Stranger Things Pinball UV Art Revealed!

Cary Hardy·video·10m 56s·analyzed·Feb 13, 2020

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.019

TL;DR

Cary Hardy criticizes $279 Stranger Things UV lights as premeditated DLC-style monetization.

Summary

Cary Hardy critiques Stern's release of a $279 UV lighting kit for Stranger Things pinball as a post-launch paid upgrade that should have been included standard with Premium/LE models. He argues this reflects premeditated design strategy and warns it signals a troubling trend toward DLC-style monetization in pinball, predicting worse practices ahead as connectivity features roll out.

Key Claims

The UV lighting feature should have shipped standard with Premium and LE models, not as a $279 add-on.
high confidence · Hardy states this multiple times: 'This is what it should have been' and 'I feel like that if you buy a limited edition game you should have everything in that game... that should already be in there.'
The UV lighting announcement was premeditated — planned from the beginning to be sold separately.
medium confidence · Hardy: 'This tactic that they used for this just highlights a giant spotlight on the fact that this was premeditated. That this was planned from the beginning.'
The UV lighting enhancement makes the game look better but does not address underlying mechanical issues like bent ramps or locking mechanism failures.
high confidence · Hardy lists specific issues: 'Is it going to make it to where that ramp isn't bent? No... Is it going to make it to where that locking mechanism in the ramp is not going to pop out and hit the glass? No?'
Stern will escalate monetization tactics (paid wizard modes, monthly subscriptions, account requirements) as they implement internet connectivity on future games.
low confidence · Hardy speculates: 'wait till we start probably having to pay two or three for an extra wizard mode... or even paying for updates or changes to the game's code... maybe even pay a monthly subscription.'
Community sentiment on Pinside is mixed but majority disagree with the UV lighting upsell strategy.
medium confidence · Hardy: 'I want to say a majority of you sigh of relief a majority of you disagree with what they doing.'

Notable Quotes

“I mean guys do you think I honestly enjoy talking about this damn game no I don't I'm not at work going oh man I cannot wait to get home so I can make another video about this damn game that is not how this goes down I promise you but yet here we are”
Cary Hardy@ 0:00 — Establishes Hardy's reluctance to cover Stranger Things repeatedly, setting tone of frustration.
“This is what it should have been Because the upside down in the show is just like the real world how it is, only much darker and just not a pretty place.”
Cary Hardy@ 2:50 — Explains why the UV lighting feature should have been standard — it aligns with the show's thematic intent.
“This tactic that they used for this just highlights a giant spotlight on the fact that this was premeditated. That this was planned from the beginning.”
Cary Hardy@ 5:17 — Core accusation that the UV feature was intentionally withheld to be sold later.
“This is a fear of mine actually this is starting to turn into what those of us that are in the video game genre are very well aware of because many years ago when they started the whole dlc thing we started to see that hey we're starting to buy stuff for the game that was already there”
Cary Hardy@ 3:23 — Draws parallel to video game DLC model as warning of broader industry trend.
“If they don't get money for these tactics that they are doing, then they're not going to do them anymore... If they do something you don't like, show them by not giving them money. I guarantee you guys, that is the best way to get a business slash company, corporation, whatever you want to say, to listen to you, is by voting with your wallet.”
Cary Hardy@ 8:51 — Hardy's core message: consumer spending power is the only lever that will change Stern's behavior.

Entities

Cary HardypersonStern PinballcompanyStranger Thingsgame ScottpersonPenn StadiumscompanyPinsideorganization Demogorgonproduct

Signals

?
business_signal: Stern's model of selling post-launch 'cosmetic' upgrades that should be standard is framed as predatory and DLC-like; Hardy predicts escalation to paid wizard modes and subscriptions.
high · Hardy warns: 'wait till we start probably having to pay two or three for an extra wizard mode... or even paying for updates or changes to the game's code... maybe even pay a monthly subscription.'
~
sentiment_shift: Hardy frames himself as outside the core Stern buyer base ('I don't own a modern stern') but claims credibility in predicting market behavior based on consumer psychology.
medium · Hardy: 'people are going to say, shut up. You don't own a modern stern, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But this is part of the reason why I don't own a modern stern, guys.'
?
design_philosophy: Disconnect between what Stern ships (base game) and what it should have shipped (UV lighting standard on Premium/LE) suggests intentional feature withholding.
high · Hardy: 'This is what it should have looked like whenever it came off the factory line' and 'it's premeditated.'
$
market_signal: Stranger Things UV lighting at $279 represents escalating post-purchase monetization; Hardy views this as unsustainable and consumer-hostile trend.
high · Multiple statements: 'this should have been included in at least the premium and le models' and 'it's the way they want to market this this is the way to get extra money.'
?
product_concern: Stranger Things has documented mechanical issues (bent ramps, locking mechanism failures, Demogorgon shot requiring workaround) that cosmetic upgrades don't address.

Topics

Post-launch monetization and paid upgradesprimaryUV lighting feature for Stranger ThingsprimaryMechanical reliability issues (ramps, locking mechanisms)secondaryPricing tiers (Pro vs Premium vs LE) and value propositionsecondaryFuture monetization trends tied to internet connectivitysecondaryVideo game DLC model as cautionary parallelsecondaryConsumer power and voting with walletsecondary

Sentiment

negative(-0.8)— Hardy is frustrated and critical throughout, criticizing Stern's monetization strategy as predatory and premeditated. He acknowledges the UV lighting looks good but views the paid upgrade model as symptomatic of deeper problems. His tone is resigned and pessimistic about future industry direction.

