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März 2026

The Stern of the Union Address, your monthly resource for news, information and highlights on all things Stern Pinball. Without further ado my fellow pinheads:

Pokémon by Stern Pinball:

In what was a historic launch for all of pinball, the worldwide response to the first ever pinball machine of Pokémon has been astonishing. Coverage and highlights of this unprecedented global release has reached 100s of millions of people worldwide including some incredible content including, but not limited to Pokémon’s official website, IGN , Nintendo Wire, Screen Rant, The Verge, Comic Book,  Destructoid, Multiplayer, 9to5Toys, GoNintendo, Pokémon Millenium, Pèse Sur Start, The Toy Book, Pop Insider, Kotaku, Old School Gamer Magazine, and many more!

Star Wars: Fall of the Empire:

Star Wars: Fall of the Empire continues to spread the joy of pinball across the galaxy!

Insider Connected:

Community Quests and Global Leaderboards are kicking things off right in 2026, but get ready for a party with the upcoming Beat That Score! From March 1 to April 11, 2026, join us for the “Beat That Score! Party Quest.” Every two weeks, we will reveal a new set of badges from current Insider Connected™ titles, showcasing community multiplayer scores.

Gather a team of 2-4 players to surpass the scores and earn badges. Party scores will increase in size for following quests. Encourage your friends to get Insider Connected, and don’t forget to share your pinball party photos on social tagging Stern Pinball!

New All-Access Perk Unlocked: Book Your Free Stern Factory Tour!

Ready to see where the magic happens?
We’re excited to announce that factory tour scheduling is now open exclusively for All-Access members with a paid subscription!

As a member, you get:
• 1 FREE factory tour per year (Admission for you + 1 guest)
• Additional guests or tours: just $25 per person

During this one-hour, guided factory tour, you’ll:
• Step behind the scenes at the Stern Pinball factory
• Watch pinball machines come to life—from initial wiring to cabinet decaling
• Learn about the craftsmanship, technology, and passion that power every Stern game
• Experience an up-close look at the world’s leading pinball manufacturer

How to Book
1. Click the link below to open the booking page
2. Log into your All-Access Insider Connected account using the link on the booking page
3. Choose your preferred date and time
4. Add any additional guests (optional)
5. Complete the checkout process in order to book your tour.

https://stpb.co/tour

Spots are limited and will fill up fast—secure your visit to the Stern factory and see how the game is made! Contact us at tours@sternpinball.com if you have any questions.

Gameroom of the Month:

Congrats to Brittany Haswell for winning Gameroom of the Month! Do you have a special home gameroom you want to share with the world? Submit your incredible gameroom directly to Insider@sternpinball.com for your chance to be featured as our next winner!

Stern Army Updates:

The Stern Army continues to grow with troops spreading the gospel of pinball across the globe. Stern Army locations receive first priority shipment of new Stern games for hosting official Launch Parties in addition to supporting events with prizes, giveaways, promotional materials, and tools for hosting recurring tournaments and leagues. Engage and expand your local pinball community and to join the Stern Army, please reach out to SternArmy@sternpinball.com

Location of the Month:

Congrats to Chieftain Pool and Pinball of BC, Canada for winning Location of the Month! Do you have a special location you want to share with the world?  Submit your pictures directly to Insider@sternpinball.com for your chance to be featured as our next winner!

Stern Pro Circuit:

Congrats to all competitors at this year’s Open IFPA World Championship (INDISC). In the end, Daniele Celestino Acciari slayed the competition! For full details on the Stern Pro Circuit and to keep up with the current standings and schedule, please visit – https://sternpinball.com/stern-pro-circuit/

Upcoming Stern Pro Circuit Events:

Stern Pro Circuit 2026 Schedule:

Mark your calendars for the upcoming 2026 season of the Stern Pro Circuit sponsored by Mountain Dew!

Stern Rewards Program:

In partnership with the International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA), the Stern Rewards Program annually provides IFPA players who qualify the chance to purchase a new Stern Pinball machine at a special IFPA price plus the opportunity for additional Stern merchandise discounts. Detailed rules for the Stern Rewards Program, including an updated list of qualifiers and updated list of rewards available can be found HERE.

The IFPA is excited to announce that Stern has added The Walking Dead Remastered Premium to the rewards program!

Status of Code:

We are continuously working to update and improve software for our machines. There are always code updates and bug fixes in various stages of development; we will release them upon update completion. If you would like to join our mailing list for code updates, please send an e-mail to Code.Updates@sternpinball.com. If you do encounter any bugs please feel free to provide information to bug.report@sternpinball.com. Get Connected and play! https://insider.sternpinball.com/

Code updates and read me files are available at https://sternpinball.com/support/game-code/

Merch and Accessories:

Check out our Stern Shop for all accessories, collectibles, clothing and more!

Stern Pinball accessories are also available to purchase from your local authorized dealer – https://sternpinball.com/find-a-dealer/

Ask Jack Anything:

You’ve got questions? Jack has answers! Ask Jack Anything* is a place to communicate more personably with us at Stern Pinball. Think of it as a digital suggestion box. Don’t be afraid to reach out about anything. It’s as anonymous as you want it to be! ⚡

https://sternpinball.com/askjack/

Check out some of the latest episodes here!

Random Tutorials, Interviews and more:

Check out a slew of fun content, tutorials, a trailer to the incredible Mastering Pinball: In-Depth Skills and Strategies and this year’s TWIPY Awards!

The post STERN OF THE UNION ADDRESS – MARCH 2026 first appeared on Stern Pinball.

Two of our recent news stories have come together with the announcement that Melvin Brouwer-Williams is to join American Pinball as their Creative Director.

Melvin recently announced his split with Dutch Pinball and their Dutch Pinball Exclusive project to make short runs of collectable titles which began (and ended) with Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland.

At the time of the split, Melvin was completing Dutch Pinball Exclusive’s planned second title, Retro Atomic Zombie Adventureland, based on the John Popadiuk design which was going to be Deeproot Pinball’s launch title.

The split with Dutch Pinball left Melvin without a manufacturing partner for his game, but he said he hoped to find a manufacturer in the US who could make it.

American Pinball’s new owner, J. Bryan Vincent, said he was looking to make a series of seven Williams/Bally remakes in conjunction with Planetary Pinball Supply. Now, with Melvin in charge of game designs, it makes sense for American Pinball to also build the Retro Atomic Zombie Adventureland game using American’s facilities in Palatine, even if they are not released under the American Pinball brand, thereby avoiding any US import tariffs which a Dutch Pinball Exclusive build might have attracted.

Here’s how American Pinball’s owner, J. Bryan Vincent announced Melvin’s appointment:

We’ll bring you more news of this new appointment just as soon as we get it, right here at Pinball News.

Stern Pinball Challenges Trainers to Catch Pokémon and Battle Their Way to the Top

CHICAGO, IL – February 12, 2026 – Today, Stern Pinball, Inc., the largest manufacturer of pinball games in the world, in collaboration with The Pokémon Company International, revealed and released a new pinball machine – Pokémon by Stern Pinball. Since Pokémon debuted in Japan in 1996, Trainers around the world have embarked on countless journeys across the iconic entertainment franchise – all in pursuit of becoming a top Pokémon Trainer. Powered by Stern’s SPIKE 3 technology, this dynamic machine brings the thrill of catching, battling rivals and training Pokémon in the silverball arena for the very first time. Stern invites players to step up to the playfield and test their skills as Pokémon Trainers, battling rivals and facing off against the menacing Team Rocket in intense encounters. Pokémon by Stern Pinball is available now in Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition (LE) models.

