Safari. Maybe that'll help. Are we back? Okay, everybody still here in the comments, guys? Can you guys comment? Let me know. We're still we're still stable. I'll take not as good flippers, but the rest of the game. So, it it's um it it was eye opening. It was eye opening. I was absolutely surprised at the uh the amount of stuff in it. The also the thing that I liked about Evil Dead, it didn't feel like a widebody. It didn't shoot like a widebody. It wasn't floaty at all. It really felt very satisfying and and and just the right level of difficulty on some of the shots like the shot to get the ball locked in the cabin. Really really nice. Uh you know, there's like drop targets to unlock the pathway. Then the the I I will say what I love about what Spooky's done is is just the atmospheric uh stuff in the game. Do you think the center post is needed? I uh you know what, Ari, I I I I didn't mind it. You could argue the game is a little maybe easy on the easier side. I think for very skilled players, they might um they might find this game to be easy. like, you know, coming from Guns and Roses, a game in which just outlane drains all day long. I Guns and Roses I I don't know if people feel this way, but I feel it's it is almost the the biggest tragedy in G&R is how the outlane draining, the constant outlane draining just removes the fun from the game. Like, it's stupid. It's like they have to blitz you with constant multiballs because they're going to be draining left and right. I just getting on a game that doesn't sort of rob you of your gameplay or your ball times is refreshing. I I think GNR is just I I I'm You know how I feel about it, gang. It's still a beautiful work of art. It's still a beautiful I just I just think the gameplay is so mediocre and it's so brutal and then you're never going to get far into the game and then you it just gets repetitive. you just see the same stuff over and over again and it doesn't really feel like rewarding to constantly jump on G&R to choose your, you know, your how you want to play the game cuz you're kind of always playing it the same way. Um, yeah. So, here's what I want to talk about though on this Sunday morning because you don't want to hear me complain about G&R shots. We all know G&R doesn't shoot great. I want to talk about in less than two weeks, two new games are coming out and I want to talk about a little bit about a reaction I had to a conversation I had with my friends at Barrels of Fun. So, they're mad at me. They're not happy with me, right? They're not they're not happy with me. They think I haven't given their company enough credit. And I I will say I probably should be more impressed by the fact that they've made a thousand games in a year. They got their first games to customers. They, you know, for an inaugural pin, they probably achieved more successes and firsts than any other brand new pinball company. Fine, right? It's like fine, fine, fine. You know, it's also like they came out in a much more crowded pinball marketplace. You know, David Vaness was over at Spooky for a while helping them on earlier titles. But here's the thing, and and I just want to talk about this because it it did trigger something in me because I don't like being told that I'm unfair because I do think I'm very fair. I do. And I also honestly I I kind of am allowed to have my own personal opinions about the themes you pick, about the games you make, and about, you know, the market around them all. So, look, Labyrinth is is a really nice first effort game. It's not a theme for me. I've never been uh secret about that. I just don't think it it's a title that I'd want to own because I didn't watch those movies with with with incredible fondness. Uh if I were to have said the reason why I would want one is Jennifer Connelly. She's not in the game. Yeah. I was a little boy. Like, she was like she was like one of the the the women that young boys fond over. So, uh, but whatever. You know, I'd much rather have Peewee. I'd much rather have the Muppets. I'd much rather have Fraggle Rock. Like, if it was Fraggle Rock pinball, I would be all over it. Spent way more days watching Fraggle Rock than rerunning Labyrinth in my household. So, okay. But they made it, you know, they love the theme. I think they did a great job on theme integration sans Jennifer Connelly. So, here's the thing. So, here's the thing. I get the sense that Barrels of Fun sort of, you know, they they didn't light the pinball world on fire with their first game. That's fine. It's their first title, but now they're in it. Right now they're in it. Like their sophomore title, the gang has been working really hard. They've been working around the clock. And their second game is about to launch the exact same week Stern Pinball is going to launch King Kong and Keith Elwin. Okay. So, here's my issue, and I'm I'm going to text this to David Vaness and and my friends over there, and Brian