Transcript

youtube_groq_whisper · $0.033

I mean guys do you think I honestly enjoy talking about this damn game no I don't I'm not at work going oh man I cannot wait to get home so I can make another video about this damn game that is not how this goes down I promise you but yet here we are quick edit i was literally just uploading this video and then i got in touch with scott from PinStadiums and we had a little quick back and forth and for those of you that are thinking about spending the 280 bucks on this set for your uh stranger things you might want to hold off just a little bit so that way scott can show you what he's got in store for your games for a better price too all right back to the video so it gets announced a couple of days ago that dead flip jack danger stern is going to be unveiling a hidden feature for their new game i don't know why i did new because it is the new game but it's one of those hidden feature i wonder what it could be and i was beginning to start thinking about possibilities of what this damn feature could be and i was like maybe they'll implement some sort of like i don't know old timey arcade game on the projector and you use the flippers or something and the action button i don't know but that was my immediate thought and then i stopped thinking about it because i honestly didn't care i was like i was like i don't care what the feature is i'm pretty sure it's not going to make me want to play the game and lo and behold this drops to show us what the game looks like with this additional hardware that you need to purchase for the game to do this which honestly the game should have came this way this is what i anticipated the game to do whenever the game was first announced but i remember the speculation before the game was announced about what's the upside down gonna be like and there are speculations about a lower play field like you know monsters and many of other games and that was something I was hoping was not going to be the case I wanted the game to have this What they showing right now is what I was expecting This is what it should have been Because the upside down in the show is just like the real world how it is, only much darker and just not a pretty place. It's not going actually upside down like to where it's lowered or anything like that. This is how the game is supposed to be. I look at this guys and it looks great I'm not going to deny the fact that this does make the game look better it's that the argument and the disappointment is that it did not launch with the game this is a fear of mine actually this is starting to turn into what those of us that are in the video game genre are very well aware of because many years ago when they started the whole dlc thing we started to see that hey we're starting to buy stuff for the game that was already there and it it was really evident whenever you would buy a game and on the disc was the dlc meaning they already had it planned it was already there but in order for you to play that dlc you had to get past a paywall this is i think them really tiptoeing into the deeper end of what we are in for a show whenever they get their internet connectivity rocking and rolling on their next game if you think this is bad wait till we start probably having to pay two or three for an extra wizard mode and stuff like that or i mean or even paying for updates or changes to the game's code to where you're gonna have to create a stern account in order for your game to even connect online and maybe even pay a monthly subscription to where in order for your game to even be online oh my i'm getting even more scared just thinking about it is because you have consoles like the switch and stuff like that that particularly the switch in order for you to really access their online stuff you have to have an account that you pay annually on what's to say that stern doesn't go hey you know what it works for them maybe we should try that and i've been going through pin side and i i can't even keep up for a couple of reasons one there's very very mixed emotions about this but I want to say a majority of you sigh of relief a majority of you disagree with what they doing The tactic that they used for this just highlights a giant spotlight on the fact that this was premeditated That this was planned from the beginning, that they're going to release this game, and then eventually, a little bit down the road, we're going to go, hey, you know what, we got a really cool feature, but you can only get it when you give us $280. dollars now hold up 279 evidently they're real proud of the fact that it's a dollar less than 280 but i gotta see both sides of the argument here so what i can say is what's nice about this is that it's not exclusive to le's or premiums only but i feel like that if you really wanted to do this then these these lights should have came with the premiums and le's standard and they are capable of being on the pros but they would have to you know purchase them separately or add them on i don't know i guess is it just me but i feel like if you buy a limited edition game you should have everything in that game shaker motor knocker all that stuff that they want to nickel and dime you for that should already be in there that that should be one of the main perks of buying an le is that it comes with everything including a topper so again let's continue with the pros the pros being that it's available for all of your models pro premium or le so that's a plus uh it's a plus because it enhances the game obviously it looks really good with it i'm that's I can't get over this because it looks good. Need more beer. But it looks good. So I'm not going to deny it, guys, that it does make the game look great. Now, is it going to shoot better? No. No. But it'll look better. Are these $280 lights going to make it to where that ramp isn't bent? No. Is these 200 lights going to make it to where that locking mechanism in the ramp is not going to pop out and hit the glass? No. Is it going to make it to where the Demogorgon shot can only be made whenever you attach a rubber band behind it to get it just right? No! But you know what? We're going to charge you $280 for these lights to make the game look really good. But it's still the game. It's still the game that we're already kind of dissing because of how it plays. But like I said, this is the tip of the iceberg. It only going to get worse from here guys And the reason why it only going to get worse is because we the consumers well I mean I hate to throw me in the pool with you guys but I don own a modern stern So therefore, people are going to say, shut up. You don't own a modern stern, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But this is part of the reason why I don't own a modern stern, guys. But this will only get worse because you keep giving them money. If they don't get money for these tactics that they are doing, then they're not going to do them anymore. It's like, I don't know why Stern does this. Because you keep giving them money. That's it. If they do something you don't like, show them by not giving them money. I guarantee you guys, that is the best way to get a business slash company, corporation, whatever you want to say, to listen to you, is by voting with your wallet. money is the number one factor in any business. So if they do a particular method or tactic or move that hurts their financial status, they will change. But they're not going to change as long as you keep throwing money at them. But another good thing about this is that even though that they have put out this product and it is available, you don't have to buy it but you look at this and if you own the game you're like man i really want this in my game but aside from the fact stern that you have made something that makes this game look a lot better because this is what it should have looked like whenever it came off the factory line i was wanting this video to be a short one so hopefully after editing it will be but in a nutshell this should have been included in at least the premium and le models should have been that's all there is to it um it's premeditated it's the way they want to market this this is the way to get extra money if you keep giving them money they'll keep taking it and it's going to get worse well so that's going to wrap this video up i'm going to finish this beer probably have another one. Until next time, guys. Peace out.