I thought the same thing for Kiss. Very loyal fanbase, collecting every Kiss related item... and yet they failed to sell their "Super LE" Kiss machine, with a signed instruction card at an inflated price. Or (as far as I know) they sold 3/50?

Pretty sure pinball fans will line up for a SW LE machine. Not so sure about non pin-heads SW fans. They might settle for the flyer instead...

I think we will continue to see most of the LE's sell out quickly on any popular license. People that buy LE's are a different market group for the most part. They know there is not value in the difference between a premium and an LE but they want it anyway and the money is not an issue. Mid level titles like Aerosmith might really struggle to sell out though. I think the big drop will be in the premium sales. I normally know several people getting premiums of the next title and a couple getting LE's. For BM66 I know 2 people getting LE's and no one getting a premium.

Yes people are going to line up for star wars. Guess what though, it will just be another stern and it won't be the magical game everyone is looking for. People have already built it up to a level that it has zero chance of living up to expectations. The same thing happened with TWD and GOT. Both are solid enough games but neither are loaded with toys and both failed miserably with capturing the theme. Pinsiders had to fix the call outs on TWD just to have voices from the show and GOT doesn't feel like you are in the GOT world at all. 2 huge extremely popular licenses that couldn't live up to expectations.

Wow you really believe this

Pinball gameplay in 1990 can't be compared with nowadays. A crap pin is still a crap pin whatever the licence. so a Star Wars pinball could be a must have today with a great code only.

If/when I get another pin, it will most likely have to be a pre-loved example of something... I'm not really in a position to dump that kinda cheddar on a NIB. Got one kid rapidly approaching college, with another not far behind. Disposable income is going to disappear!

I do wish prices were more "reasonable" in our eyes. Regardless, I am looking forward to and hoping for many new releases from Stern, JJP, HW, Spooky, etc. As one poster mentioned, more new releases equals more HUO machines hitting the market a year or two down the road.

This hobby does not need NIB pins to keep it alive. When I first entered this hobby Stern was just about DOA and nobody even talked about them. Of course then LOTR hit and they were back.

But the hobby would have continued just fine even if they hadn't survived.

Sure things would be different, but the hobby would survive regardless.

My biggest issue is not the price increases....it's the price increases combined with the reduction in quality. GB was a dream theme for me...didn't buy one, and don't plan to with the current quality.

Ritchie plus Starr Wars equals NIB for me.

I bit the bullet and bought a GB Premium, expecting today. However, this is the last NIB I buy. The prices are way out of whack. I was going to get my 3rd JJP game until I saw the price. Now I could have stomached the 7,500 or even 8k, but no way in hell 9K. I won't even buy the 8k DI as it has some stripped components on the playfield.

Going to buy pre-owned after this and hope my GB with the new Churchill playfield holds up. I think the gameplay of GB is really great. Just wish they would have done RGB throughout the game. Some of those crazy ultra bright lights underneath and flashers are totally blinding. Brighter doesn't mean better!!!!!!

Just looked $8000 DI http://www.jerseyjackpinball.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/DI-Game-Comparison.pdf did not realize so striped down

Maybe, just maybe Star Wars will feaure a large Death Star toy that appears very interactive but then opens and reveals a large Darth Vader head to bash, lol.

You're missing the point. I'm not arguing those games were legendary good. The quote was:

"Star Wars is a marque theme. It is the biggest franchise in the word with the biggest earnings and the most loyal fan base.
There are Star Wars collectors that pay big money for all sorts of merchandise and collectables. They collect everything from candy bars, expensive maquettes to life size statues worth more than a pinball machine."

The implication is that masses of loyal Star Wars collectors will buy a Stern machine simply because it says Star Wars. My point is: there are currently four Star Wars pins that aren't pushed to the limits of scarcity or price. These "collectors" haven't bothered to make past Star Wars pins a priority... no reason to assume they will all of a sudden rise up and buy thousands of a new Star Wars pin.

If Gary Stern is reading this...there's a pretty good chance you just landed yourself a job.

Doesn't look stripped down to me. I don't think you get a single thing that's going to affect gameplay for your extra $1,000.

And yet...a stern pro is still gonna be at least $2,000 cheaper. For a game we know will be fun and reliable and designed by the best in the business.

The problem with the polls, complaints, and outrage is that a stern STILL seems to be the best deal for quality NIB pinball machine. Instead of getting mad at stern people should be getting mad at everybody else - stern didn't start the high priced pinball wars, that's for sure. You don't have to look very far to see who fired up the gravy train.