Savage is a member of Canadas Pinball Podcast. Gang, you're legitimately less than 10 days out. You've been working on this game for probably a year and a half. You've This game has been in development. You're less than 10 games out. 10 games out. 10 days out. And what are you doing, right? Where's the where's the hype? Where's the marketing? Where's David Vaness saying, "Hey, we're we're we're less than two weeks away from our next title. We're really excited." There's nothing. Not only that, do you know what day they're going to reveal the game? Do you know? I mean, I I'm I'm a pretty nano influencer with a a deep enough following. Do you know when they're going to reveal the game? So, April 15th on tax day, terrible day to do anything. April 15th, tax day when people are going to probably owe money. April 15th, in 9 days, okay, in 9 days, this company is going to have media fly over there to see the factory and see the game. Okay. So, that in my in my mind would indicate that they probably would have to reveal the game before then because once you let anybody through the door, doesn't matter what you have them sign, stuff's going to get out. Okay. So, but here's the problem. So, I think David Vaness and team over there do not want there to be a pre-release of anything. I think they're going to invite everybody in and have them sign NDAs, create their content, and then they want to reveal the game to the world later in the week. Here's the problem. Stern Pinball has indicated that April 17th, the Thursday, is the day in which media will be coming over to play King Kong. Now, historically, when Stern does that, they don't reveal the game on the media day. They reveal the game earlier in the week. So, here's what's going to happen this Friday. Right this Friday, G. I guarantee you this is how this all rolls out. This Friday, maybe earlier this Friday, we will get the teaser confirmation of King Kong as the next theme from Stern Pinball. So, that will happen on Friday of this week. So, King Kong will actually get out in front of anything barrels. If things just go the way they're going to go, then they're going to do their sort of, you know, Monday call with the Dros or some, you know, Monday, Tuesday, right? Then the full game reveal of King Kong will happen on Tuesday the 15th, two days before media are going to fly over, you know, to Stern Pinball. And if you're a if you're a pinball content creator, are you going to both? Are you taking a like two days off? probably just most of your work week you're going to take off. Yes, some people are going to do it. I I can do it. I'm going to be coming back from Scotland. So, this is like, okay, so think about that. So, on the very day that Barrels of Fun is going to invite media, they're everyone's going to be looking at King Kong for the first time. And then two days later, King Kong is going to have its big uh factory tour stern media moment. And so you're launching your game right on top of that. Okay. So, okay. So, what are you guys doing? What, you know, and and then, you know, and and this is why I'm kind of like frustrated because I I talked to David Vaness. I talked to like Blake and Brian over there. They've had all like year all year to think about just the launch strategy. Didn't it feel like this company they teased they teased the reveal of Barrels of Fun as a company for like a year and it feels like they're doing nothing to get people excited about game number two. So my whole thing is this. Here's the thing why I think all this pinball marketing sucks and these people are amateurs and and maybe they might be good in other fields of business. Here's why pinball marketing is is in my honest opinion is pathetic. So, I get that you've got your media days locked in. So, what moment is your game reveal? With less than 10 days to go, neither company, Stern nor Barrels of Fun, has indicated to us, the pinball buying demographic, what day do we expect to see the game? Is there a countdown clock? No. So, you're basically you're basically not giving anybody any time to get excited because they don't know even know what day, you know, you're going to pull the curtain off the game. You you could have given all these content creators and communities a chance to like have watch parties. So, okay. So, I know what's today. What's Friday's date? Friday. What is is tomorrow's the 7th? Monday, Tuesday, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, right? like April 11th. Like why aren't you letting people know when they can get together and watch something live? Like did you have Zack come by and film a featureette? I don't know. Is there there's nothing there's nothing. And when there's nothing and there's no hype and there's no excitement going. So then your only strategy is to try to launch these games on top of each other uh with absolutely zero buildup, zero hype, zero excitement. I mean, it wasn't the best launch, but look