Episode 939: "Kaneda's Dilemma"

Kaneda's Pinball Podcast (Patreon feed)·podcast_episode·16m 14s·analyzed·Apr 19, 2024

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.030

TL;DR

Kaneda debates which machines to keep after baby #2 arrives; leans toward selling Batman 66 SLE.

Summary

Kaneda discusses his personal dilemma about which pinball machines to keep in his new home before the arrival of his second child in June. He weighs keeping Batman 66 SLE and Guns N' Roses CE against selling them to fund purchases of Back to the Future or Elton John CE, ultimately leaning toward selling Batman 66 first. He also comments on Elton John's topper orientation issue, Jersey Jack production volumes, and broader industry observations including challenges at Haggis Pinball and American Pinball.

Key Claims

There are approximately 75 Batman 66 SLE machines in good condition worldwide, with maybe only 10 featuring playfield protectors
medium confidence · Kaneda discussing the rarity of Batman 66 SLE when offering it for sale to podcast listeners
Guns N' Roses CE secondary market prices have dropped from ~$20,000 at reveal to $11.5K or less
medium confidence · Kaneda analyzing GNR CE market value depreciation
Early Guns N' Roses production run machines had playfield deterioration issues around posts due to ink adhesion problems
medium confidence · Kaneda discussing structural problems with early GNR games he expects in his unopened CE unit
Jersey Jack has probably made only 300 Elton John CEs to date, possibly planning 500 in initial run out of 1,000 total
low confidence · Kaneda speculating on Jersey Jack's Elton John CE production volumes
Elton John topper logos are upside down most of the time, possibly only right-side-up 10% of the time during attract mode
medium confidence · Kaneda commenting on observed Elton John gameplay imagery
Haggis Pinball is seemingly done as a manufacturer
low confidence · Kaneda's brief industry observation at episode conclusion
American Pinball's barbecue-themed game is not selling and was possibly largely self-purchased by David Fix
low confidence · Kaneda making speculative industry commentary
Batman 66 SLE and Batman Supreme are the two most expensive Stern machines ever made
low confidence · Kaneda comparing rarity and value of premium Stern titles
Kaneda paid $25,000 for Batman 66 SLE plus ~$1,000 for white-glove shipping, totaling ~$26,000
high confidence · Kaneda transparently disclosing his acquisition costs

Notable Quotes

“I don't want to have anything in storage anymore. When I move into my house, I want to have, and I want to be looking at the only things I own...the only things I own I want to use every single day.”
Kaneda @ ~mid-episode — Core philosophy driving his machine selling decision; reflects shift toward intentional collecting
“Do I really want to, in a home, have two games that don't shoot very well? Or would I have more fun if I put a game into the home that's going to be just much more fun to play every single day?”
Kaneda @ ~mid-episode — Central dilemma: gameplay quality vs. collector value and theme nostalgia
“The gameplay on both of them is not great...the game felt like I was chopping wood. And once you get over the light show spectacular, there's really not a lot in the gameplay element that makes you want to come back time and time again.”
Kaneda @ ~mid-episode — Direct criticism of GNR and Batman 66 gameplay depth
“Elton John is way different. Like I've gone back to Jack Bar to play Elton John more than I ever went back to Jack Bar to play Guns N' Roses.”
Kaneda @ ~mid-episode — Expresses strong gameplay preference for Elton John over GNR
“If I let go of Batman now...it's really hard to get it back again because you don't see these games up for sale very often.”
Kaneda @ ~late episode — Acknowledges rarity risk of selling a limited collectible
“I'm going to call this industry as I see it. Haggis Pinball is seemingly done. American Pinball shared a look at their factory. Nobody's buying that barbecue game.”
Kaneda @ ~end of episode — Critical industry commentary on struggling manufacturers
“Maybe this topper gate is not going to be a major issue. I was really hoping for my next hedge multiball thing to complain about.”
Kaneda @ ~mid-episode — Self-aware humor about his tendency to focus on minor design quirks

Entities

KanedapersonBatman 66 SLEgameGuns N' Roses Collector's EditiongameElton John Collector's EditiongameBack to the FuturegameStern PinballcompanyJersey Jack PinballcompanyCoinTakercompany

