my thing. I think this game is going to shoot great. It's a Keith Elwin game. We don't have to worry about that. So it's going to be fun in terms of design and layout. The artwork is not really that amazing. Like it feels very uninspired. We've seen much better art packages on pinball machines. But I want to say this. I do like they went more simple on the artwork. Because Jaws should be more simple. I've said this from the very get-go. They should make this game look a little bit more weathered and simple. The way the movie poster is in the iconic movie poster. And I think they nailed that. I really do. I think if you tried to fill every inch of playfield with something detailed, the way Godzilla is, the way Zombietti did with Foo Fighters and did Venom, I don't think that works with Jaws. So I'm kind of happy they went in this direction. Now here's the thing about this game. It's Jaws, right? A shark in the ocean. There's just nothing from a mechanical standpoint that simulates like being in the ocean. Is there going to be a buoy that pops up and down? I don't think so. There's no barrel that goes up and down. I'm really hoping that the Orca has movement. I can't tell yet, but I really hope the Orca has some movement that feels like it's a boat on the ocean. You know, when we first saw Pirates of the Caribbean, you know, Jersey Jacks, Pirates of the Caribbean, and that pirate ship was rocking back and forth, that blew everybody away. We had never seen anyone do anything like that with an upper playfield that was simulating a ship And then you look at this game and you like there nothing even close to remotely as interesting as that happening just yet So we shall see what happens with that orca. It just feels like there's just something missing. Like there's not that big shark attacking something. Like there's not going to be that moment where the shark pops out of the game and takes a big bite out of the orca. Like if you look at the orca right now, it's already got a big bite in it. Like there's no shark that's going to come up and create a kinetic physical pinball moment where that happens. And when I was thinking about Jaws, I mean, how do you not have Jaws pop up and have that yellow oxygen tank in its mouth and you get one shot to hit it and blow the shark up? I mean, that's the iconic scene in the movie. And again, there's just not going to be that in this game. So you could argue Canada had expectations that were way too high from a mechanical standpoint, and I probably did. And I probably want creative stuff in pinball machines that might not even be physically possible or mechanically possible. But then again, at $13,000, $13,000 and Ghostbusters LE was $7,500 or $8,000. Are you seeing $5,000 more in Mechanical WoW in Jaws than you did in freaking Ghostbusters? And that's my point with all of this is like when a new pin gets released, how do you look at these games now and not think about the price? Are we supposed to just focus on the gameplay? Are we supposed to just focus on the code? And I guess the price now and where pinball pricing is, it's almost like an annoying distraction to everything because none of these games should be this much money. And I mean it. And like, when I'm looking down at this game, I'm just going to be honest for a minute. Let me go in a little bit of a rant. This is not a $13,000 game. This is not a $13,000 game. There is no way this game should be $2,500 more than Godzilla was. There is no way it should be that much more. There's not as much artwork in it. There are not going to be as many assets in it. There aren't as many interesting mechanisms in it. So why is this game $2,500 more than Godzilla? I'm sorry. Godzilla has all the assets you're going to want if you're a Godzilla fan. They didn't even get Brody, the main character from Jaws, to be in the Jaws pinball machine. And this is where I'm at, people. It's like this is just too much money. And then I'm watching all these people lose all this money on all these LEs. And that's my point. Is this LE should have been $10,500. and the premium should be 8,500 and the freaking pros should be $6,000. And until we get pinball back to that place, every new launch, it's hard to look at it with enthusiasm because we know that the money's not going into these games. The money's just going to Stern because they wanna stop people from flipping a $10,000 Jaws. They don't want us to be able to make a couple thousand dollars on our investment. You know what's crazy right now is you actually lost less money if you bought a James Bond premium or a Foo Fighter premium. Those games only lost $1,500 to $2,000. The LE versions of those games have lost $3,000. So as I look at Jaws LE on a random Tuesday, the week the game is coming out, and if you're going to ask me, would I go in on a Jaws LE after seeing this game today? I don't know, people. I really don't know what to tell you. The market's going to do what the market does. But looking down at this game, I see a fun Keith Elwin game that should be $10,000 and a premium should be $8,500. And that's where I'm at with pinball. I'm just getting a little bit deflated by looking down at that game and saying, hey, this game's $13,000. I was deflated looking at Elton John for $15,000 and $12,000. All of these games are