what Carrie and I did for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, right? I mean, look, the the stream was garbage, but you had Carrie and Canada going back and forth for like two weeks, even more. Melvin let us in and we got people excited about the game they were going to see, right? I don't I don't you know like whether or not like the game delivered to your standards doesn't matter. Sold out in like one week, right? Sold out. He you got all the the people to raise their hands and say they want it one. So now here we have my friends at Barrel saying, "I'm not fair to I'm not fair. You're not fair to us. You're not giving us enough credit." Yeah, guys, I'm going to tell you right now, I think your marketing around this game is horrendous because there is no marketing around this game. There's no hype. There's no buildup. And now, you know, you're going up against Keith Elwin. And you don't do the very thing that Spooky does. And I keep saying this to Blake. I keep saying it to to Brian, to David. You have no transparency there. I don't even think half the people here even know what David Vaness looks like. Do you? Do you? And all day long I see Bug and Luke all over the internet. All over the internet kissing babies, shaking hands, and selling evil deads. So if you want to pull people in and make them feel good, you got to build that goodwill. And nowhere to be found. Nowhere to be found. I shouldn't have to I don't need to fly to Benton, Wisconsin to feel like I'm part of the spooky family because they let everybody in. And so this is my thing is like you you can't run your company in this secret vacuum and then expect us all to just wake up wake up and and like want to be a part of like your thing, your tribe. And I think the tribe is a good word. Like each brand creates a tribe of fans that are following it. And Spooky's made it so you feel so awesome being a part of Spooky's tribe. And it and all of it matters. All of it matters. You know, the level of transparency matters. The level of like connection to your buyer base matters. And you're nine days out. You're nine freaking days out from launch. And here's here's the only thing I can think about that this is not Dune. That's the only conclusion I can make is that these dudes are sitting on Goonies and they're laughing their asses off inside. And I hope that's the case. I really do. I hope Dune has been one ginormous misdirect. I hope they're laughing their asses off and it's really going to be, you know, it's really going to be uh Goonies cuz I can't think of any other reason to then do this like you know the vibe around Dune is like ah and did you come out and get in front of it? Did you control the narrative? And the word I'm getting is like, well, we're we're we're we're like head down to get the game out. Why? What's the rush to get it out now? Now, the reality is they need to get it out because they need to keep the line going. Like, Barrels can't afford to float its workforce if there's a big pause between Labyrinth and the next game, right? They can't do what JJP can, which is like have like six weeks with nothing being made as you transition over to Harry Potter. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, nobody's buying Avatars now. Nobody's buying Avatars now. But my point is is like, and I told this to Blake, and I'll say it to David, like I you got to help me help you. It's like a Jerry Maguire moment. If you don't give me anything and you treat me like like just an outsider like everybody else, then all I'm going to do is articulate what a big marketing mistake that is. You know, I've got like if I do a video and I share it on Facebook, it's going to get like two to three,000 views. So that's three times the amount of people that you're even trying to sell your product to. And look, people are going to make up their own mind, you know, like, you know what I'm saying? Like, like I could rant and rave. It doesn't matter. If it's Goonies, it's going to sell out instantly. If it's Dune, it's not. It doesn't matter. It's just it's just not going to work like that. But I also don't understand like what I don't even think Brian understands like Stern's launch schedule. You're literally going to have King Kong revealed to the world on the same day you want media to spend money out of their own pocket to come visit your factory. So, I I'm walking through the door at Barrels. just dropped like 500 bucks on a plane ticket, 200 bucks on a hotel, and then and then I'm looking at my phone the whole time because Stern just dropped King Kong and then I'm like, "Oh, shoot. Maybe I should have just traveled to Chicago and and seen King Kong." You know, it's just it just doesn't work out. And where's the countdown clock? Where's Where's David Vaness and the team over at Barrels being like, "Here's here's what I told Blake. I I say it to you guys cuz like honestly, you know me, I'm an open book. Like