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The Pinball Show Ep 141: Pinball Turkey Trends

The Pinball Network·video·1h 24m·analyzed·Nov 21, 2023
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Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.036

TL;DR

Stern releases 22 code updates; production schedule shifts with early December inventory; 2023 predicted as Stern's best year in a decade.

Summary

The Pinball Show Episode 141 covers Thanksgiving holiday banter, a massive Stern Pinball code update (22 simultaneous updates) with new modes for Stranger Things, Elvira's House of Horrors, and Venom, production schedule adjustments including an early December inventory shutdown, and bold predictions that 2023 was Stern's best sales year in a decade but 2024 will see decline. The hosts discuss Godzilla Premium shipments, James Bond Premium delays to Q3 2024, and industry market trends.

Key Claims

  • Stern Pinball released 22 new code updates in a single week across Spike 2 series games, possibly a world record

    high confidence · Craig Bobby, Top Stories segment - confirmed by hosts as major news

  • Stranger Things, Elvira's House of Horrors, and Venom received new modes as part of the code update wave

    high confidence · Craig Bobby reporting on the Stern code updates

  • 2023 was Stern Pinball's most successful sales year in the last decade

    medium confidence · Zach Minney (Flip N Out Pinball) - stated as bold prediction based on dealer/hobbyist knowledge, acknowledges Stern doesn't publicly share sales data

  • Stern is moving its annual inventory shutdown from early January to late December

    high confidence · CB (Stern dealer contact) confirmed this change during production update segment

  • Stern may be re-running Black Knight Sword of Rage toppers (Knight's Head helmet) and possibly manufacturing a limited edition run of the machine

    medium confidence · Craig Bobby citing Knapp Arcade report of toppers listed on San Diego Amusements website for $14.99

  • James Bond Premium has been officially pushed from December 2023 to Q3 2024

    high confidence · CB confirming official Stern dealer notification

  • Godzilla Premium is shipping this week with small follow-up runs planned for January 2024

    high confidence · CB citing Factory Friday social media posts from Stern Pinball

  • 2024 will be a worse sales year for Stern than 2023

    medium confidence · Dennis Kreisel making prediction based on post-pandemic demand normalization despite Elvira/Blood Red Kiss success

  • Barrels of Fun is continuing to release Labyrinth units with minor tweaks based on real-world feedback from multiple expos

    high confidence · Craig Bobby reporting on Barrels of Fun production and feedback integration

Notable Quotes

  • “Well, you know it's a slow news cycle when we kick off the Top Stories segment with Pinball Code Update news. Unless it's the mother of all code updates courtesy of Stern Pinball.”

    Craig Bobby@ 9:34 — Opening line establishing the magnitude of the 22 simultaneous code updates as exceptional industry news

  • “I think 2023 from a sales perspective, The pinball show has been probably the most successful for Stern Pinball in the last decade.”

    Zach Minney@ 23:15 — Bold prediction about Stern's annual sales performance contrasting with community perception of 2023 as difficult

  • “2024 will be a worse year for Stern sales than 2023.”

    Dennis Kreisel@ 25:11 — Contrasting prediction citing normalization of post-pandemic demand and lack of supply chain urgency

  • “Mind the gap... seems like no one minded the gap here, and the gap is massive.”

    Dennis Kreisel@ 32:55 — Criticism of Stern's decision to manufacture Rush toppers despite canceling the Rush game, highlighting disconnect between product decisions

  • “I think this is the most successful for Stern Pinball in the last decade... Isn't that seem crazy? Everybody talking about this... the year of supply chain constraints.”

    Zach Minney@ 23:15 — Reframing 2023 success as catch-up from supply chain issues rather than sustained demand growth

  • “The night is darkest and blackest before the dawn of the new pipe.”

    Dennis Kreisel@ 21:51 — Humorous attempted quote about announcement-to-build timing, revealing uncertainty about optimal product launch strategy

Entities

Stern PinballcompanyZach MinneypersonDennis KreiselpersonCraig BobbypersonBarrels of FuncompanyFlip N Out PinballcompanyKnapp ArcadeorganizationKerry Hardyperson

Signals

  • ?

    code_update: Stern Pinball released 22 code updates across Spike 2 series games in a single week, with new modes for Stranger Things, Elvira's House of Horrors, and Venom, plus new achievements for Foo Fighters

    high · Craig Bobby: 'the king of all pinball manufacturers released 22 new code updates covering the majority if not all of the Spike 2 series games which may be a new world record for simultaneous new code updates'

  • ?

    product_launch: Stern Pinball moved annual factory inventory shutdown from early January to late December 2023, impacting Q1 2024 production timeline

    high · CB confirmed official change: 'They are actually going to be doing that the last two weeks of December. You know, that actually makes more sense to me.'

  • $

    market_signal: Zach Minney predicts 2023 was Stern Pinball's most successful sales year in the last decade, attributed to supply chain catch-up rather than sustained demand

    medium · Zach: 'I think 2023 from a sales perspective, The pinball show has been probably the most successful for Stern Pinball in the last decade.' Acknowledges speculation due to Stern's private status and lack of public data.

  • $

    market_signal: Dennis Kreisel predicts 2024 will see worse sales for Stern than 2023, citing normalization of post-pandemic demand and lack of supply chain urgency

    medium · Dennis: '2024 will be a worse year for Stern sales than 2023' based on 'post-pandemic demand normalization' but tempered by Elvira/Blood Red Kiss success

  • ?

    product_concern: Stern manufacturing Rush toppers and re-running Black Knight Sword of Rage limited edition despite canceling/retiring these games, creating perception gap between product decisions

Topics

Stern Pinball production schedule and shipmentsprimaryCode updates and software improvements across pinball gamesprimaryMarket trends and sales predictions for 2023-2024primaryPinball game announcements and release timelinesprimaryPinball manufacturing and supply chain logisticsprimaryBarrels of Fun production and quality feedbacksecondaryCustom pinball mods and aftermarket accessoriessecondaryPinball topper re-releases and collectibilitysecondary

Sentiment

mixed(0.55)— Hosts express cautious optimism about recent market activity (Godzilla/Elvira sales) and code update quality, but temper this with skepticism about 2024 outlook, criticism of Stern's product decisions (Rush toppers for cancelled game), and frustration with lack of transparency from Stern on sales data. Light-hearted holiday banter dominates early segments.

