I give the guy credit for trying to broaden the market, but GS said years ago there just isn't room enough for another major pinball manufacturer especially given the current primary consumer base.
The idea was sound, but the implementation left a lot to be desired.
I think theres plenty of room in the market for another major pinball manufacturer and the number of WOZ presales prove that the market thought so too. Mike Homepin must also agree or he wouldn't have set up his factory which incidently will be making machines OEM for other companies. My take on it all is that there is PLENTY of room out there.
GS looks after GS and why wouldn't he? He doesn't want to see another manufacturer enter the market as it rocks his boat.. and rock it JJP did! I think its completely fair to say that the recent Stern games would never have come about had it not been for some healthy competition.. there were a few attempts by GS to sabotage JJP in the earlier days of production.
He needn't have done it though as JJP was its own worst enemy.
Jack himself hammered home every nail in his own coffin.. delays upon delays, the broken promises of first in, first served.. the Bumper debacle ( which of course no one OUTSIDE of Australia gives a shit about.. so long as it wasn't their precious money they couldn't give a rats)... the preorders of HOBBIT before WOZ was anywhere near finished.
Jacks insistance on doing his own PR was the worst PR decision he ever made!
JJP could have been so good and we all wanted it to be what it promised to be... but it fell woefully short.
So.. integrity completely lost JJP have put the crown on Sterns head and named them king of the market... Gary owes Jack so much.
But.. it did seem to open the floodgates and now we have more pinball manufacturers in the market then ever before.. number of manufacturers not seen since pre 2nd world war days. Most though are using off the shelf licenced parts.. namely WMS coils etc... only Homepin, JJP and Stern wind their own and are truly independent... Stern have been around for decades and are very comfortably established.. JJP talks but barely walks.. Homepin plays cards close to chest.
Anyway.. well done JJP for reaching a self set milestone even though along the way you lost all consumer confidence in your business.
