The pinball community doesnt mind if u are late, provided you give your customers constant feedback and valid reasons as to why/how/when etc.
JJP have been honest from day 1, havent told any fibs to my knowledge and have been focusing on getting things right before sending out a machine.
If JJP sent out a machine that wasnt finished, and the product ws given bad reviews, it would be alot worse than holding back, waiting for the machine to be right, then sending out.
Have they had some cancellations, Probably, will they get a few more cancellations betweeen now and December when the machines are still not finished, Probably, will JJP still have a loyal following with 80 percent of the people who have ordered a WOZ, Probably, and this will mean some solid pre-sales for their next pinball machine if the title is good.
Jersey Jack is responsible if the machine is late, the buck stops with him, but he can only give dates based on his pinball teams advice as to when things will be finished by etc. Some will be tolerant, others will not be and will wipe JJP for future purchasers because they are so late.
But this all keeps showing up one thing that no-one can escape, and that is the job Stern have been doing well for many years.
JJP have made Stern look smarter and more productive as a result of all this. It just goes to show, that 20 million bux, poaching/finding/recruiting the best pinball minds in the business guarrantees nothing at all, unless you can make it all work smoothly and quickly.
Alot of people said JJP would be bad for Stern, but I am of the mind JJP have been great for Stern and made alot of people realise Stern was doing a better job all along with their production cycles and ability to get multiple machines to the market quickly, without delays.
Gary Stern would be smiling and I think he deserves to.
WOZ will still be a great machine, but it will always be known as a very very late, over-run machine. Will it matter in 12 months ? Time will tell.
