Woz. Why???

If you like Twilight Zone or Addams Family then there's no reason to complain about The Wizard of Oz. Same shit. It could be the coolest game ever even with the absolute shittiest theme (which I don't think this is). It all comes down to how they design it. The Wizard of Oz is a classic. How dated do you think the Avatar game is going to look in a few years?
 
Last edited:
Many of you have pointed out the Wizard of Oz them as dated. The one point I would like to bring up is that it may be an old theme but there are new variations coming out. There are the Wicked books and the hugely popular broadway play based off of those books. I have also heard there is a movie coming out based on Wicked. It really is a timeless theme with each generation being introduced to it.
 
As timeless of a theme as it is, I don't see it being all that popular for placement in bars. I'm not sure how many bar owners want the Yellow Brick Road theme looping in the background while they serve up beer on tap.
 
It's been really great following this discussion. It almost seems like for every comment 'against' the creation of this game, there's another, different, comment 'for' making it.

An interesting debate indeed. Keep 'em coming people!
 
jar155 said:
As timeless of a theme as it is, I don't see it being all that popular for placement in bars. I'm not sure how many bar owners want the Yellow Brick Road theme looping in the background while they serve up beer on tap.
Click to expand...


is that even the market? seems to me he's targeting the pinheads, not the ops.
 
pudluther said:
is that even the market? seems to me he's targeting the pinheads, not the ops.
Click to expand...

Exactly...he made a product to sell to his home-use customers. He's almost sold 1000 already, so - he's onto something. Sure, you won't see this game in a bar...but it would work in any other location, especially movie theaters or family entertainment places.

Actually it's kinda funny, the 3 theaters around me with pinballs have NON-movie titles - Family Guy, Elvis, and Rolling Stones.....lol....you'd think they'd want the movie themed games. Oh wells. :)
 
pudluther said:
is that even the market? seems to me he's targeting the pinheads, not the ops.
Click to expand...

It's not, but I don't think you have a sustainable market if you start eliminating sections of it. Most collectors can't pony up the cash a couple of times a year, so yeah, they're getting over 1,000 collectors now, but what about next year? I bet even with a quality pin coming next year, you'd have a drop off in numbers. It's too hard to put the burden on collectors to carry the majority of the buying load. Pins kinda have to be universally appealing to hit a sales threshold where they can be profitable.

I'm hoping that Wizard of Oz sells like gangbusters, but at the price it's coming for, I doubt many Oz buyers will be ready for another new in box pin the following year. The model seems shaky to me at best.
 
pudluther said:
is that even the market? seems to me he's targeting the pinheads, not the ops.
Click to expand...

Not correct. Jack is also the prez of Elaut USA, a huge maker/distributor of redemption games. He is a pin fanatic and is producing something that appeals to collectors while also targeting operators. The operators are a huge part of his intended market--he has existing relationships and knows the market MUCH better than you or I or pretty much anyone else on this board. He's also trying to revive popularity of pinball--maybe the lcd screen attention-getter may help here; DMDs are so last-century! Jack also has lots of overseas connections. He's going for the bigger markets, collectors AND ops.

One twist on the WOZ strategy is that there will be a ticket dispenser option--so WOZ can be sold to the many amusement arcades as a redemption game, although a much cooler one than the typical ticket-spitter. And redemption games are moneymakers; paying a bit more for a profitable one will sit fine with many ops.
 
RareHero said:
...with an LCD backglass, 2 upper playfields, headphone jack and home theater audio outputs......yeah there's nothing modern about this game.
Click to expand...

If you slap 22" Daytons and a 5,000watt stereo system on a 1976 Ford Pinto... it's still a Ford Pinto...
 
stevenp61 said:
Not correct. Jack is also the prez of Elaut USA, a huge maker/distributor of redemption games. He is a pin fanatic and is producing something that appeals to collectors while also targeting operators. The operators are a huge part of his intended market--he has existing relationships and knows the market MUCH better than you or I or pretty much anyone else on this board. He's also trying to revive popularity of pinball--maybe the lcd screen attention-getter may help here; DMDs are so last-century! Jack also has lots of overseas connections. He's going for the bigger markets, collectors AND ops.

One twist on the WOZ strategy is that there will be a ticket dispenser option--so WOZ can be sold to the many amusement arcades as a redemption game, although a much cooler one than the typical ticket-spitter. And redemption games are moneymakers; paying a bit more for a profitable one will sit fine with many ops.
Click to expand...


ok.


i just don't see a whole helluva lot of WOZ pins winding up in al's bar & grill or frankie's fun park.

but if/when he releases his first pin, we'll all see what happens...should be interesting. hopefully it will be a success.
 
jar155 said:
It's not, but I don't think you have a sustainable market if you start eliminating sections of it. Most collectors can't pony up the cash a couple of times a year, so yeah, they're getting over 1,000 collectors now, but what about next year? I bet even with a quality pin coming next year, you'd have a drop off in numbers. It's too hard to put the burden on collectors to carry the majority of the buying load. Pins kinda have to be universally appealing to hit a sales threshold where they can be profitable.

I'm hoping that Wizard of Oz sells like gangbusters, but at the price it's coming for, I doubt many Oz buyers will be ready for another new in box pin the following year. The model seems shaky to me at best.
Click to expand...


yeah, i hear ya on that.....maybe an 18 or 24 month cycle would be better for collectors? not sure how it would affect his profits though. i'm sure he's thought about all of that.
 
It's all about execution. Look at the top 50 pinball machines of all time and I'm sure you'll find some lame licenses that turned out to be really good playing games.

Jack is pushing the envelope with this game which should be great for the hobby. There are 2 upper playfields, 5 flippers, an LCD backglass and lots of mechanical toys. Plus, I heard that at some point in the game a flying monkey picks up the ball and takes it to another part of the playfield. That should be freaking cool!
 
RareHero said:
WOZ works... W(izard) (of) OZ

Some people actually use abbreviations when they talk...they actually pronounce "TOTAN" instead of saying "Arabian Nights." So, saying "WOZ" sounds better than "WOO"
Click to expand...
Understand what your saying ,but Woz isn't consistant with other acronyms. The one you Quoted proves this point. "TOTAN" is the first letter of each word in the game title.Tales of the Arabian Nights. Therefore Wizard of Oz would be "WOO" People if you are going to act like your better than everbody and use these stupid acronyms for pinball machines at least get them right.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Atari The Jedi
Why I love JJ & STERN, but probably will not own one
Replies
7
Views
598
Atari The Jedi
Atari The Jedi
LovelyCoCoNuts
WOZ 75th Pinball Error switch #84
Replies
9
Views
2K
stevenp61
WTB: Wizard of OZ, (WOZ)
Replies
14
Views
1K
GameyMcGame
GameyMcGame
sorhp
Anybody on Klov getting a Woz 75?
Replies
5
Views
577
stevenp61
Alky
WOZ question about gameplay
Replies
2
Views
454
Alky
Alky
Back
Top Bottom