Pinball Roundtable Part - 11 with Retro Ralph and Cale Hernandez - Episode 77

Beetlejuice sellout signals design/value shift away from Stern toward boutique manufacturers.

JBS Show roundtable discusses Spooky Pinball announcement, which sold out instantly and generated massive community excitement. The hosts compare Spooky's feature-rich design approach ($10K price point with extensive sculpts and mechanics) against Stern's recent releases, noting a perceived shift in Stern toward cost-cutting under new leadership (Seth), which constrains designer creativity. The conversation touches on Stern's stagnant sales (The Walking Dead (LE) underperforming), relationship deterioration with partners, and broader market dynamics where newer boutique manufacturers are attracting enthusiasts previously loyal to Stern.