I I just I don't even think the these are like private side conversations. If I was working at Barrels of Fun. You know what I'd be doing right now? If I was David Vanos, I I I'd have a little bit more of a of an external facing voice. I'd be like, "Yo, guys, I I know you saw a Jersey Jack up there the other day announcing Harry Potter, saying you shouldn't buy anything other than Harry Potter and that he's got all the assets." I'd be like, "You know what? That's great. I can't wait for Jack to release Harry Potter. Uh, I'll make you guys all a bet. I bet you it doesn't have all the ass that you want because every time Jack gets up there and says that it doesn't. Jersey Jack got up on stage and put up two middle fingers, one for Harry, one for Potter. He told every other pinball company out there, "F you, and you're as a consumer, you shouldn't buy from any of my competitors." And you guys just all took it. Nobody said anything. Nobody said anything. You guys took it on the chin. So, he's got Harry Potter and he just told everybody you're trying to sell to to not buy from your company. And what did you do? Did you say anything? Did you Did you punch back? Did you remind everybody how Jersey Jack fumbles every single major theme they've ever had? Did you? Right. Did you like Well, not every major theme. I mean, Guns and Roses theme-wise, it was good, but like gameplay, no. But, you know what I'm saying? Did you remind Jack how he had no assets in Pirates, no assets in Willy Wonka? Did you remind everybody of that? That the that the first the only time he really got most assets in was the first game he ever made. Nope. No one said anything. So like it's just it's just funny to me that like everyone's just kind of in their own swim lane and nobody's like zooming out a little bit. So I if I was David like look look you can wait for Harry Potter. It's going to come out in May. And oh by the way that's a Canada exclusive for all you guys. Harry Potter is not going to be shown in April. So, if you're waiting for Harry Potter, it's going to be a May reveal. And so, you're gonna have, you know, at least two weeks between Kong and Barrels until you see Potter. Uh, I think it's really going to be funny to me. So, whatever. If if I'm David, I would be like, "Look, look, here's the other thing with this game of ours, you know, not only do we put all of our heart and soul into it, it's not going to be one of these unlimited games, there's going to be one model that comes with everything. And I can't wait for you guys to see it. And if it is Dune, and I've been telling this to my boys over there, guys, just say it. Say it. You don't have to like show anything that you're waiting on license or approval, but we want to let you know that, you know, you're going to you're going to want to go watch the Dune movies again because when you see what we've done and how awesome it is to watch the magic of that universe come to life under glass, like just just rip the band-aid off if it is. You know, look, I I I said I think it's going to be Goonies or maybe Little Shop of Horrors. I don't know. I don't think it's Goonies cuz David or Brian Savage has confirmed in the email that the ball gets eaten. So why would the ball be eaten in Goonies? Um this is this is a good time to fill her. Sean, I'm happy I'm filling for you as you're waiting for your flight. Look gang, I I just I I I just don't get it. Look, Stern knows they don't really need to do much around Elwin and Kong. But what what the other thing I heard is this. There's no spike three with Kong. So that's also annoying is like, you know, Stern's got this new platform and they continue they continue remember Spike 3 was supposed to have launched with Metallica Remastered. Now we've got three games that won't have it as the platform. Here's why I think they're holding it back is they know it comes with a price increase. I bet it was the plan to put it into Kong, but Stern knows if they raise prices now with what's happening in the world that it's it's just it it's going to be brutal. I um I like many of you I like many of you probably have lost six figures or more in in two days or three days, whatever it's been. six figures on paper, right? Nothing I was ever gonna like I wasn't gonna sell anything or trade anything. It it'll always come back and you know the investment strategies when you go through these recessionary periods is to keep investing. Like that's the whole point. Like you keep putting money in. You buy in the bad times and ride them up when times are good. And and like my advisor says, when you're in the market for decades, you really only make money 13 days out of the year, but and and but you want to be in it on those 13 days to really really make money. Um SP Kong sells great without spike 3. Uh that doesn't make any sense, Keith. Like you're not gonna if you you're not going to put Spike 3 into John Wick and it's going to help