Would less expensive titles sell for 8k NIB?

[bstock]

With all the talk about the Medieval Madness remake, and AFM being next in line, it's got me thinking about which other titles would sell. Obviously it's a no brainer on games that sell at or above this price point already in the collector community, but what about titles that can be had well below this number? I know the logic is somewhat backwards, but I still think there would be a market.

Let's makes some assumptions before we discuss this. Let's assume that Planetary Pinball is able to, in a timely fashion, release a quality product that rivals the original. Let's assume that the hardware and software is reliable, the relocated boards stand up to the test and the games play as well as the originals. Let's also assume that some polishing is done to the code of games that weren't quite done like in the case of CCC.

With all of these conditions met, it makes me wonder if there would be a market for a remake of games that currently sell well below that price point. Let's use for example Twilight Zone and The Addams Family. Twilight Zone is considered one of the greatest games of all time, and The Addams Family was the most produced modern machine.

Let me start by saying that I don't think it would be good for the market, but I would hazard a guess that they would probably be able to sell a few thousand of each of these even at 8k.

Would these titles, and others sell?

 

[frolic]

Short answer: No.

MM works because it is so valuable and sought after. Once AFM, and possibly CC are done, it doesn't make sense after that. and CC I'm not even sure would sell well. Its rarity is what drive demand.

Doesn't make sense to remake titles that can be had for ~$5k after that.

 

[TwilightZone]

I don't think TZ or TAF will get remade. Those would require additional royalties. Funhouse could be on the table, but I doubt it would sell at $8K. Then again prices are going crazy and by the time they are ready to do FH, it might be an
$8K game :lol:

Cheers,
Duane

 

[WARLOCK]

After AFM and perhaps CC, you have 3 Lawler games suggested so far.
That will not work with the # of machines out there already available.

 

[frolic]

The other thing to consider is the number of nib machines coming from new manufacturers over the next couple of years is going to rise quick... JJP needs to start pumping out a couple titles a year, that'll happen, then you have Heighway and their business model is 3 titles per year. Add that to Stern, that is a shit ton of new product.

I don't see planetary getting too far on the remakes thing. It's possible MM might be their one "hit" and AFM after it doesn't do anything close to the same business.

 

[Chris Bardon]

You're probably right in thinking that the number of remakes is going to dry up-I don't think you'll see things much below the 8k price point, so that means there's a limited number of remake candidates. They could start producing parts in greater supply though, and I've seen the conversion kit idea floated a couple of times, which is an interesting thought. It eliminates some of the labour, but drastically reduces the number of people who are willing to put these together (especially if you had to do things like make your own wiring harness). Support could be a nightmare on something like that though-what happened with the Jpop zombie game and the "build it yourself" option? Did that eventually get canned?

Licensed games aren't unobtainable-farsight managed to get a whole bunch of them for their pinball arcade simulator, so there's no reason that planetary couldn't do the same.

 

[Luckydogg420]

I think the farsight (pinball arcade) kickstarter campaign for the T2 license was for $50000.

I'm pretty sure you'll never see Adams family, since the actor for Gomes Adams died. I've read that the family won't release the use of his likeness and voice work

 

[spiroagnew]

Everything Raul Julia is pretty much off limits. With so many TAFs out there I'm not sure it would be viable to make it anyhow. Playfields, absolutely. Entire machines, not so much.

Safecracker? Any interest in that?

To re-do CC, you'd definitely have to have CCC ruleset aboard to make it appealing.