Episode 955: "They Are Called DEALers For A Reason"

TL;DR

Kaneda critiques Funhouse 2.0 launch, Stern's dealer model as 'mafia,' and refuses future Stern purchases at current prices.

Summary

Key Claims

• Pedretti Gaming upped Funhouse 2.0 production from 500 to 750 units, with Nick Parks allocating 400 to US dealers

  medium confidence · Kaneda, mid-episode discussion of Funhouse launch logistics

• John Wick owners club on Pinside has fewer than two pages of conversation despite over a week of availability

  high confidence · Kaneda, discussing John Wick adoption metrics on Pinside forums

• Stern is planning a vault remake (Kiss or Ghostbusters) using Spike 2 hardware with recreated DMD dots on LCD, releasing June/July

  medium confidence · Kaneda, 'I heard that Stern is going to use, I think it might be Spike 1 game coming out on Spike 2'

• Lior (art of pinball) is alive and working on the Funhouse topper, confirming rumors to the contrary

  high confidence · Kaneda, direct confirmation from Andrea Pedretti at Pedretti Gaming

• Jersey Jack Elton John had upside-down projector logos that only got fixed after Kaneda's public complaint prompted a service bulletin

  high confidence · Kaneda, personal account of his impact on industry quality improvements

• Colin (This Week in Pinball) illegally transferred 7,000+ followers from TWIP to Kineticists without earning them organically

  medium confidence · Kaneda, criticism of Colin's content strategy and follower migration tactics

• Funhouse 2.0 kit has reports of being buggy, laggy, and Rudy's voice doesn't work well

  medium confidence · Kaneda, 'there are people out there that are saying you know the funhouse 2.0 kit is not the best it's kind of buggy it's kind of laggy'

• Haggis Pinball is effectively done and should issue refunds; they promised Fathoms by end of year but Centaur will never be made

  medium confidence · Kaneda opinion on Haggis Pinball viability based on delays and lack of transparency

• Stern operates dealers as a mafia model: collecting full payment upfront while dealers sit on depreciating inventory unable to discount

Notable Quotes

• “Don't you tell me that Kaneda doesn't do any good for this pinball hobby. [referring to Elton John projector fix]”

  Kaneda@ 2:16 — Establishes Kaneda's view of his own industry impact and credibility, frames the episode's defense against criticism

• “They're called dealers for a reason. Allow them to make deals. Allow them to advertise a Venom LE new in box for $11,500 because even that is $2,000 more than it's worth.”

  Kaneda@ 24:39 — Core thesis of the episode; critique of Stern's dealer constraints and pricing strategy; title reference

• “I am not buying another Stern machine at these prices ever. I'm just going to say it right now, ever.”

  Kaneda@ 11:48 — Personal boycott pledge; major sentiment shift for long-time Stern customer

• “Stern Pinball operates like they are the mob. And that is why on my very expletive show, I'm like F off Stern.”

  Kaneda@ 11:35 — Strongest condemnation of Stern; frames industry dynamics as exploitative

• “If you admit right now that you bought a John Wick LE, you might as well wear a t-shirt that says dummy. Like you're a dummy.”

  Kaneda@ 14:34 — Harsh judgment of early adopters; indicates extreme negative sentiment toward John Wick purchase decision

• “Now we look at John Wick LE owners with empathy and sorrow. And I know we're not supposed to feel sorry for them, but they made a stupid move.”

  Kaneda@ 15:05 — Reflects dramatic sentiment shift toward John Wick owners; indicates market failure in community perception

• “I just want to say for all of my fans in Australia, why has nobody just gone over to Haggis Pinball on a random weekday with your cell phone camera and knock on the door and record it?”

Entities

Signals

• ~

  sentiment_shift: John Wick community sentiment inverted from typical Stern pre-launch hype to extreme negative regret; owners compared to dummies who lost $3-4k; dramatic shift from envy to empathy/sorrow for purchasers

  high · Kaneda's observation of Pinside owners club having <2 pages of conversation and statement 'Now we look at John Wick LE owners with empathy and sorrow'

• $

  market_signal: Pinball market experiencing oversupply with declining demand due to manufacturer MSRP floor enforcement; dealers unable to discount even on year-old inventory like Venom LE

  high · Kaneda's extended critique: 'There is an oversupply of everything. The demand is going down because the prices are so high and you're forcing your dealers and your distros to behave in a way that doesn't allow them to make a deal'

• ?

  business_signal: Stern collects full payment upfront from dealers/distributors, then invests capital in growth while dealers sit on depreciating inventory unable to adjust prices; Kaneda characterizes this as 'mafia' operating model

  high · Kaneda: 'Stern has those dealers and those distros money for an entire year and you bet your bottom dollar that Stern has taken that money from those distros and dealers and has invested it into areas of growth'

• ?

  product_launch: Funhouse 2.0 production increased from 500 to 750 units; Nick Parks allocating to US dealers on day one with widespread dealer advertising; launched without accompanying video demonstration

  medium · Kaneda: 'They were originally going to have 500... They upped that number to 750... Nick Parks is allocating games to the dealers... On launch day, did you see Funhaus LE lit up in all of its glory? No, you didn't.'

• ?

Topics

Sentiment

negative(-0.78)— Kaneda expresses strong frustration with Stern's business practices, John Wick market failure, and broader industry dynamics. While he praises specific machines (Elton John, Spooky's code updates) and Funhouse 2.0's aesthetic, the dominant tone is critical and pessimistic about market structure, pricing sustainability, and manufacturer behavior. His personal boycott pledge and repeated 'F off Stern' comments underscore intensity of negativity.