Transcript

youtube_groq_whisper · $0.252

Warning, the following episode contains adult language and screaming goats. Listener discretion is advised. The Pinball Network is online. The Pinball Show. Dennis and I bring you the goods in episode 141 of the Pinball Show. We are so confident in our ability to bring you hands down the greatest industry market analysis and information breakdown in pinball that we don't even have to give you the pinball market trends that you so desperately crave. This week we get CB back, we talk adjustments to Stern Pinball's production schedule, we make some bold industry predictions, and we chat accessories, Unboxings, The Jack Winnery Interview, New American Pinball Information, Visiting Spooky Pinball, Feasting with our Club Members and a special holiday segment we're calling Thanksgiving that you're not going to want to miss. It makes me smile just thinking about it. All of that and much more coming in faster than the spread of a ship-based foodborne illness which will make sense later. Pinball is a game of skill. For some, it's a passion and a lifestyle. It's time for the Pinball Show. It's pinball with personality. It's Thanksgiving here at the Pinball Show. We're at episode 141 with your host, myself, Zach Minney, and Dennis Kreisel. Dennis, are you preparing for Thanksgiving more or the Black Friday Mall Run that you're about to do post-Thanksgiving? Well, in the words of a famous meme, Zach, why not both? I, as I prepare, as I get my stretchiest stretchpants for the Thanksgiving feast that I will consume, I've been waiting, anxiously waiting, where's my doorbuster deal from Flip N Out Pinball? Oh no! Like, I thought, I thought I'd get a catalog or something. As if the market isn't soft enough. We can't pay for glossy paper. Oh dear. Are you having a good week? Yeah. Do you have any special activities scheduled for Thanksgiving, whether it's with family or friends? I mean, I'm gonna go see my... Or foes. Oh, yeah. Yes, you know, Thanksgiving is the time where I unite my enemies together and we argue over who's going to make the mashed potatoes and who's forgotten to bring the brown and silver rolls. That would be a good idea, actually. That's why... That food fight thing is the only reason anyone wants Animal House as a pin. I don't disagree. I bet you that's the only thing they think of. So, anyway, no, I'm gonna go down and see my folks, but we're not, we don't, I haven't done a big Thanksgiving in a long, like, say, like a Thanksgiving that was 10 plus people in a long time. Have you ever baked a turkey? I have, uh, I don't, I never really thought of it as baking. You make it sound like it's a cookie. Um, have I ever made a turkey in the oven? Yes. Well, what the hell would it be? Well, baking makes it sound like we've added like leave-in agents and such. We gotta plump that turkey up. I mean the turkey we're roasting it. It's like a gingerbread turkey. The gumdrop buttons. If you don't add yeast to the turkey, it's just turkey for ants. I've never baked a turkey. Never prepared a turkey. It kind of grosses me out, similar to the carving out of a pumpkin. I think I've, I think I'm trying to think now I'm hedging to have I, I did a duck once. What? Years ago. Yeah. Who does a duck and not a turkey? Well, I was in college and it was like, what is this weird thing? I've never tried this before. You know, we're all, we're all experimenting in college and, and so there were ducks and I was like, I should try a duck. Wasn't popular. The mallard yields the best smoke. I just see you holding a duck up, smoking a bowl. Now, okay, so smoking marijuana out of a duck, how did we get here? Dude! It's a turducken, whoa! I've never made a turkey. I suck at cooking in general, so hopefully somebody else... So you make Nicole do it? Yeah, hopefully somebody else helps me out on this one. Well, I was thinking she was having to prep for her bouncer role during Black Friday. She will, I don't know, I think she'll be out there throwing elbows, trying to get... No, she's ordered everything from Amazon over the last five months. Like by November, she's in like Christmas chill mode. She's playing music, she's baking, you know, she's got lights out on the front of the house now. She hired a person, they do the whole light thing. Her son is home from college right now. She's like, she's nesting right now. I know her son. Our son is home from college. I don't know who this stranger is. Who is this disheveled boy? She's eating all my food. Okay, I usually use Cyber Monday, actually. Is that still a thing? It, you know, whether it is or isn't, I think quasi is, so normally what I do is I will go and take everyone's lists. Cause almost everyone has an Amazon list at this point. And I will try and make all the purchase on purchasing on Monday. And if I get a savings, I get a savings. If I don't, I don't, I think I saved like eight bucks last year across everyone. So there were a couple items that were on slight discount, but that's what I usually do because like Nicole, I don't like to be stressed in December. So I take care of it then and that's it. And other than usually I have a few straggler gifts I have to take care of. What's on your wish list this year? You had something stupid last year, like a toaster or something. I forget what it was. Yeah, well, I had something stupid I got for my birthday. A fan. It was a fan. It was a shredder. A shredder. A shredder, as they say. A shredder. I'm really making fun of my Midwestern accent lately. They're being really harsh on me. It's not a Midwestern accent. They're harsh on my chill, dude. It wasn't. It's just incorrectly saying Western. That's all. Well, and instead of saying modern, I go modern. Yeah, modern. I don't... Well, I say our letters so fast. Well, the smartest guys I know... I say my... In the Midwest, we say our letter... Well, you're from the Midwest. You know. We say our letters so fast our vowels get ahead of our consonants. Modern. That's how it is. We're basically all Travis Murrays at heart. You mean tour? Yeah, I say I say so after Joel called him out on that I got really self-conscious and so now I always be like tour It's a tour where no I'm just like tur no no you go on tour. So you're not asking for a ceiling fan No, I got that's yeah. I got my ceiling fan last year. It's awesome. I don't have it on right now because it's cold but No new watches or nothing Well the problem with most of the watches that I want would be on the price point I mean, I would ever ask anyone to buy, so I buy my own watches, usually. Except for your lovers. Ask for gold. I've been meaning to throw a couple of video games on the list, but I haven't seen them come out on Xbox yet, like the new Alan Wake game. I want to play that because I really liked the first one. The new Gollum game. The Gollum's down to $10 at Amazon, but I won't buy it until it's $1. What was the other one you were saying? That new King Kong game. Yeah, it's braided even worse than Golem, but but it I call it my it's my dollar menu. It's not Peter Jackson's No, I don't think it's based on look the graphics are so bad it would if it was based on anything You would never be able to tell but so those are so bad They're bad games, but I so they go on the dollar menu if they get down to a dollar I will buy them and I will review them on my other podcast But but I ten dollars is ten times too much for that the McRib is back and that's all I want for Christmas MMA I have not. It's out there. I have not heard of that. Okay, it's out there. Asbestos? The lead was in the cinnamon. It's actually where it was. It was in the cinnamon in the pouch. Cinnamon lead. Yeah. Do you think Craig Bobby's going to be out there shopping on Black Friday? Maybe, but I do think he probably felt a little contrite about being paywalled last time. He stepped it up. Yeah. He stepped it up this time. He worked with what he had, and what he had to work with wasn't much, but... He shook off the rust and this week's Top Stories with Craig Bobby starts now. Hello and welcome back to the Pinball Show's Top Stories. I'm Craig Bobby. Well, you know it's a slow news cycle when we kick off the Top Stories segment with Pinball Code Update news. Unless it's the mother of all code updates courtesy of Stern Pinball. Yes, earlier this week the king of all pinball manufacturers released 22 new code updates covering the majority if not all of the Spike 2 series games which may be a new world record for simultaneous new code updates. Now while most of the code updates were very minor in nature, Owner of Stranger Things, Elvira's House of Horrors and Stern's latest Venom title Got the special Early Thanksgiving Day surprise because their games received actual new modes. Foo Fighters also received a number of new achievements. In addition, all of Stern's Spike2 games received a new Buy More Games for Your Home ad from Stern designed to entice would-be location-only players to take the next step and, like the Jeffersons, move on up to pinball home ownership. Already a pinball owner and find the new ads annoying to see on your machine's attract mode? Not to worry, a new helpful video, courtesy of pinball youtuber Kerry Hardy, shows you how to turn the ad off in your Stern adjustments menu found in setting number 55. Thanks, Kerry! Now while it's interesting to see Stern updating all the codes for their machines at the same time, rumor has it Stern may also be getting all their Spike2 machines ready to be compatible with an actual new insider connected app that is long overdue. That would be just crazy. And still with Stern Pinball courtesy of a Knapp Arcade news item, it appears that Stern may be going back to the well and re-running one of their most popular and beloved toppers For the Black Knight sort of rage machine. Say whaaaaat? Yes, the highly collectible and hard to find Knight's Head helmet seems to be in stock and selling on San Diego Amusements website for $14.99 US. Presumably Stern is making another run of these highly sought after toppers or San Diego Amusements has been lucky enough to find a few of these hard to find toppers buried in their Black Knight treasure room. And if that wasn't enough, there are rumblings that much like its recent vaults of their Stranger Things pinball, Stern may also be manufacturing a new special limited edition run of their Black Knight Sword of Rage machine in the near future. Say what? Moving quickly on to pinball manufacturing newcomer Barrels of Fun Pinball, who appears to be continuing to roll more Labyrinth units off their assembly line while they continue to make very minor tweaks To some of their mechs and ramps based on some helpful real-world feedback and playtime they received at the Chicago Expo, Houston Arcade Expo and this week at the Free Play Florida event. Overall interest and feedback from this new entry into the pinball scene continues to be very high, delighting pinball fans old and new with its fun, dance, magic dance, world under glass and vintage personality. Speaking of dance, courtesy of various social media posts, Dutch Pinball teased would-be buyers with one of its new mods from its upcoming new line of choppers for its Big Lebowski Pinball Machine designed by modder extraordinaire Lior from the Art of Pinball. This first mod showed a bowling ball sitting on a cracked bathroom floor tile in front of an open toilet with a lit LED bowl. Fans of the movie will understand the reference and all of the other new mods from Dutch will be revealed next week. Well, that's all for this week. Happy Thanksgiving to all and until next time, catch you on the flip side. Have you seen the extended versions of Lord of the Rings? That's the only version. Other than when I went to the theaters and saw it, I only watched the extended version. Oh, interesting. This is my first time around for the extended version. Oh, okay. I watch Lord of the Rings extended at least once a year. I highly approve. I like the extra additional details. It tells us more of the story. No, it's, uh, yeah, the editing that was done was very much just to try