claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.038
Don covers Big Bang Bar drama, upcoming Stern/JJP reveals, production timelines, and his Pokémon (Premium/LE) sale decision.
Team Pinball is €90,000 (~$110,000 USD) in the hole on the Big Bang Bar remake project
high confidence · Don citing Team Pinball public Facebook post this week; Team Pinball themselves confirmed the figure
Pedretti is launching Tales of the Arabian Nights at Golden State Pinball Festival this weekend
high confidence · Don states this is the driver behind Team Pinball public disclosure of the dispute timing
Barrels of Fun will complete all Dune orders by June and all Winchester orders by September
high confidence · Don received clarification from Brian at Barrels of Fun via Patreon livestream
Stern's Cornerstone media day is May 20th (dealers May 19th) with the game rumored to be Transformers
high confidence · Don received official email from Zach Sharpe at Stern; Transformers is rumored but not officially confirmed
Jersey Jack Pinball next game is Sonic the Hedgehog currently in production
medium confidence · Don states he's getting 'confirmation from this way, that way and upside down' but notes no official announcement; references Steve Richie in Sonic shoes two years ago
Pokémon (Premium/LE) is currently selling on Pinside for $15,500-$19,000+ used with barely any plays
high confidence · Don checked Pinside marketplace directly; friend purchased one for $15,000 used
Spooky is producing Beetlejuice games faster than previously observed with significant daily output
medium confidence · Don visited factory; notes faster ramping than before but cannot specify exact production numbers
Pokémon (Premium/LE) code is currently at version 0.0 (bare bones) with only five modes and missing assets
high confidence · Don is playing his own Pokémon (Premium/LE) and describes the current state; attributes delays to licensing approval process
“Three different groups of people from what I can put together all had like a very vested interest in this project. And I think they kind of they must have thought the project was was much more important than it actually was.”
Don @ ~5:00 — Summarizes the root conflict over Big Bang Bar remake and hints at the business dynamics at play
“They're 90,000 euros in the hole. It's like $110,000 USD... basically the deal was these guys were all going to be in cahoots, they were going to get this game to production, and then as they sold, they would get their back end. And I don't know really what happened, but it sounds like they got a prototype game, they got it to Pedretti, and then Pedretti just said, I don't think we need you guys.”
Don @ ~7:00 — Explains the Team Pinball/Pedretti dispute and the financial stakes
“I think they're doing it now because Pedretti is about to launch Tales of the Arabian Nights at Golden State Pinball Festival this weekend. And what they want is for us to feel sorry for them getting screwed over so we do not go and buy this game from them.”
Don @ ~11:00 — Don's interpretation of Team Pinball's motivations for public disclosure; suggests competitive timing strategy
“I haven't heard anything concrete, but I'm holding out... I know where my tokens are sitting, which cup I have them in. And it's the company that hasn't shadow banned me and totally blocked me.”
Don @ ~30:00 — Hints at Dungeon Crawler Carl potentially being a Barrels of Fun project and alludes to prior conflict with Multimorphic
“The code right now is at Stern.0... I feel like there's call outs that are missing. I feel there's video assets that are missing. And I don't think this is the fault of Stern. I think they're sitting on code that's finished and ready. It's just got to get through the final approval process and it's going to be a slog.”
Don @ ~50:00 — Assessment of Pokemon LE code state and attribution to licensing delays rather than designer fault
“I'm trying to postulate, okay, we're going to be in a position in about nine months where there's tons of pros, tons of premiums... So I think the fervor is going to die down a bit more. Prices will probably settle around $14, maybe $13.5.”
