claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.035
Loser Kid Pinball Podcast 64: Market dynamics, pre-order lists, game rumors, and industry gossip.
Deep Root has released approximately 10 games
high confidence · Josh Roop states 'deep root announced their eight planned games. Okay, now I'm going to take off my deep root hater hat, but just say like what you do is you immediately look at all 10 games' and later 'they have sent out like they've released like 10 games'
There are approximately 50 potential titles being discussed as possible future pinball game themes
medium confidence · Josh asks 'how many possible titles are out there. And how many did you say, Josh? I can't remember. You said 50.'
Jurassic Park (Pro)/Premium has been a consistent strong seller for Stern
high confidence · Scott mentions speaking with a distributor named Kyle who 'consistently has calls on are jurassic park' and Josh notes it was a 'huge seller for Jurassic Park'
Games are holding their secondary market value better than historically typical, with some selling for more than purchase price
high confidence · Josh states 'Joe Fox was saying, he's never owned a Stern game, played it for a couple months, and then sold it for more than what he bought for' and discusses how games in homes are 'potentially holding their value a lot better than they ever have been'
Chicago Gaming Company is not currently producing Medieval Madness remakes despite high demand
high confidence · Josh says 'I know multiple people who...are like, Hey, I want a medieval madness and I can't find any of them. Chicago Gaming Company could be rolling in money right now. I do not get it.'
Tom Kopera was contacted by TPN for an interview about Cactus Canyon code and indicated CGC has not asked him to work on Cactus Canyon
high confidence · Scott states 'he was recently actually it's been a couple months but he was on one of the tpn interview podcasts and he talked about the code of cactus canyon...he said he uh cgc he can't confirm that they're making cactus canyon because if they are they're more than likely not using him for code because he hasn't heard from them at all'
Stern's secrecy around game themes helps drive sales and buzz in the current market
“I deep root announced their eight planned games. Okay, now I'm going to take off my deep root hater hat, but just say like what you do is you immediately look at all 10 games and say, I want that one.”
Josh Roop @ ~19:00 — Illustrates how full game pipeline announcements allow customers to strategically delay purchases, potentially hurting near-term sales.
“It's like the housing prices in Utah—the floodwaters keep rising everything.”
Scott Larson @ ~15:30 — Vivid metaphor for sustained pinball market growth and rising game prices.
“CGC could be rolling in money right now. I do not get it. I do not get it.”
Josh Roop @ ~28:00 — Expresses frustration that Chicago Gaming isn't capitalizing on high Medieval Madness demand.
“The last person that told me that the, for sure the next game coming out from Stern was back to the future ended up being Mandalorian. So I've, I've even lost trust with some of my quote unquote inside sources.”
Scott Larson @ ~32:15 — Acknowledges unreliability of insider information and reinforces importance of skepticism about leaks/rumors.
“Unless of JJP is planning producing more games sooner they have enough designers to fill the time frame that they are finishing right now. Yeah so why would they need another designer unless they plan on.”
Josh Roop @ ~47:00 — Logical debunking of Steve Ritchie/JJP rumor based on production capacity constraints.
“It's one of those things where it's like I just don't know there's there's so many underlying details that we really don't know...it just frustrates me that it's a hey we're closing and peace out.”
Scott Larson @ ~56:30 — Expresses frustration about Museum of Pinball closure and lack of transparent communication with community.
“Cactus Canyon falls into, for me, like the Big Bang Bar or the – where it's more the rarity that is driving the demand for it as opposed to the playfield layout.”
Josh Roop — Questions whether Cactus Canyon demand is driven by actual gameplay interest or mere rarity/FOMO.
market_signal: Pinball games are retaining or appreciating in secondary market value, with examples of used games selling for more than original purchase price, breaking historical trends
high · Josh: 'Joe Fox was saying, he's never owned a Stern game, played it for a couple months, and then sold it for more than what he bought for. This is just a really weird time in the hobby where this is happening.'
