It would be neat to see more "Lost Vegas" type games.  Shallower rule sets, but still commercial parts & aesthetics.   Artwork, cabinet, backglass, single-level playfield... $2000???   Dreaming     Don't invest in a new hardware platform, but team up like CPR has with Altec, etc...

If they could team up with and make some simple games for a lower price that would be attractive as Ricker said.

Quoted from machine.slave

Great news for pinball, no matter how you slice it!

Maybe not. Maybe a pinball company happens to be set up to produce a more profitable product. I can only think back to Williams reason to close their flipper division to see how this particular business works.

Funny how Gary who didn't give a damn about the home user is changing his tune in the face of potential closure. There is no way in hell re-runs of older titles that were of interest to collectors would put aside new more commercially relevant products. How many ops would be jumping on the LOTR bandwagon, and in particular one with an increased bottom line for a few additions. Stern knows who they are building these for. No casual player would even notice of any upgrades. Do you think it would bring in one extra thin dime to the operators having a real backglass? Not only is it more unjustified money to an op but they would be deeply concerned about the theme being dated. These machines are being produced for Sterns one only remaining market that is currently viable, collectors.

It's my experience that private equity firms either "make" family businesses, or "break" them (interested only in selling off their assets).  SO we'll see, it takes about 2 years for the net effect to become evident.

And if home owners are their market, they need to sell a platform. It worked for Nintendo, it can work for Stern (on a smaller scale of course). You buy the expensive common components once (or twice, or if you're 'pins only' 4 times), and it would include legs, cabinet, plunger, electronics, and backbox with 27" LCD. All you have to buy from then on is a playfield and download the ROMs to a USB stick. The playfields would have a much smaller barrier to entry for consumers from then on, and they'd sell a lot more units. They could even sell alternate cabinet decals for extra profit.

Yes, it would take some initial up front investment, but that's what this new guy's for.

If I were them, I'd then try to license some of the popular WMS games and release those. But now I'm just getting silly!

Quoted from websherpa

It's my experience that private equity firms either "make" family businesses, or "break" them (interested only in selling off their assets).  SO we'll see, it takes about 2 years for the net effect to become evident.

Who would buy Stern's assets? There are no other pinball companies. All that would remain is rights to make repro parts, and that's probably not worth much, especially since most of the games are licensed. Anyone that got rights to repro LOTR parts, for example, would need to get a license from New Line Pictures too. Yuck.

Quoted from Menace

Didn't Bally try this ages ago with "home" versions of the coin-op stuff?  (and to my knowledge the "home" versions were crap)  Stick to making the games the way they are, that way they don't have to worry about managing 2 types of systems.

D

Well, I don't think Ricker is saying make a Sears / Costco version that feels cheap, just one that doesn't have $1,000 worth of ramps & toys.   Bring back a simple game that still is commercial grade.   I doubt I'd buy one anyway, but I'm feeding into the point of view that some games are just too ocmplex for simple minded people like me.   (  OK, I'm trying to justify why I sold TZ      )

Quoted from necro_nemesis

These machines are being produced for Sterns one only remaining market that is currently viable, collectors.

Well that would make perfect sense, since it's the collector community who begged him to do it in the first place  

I'd be willing to bet we'll see quite a few more movie and TV themed pins now.. I mean, there will be teams of people who only care about money convincing Hollywood producers it's a great idea by speaking their language.  

Don't get me wrong, I'm very thankful for Gary keeping the industry alive, but something tells me he's not the best PR man to sell the product and pitch the ideas.

Quoted from necro_nemesis

Maybe not. Maybe a pinball company happens to be set up to produce a more profitable product. I can only think back to Williams reason to close their flipper division to see how this particular business works.

Funny how Gary who didn't give a damn about the home user is changing his tune in the face of potential closure. There is no way in hell re-runs of older titles that were of interest to collectors would put aside new more commercially relevant products. How many ops would be jumping on the LOTR bandwagon, and in particular one with an increased bottom line for a few additions. Stern knows who they are building these for. No casual player would even notice of any upgrades. Do you think it would bring in one extra thin dime to the operators having a real backglass? Not only is it more unjustified money to an op but they would be deeply concerned about the theme being dated. These machines are being produced for Sterns one only remaining market that is currently viable, collectors.

Agree 100%.

The investing team seems focused on marketing, so that's a good thing. I cann't believe how backwards Stern has been. No videos? That's just dumb. Free exposure on youtube and they couldn't be bothered to make a simple video. That was a no brainer for the marketing guy. Let's see what he does with the videos behind him. Let's see some more marketing....

There is Facebook and twitter. Start opening up communication with the market. How about adding a blog. What about actually announcing what is coming down the pipeline? I mean officially rather than through the grapevine.

And like Necro said, they need to stop insulting the home market and design games for us. Like the Ltd releases they have done as of late, I'd like to see versions of the games with extra clear coat, real backglass, etc.

I'd have to disagree with Doug on dumbing down the game, though. I think they got it right with Spiderman and Family Guy/Shrek. Easy rules to understand, but complexity for the experts.

Will be interesting to see what the future holds.

Duane

Quoted from Tuborg

(  OK, I'm trying to justify why I sold TZ      )

Now you are making sense.

Think of the marketing for the fancy pin like a Batman and bring in the more simple maybe nostalgic pin, single level like a classic Stern. Look at Cooke's video and that game looks fun to play and we keep trading or selling games like that all of the time, more so than the uber high end pins. Our classified section proves that. It does not mean that they are not desired, just sometimes not affordable that's all. And what a nice tie in it could be if today's Stern could release the classic Sterns.

He does reruns all of the time...

the fact that Gary remains as CEO is bad but the rest is great news!