Signals

?
product_concern: Early Guns N' Roses production runs exhibited ink adhesion and pooling issues around posts that deteriorated with play
medium · Kaneda's direct experience and expectations for his sealed GNR CE from early production: 'Something about the way that ink stuck to the wood...they just disintegrate when you play that game.'
$
market_signal: Guns N' Roses CE secondary market value dropped significantly from ~$20K at reveal to ~$11.5K or lower
medium · Kaneda's direct market observation: 'that game went from being worth at the height, around $20,000...Nowadays...they're selling for like $11.5, maybe even less.'
?
collector_signal: Batman 66 SLE estimated at only ~75 units in good condition globally, with perhaps 10 featuring playfield protectors; very rarely appears on secondary market
medium · Kaneda's assessment: 'there are probably about 75 of these left in the world that are actually in good condition. And there might only be like 10 of these in the world with a playfield protector.'
?
gameplay_signal: Guns N' Roses and Batman 66 criticized for weak shooting mechanics and limited replayability despite strong aesthetics and themes
high · Kaneda: 'the gameplay on both of them is not great...the game felt like I was chopping wood. And once you get over the light show spectacular, there's really not a lot in the gameplay element that makes you want to come back time and time again.'
?
product_concern: Elton John CE topper logos appear upside-down during attract mode and gameplay most of the time, possibly only correct 10% of the time

Topics

Personal collecting philosophy and downsizingprimaryBatman 66 SLE rarity, collectibility, and secondary marketprimaryGuns N' Roses CE market depreciation and playfield durability issuesprimaryGameplay quality vs. collectible value tradeoffprimaryElton John CE price point, production volumes, and topper design issueprimaryManufacturer health and market saturation (Haggis, American Pinball)secondaryJersey Jack production and pricing strategysecondaryUpcoming game anticipation (Back to the Future, John Wick, Pedretti Gaming)secondary

Sentiment

mixed(0.55)— Kaneda expresses genuine enthusiasm for Elton John's gameplay and appreciation for supportive Patreon members, but overall tone is conflicted and indecisive about his main dilemma. Criticism of GNR and Batman gameplay is direct and somewhat negative. Industry commentary at end is cynical/pessimistic about competitor struggles. Personal circumstances (new baby, mortgage) create underlying anxiety about spending and storage decisions.