and contain those very long run times. They, it wasn't one of those instances, like if you ever watch the extended edition of Commando, where it's like, Okay, well you don't need to because all it is is more sort of exposition that was already well integrated into the movie. It's just pointless dialogue. There are actual meaningful things. Christopher Lee is actually in the last film of Lord of the Rings. That was my biggest disappointment when I was going to the theaters. I knew he had filmed scenes for Return of the King and then I went to the theater and he wasn't there. I'm on two towers right now. Yeah, okay. Well, you'll get to see more of him at the start of Return of the King. Yeah, so that's what speaking of Stern Pinball, that's a game that I would like to have that game again. That'd be a fun game. Yeah. When's Stern gonna re-release it? Is that in your production update? No, it's not. They've been jumbling them around a little bit here. So like the last couple of weeks since we spoke to you last listener, we've seen Elvira's Blood Red Kiss special edition games come and go. So those have been shipped out as well as Stranger Things Pro models. This week, I thought it was going to be Stranger Things Premium, it still may be, but they have moved up from December the run of Godzilla Premiums. So we've seen those on Factory Friday on social media from Stern Pinball. So Godzilla Premium is on the line and will be shipping out this week. Very good game. So if Godzilla is on the line that leaves Stranger Things Premium. Now, there was a rumor swirling around the bowls of Pinside and social media that Stranger Things Premium is going to be on the line. The Stranger Things Premium was bumped back to next year because of the parts delay. I can confirm I have not heard of any of that. So okay, this was an I hadn't followed those threads. This was news to me. Yeah, so I It could be true, but they have not officially told dealers that at all. Yeah, so to my knowledge the last official update we received was that Stranger Things Premium was end of November kind of thing. So we'll see. Early December then leaves us with Guardians of the Galaxy pro, that one final build. And then something a little bit different that Stern Pinball is doing, I guess in this new factory. Maybe it's not based on the factory, new factory, but remember Dennis the listener, they would take a two-week inventory where they shut down the factory and do an inventory, kind of update the first two weeks of January of every year. They would do that. Yes, I remember. They've done it forever. Pepperidge Farm remembers as well. No toi boy- Papverage Farm and anybody who was around last year remembers. They are actually going to be doing that the last two weeks of December. You know, that actually makes more sense to me. Yes, I thought so too, to close out the year. Yeah, I mean, once they're asked after the, basically, at this point, the, whatever rush they thought they were going to have to build for Christmas is done. It's always been weird to me that they just have this big lull with it. Now, how does that affect things? Does it affect things? I don't know. It might shift some stuff by a couple weeks, but honestly, it probably doesn't impact much. Some of the things that we have seen it do, so we were due for James Bond Premium. They even said, initially, pros, but James Bond in December, they've pushed that now out officially. The James Bond Premium, pro has already been pushed, but the James Bond Premium pushed out of December into The alongside two small runs of Godzilla premium and Stranger Things premium. Hmm. That's sort of in that's interesting because Godzilla premium they're doing right now though exactly so Godzilla premium and Stranger Things premium are the two most recent games in bulk that they're gonna be building with the exception of Guardians of the Galaxy Pro but yeah, they're building Godzilla premium a small run in January. They're building them now and And another small run of Stranger Things Premium in January, which makes me think that they're still going to make Stranger Things Premium now. Otherwise, why are they going to say they're doing another small run? I think if I'm a betting man, I would say that the response to those two games in particular, Godzilla Premium and Stranger Things Premium, probably amongst the highest right now for Stern Pinball. So, they're going to build a lot of them here in November and they're going to not finish up but they're going to continue instead of doing a mid-year 2024 run of these, they're going to say, hey, if people want them now, let's keep building them and they're going to build those in January. Hmm. Yeah, it would make sense. Because they are moving around the schedule a lot based on the market right now, like what is hot, what people are wanting, which is why you're seeing accessories and games pop up that you're like, oh, I didn't see that coming. So, it makes sense, especially now that they, it's not like, oh, well, everything we build is, you know, sold immediately. So they're going to need to be a little more strategic. So I won't be surprised if next year we see a lot more shuffling than we even saw this year in the schedule. Possibly. So does that mean the next cornerstone for Stern Pinball will not be seen at the end of December or even in January? You know, I've been skeptical about them showing it in 2023 this whole year. So I don't, I think this is, I think they show it. I'm still holding on to a... Why? I'm still thinking that we are going to see the game at the end of December and they're going to start building... Because, okay, so what did they do? They had a big ramp up. Maybe that was changing factories, but they had a big ramp up for Venom. When they announced Venom, they... It was like in July, but then they didn't start making them until September. It was a big gap there. Yeah, but was it smart to do that? I don't think it was smart. But maybe it's a necessity for some reason. I don't know. Well, it's never a necessity. Well, unless, again, unless licensors, you know, things kind of like what we saw with Pulp Fiction out of CGC, there's not really a need unless they're up against some sort of deadline to do an announcement, unless they're ready to do the build. We saw this happen with Bond and it was a disaster. I'm just saying they're not exactly Godzilla sales. They're not hot hot right now, no. Yeah, they're not red hot. They're not like blood red kiss hot. Those things are selling. Yeah, those are really popular. They are. Thanks to your video. Oh, well. We'll talk about that in a bit. I still think what we may see at December and end of December during that time that they have off, and I think that come January, mid to end of January, you'll start seeing pros on the line. Pro's on the line. I still think that because they're building so many games right now. I'd even if you're telling me Okay Well in January Zach where you have James Bond premium We got Godzilla premium We got Stranger Things premium My retort would be okay Well they are specifying that the Stranger Things premium run is small that the Godzilla premium run is small And I can tell you for a fact that the James Bond premium run will be small So if you not having your inventory thing in January and you got three games that doesn even cover three weeks in my opinion I think they knock those out all three of those in two weeks You still got time Sure, but I just don't see any reason why not hold off until the start of the new year, do the cornerstone announcement and do the build in the same month. Especially now that they're basically doing the inventorying at the end of December. Like, it just, I'm not going to say it looks bad, but I think it looks better for them to not put a two-week, let's be honest, the consumers will see it as a two-week vacation and put that between your announcement and your build. Because we know hype is hottest. The night is darkest and blackest before the dawn of the new pipe. I'm sure that's exactly the quote. That sounded like me trying to quote something. Allow myself to introduce myself. I think you'll also find this interesting, listener. Dennis, maybe you'll find this interesting. Probably not, but go ahead. Thankfully, this is like a premature market trend here. Blow my load right now. The market in the last two weeks, whew, significantly better than the prior two weeks. We're getting close to the holidays. Is this surprising to anyone? So my forecast thus far has been correct. We have been very busy moving machines out right now, Q4 holiday time. So thankfully we have not seen, because we still have a really soft market, but things are selling. They're selling pretty good right now. So thankfully, here's the other interesting thing. Now, I guess this is just a prediction. Just an assessment based on my knowledge of the industry as a hobbyist and as a an authorized dealer for Stern Pinball. I think and anybody at Stern Pinball, if this is just grossly inaccurate, please let me know. But I'm going to put myself out there. I think 2023 from a sales perspective, The pinball show has been probably the most successful for Stern Pinball in the last decade. Isn't that seem crazy? Everybody talking about this... What's your measure? Is that just do you mean number of games they sold or what? Yes. Number of games sold and shipped. I think this has been the most successful year they have had in a decade. That's my bold prediction and I think it's interests a lot of people because everybody heard that 2023 was like the year of... fkj. орг 677 massacres in the cat했y 577 frxter.exegano Supply chain constraints that I think if there had not been supply chain issues, 2023 would not have exceeded 2022 or possibly 2021. But that's not the reality. The reality is there were a number of supply chain issues that resulted in Stern not being able to put out enough machines to satisfy demand. People saw everything was sold out, so it feels like that means it was the best year ever. But they may have just because of logistics been able to better meet demand this go and that meant more games being sold. But the bottom line is we'll never know the answer because Stern is a private company and they do not share that information. So in a way the discussion is irrelevant. Yeah, well. But you may be right. You'll never know. You're at the catch up, you're right. I just, we were able to get products better than in years past. Well, since you're fond of predictions, let me give you my prediction based off of everything we've seen. 2024 will be a worse year for Stern sales than 2023. Ooh. Okay. Now, that's an interesting thing because there's a couple of factors in play. One is we don't have that still peak kind of, we were still coming out of the, well, we were already out of the pandemic era. The last hurrah of people buying like everything was going to be in super short supply. But what works against my prediction is Elwyn. Yes, the fiery phoenix goat. And I'm aware. So, I know I'm actually staking out a pretty bold claim. But again, I'll never be proven wrong, because Stern doesn't have the courage to release their numbers. You'd think reverse psychology is gonna work on it. Look, I'm trying my best to get the figures I want. You're like my seven year old, I bet you won't brush your teeth, that you won't take a bath. I just forgot that I am doing a podcast with a psychologist who basically, a translation to the listener just said, do you think your pop psych 101 bullshit is actually going to work on Zach Sharp and crew over at Stern? And the answer is no. I have to try. Let me tell you something about pinball media. They don't try and get any real answers to anything. I'm trying to actually stake out some actual real news here and get you some real meaningful data that would do so much for informing us about the actual state of this hobby. So let me use what limited tools I have in my toolbox. You know what? There's enough documentation that I think at some point we will be able to have a very, I think that's a very clean estimation