product_strategy: Manufacturers maintaining secrecy around upcoming game themes to generate sustained buzz and prevent customer purchase delays; value of surprise announcement outweighs transparency
high · Scott: 'I do think that there is still value to generate the buzz and keeping under wraps'; Josh discusses how announcing all games upfront (Deep Root) allows customers to strategically hold off purchases
market_signal: Strong sustained demand for pinball machines across all tiers; Stern struggling to manufacture fast enough to meet demand; market not yet saturated despite price increases
high · Scott: 'it's the the it's like the housing prices in utah the floodwaters keep rising everything'; Josh: 'Stern is doing their best to manufacture to keep up with demand'
collector_signal: Collectors increasingly reluctant to sell out-of-production games (Medieval Madness, World Cup Soccer) due to rarity and inability to replace them; willingness to sell in-production games (Jurassic Park Pro)
high · Josh: 'I'm kind of getting to the point though where I'm hesitant to get rid of my games unless if they're being produced...I don't want to get rid of [World Cup Soccer] now like even if I had questions about it I don't want to because you cannot find them right now'
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medium confidence · Josh argues 'I do think that there is still value to generate the buzz and keeping under wraps...they are doing the right thing' because 'you want to strike while the iron's hot'
The rumor of Steve Ritchie leaving Stern for Jersey Jack Pinball originated on Reddit
high confidence · Scott states 'Steve Ritchie immediately leaving Stern and going to JJP that was shared on Reddit' and confirms 'it was shared Monday'
“There's a financial saturation point. There's a space saturation point. There's a significant other tolerance of your weird hobby saturation point.”
Scott Larson @ ~21:30 — Identifies multiple factors limiting pinball market expansion beyond pure demand.
“I'm starting to hear this float around a little bit more and more, but it sounds like P3's next title is based off of a video game. It's a license of a video game. and Scott Danesi will be doing the music for it.”
Josh Roop @ ~61:00 — Early rumor about P3's upcoming game with video game licensing and known composer.
“If people just stop wanting to hold on to these games but a lot of these games have made it into homes and it seems like they're in a lot better shape than they would be if they were at your local bar.”
Scott Larson @ ~23:00 — Suggests home collectors' better care extends game lifespan and preserves value vs. commercial venues.
gameplay_signal: Cactus Canyon demand driven primarily by rarity/FOMO rather than proven playfield design merit; comparison to other rare late-90s games like Big Bang Bar
medium · Josh: 'Cactus Canyon falls into, for me, like the Big Bang Bar or the – where it's more the rarity that is driving the demand for it as opposed to the playfield layout'
rumor_hype: Reddit rumor of Steve Ritchie leaving Stern for Jersey Jack Pinball rated 2/100 likelihood; multiple logical factors make it implausible (JJP doesn't need additional designers, historical Ritchie-Lawlor rivalry, Ritchie's advanced age)
high · Hosts provide three reasons: 1) JJP has adequate designer capacity, 2) Steve-Pat rivalry from Williams era, 3) No timeline justification for late-career move
venue_signal: Museum of Pinball in Banning, CA announced closure with asset auction; poor location (remote area), high operating costs, and lack of transparent communication with community cited as contributing factors
high · Scott: 'it sucks that our location's closing...it's not a great place and it would...cost a lot...it's kind of in the middle of nowhere'; Josh criticizes lack of 'grassroots or a pr campaign' before closure
product_concern: Chicago Gaming Company not expanding Medieval Madness production despite high demand and proven market appetite; hosts suggest lack of business acumen or capital availability
medium · Josh: 'CGC could be rolling in money right now. I do not get it...you're taking zero risk there. You're printing money at this point.'
rumor_hype: Approximately 50 potential pinball game titles being discussed in collector/enthusiast circles as possible future releases; pre-order lists at Flipping Out Pinball tracking customer interest in unannounced themes
medium · Josh mentions messaging Zach about interested lists and learning 'there are 50 potential titles that people are just spitballing'
machine_intel: Cactus Canyon remake (Chicago Gaming) rumored to include new code, additional artwork details, and phenomenal topper; original designers Matt Correale and Tom Kopera; CGC apparently not using Kopera for code work
medium · Scott: 'I'm hearing also is the toppers phenomenal...they've got to update it...because of licensing...'; 'Matt Correale and Tom Kopera' were original designers
rumor_hype: P3's next title rumored to be based on video game license with composer Scott Denisey handling music; early-stage rumor with limited confirmation
low · Josh: 'I'm starting to hear this float around a little bit more and more, but it sounds like P3's next title is based off of a video game. It's a license of a video game. and Scott Denisey will be doing the music for it.'
product_strategy: Stern strategically uses recent popular releases (Jurassic Park, Avengers) for competition platforms; creates customer acquisition and engagement incentive while driving hardware sales
high · Josh: 'it was the hot game that people get really quickly and it's actually brilliant from stern's standpoint that if they are if they are helping push this'...because 'Jurassic Park was – that was a huge seller'
content_signal: Loser Kid Podcast partnered with PinQuest for remote high-score competition using games Avengers Infinity Quest Pro/Premium and World Cup Soccer; virtual trophies and physical hat prizes for winners
high · Josh announces: 'we have teamed up with PinQuest...two games that you can high score on. We've picked Avengers Infinity quest...and...World Cup Soccer'