In Pokémon  by Stern Pinball, Trainers embark on an unforgettable journey across four distinct habitats, discovering, catching, and bonding with many of their favorite Pokémon. Players will shoot the illuminated, mechanically animated Poké Ball to catch Pokémon, build their ultimate team, and complete their Pokémon Collection. The playfield also features beautifully crafted Pokémon-themed ramps, spinners, and targets. Watch as the animatronic Pikachu reacts to your gameplay, cheering you on every step of the way! Trainers can battle their way through rival trainers and compete in the arena through dynamic, custom battle sequences. Danger lurks as Team Rocket and their infamous boss, Giovanni, plot trouble. The interactive Meowth Balloon toy swoops down onto the battle arena to challenge the Trainer. Premium and Limited Edition games include an interactive electromagnet that adds chaos to the battle arena.

Every element of Pokémon by Stern Pinball has been meticulously crafted with attention to detail, honoring the rich legacy of the beloved franchise. The machine integrates video clips from the original Pokémon animated series, immersing players in the world that started it all. Bringing the experience to life even further, custom voiceovers for Pikachu and the notorious Team Rocket leader, Giovanni, captures the spirit and humor that fans know and love. To complete the nostalgic journey, the game proudly includes the iconic “Pokémon Theme” song, a true celebration of the timeless Pokémon adventure.

Utilizing Stern Pinball’s award-winning Insider Connected, Pokémon by Stern Pinball elevates the experience by connecting Trainers and their adventures across machines and locations. When Trainers play Pokémon by Stern Pinball signed in with their Stern Insider Connected Account, the Pokémon they CATCH will be added to their Insider Connected Pokémon Collection, which can be viewed in the Insider Connected app.

Trainers looking for an elevated experience will be able to enjoy the highly collectible Limited Edition model, limited to 750 games globally, which includes the updated Expression Lighting System™ and Speaker Expression Lighting System with Pokémon-themed game effects, a full-color mirrored backglass, full-color high-definition cabinet decals, a custom LE Pokémon pinball armor, a custom designer-autographed bottom arch, upgraded audio system, anti-reflection pinball playfield glass, shaker motor, a sequentially numbered plaque, a signed Certificate of Authenticity, and a digital Insider Connected LE owner’s badge on registration.

“Today we’re proud to finally deliver the long-awaited Pokémon by Stern Pinball machine,” said Seth Davis, President & CEO of Stern Pinball. “This game is a true celebration of nostalgia, craftsmanship, and the enduring adventure of Pokémon – brought to life in a whole new way through immersive pinball gameplay, thrilling battles and the timeless excitement of catching Pokémon.”

Pokémon by Stern Pinball is available through authorized Stern Pinball distributors and dealers around the world. Find out more and contact us for availability in your location on the game information page here. Stay up to date by following Stern Pinball on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

Pricing and Availability:  

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (“MSRP”) and Recommended Retail Price (“RRP”):

*MSRP (US) and RRP (Europe) are for sales to end-users before any applicable VAT, GST, Sales Tax, Duties, Tariffs, or other taxes and are subject to change.

Pro Edition:                                                           $US 6,999

(RRP – €6,699.00; £5,799.00)

Premium Edition:                                                  $US  9,699

(RRP – €8,749.00; £7,599.00)

Limited Edition:                                                   $US  12,999

(RRP – €11,999.00; £10,499.00)

Pokémon by Stern Pinball games feature Stern’s best-in-class commercial quality reliability backed by a pinball best-in-class one-year warranty.

About Insider Connected

Insider Connected™ is Stern Pinball’s community network that allows players and owners to engage with pinball games in rapidly expanding ways. The platform unites pinball players worldwide and enhances the fun through a variety of useful online features. Insider Connected is included with every new Stern product and is available as an add-on for existing games.

Registration for Insider Connected is available at insider.sternpinball.com or in the intuitive Insider Connected™ mobile app on iOS and Android. By tapping a device on any enabled machine, players can track and resume game progress wherever they play, earn new game-specific achievements, engage with the pinball community, and participate in promotions and Challenge Quests. In addition to offering benefits to players, Insider Connected allows Stern to serve its game owners worldwide by upgrading games, offering new features and quests, and extending the longevity of machines for years to come.

About Stern Pinball, Inc.

Stern Pinball, Inc. creates compelling entertainment that inspires a lifetime love of games, sparks passion, forges friendships, and connects people everywhere through fun, innovative, technologically advanced pinball games and experiences.  Headquartered minutes from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in the heart of North America, the company creates, designs, engineers, manufactures, markets, and distributes a full line of technologically advanced terrestrial and digital pinball games, parts, accessories, and merchandise.  Stern Pinball serves digital, consumer, commercial, and corporate markets worldwide.

Recent Stern Pinball titles include The Walking Dead Remastered, Star Wars, King Kong, Dungeons & Dragons, Metallica Remastered, The Uncanny X-Men, John Wick, JAWS, Venom, Foo Fighters, James Bond, Rush, Godzilla, The Mandalorian, Led Zeppelin, Avengers: Infinity Quest, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Stranger Things, Elvira’s House of Horrors, Jurassic Park, Black Knight: Sword of Rage, The Munsters, The Beatles, Deadpool, Iron Maiden, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars, Aerosmith, Ghostbusters, KISS, Metallica, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Star Trek, AC/DC, Batman, and Spider-Man.  A broad range of players enjoy Stern Pinball’s games, from professional pinball players competing in high-stakes global competitions to novice players discovering the allure of the silver ball for the first time.  To join the fun and learn more, please visit www.sternpinball.com.

About Pokémon
The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing and marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. For more information, visit www.pokemon.com.

###

All trademarks and product names are the property of their respective companies.

The post Become a Top Pokémon Trainer with Stern Pinball’s Newest Line of Machines first appeared on Stern Pinball.

Co-founder of Dutch Pinball Exclusive (DPX), Melvin Brouwer-Williams, has parted company with Dutch Pinball, ending any immediate plans to build the Retro Atomic Zombie Adventureland (RAZA) game.

DPX is a joint venture between Melvin and Dutch Pinball, using Melvin’s designs and intellectual property with the game built by Dutch Pinball at their factory in Herkenbosch in the Netherlands. DPX launched their first title, Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, in October 2024, and are still building the game which has a limited run of 500 units.

Melvin has stated that the split won’t impact on the build of the outstanding Alice machines, and that code updates will continue. However, he does warn that those updates might take longer now that there are fewer development resources available.

RAZA was to be the second DPX title with development nearly complete, using much of the design work undertaken by Deeproot Pinball before that company collapsed into bankruptcy. Deeproot’s game was itself based on an original John Popadiuk design for his Zidware company. Melvin purchased the rights to the Zidware intellectual property, as well as the physical assets we reported on in December 2022.

Following Deeproot Pinball’s collapse, Melvin purchased the rights to the games they had in development, giving him ownership of RAZA and Magic Girl too. He wasn’t planning to remake Magic Girl, as there are already several games in circulation and he thought the design would need considerable changes to make it fun to play and possible to manufacture in quantity.