of Stern production in the future. I really do. Now that they're just... over time data creates patterns. It just does. So I don't think it's far off. I think if somebody wanted bad enough right now, they could. They could compile an informational set that would get them very, very close to that. I don't think any of this industry, the hobbyist in this industry can be lazy at times. I don't see that happening, but who knows? I think that Stern, I think Seth's going to email us those numbers. Oh, me and Seth are bros. Yeah, that's that may happen. Seth, have those numbers emailed to the pinball show at gmail.com. I love that Seth Davis came in as like a scapegoat or a punching bag. The poor guy comes in and just because he came in and there was a correlation between John Papadiuk, Black Waterщоçu, High prohibарищ, A pinball show, a pinball show. Sadly, I have to review everything and it makes me giggle. It makes me giggle what misinformation is really out there. So that's why we try to bring...you know what else was cute this week, last couple weeks? You know it's a slow news quarter when you have all these content creators trying to dip their toes into the market discussions? Oh, it's precious. I love it. I really do love it, even if it's not their main potato. You're saying it in a very bless their hearts sort of way. In a southern, bless their modern hearts. They just, they've, even some of them will try to poke fun at me, but then try to do their own rendition of Market Trends. It's nice. I think that in episode 141 of the Pinball Show, it showcases even more so why we are the standard in market discussion in pinball, and we don't even have to do a pinball Market Trends this episode. That's how strongly I feel about that. So everybody else, keep entertaining me. I think it's fun. But you might be onto something. I think that if I'm doing a prediction, not that this is a prediction show, but I think you're onto something in the 2024. I would expand it more to say that 2024 sales-wise as an industry will be down more so than it was in 2023. However, the Stern Pinball products that are being released in 2024, I think significantly surpassed the sales of the new pinball products. Yeah, he went faster in his๛i� humex radiant. Congratulations tolarını for your donation bands, theidi done deadspin, everything told, credibility, with等等, used religious Churches of San Francisco hadBI memesfish OC lapparsed nickname and that the distancing behind orig utveckappried end the and It's following my prediction that Stern had their greatest year yet. It's the catch up here. 2023 is the year of the catch up. People are actually getting parts so they're able to build stuff for many of those companies a little bit too late. But we'll talk about those companies here in a bit. The rest of the schedule here for Stern Pinball, man, this is like a market analysis within this production update all within the first 20 minutes of this episode. Hmm. Well, we didn't show them the polynomials to back our figures, but... That's for the Patreon members. January 2024 we've covered. February 2024 We don't know. We don't know. I still think it's gonna be the Cornerstone Premium. Maybe the LEs. I'll hedge on that. I'll give you the LEs for February now. But Q2 of 2024 we're gonna see the likes still of Foo Fighters Pro, Venom Pro, and Premium. The only change here Q3 is what we have a change. James Bond Pro pushed out of December 2023 into this Q3 position now. Remember Q4 of C Bar),pinball in the James Bond Premium, but Q3 now is James Bond Pro followed with in Q3 Godzilla Pro, Jurassic Park Pro and Foo Fighters Pro. Q4 Foo Fighters Premium, James Bond Premium, Deadpool Pro Stranger Things Pro still scheduled for Q4 and then at some point next year's Star Wars and the Mandalorian. Okay, Stern Pinball Accessories product updates, Rush Topper shipped last week. Alright, now that let me here's this is this this is Dennis this is Dennis Corner. Hey Dennis. DennisCorner. No don't sing it. Don't sing it. Don't sing it. Alright. Here's the and I know we're gonna get into it because and again I've been I haven't been totally unplugged but as you can tell I've not been doing a very good job keeping up on forum stuff so I know there's this whole like drama thing about some like commercial stuff in the Stern code but and I got touched on by by I think Craig Bobby. earlier but I don't understand this decision to launch Rush toppers when you've cancelled Rush like it's like Wow, you will they bet it's like it's like I mean maybe I shouldn't say anything cuz there's also the Black Knight Sword of Rage Topper Again, another has-been game. I just there there's a there's a very wide gap here What's it what they say in the in the in the British like? Train or subways is like mind the gap Mind the gap. Oh, I see, yeah. And it seems like no one minded the gap here, and the gap is massive. I th- yeah. It's like, uh, th- wow, I mean, okay, I don't know how many people want a Rush Topper anymore. The problem is they, I think out of necessity, they built them because they had backorders. I think, I think that's- Okay, I'm- no, there's- I'm sure there's a logic behind it, I just think it's kind of, it's kind of amusing. But this has been amusing, I know not- Yeah, but you know what, there's- Probably not amusing for you, because you're a distributor, but it's the whole same thing with the expression lighting s-s-s-s- So it's been a good little while to you, Millie Korn right? I've been really音 Laurie Phelps Chinese the Chshow It's really tough from a distribution standpoint. I'm glad you brought it. I agree. It is tough to have a product come out. Not get adequate information on, hey, if I order this many, when are they coming? No information, no information. You only get a portion and you're like, shit, I've got these other people that are wanting to buy one. Then you get a list of them and then once they do come out, once the game is discontinued, then all those people are either A, go somewhere else dude, or B, I'm not even interested in that anymore. The You're screwed. You got inventory that's going to sit which is why some dealers such as myself Holster your pitchforks people That's why we do some of the non-refundable deposit stuff because we cannot afford To sit on 50 rush toppers when they don't even sell the game anymore So it is a I think it's a problem in the system and one that I hope that they Work out because it doesn't make any sense I agree with you. Now, will those toppers sell? Maybe. I've not even been in this industry long enough to know to say, yeah, everything sells eventually. Because there's some stuff that's still sitting that hasn't sold. You could say that about everything. Hypothetically, everything could sell, but you added the appropriate word, eventually. Yeah, that's a lot of money sitting. There's a timeframe on these negotiations. At some point, that item that's sitting there is no longer an asset, it's a lodestone. Oh, absolutely. And then everybody's praising Stern for like dropping the MSRP on some of these games. Well, keep in mind that that's not a great thing either because if we continue as dealers to just lose money on stuff, Then that's not reinforcement to continue said business model either. I think dealers have become even more cautious as probably manufacturers to even make some of these products. Cautious that, hey, we got to make sure we don't make too many. Hey, we got to make sure I don't order too many. Right. I mean, look at some of the, even the recent, I'll be open, the recent Jersey Jack Pinball games. You know, I had some inventory there for the last couple titles. So when the new game Elton John came out, my hesitation was very, very high compared to maybe something like a Stern Pinball. It's just, it's just real. I'm just being real. But sure, but I'm also assuming that most of you are, you know, maybe not some of the those that upstarted say during the pandemic specifically, but I would assume though, most, most of you would probably have known that it wasn't going to continue like it had been in 2021 and 2022. Sure. That at some point thought would actually be required. Yes, the gap I'm hoping, well that's what sets the good people from the lazy people. So yeah, Rush Toppers, there was a delay there especially since the game we're assuming has been discontinued. Is this why you've asked me if I wanted Rush Toppers on my wish list? Hey, for Christmas this year I'm going to give you some Expression Lighting kits, Rush Toppers and Turtle Toppers. Hope you need them. Oh, turtles. Forgot all about that. Yeah, those are sitting too. So yeah, we've got some stuff sitting. But yeah, I wish that they would just manufacture in full what they plan to whenever. And I've voiced this to Stern before, their director of accessories and Parts saying, don't even, my recommendation would be don't reveal anything until you have the parts to make however many products you want to make.равств começar8r The Black Knight Sword of Rage Topper is all the rage! Two years ago! And it's back out. They're going to do another run of that starting this week. They're going to start shipping Sword of Rage toppers. How much of a... do you think people are wanting that? I mean, it's a really cool topper and the game is not all that popular. So no, I don't. We've had some customers reaching out for it, but I didn't know if that would be... Like, of course the market is high on that still, so of course there's probably some room to sell some. I just don't know how many. But if Stern can do smaller runs of accessories and stuff, tally-ho, hell yeah. Now there was a, I think Knapp Arcade was saying he was hearing rumblings of there being a special edition of a Black Knight Sword of Rage game coming possibly in the future? For the life of me, I don't see that. How? Why? What? No. Really? No. I hope that the pro version... I'm not saying just because Steve's gone from the company that they wouldn't run it again. I don't think that would be the I don't see it. November to December Stranger Things accessories hopefully here. December Godzilla Topper and Q1 of 2024 is going to be Iron Maiden Toppers. Do you see this new Stern Pinball Holiday promotion? They're doing more of these and I think we're going to continue to see that. They're giving away a free Jurassic Park player mat with the purchase of a Jurassic Park Pro Premium or 30th Anniversary Edition game from now until the end of the year. No, I had not seen that. Yeah, same goes for Foo Fighters. They're doing a promotional banner free for anyone purchasing a Foo Fighters Pro or Premium machine from now until the end of the year. So get your orders in. Everybody wants those banners. Boom, Foo Fighters, you can get one now. And you know, Dennis, it's a slow news period in pinball when media create content to complain about Stern Pinball code updates or them having promotional videos in them. Well, talking about code updates is like the most boring thing anyone could ever do. Man, man, just some clickbaity stuff out there. Come on guys, drum up something more interesting than that. Who, first off, there are people on pin side on social media outlets, there are people discussing in pinball their outrage, their anger associated with the new updates for Stern having a promo playing in the attract mode. Have you heard of this? This I saw, I did see a couple things about it on some of my Discord channels, but I haven't, I didn't dive into any of it because I haven't, I haven't actually turned on my two games that I suppose will now have this this week. So I've not downloaded these new promo videos. Listener, who really gives a shit about a promo playing in the attract mode of your Stern game? I'm gonna call it a day. You cannot tell me you actually care about this. Please! And if you do care about this, sit yourself down, have a nice drink, watch something on Netflix and realize there are more important things to give shits about than this. This is what a mama would call a rat's ass. Not giving a rat's ass about this or cat's ass or any other animal's