How we choose new Hardtop titles
We get asked a lot about new titles. Will we make a certain title? Why did we pick a certain title? When will the next one be released? This is never an easy answer, but it all starts with a small group of passionate and unsung pinball restorers.
Here’s what needs to happen for a new Hardtop title:
- We have to find someone who has an old playfield...
- ....with art in very good condition...
- ...for a title that has no rights for bands, tv shows, movies, etc...
- ...that had a lot of pins made...
- ...that they will strip and let us have for a couple months...
- ...and they will also test install the first sample before we offer it for sale.
Notice that a new Hardtop title doesn’t start with the title.
It unfortunately doesn’t start with which titles are most requested (but we do listen), or which title we would most like to do next, and it doesn't follow a set schedule. We can't predict what playfields we will find, and when. Often it's up to good luck! It’s about finding passionate customer partners who have a suitable playfield, and the time, technical skill, attention to detail, commitment, and follow through to help us bring a new Hardtop title into the world.
A word about licensing - we don’t own any of the original art.
Every Hardtop title has our reproduction of art that is officially licensed from the people who own that art. Any title with content that’s also owned by someone else - a band, movie studio, car manufacturer - makes it even harder to get approval to use it. We own the Hardtop(TM) product, but not the art we put on it. The bottom line is that we can’t develop 3rd party titles without additional licensing deals and payments. It adds a lot of complication, and that’s why we rarely do them.
Most new Hardtop titles sell in the low double digits, not 100s. We do this out of love for these old machines as much as anything. We do this because few things make us sadder than seeing something headed for a trash bin when, with a little ingenuity and elbow grease, it could be fixed and making the world a happier place again. We do this because we never get tired of seeing someone’s eyes light up when they see an old title looking good as new.
We greatly appreciate everyone who has bought a Hardtop and helped bring an old pin back to life! We really can’t say enough about your support, encouragement, partnership, and patience as we have developed and improved Hardtops over the last five years. As always, we’ll keep bringing you new titles as fast as we can!
Click here to see our current titles.
Keep on flippin!
Bruce and Scott
From a secret location somewhere in Central Ohio...
It unfortunately doesn’t start with which titles are most requested (but we do listen), or which title we would most like to do next, and it doesn't follow a set schedule. We can't predict what playfields we will find, and when. Often it's up to good luck! It’s about finding passionate customer partners who have a suitable playfield, and the time, technical skill, attention to detail, commitment, and follow through to help us bring a new Hardtop title into the world.
A word about licensing - we don’t own any of the original art.
Every Hardtop title has our reproduction of art that is officially licensed from the people who own that art. Any title with content that’s also owned by someone else - a band, movie studio, car manufacturer - makes it even harder to get approval to use it. We own the Hardtop(TM) product, but not the art we put on it. The bottom line is that we can’t develop 3rd party titles without additional licensing deals and payments. It adds a lot of complication, and that’s why we rarely do them.
Most new Hardtop titles sell in the low double digits, not 100s. We do this out of love for these old machines as much as anything. We do this because few things make us sadder than seeing something headed for a trash bin when, with a little ingenuity and elbow grease, it could be fixed and making the world a happier place again. We do this because we never get tired of seeing someone’s eyes light up when they see an old title looking good as new.
We greatly appreciate everyone who has bought a Hardtop and helped bring an old pin back to life! We really can’t say enough about your support, encouragement, partnership, and patience as we have developed and improved Hardtops over the last five years. As always, we’ll keep bringing you new titles as fast as we can!
Click here to see our current titles.
Keep on flippin!
Bruce and Scott
From a secret location somewhere in Central Ohio...