In a statement issued last night, Melvin hinted at troubled relations between himself and Dutch Pinball. It was clear he had been unhappy at the speed and quality of Dutch Pinball’s manufacturing of the Alice game and its associated topper for some time but, with RAZA poised to be announced next month, it appears the involvement of a new investor in Dutch Pinball has now brought matters to a head.

Here’s what Melvin had to say in his statement.

From that statement it appears Dutch Pinball Exclusive isn’t necessarily finished as a Dutch Pinball sub-brand, but that Melvin won’t have any further involvement in their designs or manufacturing.

Update

Dutch Pinball owner, Barry Driessen has confirmed the split with Melvin and also the involvement of new investors in Dutch Pinball.

In a message to distributors, he says Dutch Pinball will eschew collaborations with other parties and concentrate on developing in-house designs. While some have taken that to mean there will be no licenced titles, it most likely means the company will continue to develop purely Dutch Pinball titles. Certainly some distributors are hinting that the anticipated Dutch Pinball title, Back to the Future, will be announced sooner rather than later.

Melvin had previously explained the original plan was to reveal RAZA as the next DPX game in March, and then to launch Dutch Pinball’s own next game at Pinball Expo in October. With RAZA no longer being a DPX title, Dutch Pinball can bring forward their announcement.

Here’s what Barry had to say:

We’ll bring you more updates on this news as soon as we get it, right here at Pinball News.

The Stern of the Union Address, your monthly resource for news, information and highlights on all things Stern Pinball. Without further ado my fellow pinheads:

Stern Pinball at CES:

At this year’s CES, Stern Pinball reinforced how pinball stands out amidst a sea of technological innovation. And you just never know who will stop by our booth…

Star Wars: Fall of the Empire:

Star Wars: Fall of the Empire continues to spread the joy of pinball across the galaxy and it never hurts to get some nice strategies on how to play this adventure or even dress it up with one of the coolest toppers out there!

Insider Connected:

Community Quests and Global Leaderboards are kicking things off right in 2026!

New All-Access Perk Unlocked: Book Your Free Stern Factory Tour!

Ready to see where the magic happens?
We’re excited to announce that factory tour scheduling is now open exclusively for All-Access members with a paid subscription!

As a member, you get:
• 1 FREE factory tour per year (Admission for you + 1 guest)
• Additional guests or tours: just $25 per person

During this one-hour, guided factory tour, you’ll:
• Step behind the scenes at the Stern Pinball factory
• Watch pinball machines come to life—from initial wiring to cabinet decaling
• Learn about the craftsmanship, technology, and passion that power every Stern game
• Experience an up-close look at the world’s leading pinball manufacturer

How to Book
1. Click the link below to open the booking page
2. Log into your All-Access Insider Connected account using the link on the booking page
3. Choose your preferred date and time
4. Add any additional guests (optional)
5. Complete the checkout process in order to book your tour.

https://stpb.co/tour

Spots are limited and will fill up fast — secure your visit to the Stern factory and see how the game is made! Contact us at tours@sternpinball.com if you have any questions.

Gameroom of the Month:

Congrats to Matt & Kristen Jusiak for winning Gameroom of the Month! Do you have a special home gameroom you want to share with the world? Submit your incredible gameroom directly to Insider@sternpinball.com for your chance to be featured as our next winner!

Stern Army Updates:

The Stern Army continues to grow with troops spreading the gospel of pinball across the globe. Stern Army locations receive first priority shipment of new Stern games for hosting official Launch Parties in addition to supporting events with prizes, giveaways, promotional materials, and tools for hosting recurring tournaments and leagues. Engage and expand your local pinball community and to join the Stern Army, please reach out to SternArmy@sternpinball.com

Location of the Month:

Congrats to Public House Pinball of Happy Valley, Oregon for winning Location of the Month! Do you have a special location you want to share with the world?  Submit your pictures directly to Insider@sternpinball.com for your chance to be featured as our next winner!

Stern Pro Circuit:

Congrats to all competitors at this year’s first Stern Pro Circuit tournament of the 2026 season, Starfighters SPF. In the end, Stern’s own Raymond Davidson took down all competitors for the circuit victory to kickstart the season. For full details on the Stern Pro Circuit sponsored by Mountain Dew and to keep up with the current standings and schedule, please visit – https://sternpinball.com/stern-pro-circuit/

Upcoming Stern Pro Circuit Events:

Stern Pro Circuit 2026 Schedule:

Mark your calendars for the upcoming 2026 season of the Stern Pro Circuit sponsored by Mountain Dew!

Stern Rewards Program:

In partnership with the International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA), the Stern Rewards Program annually provides IFPA players who qualify the chance to purchase a new Stern Pinball machine at a special IFPA price plus the opportunity for additional Stern merchandise discounts. Detailed rules for the Stern Rewards Program, including an updated list of qualifiers and updated list of rewards available can be found HERE.

The IFPA is excited to announce that Stern has added Star Wars: Fall of the Empire Pro and Premium to the rewards program!

Status of Code:

We are continuously working to update and improve software for our machines. There are always code updates and bug fixes in various stages of development; we will release them upon update completion. If you would like to join our mailing list for code updates, please send an e-mail to Code.Updates@sternpinball.com. If you do encounter any bugs please feel free to provide information to bug.report@sternpinball.com. Get Connected and play! https://insider.sternpinball.com/

Code updates and read me files are available at https://sternpinball.com/support/game-code/

Merch and Accessories:

Check out our Stern Shop for all accessories, collectibles, clothing and more!

Stern Pinball accessories are also available to purchase from your local authorized dealer – https://sternpinball.com/find-a-dealer/

Ask Jack Anything:

You’ve got questions? Jack has answers! Ask Jack Anything* is a place to communicate more personably with us at Stern Pinball. Think of it as a digital suggestion box. Don’t be afraid to reach out about anything. It’s as anonymous as you want it to be! ⚡

https://sternpinball.com/askjack/

Check out some of the latest episodes here!

Drinks with Jack:

Random Tutorials, Interviews, and more:

Check out a slew of fun content, tutorials, and interviews including a fun pinball spotlight on a recent Conan O’Brien!

The post STERN OF THE UNION ADDRESS – FEBRUARY 2026 first appeared on Stern Pinball.

One of the pioneers of reproduction parts for pinballs, Classic Playfield Reproductions, is undergoing a restructuring and downsizing following the retirement of one of its founders.

Classic Playfield Reproductions (or CPR) was formed in 2005 by Mike Purcell and Kevin Wayte in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The company evolved out of an earlier business, Halifax Pinball, managed by Mike and Greg Walker who made reproduction playfields for the Fathom game.

Following that project, Greg transitioned Halifax Pinball into Fantastic Pinball, while Mike teamed up with Kevin to found CPR.

Their first commission as CPR was making reproduction Centaur playfields for Gene Cunningham’s Illinois Pin Ball (IPB). That project required CPR to be able to cut and route their own playfields, while using the original Bally artwork screens from IPB to produce perfect reproductions of the original playfields.

Further reproduction playfields followed. In some cases Mike and Kevin were able to use the original silk screens to print the artwork, but in others they turned to the collector community to source high quality existing playfields to use as their reference.

Later, production increasingly moved from silk screens to digital printing, as they secured licensing agreements with Planetary Pinball (for Williams and Bally titles) and Mondial Group (for Gottlieb games), allowing them to create many more authorised reproductions.

In addition to playfields, numerous backglasses, plastics sets and speaker panels were also produced, along with a range of in-house designed toppers and other bespoke game enhancements.