ass about this. It's so much worse, that promo video, than what? The 14 high score screens that pop up. Oh, there are a lot of high Score screens. Save the high Score screens. It's gotten a little silly. Right? Like Spinner Champ. That does not offend me. But, fuckin' a promo video showing other games that Stern makes? How fucking dare they? Chill out guys. Who cares? But then whenever they see it on their Data East game Tales from the Crypt Yeah I was gonna say they did this back in the day Yeah people love it I remember when I had Data East Jurassic Park and it kept telling me about the upcoming last action hero I love the discussions. Here's how you properly go to turn it on. Oh, who cares? There is a new code on all Stern games though, the code giving, code Thanksgiving from Stern. Most of them were just updating the node board systems and that promo video and stuff. There's little things here and there. There were a couple of games that did get some girth there on their updates such as Stranger Things. You got a Demogorgon challenge mode. Foo Fighters were at .99. We're getting close to 1.0 on that game. It received some insider connected achievements. Elvira got a new mode altogether in the house. And Venom, which is at .94, gets its final wizard mode and a null challenge mode as well as XP tweakage. Well, XP tweakage I think is making it even more difficult. The more difficult the more long-lasting your game will be, so I think it's a good idea. Elsewhere in Stern pinball news, Jim Jefferies, very famous comedian, talked pinball and proved his fandom with a quiz that he took on his I Don't Know About That podcast. I wasn't familiar with the podcast, but went and checked it out. Is he the Australian comic? Yeah, he's the Australian. I just claimed that his fame was that brothel joke, right? Yeah, I think it's Dr. John's favorite. Okay, I've seen his act. He's very funny. He's one of the best out there. Okay, I didn't know he was still acting. I mean, he wasn't old at the time. I just, it's been years since I actually saw his routine. Yeah, he's been in comedy for a long, long time. He has a podcast as well as doing the show bits and Netflix series and stuff, but he is a huge fan of pinball. I didn't realize that. Okay, interesting. So he takes quizzes on things that he, I don't know about that. And he knew a lot. They were also joined with Stern Pinball Marketing Director Zach Sharp. A newbie pinball expert has been hired for Pinball. He's the one that came up with the name Pinball, asking a bunch of questions that were all wrong. And you could tell. He was like a newbie pin side person. He knew a lot of his shit and it was nice to see and that's a big reach for Pinball, having Jim Jeffries as an ambassador. So don't fuck it up, Jim, come on. Oh, speaking of not fucking it up, the unboxing. Have you witnessed and experienced the unboxing yet? No, I made reference to your video because I knew it, I knew it came out because I read that but I hadn't actually seen the link recommended to me on my YouTube yet so I haven't watched it. Nellie once said, it's getting hot in here so take off all your clothes. The unboxing of Elvira's Blood Red Kiss was done by Straight Down the Middle and Flip N Out Pinball. Myself, we did, Nicole and I got to work with Nicole, my wife. The Finale is a special Alvarez BloodRedKiss. I won't give it away for you, listener, if you haven't watched it yet or Dennis. If you haven't watched it yet, it's two minutes. I can only last two minutes for that video. Check it out. It's a lot of fun. It's creating a lot of chatter. And just think to yourself once you realize what the fuck did I just see? Think to yourself, what is Alvarez? Alvarez is two things. Its happen obis. I will look at the topic next week! Jersey Jack Pinball in the news. Toy Story accessories are starting to ship. Yay. You mean Toy Story 4. Toy Story 4 Accessories starting to ship. So you'll see some Art Blades and Toppers. So no Slinky Dog, sorry guys. Guess you get Forky or whatever it was called. And the Loser Kid Pinball Podcast, they've been on a roll lately. They had Jack Guarnieri, the founder of Jersey Jack Pinball, they interviewed him on their podcast. Did you get a chance to listen to that yet? I have not heard this one yet. So I'll fill you in on a couple of tidbits. Good, because otherwise I was going to be absolutely worthless to you in this discussion. I always love listening to the Loser Kids. Always got to check them out. I'm working through their, I want to take my time through the Larry DeMar thing. Oh, now that one's really good. I did that like all in one go. Yeah. It was really good. Listen to that now. So Jack Guarnieri is on there. He described himself as being risk avert. These are like the knockout points that made me go, ah, ooh. He described himself as risk aversive regarding the risk of choosing Elton John as a pinball theme. For invade anecdote ≈ I mean, he did do Elvis for Stern, but I don't know if he wanted that one either. I'm going to read this quote because I found it a nice, interesting way of putting it. Quote, when we handed Steve Elton John, at first he's looking for some high power car Aiston Pinball Intensification Video T Triangle Video Guid übers, That's funny, but I was just going to opine. You know, in my opinion, high-powered cars, jet fighters, and rocket ships are not wacky titles. They are, I don't know, what people want. He said, really? He said, yeah. He said, okay, I'll get into it. But then it was confusing because then he described not being able to have some kind of, like, there's a saying, like, not wanting a vegan in the kitchen cooking a steak because I was confused. Because it sounded like he put the vegan in the kitchen cooking a steak. So that would suggest that Steve liked what he was cooking. Which was Elton John. It was confusing. I don't know what to... It all sounded good and it felt good when you're hearing it. Now I wish I had played this ahead of time. I don't think I'd have processed it any easier than what you're trying to summarize. They were talking about different flipper strength. Everybody's like, why does Elton John play so much better? Was it Steve Ritchie? Are they using different mechanisms that he brought over from Stern? Like, what is going on? He brought a box of Stern's coils. What is going on? It would be awesome. Here you guys go, you need this. Flip better. They're just like, we have to limit the CE run because that's how many coils he snuck out of logistics. There's a node board. We're gonna use it. We can't get more of these guys. Play better. When speaking of the different flipper strengths and feel on the Ritchie game, Jack suggested that all of the games are capable of that if going into the system and increasing the coil strength. Wouldn't have people figured that out by now if that was true? I think so. What do I know? I don't know Toy Story 4, so I can't say. Here's my guess, I don't know what it is, but my guess based on different conversations that I've had in the past with people who do create pinball machines or who code some of the greatest pinball machines ever, is that Stern and Jersey Jack typically use two different coil systems for their flippers. I don't know if anybody knows this, everybody's always asked, but I'm here to talk to, I'm not going to say who specifically told me this, but let's just say it's somebody I very much trust in having some type of idea behind this. You see in the caption below, they have probably written a lot of stuff on this, they said that Pat Lawler in particular liked an underpowered coil. Like, it's like a Ballywilliams, he did that in Ballywilliams, like, you just, he used a certain type of coil power, not power but a certain type of coil because all coils create different power limits and boundaries, and they kind of adopted that a lot at Jersey Jack Pinball, so much so that they, in the recent releases, they have upgraded some consistencies and software to make the power more consistent, etc. But I don't know if, Steve changed it because I was told by that person, wait until Steve, this is probably two years ago, right when Steve joined. They said wait until Steve goes over there. It won't flip like their games have flipped. I can assure you that. Okay. So I don't know if he's maybe using a higher powered coil and that helps or as Jack is mentioning, no difference at all. They're just, you can change it in the menu system, which I... Well, if you have, I mean, I don't, you probably don't have a Nelton John yet. I'm not sure I'm going to have to answer that. No, I don't. Once you do, just look at the coil number on the wrapper and compare it to your Toy Story 4 or whatever. Scott was saying a little correction here on the Loser Kid podcast. Scott said that they, he said this on a previous episode too, Scott, you said that they dropped the price of this new game. Oh they didn't drop any prices. Jack Wernerry Jack Wernerry likes the hobby of writing utensils like Montblanc. I have one here on the desk. It's nice to hear. I always like hearing hobbies of other people in the industry and friends. That's a niche hobby. There are a lot of people into it though. He was kind of equating pinball days like talking about the current market and the market of pens. Sorry, I called it a pen, a writing utensil. His enjoyment of that. I do not think that I can be a fan of the pinball show. It's a real pleasure to be in it. I do not think it's a good show either. I do not think that it is worth being in it. I do not think that it is worth being in it. I do not think it's a good show. They are really expensive. Even if he is writing with an expensive pin, it is holding a five-dollar ink cartridge. His spouse would tease him about that. He was just equating that. I found it interesting. He did also confirm that Guns and Roses is J.J.P.'s best-selling game to date. He did also confirm that Guns and Roses is J.J.P.'s best-selling game to date. I do not think that will surprise too many people. I do not think that will surprise too many people. I don't think that'll surprise too many people though. Though, you know, Wizard of Oz had such a long run. It would, I could see where there could be some debate between those two. I thought it still might be that, but he was here to confirm it. Jack also said that there are three games in development right now and they have three designers. So you can kind of Josh asked Jack about the Cam and Cow statement. Remember the Cam and Cow statement that Jersey Jack Pinball has the Harry Potter license? I forgot all about that. Yeah, yeah. Well, Pepperidge Farm remembers. That's two names. Yeah, but, well, whatever those little Danish cookies for Christmas that I like, they don't remember. Oh. They just remember to put lots of sugar on the rectangle ones, which are, the rectangle ones are the best. Do you remember Lorna Doones? Lorna Don Doones? No, I don't, but when you say Doon, I just think about Arrakis and how it's supposed to have the second Doon movie out this year, but they pushed it back. Yeah, where you at there, 2024? Timothy Chalamont being Willy Wonka, what sort of crap is that? That looks like horse shit. Oh, it looks so bad. I won't see that and I'm a big Wonka fan. So, Kamenkao, the statement... Go back to the sand! The Kamenkao statement. What's Jack think about that? He said, quote, It's no secret that a lot of people want the license, tried to get the license, and you know, the rumor about what J.K. Rowling believes pinball is and all that stuff. I only know what you guys know about what's been out there in the public and what's been said so I don't really have anything to add to it. Okay. Not in the plan of the company to rerun games either. Not surprised. So too much that they are working on and in future games to turn back and to do any remakes. Can't go back. Gotta go forward to go back. Wow. That's interesting. Sorry Pirates fans. I wouldn't take too much of that because push comes to shove. If they could remake games and they know they're gonna they could sell games they would. Like it's just, it's