This Month's Pinball Market July 2025

TL;DR

July 2025 pinball market stabilizing; Evil Dead up 23%, classics steady, entry-level deals abundant.

Summary

Key Claims

• The overall pinball market is leveling out with consistent pricing and accurate Pinside averages for the last 1.5-2 months

  high confidence · Host opening statement based on market observation data

• Evil Dead machines are up 23% from MSRP of $9,999, with recent sales at $11,500 and $12,200

  high confidence · Host citing specific sales data; attributed to Ted Finley/Pinball Prices for some data

• Lord of the Rings LE is up 5% with two units selling at $14,000 in the last month and a half

  high confidence · Host citing specific sales data

• Attack from Mars was down 17% last month but is starting to recover, with sales ranging from $5,900 to $11,900 for fully restored examples

  high confidence · Host tracking trend across multiple months

• Evil Dead is receiving 'nothing but positive reviews' and scarcity is driving secondary market demand

  medium confidence · Host anecdotal observation about game quality and demand drivers

Notable Quotes

• “Evil Dead. It is up 23% from when it released at an MSRP of $9,999. One sold for $11,500 and another for $12,200 in the last month and a half as well.”

  Host (Josh Larson implied) @ mid-episode — Quantifies strongest market performer and validates scarcity-driven pricing for Spooky releases

• “I'm hearing nothing but positive reviews from these games. Spooky's just going up and up and up right now.”

  Host @ Spooky section — Community sentiment on Evil Dead quality and momentum for Spooky as manufacturer

• “These are awesome games to get your hands on if you're looking for a lower price range but you want good quality pinball in your house.”

  Host @ Bally Williams section — Positions classic Bally games as value-oriented entry point despite down market

• “The average is only saying 0%, but three games have sold in the last month, anywhere from $5,300 to $7,200.”

  Host @ Fishtails discussion — Illustrates variance between average pricing and actual transaction ranges

Entities

Signals

• ?

  competitive_signal: Spooky Pinball positioning Evil Dead as scarcity-driven prestige purchase capturing premium secondary market valuations similar to Stern's LE tier pricing strategy

  medium · Evil Dead sales ($11,500-$12,200) approaching Lord of the Rings LE range despite lower MSRP ($9,999 vs. implicit ~$12,000-13,000 LE MSRP)

• $

  market_signal: Bally Williams classics functioning as affordable entry-level market segment with stable-to-improving pricing, particularly for fully restored examples

  high · Jackbot at $4,000, Attack from Mars recovering from -17% to $5,900-$11,900 range, Whitewater up 4% with premium restored example at $16,000

• $

  market_signal: Overall pinball secondary market stabilizing with consistent pricing aligning to Pinside averages; reduced volatility in last 1.5-2 months

  high · Host states: 'the pinball market is starting to level out... We're not seeing high highs and low lows. We're right in those averages.'

• $

  market_signal: Spooky's secondary tier games (Texas Chain Saw, Alice Cooper, Ultraman) showing downward pressure with many units below $5,000, suggesting market saturation or collector preference concentration

  medium · Host notes 'You're seeing most of these games down below five thousand' for Spooky's non-Evil Dead titles despite 4-7 year availability

• $

  market_signal: Evil Dead commanding 23% premium over MSRP due to limited production scarcity and positive reception

  high · Evil Dead up 23% from $9,999 MSRP with sales at $11,500-$12,200; host attributes to 'low quantity out there' and 'amazing games'

Topics

Sentiment

positive(0.72)— Host maintains upbeat, informative tone. Positive sentiment toward Spooky's trajectory and Evil Dead. Neutral-to-positive on Stern stability. Positive framing of classic Bally Williams games as good value. No criticism or negativity toward manufacturers or market conditions.