The number of employees expanded along with their product range, but the market for reproduction playfields was changing. Where new production runs would once rapidly sell out, demand began to slow as many of the games which needed new playfields now had them.

Kevin described the problem to Pinball News. He said, “A finite population of surviving ‘legacy’ games eventually leads to an inevitable decline in demand for reproduction parts. Obviously the absolute end has not been reached yet, but the last twenty-one years of legacy machine ownership across the hobby has meant that those who needed major parts replacements have already been customers for those items. You only need and swap a reproduction playfield once.“

In 2023, CPR used their expertise to broaden the business, adding contract manufacturing of playfields for full pinball machine manufacturers, including Euro Pinball Corp. in Italy and Barrels of Fun in the US. They expanded the business, buying more equipment and bring on board more employees to manage the increased volumes. At its peak, CPR employed a dozen full-time staff, along with two or three part-timers.

But contract manufacturing is a fickle business, with the lower per-unit margins typically offset by increased volume and steady demand. If either of those start to weaken, it can leave the company in a vulnerable position.

Consequently, as CPR’s manufacturing of playfields for other pinball makers wound down, it left them with some decisions to make about the company’s future direction.

At the same time, co-founder, Mike Purcell, is both retiring from his full-time job as a pilot for Air Canada and stepping down from his role as President of CPR.

Co-founder and Vice President, Kevin Wayte, will be taking over as President and plans to make sweeping changes to keep the business both manageable and profitable.

Firstly, with the contract manufacturing ending and the continued slowing in sales of reproduction products, the company will move to a much smaller location. It will still be based in Halifax, but will employ just two or three staff working alongside Kevin.

Kevin expanded further on the scale of the change in the reproductions market, telling us, “Back in the early years, with large playfield batches being 100-300 per run, those would be all snatched and shipped within a few months. Today in 2026, those same titles have tapered down to selling a few a year.“

He continued, “There is now the phenomenon of releasing a first-time-reproduction playfield title in 2025 – and it sells six. Yes, six. Then it goes dead quiet. Ten years ago, shipping 100 immediately after a run was standard fare. There was never a doubt that you could at least get 100 copies out. Not today. In recent years, we launched first-time-available playfields with a debut batch of only twenty pieces, tops. Now that number is usually only ten. The risk has been too high to pile on more. This is the new normal in 2025/2026.”

CPR is also pruning its product range down to the three core reproduction lines on which the business was founded – playfields, backglasses and plastic sets. There will be no further sales of the toppers, plastic upgrade kits or speaker skins which were developed in-house.

There will still be plenty of new reproduction products joining the existing lines though. Kevin said, “We’ll hold up the titles we’ve been known for, plus add a couple new ones every year as new artwork gets developed here. We already know what our next ten new-release playfields are going to be, across the next three years. That’s plenty to keep us busy now.“

As a result of the downsizing, CPR is running a sale of surplus stock and equipment, called variously, “Liquidation Sale”, “Mike’s Retirement Sale” or “Return to the Basement Sale”.

Kevin explained to Pinball News there is a certain tongue-in-cheek aspect to the naming. He said, “We cheekily use the meme ‘Back to the Basement’ as more of a signal of returning to our roots years ago. We no longer need the gigantic business-park commercial unit anymore. It doesn’t mean CPR is literally going back into Kevin’s basement.“

CPR launched the sale today in a public announcement on social media.

The sale is currently underway on the Classic Playfield Reproductions website.

You’ll be able to listen to Kevin as he talks to Pinball News Editor, Martin Ayub, and Pinball Magazine Editor, Jonathan Joosten about the changes at CPR and the reproductions business, in the January 2026 edition of the Pinball Industry News PINcast which will be released soon on Spotify, on YouTube, and here on Pinball News.

Subscribe to the Pinball Industry News PINcast through your favourite podcast supplier to be notified the moment this and future editions are published.

Jersey Jack Pinball have introduced a new 3D visualiser tool to enable potential buyers to thoroughly explore the mechanics of their current title, Harry Potter.

The tool, available through their website, is a real-time 3D model viewer which lets you navigate to view the Collectors Edition model from every angle, as well as zoom in and examine the details of the playfield and cabinet.

Controls vary between the desktop and mobile versions, with a mouse’s left/right buttons and scroll wheel used for a desktop and single/two finger drags and pinch gestures on mobile.

On both, there are hotspots which, when clicked, give more details of the game’s features.

The game shown is a pre-production 3D model rather than an actual production machine, so it doesn’t include things such as the switches or opto sensors, nor any of their wiring. However it does include animations of the the game’s key mechanisms, the updated playfield artwork, as well as a display of attract mode lighting patterns for the inserts and playfield.

You can also explore views of the machine not usually visible, such as from above the topper or behind the cabinet.

JJP’s 3D Game Viewer is available for both mobile and desktop devices, utilising the GL Transmission Format which packs the models, textures and material and animations data into a single file. This is then presented to the user through Google’s Model Viewer which is typically run in a browser, such as Chrome. While it also works on Apple’s Safari browser, the rendering capabilities are not as good and so a slightly simplified version of the model is loaded instead.

In addition to giving an in-depth exploration of the game, the 3D Game Viewer on a mobile device also includes an alternate reality (AR) feature which uses your device’s camera and accelerometers to place the game in your environment and then lets you walk around it to see how it would look.

In our experience this aspect of the viewer was a little flaky, sometimes causing the model’s position to jump vertically so it was hanging in mid-air. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting option to see how the game would fit into your existing line-up, living room or game room.

So far, the 3D Game Viewer is only available for the Harry Potter Collectors Edition, but could come to previous models and become a valuable promotional tool when a new title is launched to help potential buyers better understand the design, shots and features.

Here’s the press release from JJP announcing their new 3D Game Viewer:

Jersey Jack Pinball Launches 3D Game Viewer — An Interactive New Way to Experience Harry Potter Collector’s Edition Chicago, IL — Jersey Jack Pinball (JJP), a global leader in premium pinball design and innovation, today announced the launch of the Jersey Jack Pinball 3D Game Viewer, a new interactive platform that allows fans, collectors, and operators to experience Harry Potter Collector’s Edition in a dynamic, immersive way. Designed for modern discovery and built to reflect the energy of a real machine, the 3D Game Viewer delivers a living example of the game—accessible directly in a web browser, with no app or download required. Explore. Learn. Experience the Game in Motion. The 3D Game Viewer blends freeform exploration, guided discovery, and advanced visualization tools, giving users multiple ways to engage with the game: ● Guided Tour via Hotspots: Follow a curated walkthrough using interactive hotspots that jump to key features, mechs, and artwork—providing clear insight into how the game plays, flows, and stands apart. ● Playfield + Cabinet Exploration: Move fluidly around the game to study shots, ramps, lanes, feeds, and overall layout, while taking in the cabinet design of the Collector’s Edition model. ● Animated Features + Attract Mode Preview: This isn’t a static model—it’s a living, interactive example of the game, featuring animated playfield and topper elements along with a preview of the game’s attract mode on the backglass display. ● Viewing Options + Backgrounds: Keep it clean or go immersive—toggle overlays, pause lighting, and switch backgrounds between a castle environment, black, or white. ● AR Preview in Your Game Room: Activate Augmented Reality (AR) to place the game virtually in your own space—visualize scale and footprint, and use the viewer to trace ball paths and familiarize yourself with shots before you ever flip a real ball. A New Standard for Pinball Presentation The 3D Game Viewer reflects Jersey Jack Pinball’s commitment to innovation—not just in gameplay, but in how pinball is presented, understood, and shared beyond the glass. “Pinball is meant to be experienced—visually, physically, and emotionally,” said Jack Guarnieri, Founder of Jersey Jack Pinball. “With the 3D Game Viewer, we’re giving fans and buyers the freedom to explore the game from every angle, take a guided tour of the features, see it animated and alive, and even place it in their own game room using AR. It’s a new way to appreciate the craftsmanship and creativity that goes into every Jersey Jack Pinball title.” The Jersey Jack Pinball 3D Game Viewer, featuring Harry Potter Collector’s Edition, is available now at jerseyjackpinball.com/collections/harry-potter About Jersey Jack Pinball Founded in 2011, Jersey Jack Pinball is a premier designer and manufacturer of high-end pinball machines, known for groundbreaking innovation, deep rulesets, state-of-the-art technology, and exceptional build quality. JJP titles are enjoyed by collectors and players worldwide and continue to push the boundaries of modern pinball.