Transcript

groq_whisper · $0.049

I'm going to try to do a pinball podcast, and I think I lost my voice this week. I've been going to all these work events. We're doing some fun stuff with Jameson. I was over there, Pernod Ricard, with screwball, peanut butter, whiskey, and maybe that's just it. Too much screwball, and now Kaneda can't even really talk. So if you can suffer through this podcast with me, I promise you my voice will heal sometime soon. But here's what I want to talk about on this episode of Kaneda's Pinball Podcast. I want to talk about my dilemma. What do I do with the pinball machines that I want to put into my home come June of this year? I'm about two weeks away from having baby number two arrive, and that is going to take over everything. I have 12 weeks off of paternity leave to think about everything going on in my world, to think about how to keep this family on the right track, to think about how to pay off this mortgage in less than 10 years, which is what I'm going to do. And then I also want to think about what pinball machines make their way into Casa de Canada. and I'm struggling with this decision. And here's what's going on inside my head. So I know Batman 66 is a game I've had a lot of fun with. I had it for a couple of years. I know that the game is clunky. I know it's not the best shooting game out there, but it also is a beautiful work of art collector's piece. It's a museum quality game from Stern Pinball. If you add the like brackets into the cabinet, because remember those cabinets, They crack, they split unless you added some reinforcements. It's got a playfield protector on it from day one. That game does need that because that's when Churchill stopped making playfields for Stern and the dimples on a Batman 66 are horrendous. So I know the game already. I know everything about this game. Then I've got Guns N' Roses Collector's Edition number 500 sitting in a box. No, it was not the last game off the line. Jersey Jack will simply put a different plaque into each box. It's not numerically ordered. They don't make their games in numerical order. Now, Guns N' Roses is my favorite band. You know this. My biggest work campaign of all time, if you're new to the show, is I once offered everybody in America, except for two people, a free Dr. Pepper, if Axl Rose would come out with Chinese Democracy Anytime in 2008. And after 17 years of people waiting for that album, I really still to this day believe that that offer that Kaneda cooked up is the reason why Guns N' Roses released the album that year. And you might not like the album, but it was the craziest thing. I had a budget of $10,000 and I changed music history with Dr. Pepper. It was so much fun and I became friends with the band. And even long before that, the reason why I wanted to do that program is I love Guns N' Roses so much. They were my favorite band when I was a kid and they still have some of the greatest rock and roll music the world has ever heard. Now look, Guns N' Roses Collector's Edition is a sinking ship. I mean, that game went from being worth at the height, around $20,000 you could get for a GNR when that game was revealed. Nowadays, collector's edition machines, they're selling for like $11.5, maybe even less. It doesn't matter what Jersey Jack is going to do to the code. The real issue with Guns N Roses collector editions that a lot of people don want to tell you they were early on in the build cycle of GNR Remember they made GNR for like two or three years And the early games the playfields all fell apart So my Guns N' Roses collector's edition, I guarantee you this. If I unbox that game and put it in my home, I guarantee you when we unbox this game, it's been in a box for like almost four years. We're going to see terrible pooling around the posts. I bet the playfields are going to be damaged before a single game is even played. Yes, I'll put down the washers and all the other stuff, but it's never going to solve the problem. Something about the way that ink stuck to the wood and they put art around the post. They just disintegrate when you play that game. But I am happy that they're revisiting the code. I am happy that the IO board exists. It's going to be able to shoot stronger. The code's going to be more fun. And it is a spectacle. GNR is a spectacle. But much like Batman, I think both of these games suffer one simple thing. The gameplay on both of them is not great. And for me, after playing Elton John, after playing games like Foo Fighters, after playing games like Godzilla, after playing games like Jaws, I'm just really having a dilemma. Do I really want to, in a home, have two games that don't shoot very well? Or would I have more fun if I put a game into the home that's going to be just much more fun to play every single day? And I've had a lot of fun playing Elton John. Man, I wish that Elton John CE was $12,500. I would order one tomorrow. There's something about that $15,000 that's just keeping me away from that game. I think by the time they make all 1,000 of those CEs, they're going to be easier to get for less money. and you know me, I'm in no rush with so much stuff going on in my world, so much stuff at work, so much stuff with the baby, so much stuff with Brenda. I'm in no rush. I'm especially in no rush to spend more money on pinball. And that's the other thing I really am wrestling with is I've got a lot of money even just tied up in these two games and in these Neo Geo cabinets. So for some of you out there that are like, oh my God, Kaneda is selling his stuff. Is everything okay, yes, everything is fine. It's just that this, I have a very simple philosophy in life right now. I don't want to have anything in storage anymore. When I move into my house, I want to have, and I want to be looking at the only things I own in the area of like automotive, the only things I own in the area of watches, the only things I own I want to use every single day. I don't want to live in this world where like someone's holding onto this cabinet or a coin taker's got three pinball machines they're storing for me for a later date. I don't believe in storing stuff. I don't want to hoard games for a later date. There might not be a later date. Life is really short. I want to enjoy the stuff I want to have in front of me every single day. For some of you out there, you can easily have 10 or 20 games in your home. For some of you out there, you might have 100 games, right? But for me, it's looking like the responsible thing is going to be one to two machines at most. I don't want you to see pinball machines in every room. Yes, I could fit one in the bedroom. Yes, I could fit one downstairs. Yes, maybe I could squeeze one into the garage, but I don't want that to be the case. I want to have, there's an area at the top of the stairs in my new home where I think I can fit two machines. I might start out with one and go from there. Now, here's the real dilemma. Between Guns N' Roses and Batman, I know both of the games very well. I am almost thinking about, and this is crazy, letting both of them go. And the reason why I'm thinking about letting both of them go is that I would rather have Back to the Future, even though I haven't seen it yet, I would just rather have Back to the Future than Guns and Roses and Batman 66. I also would rather play Elton John every single day over Guns and Roses and Batman 66 Again because I also really like Elton John music and I really love the way the game shoots And sometimes I think everyone can relate to this regardless of the theme Sometimes a game just plays so damn well, it sort of gets into