industry_signal: Public disclosure of Team Pinball's €90k loss on Big Bang Bar remake; alleges Pedretti cut them out after prototype completion; timing coordinated with Pedretti's Tales of the Arabian Nights launch to damage competitor sales
high · Team Pinball's Facebook post this week; Don's analysis of timing and motivation relative to Golden State launch
product_launch: Stern media day May 20th with NDA requirement; Cornerstone title (rumored Transformers) with first public play at Northwest Pinball Show before June 5th
high · Official email from Zach Sharp at Stern; Don received formal invitation with specific dates
machine_intel: Jersey Jack Pinball's Sonic the Hedgehog confirmed in active production; no tours permitted; build-to-order model with Sonic/Genesis 16-bit aesthetic
high · Don references multiple confirmations; Steve Richie photographed in Sonic shoes two years ago; JJP ceased tours this period
product_concern: Pokemon LE shipped at version 0.0 (bare bones) with only five modes; missing assets and callouts attributed to licensing approval delays (James Bond precedent cited)
high · Don's direct experience playing his own Pokemon LE; notes aren't Stern fault but external licensing bottleneck
market_signal: Pokemon LE secondary market shows $15,500-$19,000+ pricing despite barely-played condition; Don predicts settle around $13,500-$14,000 in 9 months after fervor dies and more Pros/Premiums ship
high · Don's Pinside marketplace review; personal listing at $15,500; tracked friend's $15,000 purchase
groq_whisper · $0.093
Don @ ~55:00 — Don's market prediction justifying his Pokemon LE sale timing strategy
“This game is quite valuable, and it may be too valuable to just keep around... I've got a choice. I can keep the game... Or would it make sense to get this game to somebody for a great price?”
Don @ ~58:00 — Rationale for selling Pokemon LE despite enjoying it; balances personal financial needs against game attachment
“Steve Ritchie in his Sonic shoes like two years ago when he started working on this game. So, like, probably that's what's happening... 16-bit, Sega Genesis, yes, please bring it.”
Don @ ~88:00 — Evidence that JJP's Sonic is confirmed (at least internally) and Don's enthusiasm for the theme direction
“They are no longer offering tours if people ask currently, and that's because they don't have to be a game... I like the fact that the brand new game is on the line being built prior to the unveiling.”
Don @ ~92:00 — JJP operational strategy to prevent early leaks and build-to-order model for new releases
“I can tell you there is a flurry of damn activity of these games coming off the line, going into boxes every single day. And it looks to me faster than what I've seen before. And it's ramping up.”
Don @ ~110:00 — Observational evidence of Spooky Beetlejuice production acceleration
manufacturing_signal: Spooky Beetlejuice production ramping faster than previous observed rates; 20 Midnight Madness units shipped in one week; daily output visibly increased at factory
medium · Don's factory visit observation; cannot disclose exact production numbers per confidentiality; 200-series unit confirmations from customers
product_strategy: Barrels of Fun production timeline confirmed: Dune complete June, Winchester complete September (not all games by June as previously rumored); 350+ units across both titles in 3-month stretch (July-September)
high · Don received direct clarification from Brian at Barrels of Fun via Patreon; sourced from company leadership
collector_signal: Pokemon LE showing extreme FOMO pricing despite limited code availability; fastest-selling Stern title ever; early secondary market activity before retail completion
high · Don's own purchase and subsequent resale decision; Pinside marketplace documentation; comparative rarity analysis
rumor_hype: Multiple IP rumors for Barrels of Fun: Dungeon Crawler Carl (likely next), G.I. Joe (possible October Expo reveal), Transformers (Stern Cornerstone), with varying confidence levels
low · Don's speculation based on company patterns and community gossip; no official confirmations; notes David Van Ness maintains surprise strategy
personnel_signal: Don expresses skepticism about Jean-Paul de Win's (Melvin's) game design track record; notes he primarily resurfaces legacy titles rather than creates original designs; evaluating his current American Pinball work
medium · Don's personal observation of de Win's portfolio; characterization as 'Pinball Necromancer' (positive reframing) but questions original creation capability
content_signal: Don's Pokemon LE sale listing generates community commentary and market testing; podcast discusses rationale publicly; demonstrates media influence on secondary market activity
medium · Don notes 'many people have had opinions' on his sale decision; lists game on multiple channels simultaneously (Pinside, Facebook)
venue_signal: Golden State Pinball Festival (this weekend, Lodi) functioning as major industry reveal venue; Stern teaser likely Monday post-event; Stern Cornerstone media day May 20th creating cascade of reveals through spring/summer
high · Don's timeline analysis; Pedretti's Tales launch this weekend; Stern email timing relative to Golden State event