Newly-sold pinball company, American Pinball, has signed a deal with Planetary Pinball Supply to ‘reimagine’ a series of classic Williams/Bally pinball titles.

Under the agreement, American Pinball will have access to up to seven Williams or Bally game designs which will be updated using modern technology and enhanced rulesets.

The game titles covered by the agreement haven’t been revealed yet, but American Pinball will become the third company currently making modernised versions of Williams and Bally titles, along with Pedretti Gaming and Chicago Gaming. Previously, Dutch Pinball and Haggis Pinball also licensed Williams or Bally titles to create updated versions of The Machine: Bride of Pinbot and Fathom respectively.

American Pinball say these ‘reimagined’ games will be part of their portfolio of products, alongside their original titles and upcoming new licensed games. They haven’t committed to a production timescale for the ‘reimagined’ games or indicated where they will fit into their product mix.

Here’s how American Pinball and Planetary Pinball made the announcement.

We will bring you more details of this agreement, including the list of seven titles covered, just as soon as we get them right here at Pinball News.

Palatine-based pinball company, American Pinball, has been sold by its owners, Aimtron. The new owner is JB Vincent LP, a private investment company based in San Angelo, Texas. They announced their new purchase in a press release today.

American Pinball was set up at the end of 2015 by the Vassani family who own the electronics design and manufacturing business, Aimtron. It got off to a rocky start when, in an attempt to bring on board a big name designer, it partnered with John Popadiuk to make a Houdini design. In exchange, American Pinball provided manufacturing facilities for Popadiuk’s Zidware company to build the Magic Girl game.

While they looked beautiful, the Magic Girl games produced in the American Pinball factory were mostly unplayable due to basic design and manufacturing shortcomings. Likewise, the Houdini: Master Mystery design from John was deemed unplayable and was junked in favour of a new Houdini design by Joe Balcer. It was his design that eventually became American Pinball’s first release.

American Pinball has had a turbulent time of late. The company’s President and founder, Dhaval Vasani, left, with oversight of the business transferring to Aimtron head, Mukesh Vasani and his son, Nirmal. The business then moved from Streamwood to new premises in Palatine, co-locating with a new Aimtron manufacturing operation.

As parent company, Aimtron, headed towards floatation on the Indian stock market in June 2024, Mukesh became increasingly preoccupied wooing investors and preparing the business for partial public ownership. Approval for spending and investment decisions became harder to get, and day-to-day operations were divided between management heads with differing ideas about the company’s direction.

American Pinball’s position in the Aimtron family looked even more precarious when the floatation prospectus was published, showing American’s unimpressive recent financial performance. The company’s pinball design and production functions seemed increasingly at odds with the larger group’s operations.

Most American Pinball staff were laid off towards the end of 2024, including the Executive Vice President, David Fix, game designer Ryan McQuaid, mechanical engineer Zofia Ryan and rules designer Steven Bowden. Without anyone to design or build games, a new contract manufacturing business – Funsup Manufacturing – was formed to build arcade machines at the American Pinball facilities. The prototype of a new skeeball-style game, Whirl-O-Ball, was built at the Palatine factory.

Since then, although the company has been rebranded with a new logo and restructured to become a brand under a new Aimtron-owned parent, Orbit Games, no new pinball games have been produced and the next planned release, Cuphead, based on the Studio MDHR computer game, was mothballed despite the design being almost complete.

Now the company’s assets have been bought by JB Vincent LP who have pledged to bring new long-term investment to grow the brand and rebuild American Pinball design and manufacturing capabilities.

The company has recently been advertising for staff in a wide range of roles.

There has been some scepticism about the attractiveness of working for American Pinball, given their uncertain financial position and high staff turnover. This is highlighted as one of the first things new owner, J. Bryan Vincent wants to address.

He says, “…our top priority is building trust in the company while fostering a positive and engaging culture for employees and customers.“

Poor financial management and lack of investment in the business have both previously been cited as contributing to American Pinball’s demise. The new owner says he’s ready to fix both these, saying, “JB Vincent is committed to providing the liquidity and every resource available to make American Pinball a market leader that is passionate about serving the pinball community.“

While the purchase is of American Pinball’s assets, there is no detail yet on what that includes. However, the company says the positions advertised above are to work at their premises in Palatine, suggesting the design and manufacturing won’t be transferring to Texas or to another JB Vincent-managed facility.

Here’s the full text of the press release:

We’ll bring you more news about the new ownership of American Pinball right here at Pinball News.

The Stern of the Union Address, your monthly resource for news, information and highlights on all things Stern Pinball. Without further ado my fellow pinheads:

The Walking Dead Remastered:

Bring your game back from the dead with the official The Walking Dead Remastered pinball accessories! And also check out a recent gameplay with the team and search for an official launch party near you… just don’t get bit.

Star Wars: Fall of the Empire:

From a galaxy far away… to your gameroom or nearby entertainment location, Star Wars: Fall of the Empire had a ton of activity with all new accessories, a Making of featurette, and a bunch of new code! Check out all the content here:

JAWS 50^th Anniversary Topper:

In celebration of 50 years of JAWS, owners can upgrade their 50th Anniversary machine with a celebratory topper accessory. The JAWS 50th Anniversary topper was available for pre-orders of a limited production run with plans to start shipping in March of 2026. JAWS pinball machines and accessories are available through authorized Stern Pinball distributors and dealers around the world, which can be found here or on the official Stern Store here.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: The Tyrant’s Eye Sweepstakes:

Critical hit! Congratulations to Matthew from Washington on being the winner of Stern Pinball’s DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: The Tyrant’s Eye Sweepstakes! While not everyone can be Matthew, we appreciate your participation and with DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: The Tyrant’s Eye pinball, everybody wins. To extend the fun, through January 31st if you buy a DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: The Tyrant’s Eye Pro or Premium pinball machine and reference the code DND2026 with your authorized Stern reseller (you can also provide the code in your Contact for Availability form submission), you will receive an exclusive highly collectible DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: The Tyrant’s Eye promotional banner plus and D20 Pint Glass set while supplies last!

Insider Connected:

Beat their scores.

We know you have it in you.

➡️ https://sternpinball.com/beat_that_score/

New All-Access Perk Unlocked: Book Your Free Stern Factory Tour!

