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TPF coverage: Spooky dominates with 19 games, secondary market pricing holds strong, American Pinball 2.0 announced.
Spooky Pinball brought 19 games to TPF, including two in a canopy tent experience, with nearly all machines surviving constant gameplay with minimal technical issues
high confidence · Don/Cengiz discussing Spooky booth; Cengiz confirmed 19 games, Don noted exceptional durability
Beetlejuice is currently selling for $20,000 and is impossible to find on secondary market
high confidence · Cengiz citing distribution experience and pinside listings showing $20k+ asking prices
Evil Dead secondary market prices remain elevated ($15,500-$18,000+) even after next game (Beetlejuice) launched, unlike other manufacturers' previous releases
high confidence · Cengiz comparing Spooky pricing to James Cameron's Avatar pricing ($8,900-$12,000) as evidence of Spooky's strong hold
Jersey Jack has no new announcement at TPF despite having Harry Potter on display; Sonic anticipated for summer 2024 pending Harry Potter production pace
high confidence · Don reporting from TPF booth observations; Eric Meunier presence noted; Sonic toy anecdote from JJP seminar
Stern Pinball had no new announcements at TPF; The Walking Dead (LE) not displayed, no new Venom accessories revealed
high confidence · Don reporting from TPF floor; Pokemon contest and leaderboard were primary activities
American Pinball is under new ownership/management and positioning as 'American Pinball 2.0' with plans to remake Cirqus Voltaire with LCD screen under glass instead of dot matrix
high confidence · Don and Cengiz discussing American Pinball booth; multiple sources on Cirqus Voltaire reimagined/classic versions, LCD screen confirmation
American Pinball hired Nick from Electric Playground who created Tony Hawk's Pro Skater homebrew; he is working on a new game expected to release with American Pinball
medium confidence · Don discussing personnel moves and game development; described as hearing/inference rather than direct confirmation
Spooky Luke offered direct supply to Cengiz for Beetlejuice after distributor refused, resulting in commitment to deliver within three weeks
“Just mention another company where this happens with another game, the old game... James Cameron's Avatar (LE) 8900. Oh my god. That's what I mean! Get on the list with spooky games.”
Cengiz @ ~18:45 — Core argument about Spooky's secondary market pricing power compared to Jersey Jack; demonstrates retention despite new release
“Saturday morning last Saturday, no two weeks ago, he called up brothers... Buck comes back with an awesome answer, perfect. Luke calls me up, perfect service. If this doesn't work, just let me know. I will make a special component and send it to you.”
Cengiz @ ~22:30 — Praise for Spooky Pinball customer service and contrast to other manufacturers; personal anecdote supporting company positioning
“Spooky said, Cengiz, if you want our games, just ask us. You will get our games!”
Spooky Luke @ ~23:45 — Direct supply offer from Spooky manufacturer; demonstrates supply priority and relationship leverage in tight market
“American Pinball is not bad baby. American Pinball is 2.0. It's a brand new, different company... They're not back. They have upgraded everything. It's a new company. New energy.”
Cengiz @ ~43:00 — Positioning American Pinball rebrand as complete reset rather than continuation; dismisses critical previous reputation
“If you haven't played that game for the last year, you need it. Code is amazing, it's so fun, 27 modes, you can use it as a jukebox and more new songs.”
Don @ ~51:30 — Praise for Legends of Valhalla code updates; demonstrates ongoing support and gameplay depth even for older American Pinball title
“It's a little bit more satisfying than just hitting the ramp and having it stick by an up post... It's a nice effect, buddy.”
Don @ ~31:15 — Gameplay observation comparing Pro vs Premium/LE mechanical differences on Pokemon; notes physical satisfaction factor in premium pricing
“There was a line of about at least two groups deep on every machine the entire time of the show.”