overpriced. They're all overpriced. And are we not allowed to raise our expectations as we get these games? And I think we're just feeling some of the burnout. And after seeing this game today, does this game feel like the white knight, right? The great white shark. Is this going to be the great white knight that saves pinball in 2024 and bails all these distributors out who are sitting on all these Venoms and James Bond premiums and all these expensive games? And I here to tell you right now I think this is the beginning of the end of these ridiculous prices I don think this hobby is going to survive 2024 at these prices There no way There just no way we going to absorb these games at these prices if this is what's going into pinball. There is a price limit we have on fun. And I think for most people out there, the most you want to spend on the creme de la creme version of a stern is $10,000. and the most you want to spend on a creme de la creme version of a Jersey Jack game is maybe $12.50. All right, so let's talk about this game a little bit more. All right, so straight up the middle, we've got the boat where you hit the kinetic ball. It looks like it hits three different targets and then the shark pops up. To the right of that is that interesting spinning disc that is raised above the playfield. It almost looks like the Avengers wheel that's raised up. I think that's like a fishing lure that you're winding up as you go around it. And it almost looks like it's the James Bond figure eight shot. I'm not sure. And then up the middle too, you've got, I was wrong about this. There's a little shark fin that pops up and goes across the play field. It's the chum line apparently. Now here's what's weird about this thing. It's only moving to the right. So are you telling me that the shark is going to have to swim backwards to get that target over to the left side. I think it's going to start on the left side, then move to the right. But again, you know, look, you're designing a game about a great white shark, and you're going to have a fin that pops up from under the playfield. And for $13,000, the fin that pops up from under the playfield is just a little plastic target with a shark fin sticker on it. They couldn't even sculpt it to look just like a big fin. I don't know, people. I don't know what to tell you. I really don't know what to tell you. Again, I think this game is going to shoot great. I think it's going to have Elwin flow. I think it's going to have a lot of different shots to hit. I think it's going to be fun. It's going to be fun. I just don't see the 13K here. And I think pinball is in for an interesting 2024. Because now, like if this game doesn't take off and light the pinball world on fire, it's still May, people. It's still very early. I am not sticking a fork in this shark just yet. We have to see more gameplay. We have to see the code. We know the team over at Stern is going to do a good job on the code, but I'm just a little bit worried without Brody, that could really hamper this game in a way where Jurassic Park wasn't affected nearly as much because he's such a central figure in all the iconic lines in this movie. But from what I can see in a few of the video clips I've seen in the video, he's in some of those video clips. So that makes me feel a little bit better. You're going to see him. And then Jaws is going to be out. This game is going to be on the line. They're going to make thousands of these things. And then what? Right? What's next? Jersey Jack's game is dead on arrival with Elton John. Spooky Pinball's got its two games already revealed. And then what's next from Stern? I don't know if this is the game that's going to save Stern in 2024. And looking at that huge factory and knowing that they need to crank out hundreds of games a week, is this going to be the game that everyone's going to trade their Godzillas for and make room for and write checks for $10,000 to $13,000? Is the pro going to be enough? Like, I don't know. Is the pro going to have the upper playfield? That's a huge question. Will the pro have the upper playfield? It probably will not. It's probably going to be like Foo Fighters. You're not going to have that upper playfield. Look, a lot more is coming this week. I'm a little bit disappointed. If you can hear it in my voice, I'm a little bit disappointed. I just expect it a little bit more. And the reason I'm disappointed is that the shark itself really should be doing more in a Jaws pinball machine. And again, it's a great effort from Stern at 10,500 for the LE. I just don't see 13K here. Let me know what you think. How do you feel about the game? Is it blowing you away? You know, what are your thoughts? Again, this is just me waiting for two years for this Keith Elwin masterpiece. and maybe all of us need to lower our expectations about what Stern will put in a box. But again, at this much money, why should we be lowering our expectations? We should be raising them. As you can tell, I'm losing my voice. So many more shows coming this week. This is just one of many Jaws episodes coming from Canada. Everybody, peace out. We know all about you, Chief. You don't go in the water at all, do you? Some bad hat, Harry.

_(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: c91865d7-55e8-4c5e-9439-71a1aea20014*