Ready to see where the magic happens?
We’re excited to announce that factory tour scheduling is now open exclusively for All-Access members with a paid subscription!

As a member, you get:
• 1 FREE factory tour per year (Admission for you + 1 guest)
• Additional guests or tours: just $25 per person

During this one-hour, guided factory tour, you will:
• Step behind the scenes at the Stern Pinball factory
• Watch pinball machines come to life — from initial wiring to cabinet decaling
• Learn about the craftsmanship, technology, and passion that powers every Stern game
• Experience an up-close look at the world’s leading pinball manufacturer

How to Book
1. Click the link below to open the booking page
2. Log into your All-Access Insider Connected account using the link on the booking page
3. Choose your preferred date and time
4. Add any additional guests (optional)
5. Complete the checkout process in order to book your tour.

https://stpb.co/tour

Spots are limited and will fill up fast—secure your visit to the Stern factory and see how the game is made! Contact us at  tours@sternpinball.com if you have any questions.

Gameroom of the Month:

Congrats to Josh Jones for winning Gameroom of the Month! Do you have a special home gameroom you want to share with the world? Submit your incredible gameroom directly to Insider@sternpinball.com for your chance to be featured as our next winner!

Stern Army Updates:

The Stern Army continues to grow with troops spreading the gospel of pinball across the globe. Stern Army locations receive first priority shipment of new Stern games for hosting official Launch Parties in addition to supporting events with prizes, giveaways, promotional materials, and tools for hosting recurring tournaments and leagues. Engage and expand your local pinball community and to join the Stern Army, please reach out to SternArmy@sternpinball.com

Location of the Month:

Congrats to Glow in the Park of Oshkosh, Wisconsin for winning Location of the Month! Do you have a special location you want to share with the world?  Submit your pictures directly to Insider@sternpinball.com for your chance to be featured as our next winner!

Stern Pro Circuit:

Congrats to all competitors at this year’s final Stern Pro Circuit tournaments of the 2025 season… Pincinnati and Atomic Pinball Winter Bash. In the end, Ryan McQuaid secured his first circuit victory at Pincinnati while the weatherman, Eric Stone conquered all at the Atomic Pinball Winter Bash! For full details on the Stern Pro Circuit and to keep up with the current standings and schedule, please visit – https://sternpinball.com/stern-pro-circuit/

Upcoming Stern Pro Circuit Events:

Stern Pro Circuit 2026 Schedule:

Mark your calendars for the upcoming 2026 season of the Stern Pro Circuit sponsored by Mountain Dew!

Stern Vault Program FAQ:

What Stern Vault Program? Why does Stern put games in the vault? And what pinball machines are currently in the vault? Check out this quick breakdown of the program. 

Stern Rewards Program:

In partnership with the International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA), the Stern Rewards Program annually provides IFPA players who qualify the chance to purchase a new Stern Pinball machine at a special IFPA price plus the opportunity for additional Stern merchandise discounts. Detailed rules for the Stern Rewards Program, including an updated list of qualifiers and updated list of rewards available can be found HERE.

The IFPA is excited to announce that Stern has added Star Wars: Fall of the Empire Pro and Premium to the rewards program!

Inside Stern Pinball’s Factory with the Tested Team:

Check out this behind the scenes look at the Stern Pinball factory with the Tested Team! 

Status of Code:

We are continuously working to update and improve software for our machines. There are always code updates and bug fixes in various stages of development; we will release them upon update completion. If you would like to join our mailing list for code updates, please send an e-mail to Code.Updates@sternpinball.com. If you do encounter any bugs please feel free to provide information to bug.report@sternpinball.com. Get Connected and play! https://insider.sternpinball.com/

Code updates and read me files are available at https://sternpinball.com/support/game-code/

Merch and Accessories:

Check out our Stern Shop for all accessories, collectibles, clothing and more!

Stern Pinball accessories are also available to purchase from your local authorized dealer – https://sternpinball.com/find-a-dealer/

Ask Jack Anything:

You’ve got questions? Jack has answers! Ask Jack Anything* is a place to communicate more personably with us at Stern Pinball. Think of it as a digital suggestion box. Don’t be afraid to reach out about anything. It’s as anonymous as you want it to be! ⚡

https://sternpinball.com/askjack/

Check out some of the latest episodes here!

Drinks with Jack:

Random Tutorials, Interviews and more:

Check out a slew of fun content, tutorials, and interviews including a few with Stern’s Chief Creative Officer, George Gomez!

The post STERN OF THE UNION ADDRESS – JANUARY 2026 first appeared on Stern Pinball.

CHICAGO, IL – December 22, 2025 – “Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water…” By popular demand, and for a limited time, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of JAWS, legendary gaming and entertainment company, Stern Pinball, Inc. in collaboration with Universal Products & Experiences, are thrilled to release an anniversary topper pinball machine accessory.

Players will get fully immersed into the JAWS universe with the Jaws 50th Anniversary Amity Island Billboard Topper accessory for your Jaws 50th Anniversary Premium Edition game. Featuring a backlit lenticular effect and choreographed lightshows, players can grab their harpoons and help Amity Island save the 4th of July! This topper also features a unique red billboard frame to match the “Blood Red” armor kit on your game. Owners of this topper will also have access to an exclusive software experience, the “Shark is Broken” challenge mode.

“We’re honored to celebrate 50 years of JAWS with an accessory all 50th Anniversary owners will love,” said Seth Davis, President and CEO of Stern Pinball, Inc.

Pricing and Availability:

The JAWS 50th Anniversary topper is available now for pre-orders of a limited production run. Orders can be placed now through December 31, 2025. Toppers are expected to start shipping in March of 2026.

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: 

Amity Island Billboard Topper                                                        $US     1,099.99

MSRP for sales to USA end-users, before any VAT, GST, Sales Tax, Duties, or other taxes.       

JAWS pinball machines and accessories are available now through authorized Stern Pinball distributors and dealers around the world, which can be found here or on the official Stern Store here.

About JAWS Pinball        

Stern’s JAWS pinball games will have players grabbing their harpoons and playing as Quint, Hooper, and Brody to save Amity Island’s residents and the Fourth of July!  As the grizzled fishermen, tackle the most dangerous ocean creatures on the planet.  Tension mounts as you see “blood in the water” from our animated lighting effects.  Fire pinballs at the motorized “Shark Fin” target swimming across the playfield.  Anticipation builds as you navigate the “Orca Boat” upper playfield, featuring a “Lookout Tower” ramp, a ship’s wheel horizontal spinner on the deck, and a “Radio” stand-up target to call for help.  Lookout!  A motorized custom sculpted “Great White Shark” bash toy comes crashing through the bottom of a fishing boat, terrorizing players in this thrilling pinball odyssey.  Will you survive JAWS?! To learn more about JAWS  pinball please visit https://sternpinball.com/game/jaws/

About Insider Connected

Insider Connected™ is Stern Pinball’s community network that allows players and owners to engage with pinball games in rapidly expanding ways. The platform unites pinball players worldwide and enhances fun through connected features such as achievements, leaderboards, and quests. Every new Stern Pinball product includes Insider Connected, and it is also available as an add-on for existing games.

Registration for Insider Connected is available at insider.sternpinball.com or in the intuitive Insider Connected™ mobile app on iOS and Android. By tapping a device on any enabled machine, players can track and resume game progress wherever they play, earn new game-specific achievements, engage with the pinball community, and participate in promotions and Challenge Quests. In addition to offering benefits to players, Insider Connected allows Stern to serve its game owners worldwide by upgrading games, offering new features and quests, and extending machines’ longevity for years to come.