market_signal: Spooky Pinball games (Beetlejuice, Evil Dead) maintaining elevated secondary market pricing despite new releases, contrasting sharply with Jersey Jack Avatar which dropped from $15k+ to $8,900 LE after Harry Potter launch
high · Cengiz provided detailed pinside pricing data: Beetlejuice $20k, Evil Dead $15,500-$18,000 vs Avatar LE $8,900; attributed to limited production and strong community perception
product_strategy: Spooky Pinball maintaining artificial scarcity through direct distributor relationships and limited allocation, creating FOMO and secondary market premiums
high · Cengiz's distributor could not obtain Beetlejuice allocation; Spooky Luke offered direct supply outside normal channels; 19 games at TPF pre-sold before show
community_signal: Significant positive sentiment shift toward American Pinball following company restructuring and rebranding as '2.0' with new leadership, marking departure from previous reputation
high · Both Don and Cengiz explicitly rejected previous brand identity ('trash') and endorsed new direction; cited code updates to Legends of Valhalla and Circus Voltaire remake as evidence of renewed focus
product_launch: American Pinball formally announced Circus Voltaire remake in both reimagined and classic versions with LCD screen under glass; timing uncertain (possibly end of 2024 or 2025)
high · Don/Cengiz confirming announcement at TPF; specific technical detail (LCD screen replacing dot matrix) shared; pricing speculation $8k-$10k suggested by Cengiz
manufacturing_signal: Spooky Pinball machines at TPF exhibited exceptional durability under constant weekend gameplay; only 1 momentary audio issue and 1 mechanism replacement across 19 units
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high confidence · Cengiz recounting personal interaction with Spooky Luke and Buck; marked as recent (two weeks prior to episode)
Legends of Valhalla code has been heavily updated with new music balance controls, 27 modes, and jukebox functionality; now displays American Pinball branding instead of American Pinball due to licensing
high confidence · Cengiz describing personal experience playing updated code on his machine at home; noting licensing implications
Cirqus Voltaire original 1997-98 Williams release was commercially unsuccessful (600+ units at $2,700 price point) making it rare and collectible today
high confidence · Don/Cengiz discussing rarity-driven pricing logic using historical data and comparing to Big Bang Bar pattern
Don @ ~37:45 — Quantifies demand/interest in Spooky games at TPF; indicates strong player engagement and booth traffic
“If they go over 10k, game over, buddy. Game over. No way.”
Cengiz @ ~58:00 — Pricing expectation/resistance threshold for American Pinball Circus Voltaire remake; indicates market sensitivity above $10k
high · Don observed minimal technical issues; machines were battle-tested onsite with two-deep queues throughout show; systems reset and repaired immediately by staff
venue_signal: Spooky Pinball experimented with canopy tent acoustic isolation at TPF to improve player experience and audio perception; positioned as model for future shows
high · Don and Cengiz confirmed tent improved audio clarity; Don described it as continuation-worthy experiment; featured two Beetlejuice machines inside
personnel_signal: American Pinball hired Electric Playground team (including Nick, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater homebrew designer) and borrowed Christopher Franchi from Spooky; indicates talent consolidation
medium · Don reporting hires and Christopher Franchi on loan; Nick described as working on unreleased game; attributed to American Pinball's repositioning as credible developer
business_signal: Spooky Pinball bypassed normal distributor channels to supply Cengiz directly, suggesting potential tension between manufacturer allocation priorities and distributor inventory
high · Cengiz's distributor refused Beetlejuice allocation; Spooky Luke offered direct supply with 3-week delivery; indicates manufacturer-direct strategy for key operators
announcement: Jersey Jack Sonic pinball anticipated for summer 2024 release, but timeline dependent on Harry Potter production pace; no formal announcement at TPF
medium · Anecdote about Sonic plush toy at JJP seminar; Don/Cengiz speculation about timing pending Harry Potter output; Eric Meenard presence noted
product_concern: American Pinball planning multiple Bally Williams remakes but constrained by existing IP licensing on premium titles (Twilight Zone, Indiana Jones, Addams Family); forcing focus on un-licensed or available titles
high · Cengiz and Don discussing licensing impossibility for major titles; noted Raul Julia estate and IP costs as prohibitive; Fish Tales, Roadshow mentioned as cheaper alternatives
code_update: Legends of Valhalla received substantial code update with music/volume controls, 27 modes, jukebox functionality, and UI improvements; demonstrates American Pinball commitment to legacy title support
high · Don personally tested updated code on his machine; noted music now 3x louder than call-outs; listed 27 modes and jukebox as new; played 10 games and found it revitalized
rumor_hype: American Pinball mentioned plans for brand new game in 2026 in addition to Circus Voltaire remake, but skepticism expressed about feasibility given recent restructuring
medium · Don hearing multiple confirmations at TPF about 2026 new game; Cengiz expressed doubt about timeline given company's recent reorganization and current Circus Voltaire focus