you. Like it becomes part of who you are. Like you just kind of can't wait to play it again. And I'm not quite sure I ever felt that way about Batman. And I used to feel that way about Guns N' Roses when I started playing it. But the more I played GNR over the years, the more I did realize that it wasn't a lot of fun, that the game felt like I was chopping wood. And once you get over the light show spectacular, there's really not a lot in the gameplay element that makes you want to come back time and time again. Now, look, Elton John is way different. Like I've gone back to Jack Bar to play Elton John more than I ever went back to Jack Bar to play Guns N' Roses. Now, look, speaking of Elton John, I will say this. I've seen more imagery of the topper logos. And yes, it does seem like they do rotate at times to be more facing the player. But for the most part, most of the time it is still upside down. And so you be the judge on this. So when the game is in attract mode, why are the logos upside down? That's my big thing. And the other times I've seen gameplay, it's mostly upside down. So I'm not sure. Like, is it right side up 10% of the time? But it should always be facing the player. That's the way it should be. So maybe this topper gate is not going to be a major issue. I was really hoping for my next hedge multiball thing to complain about. You know, the most innocuous thing Canada can complain about. And maybe it's not going to develop into that. So this is where I'm at, people. Now, I might be listing for sale Batman 66 first. And if I'm thinking about which game would I sell, I might let Batman go first. There's a lot of money tied up in it. You know I'm very transparent. I bought that game for $25,000. Shipping it, like with white glove service, was almost around another $1,000. And so I'm in 26 on the game. The game is sitting at CoinTaker right now. It's all wrapped up, ready to go. The topper is there ready to go. If you're interested in a Batman 66 SLE, the reason why I want to say it here, you know, I've got well over 600 people who've listened to this podcast. Many of you are collectors and high-end collectors, and I would much rather see this game go to one of you if I sell the game versus listing it on Facebook, dealing with an anonymous person who doesn't know who I am, dealing with tire kickers. You know, I don't really want to go down that road. So if you're listening to this and you might want to own a Batman 66 super limited edition, there are probably about 75 of these left in the world that are actually in good condition. And there might only be like 10 of these in the world with a playfield protector. So you're ostensibly getting a brand new game. I'm not going to show this game. I'm not going to force this on anybody. I just want to put it out there for the Canadian club members. If you wanted first dibs at this game, I would much rather it go to one of you. I'm going to hold on to Guns N' Roses. I think Guns N' Roses between those two games, I would probably want to just set up the GNR. And the other reason is this, and I'm going to be very transparent. If I could free up the amount of money that's in Batman 66, it just gives me options to wait on Back to the Future and to be able to think about what I want my next game to be. Would it be an Elton John? Would I bite the bullet? I've waited. I've waited and waited and waited. The whole thing with wait and see people is this. We've all got to get used to this. If I tell you to wait and see, Elton John's been out now for six months. So all of us have waited who have not bought the game. And if we wait and see and prices don't come down on Elton John, like that might happen, like this game might be that good that prices just don't come down, then your only option to get one is to pay full price. And the only reason why the price would stay at full price is because the game is amazing And so I have not seen many Elton Johns go up for sale But what weird about Elton John is this There still a lot of Platinum games at distributors, new in box. There are even distributors that have CEs boxed up at their factory that will ship the game immediately. I think Kingpin Games had one. I know some distros are sold out of their first allotment, but there are more coming. And I'm always somewhat curious, like how many collector's editions does Jersey Jack actually make? Do we think they got a thousand orders for Elton John CE? I don't. I bet they've only made about 300 to date at most, and maybe they're going to do 500 in the initial run. But if they make all 1,000 of these games, I can't imagine they're not going to go down in value as other titles come out that people want as Jersey Jack moves on to its next game. So that is my dilemma. That's my short little Canadian Pinball podcast for today. I'm wondering what you think I should do. I will put up a poll so you guys can vote, but I'm really unsure of this. And the thing that makes me nervous about selling Batman 66 versus Guns N' Roses is if I let go of Batman now and I let go of this game where there's only like 75 out there, there's maybe only 10 maybe in the world with a playfield protector, it's really hard to get it back again because you don't see these games up for sale very often. And when they do pop up for sale, you know, there was one for like 40 grand, then 38 grand and $34,000. They're not cheap. And Stern's always going to be the pinball company that people collect the most. And in a world like that where Stern's the most collected machine in all of pinball. It's like Batman SLE and Supreme are the two most expensive Stern machines of all time. And trying to get your hands on one is really difficult. And obviously Batman is a way better machine than Supreme, but Supreme has all the fan base. So that is where I'm at. My voice is shot. I'm going to try to rest this weekend. I will still do my Saturday morning spectacular. I want to thank each and every one of you for your support. It means the world to me. We're still doing great. We got great numbers. I love the fact that some of you have increased how much you donate each month. Even though we're not over 700 subscribers right now, the show is actually bringing in more money right now because some of you have been so kind and you've increased the amount you give each month. And so when some people increase it to like $100 a month or $30 a month, just one of those increases makes up. It makes up when a few people cancel, and that's great. And I hope more of you are feeling like you get the value and the entertainment from this show. I'm not going anywhere. It's going to be a really fun month. We've got John Wick coming out around the corner. We've got a new game from Pedretti Gaming and Funhaus. We're going to see if that game is going to be worth the money. We've got Jersey Jack's next game is coming out sometime soon. We're going to have a lot going on in pinball. Prices are really high. You know you're not going to get any Win Schilling from Canada. You know I'm going to call this industry as I see it. Haggis Pinball is seemingly done. American Pinball shared a look at their factory. Nobody's buying that barbecue game. Come on. David Fix probably ordered everyone himself. It's going to be a very competitive pinball landscape, and I look forward to covering it every single week with each and every one of you. Everybody have a great Friday. We'll talk to you soon. What the F**k been up to Viva La Cute What's down in the area You can't even brush your teeth Get angry You can't even brush your teeth You can't even brush your teeth Get angry Get angry Get angry