Mate.. it doesnt matter.
Jacks no fool... he has set up a whole new pinball company and has obviously figured he can survive quite well making 2500+ premium machines. Whatever jacks business plan for the pinball side of things is, is irrelevant.. you will never find out as it is HIS plan... maybe over 5 years.. maybe 10 years.. its not your question to ask.
Have you ever thought that Jack doesnt really care for being another Stern.. the product is quite obviously up a few notches and my take is that he saw what he thought pinball shouldnt be.. ie Stern.
So what if Stern chuck out 4 titles a year.. so far most of them havent been worth a toss.. new cash flow has seen a better product ( so im told), but with investors comes the push to elevate profits with every title... its a hard line to follow.
Noone has said Stern has to play catch up.. what we have said is that JJP are doing stuff that really Stern should have been doing already.. the lazy attitude and the " Only manufacturer of real pinballs in the world" attitude is an excuse to churn out mediocre after mediocre.
I thought ACDC sucked.. had a guy in my shop today who had just played one and he left scratching his head...
just didnt grab me.. was his statement. This was the title that is meant to bounce Stern into a new era.
fact is that the artwork still has the same formula ( its never really worked unless you have no design skills).. play is faster and theme is better.. so what? Title doesnt make a game.. nor does a ball draining monster.. welcome ACDC.
When there is no competition its easy to get excited over B &C grade machines.. but the " im happy as at least its pinball" just doesnt cut the cheese... bit like getting excited over a Citroen 2CV cos at least its a car and it moves