business. Absolutely, but I think actually the strategy is the right strategy in most instances. It's just the the amount of this you don't want to you you don't want to fall for the the well the meme would be it's Morbin time. You familiar with Morbius? Yes. All right. I never saw it. I've not seen it. I'm assuming you didn't either because you still seem to have a will to live. I've not. So, but just as a quick summary for the audience in terms of this meme, because I think it's somewhat relevant, is that movie came out into theaters. It did terrible. But then the internet started making fun of it and talking about it and doing this whole it's Morbin time and playing it up so much so that the studio was like, wait a moment, Well, if there's demand for this, let's put it back in the theater where it did even worse. And so you see with pinball, when you look back, generally speaking, I don't think we know of any instance where we've seen games get a second wind, like Stranger Things, for example, Guardians to an extent. It's never necessary unless you've got the ability already. The idea is, are you really going to sell more, though, the second? You'll sell more units, but will you sell more than the first time you sold them? Because then you're asking yourself should I just go ahead and go to the next game? Which doesn't have any any taint to it. Oh You've watched my video. I Have not watched your video and now I'm regretting all of my word choices. I'm just gonna go back to modern I think there's only a couple of I would say maybe Medieval Madness, but one could argue it's a different game entirely, or Attack from Mars. Sure, no, there will be times where going back is the right answer. And in fact, I would have said for Jersey Jack, it was the right answer to have gone back and run Pirates within the first year of them ending Pirates. But that ship has sailed. I might be on your boat there, so to speak, because if they did... Poseon will look at you, so don't you ever forget. If you think about it, if you got three new titles coming, I can... it just... I could be wrong, but it feels like the bill of materials may be different now at Jersey Jack. Maybe the margins are better for them on newer games then would be even twice the sales with a BOM of Pirates. Does that make sense? A pinball show? Yeah. Sure. Maybe. And honestly, I can't… Or like the licensing cost, you know? I can't fathom them selling Pirates for any less than they're selling Elton John for. Absolutely. Absolutely. And yeah, that will be a factor that people will contemplate if they were to see it. Plus licensing and stuff, yeah. And you know, Jack has noted that he's risked whatever, the opposite of adverse, or whatever he was trying to say. So, you know, that's the one thing is, I mean, I don't know if he's going to finally find a theme that's not risky but actually good. He did say that they're close to selling out of their Elton John CE, so maybe that was a good thing. Sure. Okay. The deal is, I think they have a bright future. I think they have a bright future. I know the last couple have been big ol' swings for the fence. Whether they've connected on those balls or not is up to you, but I think you have no choice but to hit home runs on some of the stuff that they may have in the future. Might be playing wiffle ball here. Maybe. Maybe not. Hell, I don't know. Let's talk about Spooky Pinball. What are they doing? Are they swinging for the fences? Well, I know myself and Greg Bone from Straight Down the Middle visited Bugs Scream and Stream nearly two weeks ago. You didn't tune in for that, of course, whatever. No, I did not. We visited the Spooky Gang. It's the first time we've been up there. It was a lot of fun. Well, I'm glad it was a big deal for you. We discussed on that stream all kinds of stuff. You have to go back and watch it. No, I don't think so. We discussed themes that we selfishly would love for pinball but that no company would ever make. That's the best I've ever heard. That's the best show. I've had to sneak peek at your list here. That one is absolutely the worst one you have as a suggestion. See, I think it might work. No, it would not. It would not. Message us on Facebook, YouTube, emails. Mr. Rogersneighborhood, I think it might work. No, it's like Sesame Street. It's just not appropriate for pinball. Oh, I think it's so cool. But, alright, what about Titanic with Leo? Yeah, actually that would have been a su- I'm a little surprised they never did that back when the movie came out, actually. Maybe they couldn't get the rights or something. I don't know. Yeah, no, that one would have been good, but it's really tragic. Do you think people will be able to handle all the tragedy? Yeah, absolutely. It's far enough removed. We're good. Okay. We're good. Speed? Yes, that would have been an excellent one. I'm just trying to imagine the bus toy going all the way around the pin. That would be what would make it cool. And my personal favorite to make someday, this is one that I think if I ever get the gift of creating pinball and designing pinball, I will make it. It's Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Licensing nightmare, but yes. It could never happen. It would. But yeah, no, that one would work. Yeah. Oh, so beautiful. So beautiful. Yeah, see most of yours are fine. DuckTales is fine, too. Mr. Rogers is a miss. Total miss. No one wants that. What about Mr. Rogers on a bus with a bomb on it? He'd just be friendly, put his loafers on. I'll just remember He takes off his shoes and there's the bomb in the shoe. That's right. And it was him all along why we have to go through security at the airport now. Well shit, seems to me, children, that I've got a bomb strapped to my shoe. Oh, on the most recent Screamin' stream this past week, Knapp Arcade reporting that Christopher Franchi art is on the upcoming Spooky Pinball title. And he said probably next game too, so, well Knapp knows something. Well, he's had a couple games this year and the art's been widely praised both for Galactic Tank Force and Elton John. Nobody has crapped on Franchi's art yet. I think that Zombie Yeti has got more shit than Franchi has on his own. Well, he has more games out, so some of it is just volume. Some of it is just volume, so people are gonna compare his work to his other pieces of work, and that's gonna happen with Franchi pieces as well. We kinda got saturated with Zombie Yeti. A lot of people are more than happy to be saturated with it, too. Absolutely. Me. Spooky also gave away a prototype part from their next game to a viewer, but they didn't show it on the stream. They also sent one to Kerry Hardy, a part, and he showed it. It looked, I'm not even going to describe what it looks like. Yeah, don't. This is an audio medium. It doesn't work. It's a part. Nobody cares. So, Zach, why were you up there anyway? Well, we were, Greg and I were just, you know, visiting. I'm going to try to take a page from the Jackwinaries of the world. It's no secret There's a secret that a lot of people wanted to go up there, tried to go up there, you know, the rumor about what they're working on and all that stuff. Aren't they already snowed in up there now? Dennis, I only know what you know and what you guys know about what they're working on and what's been said so I don't really have anything else to add to that. Okay. American pinball, I can add a lot. GTR signature edition! Suck it drive scream ready bitches coming It shipping This week they box When is the third version of the Legends of Valhalla coming out Lenticular... When they redefined the tiers and added that third tier, the middle tier, and they were supposed to because of all this demand. Yeah, Dave Figg said on a recent video interview from Pernap Arcade from Steve Cummings, I'm so sick of all these references that they sold out of their Legends of Valhalla LE machines and they may make more classic editions in 2025. But what about the middle edition? I forget the names. I don't remember either. All I know is GTF signatures are finally shipping. That's all I know. Okay. Well, I know a lot more that we will discuss in our special Patreon content. Oh, okay. Yeah, but more to that to come. Also, Dutch Pinball Museum posted a video on YouTube of a factory tour that they took with Dave Fix there. And Dave told them things such as they want to produce 300 GTFs by the end of the year. Okay. And American Pinball uses the same cabinet manufacturers, JJP. All right, that's cool. AP claims to have over 200 orders for Houdini still, which are being built now. Oh. 200. Wow, that's a huge number. Yeah. Do you think they sold 200 GTS? They might have 200 orders. Yeah. They have 100 orders? So, five years later after Houdini was developed and shipped, there's still 200 orders? I mean, it has legs. It sure does. It's the Stranger Things of American Pinball? By ratio, I've got five ordered for the last three years. Well, you're not their biggest distributor though, are you? No. I don't know. I don't think so. I hope not. I used to round up to the nearest hundred also. I don't know. I would tell them if you don't have 200 orders of Houdini, if you don't, Don't build those. Don't. Let's not build those guys. So we were talking about that 904 Pinball zine interview with Steve Cummings, who's an AP sales person, per Knapp Arcade. That's where I found this. GTF Deluxe is going to run again after GTF LE and SCs and Houdini's. So the Deluxe version of GTF is coming. How many hundred of those do you think are on order? Oh, I don't know. Just the Deluxe, not the other flavors. I don't know. A hundred maybe? I don't know. Two hundred you said? Okay. No, I don't think. I don't think a hundred. Yeah, probably a hundred. Maybe four hundred. Yeah, they've shipped some already. But, man. Their next game is coming likely late January into February. Oh, wow. Pinball Namp Arcade. That's soon. And I didn't know this. Their next three games are original themes. What? Oh my God. What? No. Their next not one, not two. No. But three. I thought the next game was supposed to be licensed. I don't know that I actually heard that anywhere. I just assumed. I don't know. The next three... Talk about risk of murder in Western. That is... that's not right. That's not right! Oh my god! That's not right. Let's hope that's not right. In fact, in fact... Dave Fix has said, I'm not going to double down. I'm going to triple down! If this is the decision, it's just plain wrong. It's just wrong. It's just wrong. It's just plain wrong. This is not the right, this is not a right decision. Oh, fly you fools. Yeah. Oh, so a prototype of their next machine is being shipped out now to the sound designer to add music to the game. Did you hear? The next three games are original themes. Oh my God. I don't know if he's saying maybe after that game. I don't know. There is no after if they do three original. Jason, we need clarification. What is it? What's going on? Haggis Pinball is on track to complete their Fathom Revisited games. Do you know that? By the end of the year. They're setting up the line for Centaur starting December. Okay, I mean, I hadn't heard an update from a couple months ago where that was the plan, so it sounds like it's on course. Yep, I think they shipped the remainder of our Fathom Mermaid editions this week? Or last week? So they're on a plane somewhere. That was my plane. Okay. I thought you were sighing over the three original themes. You know what? No, I don't. You, in private chat with me and David Dennis, you poo-pooed my love for cruises, calling them filthy mongrels of a vacation and germ-spreading vessels. That is not what I said. But you threw no shade to those venturing into an airplane. What? Where's the pin and chain? Airplanes have filters on the recycled air. Ships don't have filters, they have open air. I talked to you about the food poisoning. No one eats airplane food. Peanuts? They don't give those out anymore. Peanut dust everywhere. Because they're not allergies, they give you pretzels. And then they're like, thirsty aren't you? That'll be $4. No! Yes, that's