About Stern Pinball, Inc.

Stern Pinball, Inc. creates compelling entertainment that inspires a lifetime love of games, sparks passion, forges friendships, and connects people everywhere through fun, innovative, technologically advanced pinball games, and experiences.  Headquartered minutes from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in the heart of North America, the company creates, designs, engineers, manufactures, markets, and distributes a full line of technologically advanced terrestrial and digital pinball games, parts, accessories, and merchandise. Stern Pinball serves digital, consumer, commercial, and corporate markets around the globe.

Recent Stern Pinball titles include The Walking Dead Remastered, Star Wars: Fall of the Empire, King Kong: Myth of Terror Island, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: The Tyrant’s Eye, Metallica Remastered, The Uncanny X-Men, John Wick, JAWS, Venom, Foo Fighters, James Bond 007, Rush, Godzilla, The Mandalorian, Led Zeppelin, Avengers: Infinity Quest, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Stranger Things, Elvira’s House of Horrors, Jurassic Park, Black Knight: Sword of Rage, The Munsters, The Beatles, Deadpool, Iron Maiden, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars, Aerosmith, Ghostbusters, KISS, Metallica, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Star Trek, AC/DC, Batman, and Spider-Man. A broad range of players enjoy Stern Pinball’s games from professional pinball players who compete in high-stakes competitions around the globe to novice players who are discovering the allure of the silver ball for the first time. To join the fun and learn more, please visit www.sternpinball.com.

###

 All trademarks and product names are the property of their respective companies.

The post Stern Pinball Celebrates JAWS 50th Anniversary with Topper Pinball Machine Accessory first appeared on Stern Pinball.

CHICAGO, IL – December 18, 2025 – Stern Pinball, Inc., is excited to announce a full line of Star Wars: Fall of the Empire pinball machine accessories compatible with the Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition (LE) models.  These newly available upgrades will level up your game and your Star Wars: Fall of the Empire pinball experience.

Upgrade your gaming experience with the C-3PO-inspired Topper. This animatronic topper features C-3PO with exclusive animations, call-outs, and RGB lights that react to your gameplay. This topper is compatible with Star Wars: Fall of the Empire and the 2017 Star Wars™ game. Owners of Star Wars: Fall of the Empire will have access to an exclusive software experience in Star Wars: Fall of the Empire, the “Escape Bespin” challenge mode.

Command the galaxy and complete the look of your game with the stormtrooper-themed shooter knob.For the Premium Edition, get immersed into the world of Star Wars with the Cabinet Expression Lighting System™ accessory.  With 96 intelligent RGB LEDs, the Cabinet Expression Lighting System enables full color spectrum control. Positioned in pockets cut into the cabinet sides to provide themed full playfield illumination, this system is synchronized to custom light shows and dynamically responsive to game events while featuring exclusive Battle of Hoth hand-drawn artwork.

Make your speakers pop with the official Speaker Expression Lighting System accessory for the Pro and Premium Editions. With intelligent RGB LED lighting, your speakers will light up and flash with this fully integrated and dynamically responsive accessory as you explore the galaxy.

For the Pro Edition, extend the Battle of Hoth theme beyond the playfield with the Star Wars: Fall of the Empire Inside Art Blades. These stunning art blades feature hand-drawn artwork featuring the iconic Battle of Hoth scene from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

Protect your game with the TIE Fighter Side Armor. This dramatic side armor features laser cut TIE fighters backed with reflective foil to enhance the look of your game.

“From a galaxy far away…. to your gameroom, upgrade your pinball experience today with Star Wars: Fall of the Empire pinball accessories,” said Seth Davis, President and CEO of Stern Pinball, Inc.

Pricing and Availability:

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price:

C-3PO Topper                                                                                                      $US 1,499.99

Stormtrooper Shooter Knob                                                                         $US 169.99

TIE Fighter Side Armor                                                                                   $US 269.99

Star Wars: Fall of the Empire Inside Art Blades (Pro Edition)       $US 99.99

Cabinet Expression Lighting System (Premium Edition)                   $US 599.99

Speaker Expression Lighting System (Pro and Premium)                 $US Coming Soon

MSRP for sales to USA end-users, before any VAT, GST, Sales Tax, Duties, or other taxes.    

Star Wars: Fall of the Empire pinball machines and accessories are available now through authorized Stern Pinball distributors and dealers around the world, which can be found here or on the official Stern Store here.

About Star Wars: Fall of the Empire Pinball

In Stern Pinball’s Star Wars: Fall of the Empire pinball games; players will take part in the adventures that started it all and experience iconic Star Wars-inspired moments through a pinball experience like no other. Players will take down the AT-AT by attaching their snowspeeder’s tow cable and shooting the spiral ramp to send it crashing down, mirroring the breathtaking scene from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Destroy the Death Star II from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi by lowering shields on the battle station during Death Star Multiball to save the galaxy. Players can also escape from Cloud City when reactivating the Millennium Falcon’s hyperdrive by hitting the center jump ramp to escape to hyperspace. Throughout the pinball experience, players will enter Jabba the Hutt’s Sarlacc Pit, battle stormtroopers, defeat TIE fighters, and even mimic using the Force to save your ball on the journey to defeating the Empire. Feel the power of the dark side as you enjoy special Darth Vader-inspired modes. To learn more about Star Wars: Fall of the Empire pinball please visit https://sternpinball.com/game/star-wars-fall-of-the-empire/

About Insider Connected

Insider Connected™ is Stern Pinball’s community network that allows players and owners to engage with pinball games in rapidly expanding ways. The platform unites pinball players worldwide and enhances fun through connected features such as achievements, leaderboards, and quests. Every new Stern Pinball product includes Insider Connected, and it is also available as an add-on for existing games.

Registration for Insider Connected is available at insider.sternpinball.com or in the intuitive Insider Connected™ mobile app on iOS and Android. By tapping a device on any enabled machine, players can track and resume game progress wherever they play, earn new game-specific achievements, engage with the pinball community, and participate in promotions and Challenge Quests. In addition to offering benefits to players, Insider Connected allows Stern to serve its game owners worldwide by upgrading games, offering new features and quests, and extending machines’ longevity for years to come.

About Stern Pinball, Inc.

Stern Pinball, Inc. creates compelling entertainment that inspires a lifetime love of games, sparks passion, forges friendships, and connects people everywhere through fun, innovative, technologically advanced pinball games, and experiences.  Headquartered minutes from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in the heart of North America, the company creates, designs, engineers, manufactures, markets, and distributes a full line of technologically advanced terrestrial and digital pinball games, parts, accessories, and merchandise. Stern Pinball serves digital, consumer, commercial, and corporate markets around the globe.

Recent Stern Pinball titles include The Walking Dead Remastered, Star Wars: Fall of the Empire, King Kong: Myth of Terror Island, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: The Tyrant’s Eye, Metallica Remastered, The Uncanny X-Men, John Wick, JAWS, Venom, Foo Fighters, James Bond 007, Rush, Godzilla, The Mandalorian, Led Zeppelin, Avengers: Infinity Quest, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Stranger Things, Elvira’s House of Horrors, Jurassic Park, Black Knight: Sword of Rage, The Munsters, The Beatles, Deadpool, Iron Maiden, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars, Aerosmith, Ghostbusters, KISS, Metallica, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Star Trek, AC/DC, Batman, and Spider-Man. A broad range of players enjoy Stern Pinball’s games from professional pinball players who compete in high-stakes competitions around the globe to novice players who are discovering the allure of the silver ball for the first time. To join the fun and learn more, please visit www.sternpinball.com.

