Has AC/DC Put Stern Back On The Pinball Map?

[GORGAR 1]

Has AC/DC been great for the Stern brand? What you guys reckon since I bought my AC/DC its made me more aware of Stern titles I never used to look at them and now I find myself really interested in them I just recently bought a Ripley's believe it or not and love the speed and rules. I've enjoyed playing Blairs Pirates game and am taking a close interest in the new stuff like X-men. I still really enjoy Bally/Williams games and always will but buying AC/DC has really opened up my eyes to Stern and with some competition coming the timing couldn't have been better.

Peter

[ajlaird]

I certainly think the AC/DC machine has set them up for a few years as it has been a great title and very good seller.

I guess they were never really off the pinball map as they are the only manufacturer regularly churning out machines, but there is no doubt that some of the previous titles were a bit ho-hum in some respects (sticking to a tried and true formula). AC/DC has lifted the game for them and has generated a lot more interest.

[Pop Bumper Pete]

I would say 'YES'

A lot of collectors who had never even dreamed of buying a Stern (let alone a NIB Stern) have bought this title and seem to be enjoying it (even if there were a few issues to deal with)

[GORGAR 1]

I would say 'YES'

A lot of collectors who had never even dreamed of buying a Stern (let alone a NIB Stern) have bought this title and seem to be enjoying it (even if there were a few issues to deal with)

Yep even in the USA its selling well,  still now there buying and premiums are selling well to pin collectors, so bar a few small issues which are being sorted quickly this title I think was a master stroke for Stern, alot are saying "I'm not a AC/DC fan but i bought one and love it" so I think they got on right.

Peter

[Olivia_jason]

my answer is, does any one outside of the hobby know about it??? NOPE.
no one is bringing pinball back into the mainstream any more, big failure of pinball makers
customers who play the pnball at my shop think they dont even make pinball machines any more lol.

[Strangeways]

AC/DC was a winner for Stern, but they turned the corner with Ironman. That title impressed me very much. AC/DC is a brilliant machine. AC/DC fans that are not necessarily pinball fans did buy the game, but the Angus head cost Stern a lot of sales. That's outside the hobby - just band fans.

[tonyt]

Think your'e right Peter - exposed collectors to Sterns that may not have considered them before the title was released.

Before going to the US and playing heaps of the newer Sterns, I would not have given them a second look. After playing ACDC LE, I was very impressed with the feel of the game and finish (I am not into the band). Have just purchased a Ripleys Believe It Or Not and would consider other Sterns in the future.

[elkor-alish]

my answer is, does any one outside of the hobby know about it??? NOPE.
no one is bringing pinball back into the mainstream any more, big failure of pinball makers

I would say yes.
Several people at my work (I work for a BIG company) have asked me about the ACDC pinball.
Some of my daughters, friends, parents have also asked me about it and I hardly know them.
I haven't discussed the machine with any of these people before they raised it with me themselves.
I don't think you can get more mainstream than having almost complete strangers ask about it.
Sounds to me like it has definitely put Stern, and pinball, back into people's minds and popular culture.

[Mr Tilt]

After buying a NIB Stern , I could not dish out 5k-10k for B/W & DE pinnies after owning a pristine new pinnie that have better gameplay than most B/W titles and Im talking about purchases like LOTR LE, TRON LE, TSPP, SM etc
I just couldnt look at my B/W pinnies in the same way and let them go to fund NIB purchases
You open a NIB , everything is fresh including the smell,there is no comparison.
Saying this though there are many B/W A titles that I would like to own again but in fully restored condition!!

[Cow Corner]

  and 

[Caveoftreasures]

To me, because Stern has been making good machines for soo long, it doesnt feel like they were off the map, but the recent HUGE sales of AC/DC in all configurations and the happiness it has bought so many pinball collectors has now made ALOT more people take a hard second look at what Stern has coming out next. So for that alone, it did put alot more NIB machine buyers on the Stern map of potential sales and made alot of new followers.

The AC/DC machines also raise an interesting point. You have the PRO machine which ofcourse is a straight forward machine without the bells n whistles of the LE etc. The funny point here, is that you dont have to make every machine a LE to get huge sales. What I am saying, is that simple and straight forward with a really good flowing playfield like the PRO can still sell alot of machines without having to go overboard. Then the LE/Premium ofcourse is the visual step up, which again alot will buy for the extra features. What Stern must learn from this, is that they have to keep the features up on the Pro, and make it a hard decision to buy one model over the other, and not a easy decision. To me, selling a huge amount of machines at say 6 grand a pop, with excellent everything, would be a easier task then selling only 500 machines at 9 grand etc.

Stern must keep anyone in the 6 grand money area very happy with a really nice looking and fun packed Pro model. This has to be their first priority, because the operators, the large number collectors, and newbies will always levitate to the Pro first. Get people in the door on the Pro, then upsell them to a LE etc if thats what the buyer wants. I guess what i am saying here, is u cant have people believing that only a LE has the features, because you lose alot of sales with people who will not spend over 6 grand etc.

The comparison is like a caryard. The entry level ford/holden/toyota etc usually represents absolute value for money. Then people look to upgrade if neccessary. Stern must keep the PRO models very very strong. For my liking, the LE models in Aust are still way too high at $9300 versus a Pro at say $6300.  Having said that, it wont matter much to Pro buyers if the Pro models still come out at a good price and still stay very strong, well designed n fun.  The next few models will be very exciting. I am wondering with enthusiasm what is coming after X-Men and perhaps Avengers.
Dam exciting times ahead.