what they do now. So no one consumes stuff on planes because it's extra money. The Which was split into the national series What was there near a Is still there Isn't there It meat I don't have a schedule for who's getting what, when, where. I think it's just those early first 20 that they put on the website kind of thing. They did go to the Houston Arcade Expo, another huge big ol' hit for Labyrinth there and I think they're at the Dutch Open this week. The game is still continuing to get sales and everything. They did it right. They're even making some upgrades and adjustments to the game after the feedback they've been receiving from some of the shows, Joel's Dreams, some of the stuff like that and they've already started sending those Technique for knockbackad ought, Arping不會 140 concave ресignated aunty Clint in Erfahrуть for Litho E回來 Nicknames, right? Like Bobcat! Thank you, Bobcat. Um, Thanksgiving foods. There's so many of them. What? If we pegged Rodney with a Thanksgiving food, besides, maybe it has to do with a Bobcat, what would it be? Yes, because there's so many staples that have to do with it. Rodney. Rodney would be, hmm, he feels like the corn to me. Okay. A staple. Okay, I did consider the corn for him. John Papadiuk, handsome angle I assume you are a pumpkin piper sign myself or what I usually get for Thanksgiving is actually French Marc Silk at least you didn't call it pecan those people I have a story behind that I won't share it on this episode but remind me sometime and I'll show you to share you the pecan story let's do the patreon we'll give it to the patreon people no they they want it Jablonski and Michael Bay are both pumpkin pie yes Swoop low with that telephoto, shoot that pumpkin pot. The panther, the panther coming in, Rob. What's the sexiest Thanksgiving food? It's not the yam. No, no, absolutely not. Is it the turkey? No, the turkey is not sexy, it's more, you gotta get it done. I mean, it's like the center, you know, it's kinda what brings the whole thing together. Maybe the mashed potatoes are what most people get excited about. There's nothing sexy about a mashed potato. With gravy. Pattiber LoS whoa who's on maybe Yes. This Week in Pinball now owned by Colin. Nicely done Colin. Yeah, that's, he's putting a lot on his hands so I think he is the, he's the bowl of black olives that the kids stick on all their fingers. Who the hell has a bowl of black olives on Thanksgiving? We, that's what we do on Thanksgiving. That's a thing? We, yup. Every year we have a bowl of black olives. Alright Colin at the Creasle Household, you are the bowl of black olives my friend. Yup. And there's only one little olive and it's precious because it's your baby Colin. Your little baby. That's the only one that doesn't I'm gonna rip because you put it on the pinky. Me and David Bowie want that baby. Alright, what about the falcon? Kee-keee! Franchi! What's an annoying sounding, when somebody eats it at the table, what sounds annoying like that falcon? Thanksgiving. I wanna say... Well, the cranberry sauce is annoying. Okay, it is. It's a bit much, isn't it? Yeah. Frank, you are the cranberry sauce. of this show we we need you somebody likes you the sad thing is that frank is the most kindness gentlest sweet person ever i'm sorry frank but go with it he probably thought he was a shoe in to be the turkey since it's a bird but he thought no he thought wrong yeah he did think wrong i don't know which way we're gonna go with the shaker motor dave which way are we gonna go with dave something something maybe do you think dave is The giblets. Yeah, we haven't done the stuffing. We haven't done the fruit salad or the Waldorf salad. We haven't done the green bean casserole. The dressing? Yeah, I call it stuffing. Stuffing, dressing. The bread. The bread of the bunch. The bread. The brown and serve rolls. The what? We always do brown and serve rolls. Oh yeah, those are good. The mashed potatoes with gravy are nothing without the roll. Do you make little sandwiches with your roll? No, I don't. With the mash pit? Okay, that's how I do it. The ham, what about the ham? There's a ham. That's true, the ham. We'll give him the rolls. We'll give him the rolls. Yeah. Because he rocks with his shaker and he rolls with his rolls. There's the association there. Oh, that's pretty clever. Rock and roll there, Dave. He's still probably sad that he thought he was going to get to be the ham and then you just snatched it from him. Nope. What about Joe Fox? What does the fox eat? He's a fruit salad. That's fruit salad. It's the fruit cake for Christmas. Yeah, Joe Fox, you're the fruit salad. Fruit salad's one of my favorites, though. Yeah, it's a mixture of greatness. It really is. How's your fruit salad, Zach? Do you do, like, we used to do two types. We used to do fruit salad and then Waldorf salad. Are you familiar with the two? I don't. It sounds like a hotel. All right. Fruit salad is the one with the fruit and you mix it in with whipped cream. That's normally what we do at this point. Waldorf salad uses mayonnaise. Oh, God. That's horrible. But only me and my mom would eat it. It's basically the exact same thing but it's got like walnuts in it and then you do like it's like a mayonnaise. So, uh, yeah, we discontinued it because I think only my mom and myself would eat that. How does fruit sweet taste good with sour mayonnaise? I think it's like Chinese sweet and sour. That's how it works. It's that concept. Okay, general challenge. Okay, well that works. I kind of like that. So, yeah, fruitcake, fruitcake fox. Not a fruitcake, the fruit salad. No one eats fruitcake for Thanksgiving. That would be crazy. Thank you, Joe. What about the bell? The bell has rung for Charlie. Charlie would be... I'm afraid he's the yams. He up, he got the yams? Yeah, someone's going to get stuck with it. Not that we're stuck with you, Charlie, but you're totally yam material. Mm-hmm. I yam what I yam. Yep. Popeye. No, don't promote that game. What about the dude? There's only one dude. Not on the rug, man. Mm-hmm. Sometimes... Man, what's the most chill food on the table? Well, sometimes it's a little burnt, if you know what I mean. Mm-hmm. And I think the dude, Will, has gotta be the turkey. Eh? Yeah. Sometimes chill, sometimes burnt. Not always right, but always... But often smoked, yeah. A reminder for the next pinball show live hangout for those part of the Screaming Goat Club in the Nordman Club levels on Patreon. It's November 22nd 8 p.m. Central. That's this Wednesday night. Yes, come one, come all. We always have fun there. We had always have new people popping in too. So if you haven't signed up for the pinball show, you're welcome to. And we're going to be doing the pinball show right now. And we're going to be doing the pinball show live on the If you are an official member and you want to upgrade to the Nordman level or the Screaming Goat Club level, you can do so by going to patreon.com slash the pinball show. Help support the show, make Dennis nice smile, learn all kinds of stuff, get some swag, choose topics, you can come on the show. There's all kinds of benefits and perks for supporting your favorite pinball podcast. We bring the goods here, just like the giblets and the yams for Thanksgiving. It's all at the pinball. Oh, and Discord. You can hang out in our Discord channel too. And speaking of all of that, they're going to get something exclusive this week. I said at the beginning of the show we do the market analysis and discussion. We came up with, we are the market in pinball media. But there is no market analysis quite like that of the pinball show, so much so that we are discontinuing for this week pinball market trends. And in its place is the exclusive pinball show membership content segment. We haven't done a segment in a while. This segment we are calling simply Thanksgiving. Where you and I, Dennis, give thanks to some of the things in pinball or in life in general, but in pinball. Now to make things interesting, this isn't just your hokey, I don't care to hear that shit, thank yous. We're going to give some of those too. But we're going to give those with an edge as well. So we're going to have plenty of thanks. We're also going to have a bit of a, gee, thanks. You can see where I'm going with that, Dennis. I get it. Listener, you can tune in right now if you sign up at the pinball show. You're not going to want to miss this. We didn't do gravy, did we? No, we didn't do gravy or taters. You know what? This is the gravy of the show, this segment. You guys want to go here, tune in, tune in right now. Alright Dennis, how do you want people to contact you and thank you? They can always email eclecticgamerspodcast at gmail.com. That is the best way to reach out. That's really nice. They can also email me or you at the pinball show at gmail.com. I'll forward it on to Dennis as necessary and as needed. Follow, like and subscribe to all of our socials. Please, whether it's Patreon signing up for the club membership or email Or Facebook, or YouTube, or TikToks, or Dickscore, whatever you want to do. Sign up, follow, like and subscribe. Some of this stuff's free. Also, straight down the middle. Go watch that Elvira video if you haven't yet. Follow, like and subscribe there, as well as support of our sponsor here at the pinball show, which is Flip N Out Pinball. Pocket ma 아니야 focus indigenous game far delhi lesion tiger analytical immovable context and only have in stock concluding at one of those at a couple star wars pros and i've got one cards or pro name in until next year just make that the for C Bar),in the Galaxy Pro, December spots available, Venom Pro, New and Pre-Owned, New LA, Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary, James Bond Pro, Premium, 1 LA, 160th Anniversary Edition, Avengers Premium and Pro, which one are you going to get for Christmas? Foo Fighters Pro Premium Iron Maiden Pro Premium Jurassic Park Pro Premium Turtles Premium GTFLE Deluxe Rush Toppers Avengers Toppers Cactus Kenyan SE Plus Fathom Revisited Mermaid Hot Wheels Classic Queen LV Godfather LE Star Wars Home Editions What do you want? You can have it at flippingoutpinball.com or email me at ZachZach at flip the letter n out pinball dot com. We're also going to be doing a giveaway on our social media so make sure, flipping out pinball, go follow us on Facebook because I think we're doing a November giveaway and it's easy. It's easy. You just win stuff. Go do it. Flipping out with friends coming back this week. Joel is back in the USA and I think he's going to be doing a Flip N Out Pinball with Friends chatting stream talking about all the topics in this industry. Maybe they'll play a game too that everybody will be very loose with the rules and all of that. I would have issues with that. TPN last week, what did we have last week? We only had the Pinball Innovators and Makers podcast, the It's Just Code where they go in and talk to Ian Harror about his project Room for debate Brsek. Mais-ne. Whinformats a tan 59 Fios- Aquí appreh SMITHThat open card isn't up identificassone minors. Pipi,じa pmaap huijera' that win mi 것을 of the RT kynak III e f barriers and さnà, What other crappy hobbies? Wow, so many. Why didn't you ask me about my writing utensils? Mont Blanc. Mont Blanc. They make watches too. Remember, it's Thanksgiving time. You're gonna sit there, you're gonna be with your family. They might start talking about politics, they might start talking about religion. You can be the peacemaker if you're hosting, at least if you own a modern Stern Pinball game. Just take them down to your game room, turn that game on, Let them watch the promos. Even grandma's like this is bullshit set Davis. Gary Stern never pulled this bullshit. And always practice safe pinball and before watching that L-Virus blood red kiss edition unboxing you truly truly better my Laura gravy edition. You're so making me not want to watch this. What's in the box? Aanand- Let's go!!!
  • Stern released a new 'Buy More Games for Your Home' ad across all Spike 2 games to entice location players to home ownership

