What do you think of the Tron pics?

[Jeff AMN]

It's not bad on the Stern game... that game is dinged more by certifiable --cream-filled twinkie-- Fred Young's voice work. 

Ahahaha, Fred Young. His interview with Clay was one of the most bizarre and sad things ever. The guy things VERY highly of himself and his talents. About 90% of his voices during that interview fall flat and he's just rolling in his amazing talents anyway.

[Jeff AMN]

His Homer Simpson sounded more like Norm from Cheers anyway.

I was actually shopping out a pin (Jackbot, I believe) and I had to keep stopping and just wondering if it was all a joke.

[RayB]

The flyer:

Front: http://www.maaca.org/download/file.php?id=2974&mode=view

Back: http://www.maaca.org/download/file.php?id=2973&mode=view

MSRP: $5699 *ouch*

*UPDATE* (june 28): Saw it priced in a showroom at $4990 which is what Iron Man originall retailed for, so no worries on price being jacked.

[ChadTower]

Holy crap.  Not that a NIB pin was ever even on my radar but you have to wonder at what point the train just stops rolling because of rising prices.

[Jeff AMN]

What do you want to bet that the extra cost is due to Jersey Jack selling his Wizard of Oz for so much? I'm guess that Stern feels that they have more wiggle room with pricing now.

Operators have to be counting the numbers of Big Buck Hunters they're going to be putting into location instead of the next pin...

[ChadTower]

Raising your prices based on a vaporware competitor would be a horrible business move.

[Jeff AMN]

Nah, Wizard of Oz will come out in some form. If they have to cut features, they will, but Jack has a pretty strong ego and he's not going to fail putting out a game.

[ChadTower]

Nah, Wizard of Oz will come out in some form. If they have to cut features, they will, but Jack has a pretty strong ego and he's not going to fail putting out a game.

It's not a smart business move to adjust your prices based on assumptions about competitors in general.  Until the game actually does come out it would be foolish of Stern to adjust their practices as a result of anything Jersey Jack says.  Adjust based on data.  All Jersey Jack has is assumptions at this point. 

[Jeff AMN]

Nah, Wizard of Oz will come out in some form. If they have to cut features, they will, but Jack has a pretty strong ego and he's not going to fail putting out a game.

It's not a smart business move to adjust your prices based on assumptions about competitors in general.  Until the game actually does come out it would be foolish of Stern to adjust their practices as a result of anything Jersey Jack says.  Adjust based on data.  All Jersey Jack has is assumptions at this point. 

Yeah, but this is pinball. Bad business decisions have ruled this industry for decades.

[ChadTower]

Yeah, but this is pinball. Bad business decisions have ruled this industry for decades.

Dunno.  Stern may make a lot of bad design decisions but they do still exist.  The business decisions must be at least competent.

[Jeff AMN]

They've done what they've needed to do to stay in business, but part of it is the stubborn nature of pinball players and how they'll keep supporting the hobby to the bitter end. But yeah, Stern has managed to stick around while nobody else could, so there is something to that.

[Jeff AMN]

I wonder if the investors are pinning their hopes in emergent markets buying up pinball machines. I don't see why some Asian markets couldn't give sales a significant bump if they were marketed correctly.

[ChadTower]

I wonder if the investors are pinning their hopes in emergent markets buying up pinball machines. I don't see why some Asian markets couldn't give sales a significant bump if they were marketed correctly.

Because entertainment technology flows out of Asia and not into it?

[TOK]

Because entertainment technology flows out of Asia and not into it?

They have a taste for different stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if Stern sold a lot in China.
GM killed Pontiac instead of Buick because they sold more Buicks in China than Buick and Pontiac combined in the US.

Would you want a Buick? I sure as hell wouldn't! There might be a huge market for ---smurfy--- pinball machines with clip art themes.

[RayB]

The flyer:

Front: http://www.maaca.org/download/file.php?id=2974&mode=view

Back: http://www.maaca.org/download/file.php?id=2973&mode=view

MSRP: $5699 *ouch*

I just wanted to clarify/update so as not to mislead people: I saw Tron at Toronto's Playdium Store and it was priced the same as Iron Man was: $4990 (Canadian). They are currently selling Iron man for $4890. (Keep in mind our dollar is worth more than US, though not by much).

As for is it fun? The volume on it was kind of low, so I couldn't appreciate the sounds and music much. Playfield seems sparse. I played 1 game then moved on to play a LE LotR, LE RS, IM, ... even Dale Jr. had more interesting playfield features.