Quote: "this doesnt look that exciting to me.
to be realistic, u need a big company like Stern or JJP to produce something "SPECIAL" today."
I don't agree, a small guy (pinball company) has to start somewhere just like JJP taking orders and have never produced a pinball machine but they are looking to come out with a winner and had some clever marketing strategies to lure lots of people in. Difference with him is he has his other businesses to help float the pinball business, but he wants to hit the market a little more than John / Heck. Consider these guys like Lamborghini to Ferrari, started off as small company, perfectionist, hand built and could be absolutely awesome in the end, known by everyone yet not in everyones price affordability but desired.
I don't see why these guys can't come up with something unique, original and be different. If it's only possibly 2 guys overheads (maybe a few others or contract cabinets out etc) so costs reasonably low and hence the small production run (99) - better than saying they are going to do 1000 then need a big warehouse etc. At least there is no license and the creative juices can flow and not be hindered by upper managements restrictions. Stern stamp there playfields with dimples for screw, John / Heck have a cnc router therefore no reason you do the machining and and dimpling effect - easily machine both sides of a playfield in 80-100 hours, send it elsewhere to be screen printed while you are working on the next parts. Even Jamie off Mythbusters has alot of cool machinery and can make up anything he wants in his own shop - sky is the limit.
John is a very talented designer and Ben is a very smart guy and a big electronics geek and he proved he could do a machine at home and show it off to everyone.
99 x $10K = nearly $1 Million and that was in about 4 days with $2500 to be paid up in 30 days - $250000 to allow production to kick off.
spend 50 - 60% on parts and production / tooling
spend 10% on tax
spend 30 - 40% wages for themselves and the next investment
They then just get some advertising endorsements - "cointaker custom units" and away they go - bloody good on them
I am not really into zombies, but they sound like they have cool new concepts.
Good luck to them