    high confidence · Craig Bobby noting all Spike 2 games received the ad and referencing Kerry Hardy's video on how to disable it

  • “There are actual meaningful things. Christopher Lee is actually in the last film of Lord of the Rings. That was my biggest disappointment when I was going to the theaters.”

    Dennis Kreisel @ ~30:00 — Off-topic digression showcasing host personalities and tangential interests (used to frame broader discussion)

  • “You'd think reverse psychology is gonna work on it... I'm trying my best to get the figures I want.”

    Dennis Kreisel@ 25:52 — Acknowledging frustration with Stern's opacity on sales data and willingness to use unconventional methods to pressure disclosure

  • Lior
    person
    Dutch Pinballcompany
    Godzillagame
    Stranger Thingsgame
    Venomgame
    Elvira's House of Horrorsgame
    James Bondgame
    Foo Fightersgame
    Black Knight Sword of Ragegame
    Labyrinthgame
    Big Lebowskigame
    Lord of the Ringsgame
    Stranger Things Premiumproduct
    Insider Connectedproduct
    Chicago Expoevent
    Texas Pinball Festivalevent
    Nicole Minneyperson

    high · Dennis: 'I just there there's a there's a very wide gap here... Mind the gap. And seems like no one minded the gap here, and the gap is massive.'

  • ?

    product_launch: Godzilla Premium shipping this week with small follow-up runs in January 2024; Stranger Things Premium delayed with small January run planned; James Bond Premium pushed to Q3 2024

    high · CB detailed schedule: 'Godzilla Premium on the line and will be shipping out this week' with 'another small run of Stranger Things Premium in January'

  • ?

    manufacturing_signal: Barrels of Fun continuing to release Labyrinth units with minor mechanical tweaks and ramp adjustments based on real-world feedback from Chicago Expo, Houston Arcade Expo, and FreePlay Florida

    high · Craig Bobby: 'Barrels of Fun Pinball, who appears to be continuing to roll more Labyrinth units off their assembly line while they continue to make very minor tweaks To some of their mechs and ramps'

  • ?

    community_signal: Multiple pinball content creators are attempting market trend analysis and industry commentary, viewed by hosts as emerging trend worth monitoring despite varying expertise

    medium · Zach: 'You know it's a slow news quarter when you have all these content creators trying to dip their toes into the market discussions?' and 'showcases why we are the standard in market discussion'

  • ?

    technology_signal: Rumor circulating that Stern's Insider Connected app is being updated for compatibility with Spike 2 series games, described as 'long overdue'

    low · Craig Bobby: 'rumor has it Stern may also be getting all their Spike2 machines ready to be compatible with an actual new insider connected app that is long overdue'

  • ?

    design_innovation: Dutch Pinball teasing new mod lineup for Big Lebowski machine designed by Lior from Art of Pinball, including custom bathroom-themed bowling ball mechanics with LED integration

    high · Craig Bobby: 'Dutch Pinball teased would-be buyers with one of its new mods... showing a bowling ball sitting on a cracked bathroom floor tile in front of an open toilet with a lit LED bowl'

  • ?

    product_strategy: Stern Pinball launched new 'Buy More Games for Your Home' advertising across all Spike 2 attract modes targeting location-only players, with community method discovered to disable in settings menu

    high · Craig Bobby: 'all of Stern's Spike2 games received a new Buy More Games for Your Home ad' and Kerry Hardy created tutorial: 'how to turn the ad off in your Stern adjustments menu found in setting number 55'

  • ?

    collector_signal: Black Knight Sword of Rage Knight's Head helmet toppers listed on San Diego Amusements website for $14.99, indicating possible Stern manufacturing run or cache discovery of collectible hard-to-find items

    medium · Craig Bobby citing Knapp Arcade: 'the highly collectible and hard to find Knight's Head helmet seems to be in stock and selling on San Diego Amusements website for $14.99 US'