If that passion transferred to pinball, then the 4 existing SW pinballs should be worth well more than they are, due to collectors snatching them up for theme alone...however, those games don't sell for unrealistic prices - so, why would they rush out for the new one at $10k
or whatever? Star Wars fans aren't starved for gaming based on their franchise. They don't "need" a pinball. They've got a million video games to keep them entertained.

If he continues with his current trends, it will have no good toys, bad photoshop art, gaudy colors, and no characters on the playfield. When it's announced, people will go "hmmm that Data East one sure is a looker"

Have you seen data east Star Wars? Have you PLAYED data east Star Wars?

That game sells for big money based upon theme alone. A new Star Wars pin isn't gonna outsell Addams family but it's gonna do well. If it's a good game it's gonna do really well.

My theory is JJP is the main cause of price hikes think about it first they introduced a
6500.00$ woz machine
Then
Hobbit was 7500$
Then was
Dialed in at 9k
Before those prices would stay the same for the most part

It's not just them. Spooky, Dutch, heighway, and jpop (lulz) ALL got the ball rolling on this, yet are spared the outrage and the rosa parks routine (well I may have heard some anger directed toward jpop, I don't remember).

I don't understand why. You guys are finally getting your LCD screen so the stern games should be worth the same, no?

Same guys complaining are the same ones climbing all over themselves to get on the Star Wars LE list.

Once again, the prices increases are in part due to the "flipper party" that takes place every popular LE release.

WTF do you expect Stern to do, or anybody else, when they sell a GBLE at $8k and people are on an all out siege to grab them up and flip them for $9k-$10k.

Or maybe you forgot the Metallica LE fiasco?

WTF do you think is going to happen. Get used to it, its the new normal, and when Stern can no longer get those prices because people are losing $$$ on the secondary market, then it will go back to the old normal.

Patience. Things go in cycles.

Prices never go down. They just stop increasing (which accounting for inflation IS a price drop, but still).

Look at the concert industry - tickets started rising exponentially in the 90s because promoters were tired of scalpers taking all the meat off the bone. Why not charge $100 for a stones ticket instead of $40 when that's obviously the going rate?

Well stones tickets kept rising, and rising...sometimes they stall depending on the economy or demand but they NEVER go down.

A stones ticket will run you $200-900 (not counting insane VIP deals) next time mick and company wheel themselves into town.

When was Star Wars announced? Did I miss something?

you're about 1 year late to the party. Stern hold the rights but no word on when it will be made

Yawn. I cannot imagine what would happen if a pinball factory opened in Asia and we were flooded with those pins... I would make enough doing pin repair for people to buy all the NIB Sterns I wanted.....and I would..

Relax folks....its just pinball.

I think saying 4 SW games is a stretch Sonic is a toy and Williams is a pin 2000 to many not a true pin.SW was Data East biggest seller and the Sega SWT was a solid seller as well

It looks to me like it has 1k in extras though. Powder coated armor, Invisglass, Shaker Motor. I mean those three things alone are worth 1k for a machine.

Look again the invisglass and powder coating are not there for the $8000 game

If there is one thing we can learn from previous licensed games it's that the fans of the licensed brand usually don't care about a pinball machine. Star Trek was considered such a hot property that fans would go crazy for, but most ST fans didn't buy the pinball game or even bother at all. The number of KISS sales to the KISS army is highly dissappointing. You'd expect Stern to be cranking out KISS games for years to meet the demand, but apparently the demand isn't there. So why would it be different for Star Wars?

I agree 1000000000%

I agree. Pinball doesn't seem to cross over. These are mega expensive purchases to the regular people out there. Maybe a hot license can get a few extra quarters on location, but you won't all of a sudden sell them an entire pinball machine.

Licenses only seem to help when pinheads are a fan of "License X". And can also hurt (see Mustang).

I don't care what the title is Star Wars, Pulp Fiction or other I will not buy NIB from Stern anymore. I'm not saying those will be made just providing examples of two themes I'd love to own but even on those I'd wait to buy on the secondary market. That's my right to say that this price is my line in the sand I will not cross for a new pin that has a decent chance of having defects unseen by me before purchase. Not making a big deal about it or saying others should do the same just that I've had enough with the issues and constant price gouging.

I'm not sure you guys have a hypothesized expectation that's in line with what stern is thinking.

