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Kaneda’s Pinball Podcast
Kaneda’s Pinball Podcast
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Kaneda Live Audio Show - May 15 - "Are Stern LEs A Think of the Past?"

PodcastAnalysis updated today41 min listen
TL;DR

Kaneda questions Stern's LE model viability amid Transformers Optimus failure and shallow Pokémon code.

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Synopsis

Kaneda discusses Stern's Limited Edition pricing model and recent game releases, particularly Transformers (LE) and Pokémon LE. Key revelation: Optimus Prime in Transformers does not transform due to reliability issues with ball impacts. Kaneda critiques Stern's engineering, the LE value proposition ($3,000 premium over Pro with minimal differentiation), and expresses concerns about Pokémon's shallow code implementation and lack of Pokédex features at launch. He speculates on upcoming releases including potential John Borg cornerstones and Keith Elwin's Fallout.

Highlights

  • Optimus Prime in Transformers LE does not transform; George Gomez confirmed they couldn't get it to work reliably with ball traps and impacts.
  • Pokémon LE at launch has no Pokédex feature and lacks online Insider Connected integration for collecting/sharing Pokémon, which is fundamental to the IP experience.
  • Pokémon battles feel emotionally numb and lack dramatic presentation: no sense of injury, no clear win/loss state, missing battle mode atmosphere.
  • Stern LE pricing model is broken: $3,000 premium over Pro with no exclusive modes, mechs, playfield artwork, or toppers justifies the cost differential.
  • John Borg has a cornerstone game at Expo (likely Ozzy Osbourne/Black Sabbath based on designer rotation patterns).
  • Transformers game has been in development for 25 months.
  • Stern Spike 3 platform uses Raspberry Pi computing system, reducing costs compared to prior architecture.
  • GNR Collector's Edition recently sold for $10,899 at Flip N Out Pinball, providing market reference for LE depreciation.
  • Pokémon LE buyers are 'still above water' if they bought at $13,000 MSRP; only day-one flips profited significantly.
  • Sonic the Hedgehog will 'destroy the value' of Transformers LE within a month of release.

Notable quotes

“They couldn't get it to work. We had it transforming and it was less than reliable with ball traps and ball impacts seriously affecting it.”
George Gomez (via Kaneda reading direct message)
“It's a gut punch. It's a gut punch. Because I think that some of the feedback we were getting that Transformers is going to have the ultimate mechanism in any game ever was the transforming Optimus and they couldn't get it to work.”
Kaneda
“I don't feel like I'm in a battle. It's like switches are being hit and you're hitting some lit shots and then you see the health bar. I'm not even sure if I'm winning or losing.”
Kaneda (gameplay critique of Pokémon)
“It feels like what we have is a Pro game. It's still missing something else that's wowed it just doesn't have anything else in it that really is wowing us.”
Kaneda (on Pokémon LE)
“You can't go from a world where LEs were only $7,500 and $1,500 more than Premium to now being $13,000 and $3,000 more with more units out there and it just works.”
Kaneda
“It's almost like the only thing they know how to do is make fewer games. And even then, they're not where they need to be.”
Kaneda (on Stern marketing/LE strategy)
“When Stern went over to Spike 3, the changes they made to the platform really did feel like they were making things cheaper. I can see when I look at the front of the cabinet and now there's two little black bolts where there used to not be.”
Kaneda
“The only one that really should be running to buy any Stern new in box right away is an operator because operators make money off the new game.”
Kaneda
“If you bought Foo Fighters, James Bond, Dungeons and Dragons, John Wick, Star Wars Fall of the Empire, The Walking Dead... you're talking about like $20,000 in value loss on the machines that are supposed to hold the value.”
Kaneda
“I'm very, very nervous that Stern Pinball did not launch Pokémon with the Insider Connected and the online nature of the game, the foundational nature of the Insider Connected way you're going to collect Pokémon and involve them or share them. None of that is in the game.”
Kaneda

Entities

  • Flip N Out Pinball· company
  • Stern Pinball· company
  • Pinball Expo· event
  • AC/DC· game
  • Black Sabbath / Ozzy Osbourne· game
  • Dune· game
  • Fallout· game
  • Godzilla· game
  • Guns N' Roses Collector's Edition· game
  • KISS· game
  • Pokémon LE· game
  • Sonic the Hedgehog· game
  • The Walking Dead· game
  • Transformers LE· game
  • Winchester Mystery House· game
  • IFPA/Twippies· organization
  • George Gomez· person
  • John Borg· person
  • Kale· person
  • Kaneda· person
  • Keith Elwin· person
  • Pat Lee· person
  • Insider Connected· product
  • Spike 3· product

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