sales. So, I just I just want to say what I think is going to happen is I think that Barrels is so focused on getting the game ready that they've forgotten what marketing looks like. They've forgotten what marketing is. And the only time you can turn marketing off is when you don't need to market the title because it's so popular. You don't need to market Pokemon. You don't need to market Star Wars. You don't need to market um Harry Potter. You don't need to market Back to the Future. But if you've got Dune, you need to do real marketing to get people excited. If you've got Dune, you need to like start the hype window well before nine days out. If you've got Dune, you need to be much more transparent in building a community of people that are excited to see the following title. And that's that's it. That's it. And I think there is a level of like like I don't know I don't I don't know the word it's they're not smug people. I just think they're they think it's cute, right? To keep everything a secret. Like that's our thing. Like no nothing leaks from barrels of fun. Yeah, you guys are right. Nothing leaks. But you also don't do anything else. So nothing leaks, but you're not doing anything to generate excitement or hype. And I think you're going to learn a really really harsh lesson come come uh you know come nine days from now. They're doomed. Yeah. All these they're doomed. you know, all these things like you're I I think they're gonna get I think they're gonna get clobbered by Kong if what they have is Dune and they haven't spent enough time getting people connected to the game because because remember like it's not like you're going to have a week or two guys where like everyone's focused on your Dune game. You you you might have hours before King Kong is revealed. And if I'm them, if I'm them, I I'm releasing the game tomorrow. Tomorrow, you you need to get a window of exclusivity and you need to manufacture that. If I'm David Vaness, G gang, I I David, Brian, you guys, you got money. You're smart gentlemen. I talk to you. You You can't do this. You can't buy a $300 microphone and flip open your laptop. It's free to stream on YouTube. Why aren't you doing this? If you get I I told this to Blake. Give me Give me the assets now. Let I will sign an NDA. I would never burn anybody. Gang. I had in my phone Guns and Roses for an entire year. the actual whitewood of the game. Eric knew I had it. Ken knew I had it. Jack knew I had it. And I said to them, "Gentlemen, I'm not going to burn you. I'm not going to burn you. I'm not going to release your hard work before I try." But I could talk about how excited I was for everybody to see it. And as I told Blake and that, I'm like, "Give me something. Give me something exciting and I'll start to get people excited." Nope. Don't I'm not gonna burn you. Show me the game. Show me the game. You know, I'll sign an NDA and I can at least talk about what I saw because what you want is someone like Canada being like, "Wow, can't wait for you to see it." Even I was look at gang, I I don't think Evil Dead's a good theme. And then it blew me away. So, I I think Dune needs to do the same thing. Is it if it But here's what I heard. I heard Kong is loaded. I heard Kong is loaded. I heard people that have seen it are so excited. I heard Kong is killer and it's it's going, you know, the the whatever it is like the mystery of Terror Island or something or the myth of Terra Island. So, I I look, I think these guys are going to go up against an 800lb gorilla, and it's actually like an 8,000lb gorilla. And and I and I like my friends over there, but you know, this is what I do for a living. Do marketing for a living. My bill rate is is is a lot of money, and I offer my services for free to my friends in the in the hobby. And I think that uh it's not hard. It's not hard to do pinball marketing, but it's it seemingly like these guys don't even understand the very concept of what works the best. And what works the best is uh is transparency and hype and excitement and a personal connection between product you know and look I mean it like a like it's it's actually even more so having a live something like this where you guys can answer qu like if I David Vaness should be in this seat talking to you guys because everyone he connects with is another potential customer. You know these featurette videos don't do that. They're they're they're more like pre-anned marketing materials. They're fine, but man, they don't they don't give you a personal connection. They're edited, right? They're Look at Look at the Jersey Jack $100,000 video where they brought in fake lighting to pretend the game glowed like it did. They lied to you all. It was bait and switch. You could probably sue them for bait and switch. I mean, they basically they brought in overhead UV lighting and pretended like that's how the game looked in your game room is a lie. It's the biggest bait and switch