They don't expect every Star Wars fan to buy a pinball machine. They don't expect the game to approach 90s Williams numbers.

They simply expect it to sell well, like the other Star Wars games have done historically. They expect it to sell well like Star Trek (it's still in production and I've seen a million in collections and on location - it's crazy to suggest it was a disappointment.) and we have no idea how kiss did - but sure seems like lots of kiss fans here bought one. These licenses most likely meeting expectations.

They aren't trying to take over the world, just sell games to operators, home buyers, and collectors. And you are way off if you don't think Star Wars is going to accomplish that goal.

Funny thing is Stern's $15K BM66 SLE doesn't even have Invisiglass on it lol

Anyone know what the increase is?

You wanna charge big money for pinball machines then make sure the theme is there, look at Dialed In that won't be selling large, Star Wars LE's will sell out real fast and SLE even faster should that be an option, based on the OG triolgy and with a Dark Side special LE version I will gladly pay sight unseen.

So Maybe there is a market for the BM66 MSLEDSR (mega super LE de sa race) with the Invisiglass and Autographs of the children of the actors, all for $20k

You have never heard me say a kind word about all the over priced games out there Stern's $15'000 80 run game or JJP $12'000 open end run LE

I agree.
Batman could have been done in such a way that they could have pulled 10 to 15K out of me.
If it were designed from the ground up like Ghostbusters with original 3D molded toys and ideas like a working Bat Cave entrance where the road sign drops down to allow access or something like that, my money could not leave fast enough.
But as it sits with a half ass playfield re-theme and Hotwheel cars for decoration, it just rubs me the wrong way.
The ideas I have seen thrown around by the community here far out weigh what Stern is giving us.
But I guess there are enough people out there willing to pay for someones signature and tiny bit of custom speech that things are the way they are at the moment.

Not sure by how much, but there will be an increase. Get in touch with your distributor,
From our distributor....

Dear Ladies & Gentlemen

Attached is a schedule of game availability for the rest of 2016.  The schedule indicates when current orders you will ship and
when new orders will be available to ship.  We have been advised that from 1/1/17 there will be a general PRICE INCREASE on all models of pinballs ordered from that date.

Screen Shot 2016-12-13 at 12.57.01 PM (resized).png

Sad but true....so many missed opportunities. But the apologists will jump down your throat if you complain about Stern cutting corners on recent games. In any case this resurgence will die down soon...Stern knows it, so does JJP. Hobby is not wide enough for 4 manufacturers pumping out 8k games.

I've ben joking with a friend for a year that it's going to be another run at the SM layout with a bouncing death star in the center instead of a vengeance ship.

I am not. Not even considering it.
I've decided; I may second hand it... when the code is done. I'm done playing Stern's game.

Clearly... you weren't paying attention. This Fan bought an LE... and the LEs sold out before they officially announced.
They did what... 5 or 6 runs of Premiums / Pros over ?5? years.
Not sure I'd agree at all with your statement.

I purchased my Star Trek LE in March 2014 from a distributor.

Did you pay more than $7k? If so... distributor was a flipper.
Regardless, The point I was trying make is that Stern had no problem selling these machines. They weren't left holding any. I can't say the same for other themes like (WWF or Mustang). I don't think those titles did more than their initial runs and probably didn't sell out the LEs.

Stern unfortunately (I predict) has already sold out the SW LE... unless they are bumping them to 1500/2000 units for another money grab.

Used doesn't count.

Yes, there have been plenty of threads like this. But, I will grant this..through all the other threads I was still buying. This time around, and a few guys I know who have been in the same boat, are not buying. I hope there are enough new people around to keep it trucking along, but I sense quite a few of the medium-long term buyers are backing off.

Yep.

I used that distributor once and that was it. At the time, I did not know any better and I had no idea this site even existed.

In my line of work, we are only allowed to use the local distributors. So naturally, I looked for the local one to me for pinball. Thanks to people on here, they were able to push/show me the right way to purchase new machines.

Today? I get all my NIB games from JJ.

Sounds more interactive then Smaug

You like pinball and Star Trek, so you bought a game. Good for you. LE's sold out because distributors bought them, not because Star Trek fans bought them. The point I tried to make is that a license may help to get fans of a theme to drop a quarter in a game on location, but I don't see that many fans of a theme, who aren't in the pinball hobby, buy the pinball machine because it is themed about a movie or b(r)and they like.

......and no Lyman on code.