72 episodes tracked since 2022 about →
67: Yo, Enough Timers!
PodcastAnalysis updated yesterday50 min listen
Why can't these pinball companies tell us what games are coming out? Enough with the timers in pinball. Help us give you money. Is Stern selling? Support the show:...
Highlights
- Timers in pinball modes serve no purpose outside of tournaments and high-volume locations, and even then the justification is weak
- Jurassic Park generous timers and unobtrusive design make the game more enjoyable than games with constant tight timers
- Stern's lack of transparency about release dates and product pipeline creates market anxiety and prevents informed purchasing decisions
- Expression Lights for Foo Fighters has been delayed; initially told it would come out 'pretty quick' at MGC last year, but still no definitive release date a year later
- Stern's potential sale could either improve transparency and planning or worsen the situation depending on the buyer
- Virtual pinball simulations have directly led to three confirmed hardware purchases: Iron Man, The Walking Dead (Pro), and Metallica (Pro)
- Video game publishers are more transparent about release timelines than pinball manufacturers, even with similar licensing constraints
- There should be a pause button in pinball machines, similar to home video game consoles, except for specific game themes designed for difficulty like From Software-style games
- Distributors often don't have reliable information about upcoming releases and Stern doesn't communicate timelines clearly to them
- Flip N Out Pinball (Zach Sharpe) is consistently reliable and honest about what information is or isn't available regarding upcoming releases
Notable quotes
“I am so sick of timers in pinball. I struggle to think of any reason to continue to have them in modes.”
“I've never been a time where I've enjoyed a timer in a mode. I've always hated it.”
“Why don't we have a pause button in pinball? Holy shit! I wasn't even planning on coming up with that.”
“It's almost like a FOMO built in to a FOMO hobby. I don't want it. I've had enough.”
“I wouldn't think so. Sure, you can always do the fear factor and say, oh my God, it's terrible. They're going to sell out and then they're going to charge us all this money. Probably not. Maybe they suddenly have a bunch more money to work with.”
“I have no idea and it's it sucks for me personally. I would just like to know. I don't have millions of dollars to just make fuck up decisions on pinball machines.”
“There is many times where I'll just straight ask Zach, hey man, have you heard this rumor? Because I want to buy this from you but I'm hesitant. He will shoot me straight up 99 out of 100 times.”
“I have boughten... how many games? Three. I can instantly think of three games I've boughten specifically because I've tested them out first on virtual pinball.”
“If I could turn off timers right now in every game I would play, I would do it instantly. And if I could pause it to grab a coke or take a piss, I would shake your hand.”
“Just tell us like, what is the plan? Do you make more money off of home buyers or location? Just tell, who cares?”
Entities
- Jersey Jack Pinball· company
- P3· company
- Stern Pinball· company
- Nudge Pinball· company/operator
- MGC (Midwest Gaming Classic)· event
- Black Knight: Sword of Rage· game
- Foo Fighters· game
- Godzilla· game
- Iron Maiden· game
- Iron Man· game
- Jurassic Park· game
- Metallica (Pro)· game
- Star Wars· game
- The Walking Dead (Pro)· game
- VPIN Workshop· organization
- Doc Monday· person
- Tanyo· person
- Zach Sharpe· person
- Bad Penny· venue
- Eau Claire Reboot Social· venue
- Electric Bat· venue/podcast
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