###

 All trademarks and product names are the property of their respective companies.

STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.

The post Stern Pinball Launches Full Line of Star Wars: Fall of the Empire Pinball Machine Accessories first appeared on Stern Pinball.

CHICAGO, IL – December 12, 2025 – In collaboration with AMC Networks, Stern Pinball, Inc., announces a full line of The Walking Dead Remastered pinball machine accessories compatible with the Premium and Limited Edition (LE) models. Fight the dead, fear the living in your The Walking Dead Remastered pinball experience with these newly available upgrades that will level up your game.

Transform your gaming experience with the Governor’s Fishtank Topper. Based on the topper from the 2014 release, this topper features a larger fishtank with redecorated zombie sculpts and improved art and lighting, including 45 LED lights, to provide an enhanced look of a fishtank filled with water. An integrated progress bar helps players keep track as they advance through the game and stay tuned for more an upcoming exclusive, Fishtank Frenzy, topper mode.

Launch straight from the plunge with the illuminated Zombie Head Shooter Knob. Featuring a forward facing zombie head with multicolored LED lights that illuminate the zombie’s eyes, nostrils, and mouth, this shooter knob adds an exciting element to your game.

Make your speakers stand out with the official Speaker Expression Lighting System accessory for the Premium Edition. With intelligent RGB LED lighting, your speakers will light up and flash as you explore this apocalyptic universe that is fully integrated and dynamically responsive to game events.

Enhance your game with the new Expression Lights Side Armor. Featuring the new modular internal and external expression lights, this black side armor includes foil-backed laser cut bullet shaped openings and a zombie head in crosshairs. The side armor can be upgraded to include expression lighting with the Side Armor Expression Lighting system. This upgrade adds 48 intelligent RGB LED lights that add an exciting pop to your game.

Further immerse yourself in the world of The Walking Dead with the Cabinet Expression Lighting System. With 96 intelligent RGB LEDs, the Cabinet Expression Lighting System enables full color spectrum control. This system is synchronized to custom light shows and dynamically responsive to game events.

Don’t get bit with The Walking Dead Remastered Art Blades. These stunning art blades feature hand-drawn artwork and bring a new level of terror to the world under the glass.

“Bring your game back from the dead with the official The Walking Dead Remastered  pinball accessories today,” said Seth Davis, President and CEO of Stern Pinball, Inc.

Pricing and Availability:

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price:

Governor’s Fishtank Topper                                                           $US     999.99

Zombie Head Shooter Knob                                                            $US     199.99

Side Armor                                                                                             $US     269.99

Side Armor Expression Lighting System                                    $US     249.99

Cabinet Expression Lighting System                                            $US     299.99

The Walking Dead Remastered Inside Art Blades                  $US     99.99

Speaker Expression Lighting System                                           $US     Coming Soon

MSRP for sales to USA end-users, before any VAT, GST, Sales Tax, Duties, or other taxes.       

The Walking Dead Remastered pinball machines and accessories are available now through authorized Stern Pinball distributors and dealers around the world, which can be found here or on the official Stern Store here.

About The Walking Dead Remastered Pinball         

In partnership with AMC Networks, Stern Pinball’s The Walking Dead Remastered is a technologically advanced version of one of the most beloved pinball games of all time featuring one of the most well-known franchises in the world. This property has captivated global audiences since its television premiere in 2010. The hit TV series, spin-off shows, video games, merchandise, and more have reshaped the modern landscape of horror storytelling. Powered by Stern’s new SPIKE 3 technology platform, Stern Pinball is excited to bring to life The Walking Dead Remastered to the current generation of pinball players, taking them on an epic journey through legendary moments from the series as they fight to survive the apocalypse. To learn more about The Walking Dead Remastered pinball please visit https://sternpinball.com/game/the-walking-dead-remastered/

About Insider Connected

Insider Connected™ is Stern Pinball’s community network that allows players and owners to engage with pinball games in rapidly expanding ways. The platform unites pinball players worldwide and enhances fun through connected features such as achievements, leaderboards, and quests. Every new Stern Pinball product includes Insider Connected, and it is also available as an add-on for existing games.

Registration for Insider Connected is available at insider.sternpinball.com or in the intuitive Insider Connected™ mobile app on iOS and Android. By tapping a device on any enabled machine, players can track and resume game progress wherever they play, earn new game-specific achievements, engage with the pinball community, and participate in promotions and Challenge Quests. In addition to offering benefits to players, Insider Connected allows Stern to serve its game owners worldwide by upgrading games, offering new features and quests, and extending machines’ longevity for years to come.

About Stern Pinball, Inc.

Stern Pinball, Inc. creates compelling entertainment that inspires a lifetime love of games, sparks passion, forges friendships, and connects people everywhere through fun, innovative, technologically advanced pinball games, and experiences.  Headquartered minutes from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in the heart of North America, the company creates, designs, engineers, manufactures, markets, and distributes a full line of technologically advanced terrestrial and digital pinball games, parts, accessories, and merchandise. Stern Pinball serves digital, consumer, commercial, and corporate markets around the globe.

Recent Stern Pinball titles include The Walking Dead Remastered, Star Wars: Fall of the Empire, King Kong: Myth of Terror Island, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: The Tyrant’s Eye, Metallica Remastered, The Uncanny X-Men, John Wick, JAWS, Venom, Foo Fighters, James Bond 007, Rush, Godzilla, The Mandalorian, Led Zeppelin, Avengers: Infinity Quest, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Stranger Things, Elvira’s House of Horrors, Jurassic Park, Black Knight: Sword of Rage, The Munsters, The Beatles, Deadpool, Iron Maiden, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars, Aerosmith, Ghostbusters, KISS, Metallica, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Star Trek, AC/DC, Batman, and Spider-Man. A broad range of players enjoy Stern Pinball’s games from professional pinball players who compete in high-stakes competitions around the globe to novice players who are discovering the allure of the silver ball for the first time. To join the fun and learn more, please visit www.sternpinball.com.

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 All trademarks and product names are the property of their respective companies.

The post Stern Pinball Launch Full Line of The Walking Dead Remastered Pinball Machine Accessories first appeared on Stern Pinball.

CHICAGO, IL – December 2, 2025 – In collaboration with Marvel, Stern Pinball, Inc., announces a full line of The Uncanny X-Men pinball machine accessories compatible with the Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition (LE) models. Rally the heroes of the past to save the future and your The Uncanny X-Men pinball experience with these newly available upgrades that will level up your game.

The Uncanny X-Men Topper brings a new twist to your pinball experience. This 80s style billboard rotates mechanically to expose 3 distinct art panels and features RGB LED lighting and a special UV illumination feature that showcases scenes from the Past, the Future, and the Danger Room. Unlock an exciting new challenge mode that lets you join the X-Men on a time-spanning mission across the ages. The topper also integrates with regular gameplay, amplifying every battle with dramatic lighting effects and immersive action.

Coming soon, the illuminated Mutant Scanner Shooter Knob. This lighted shooter knob adds an exciting and fun element to your gaming experience.

Make your speakers stand out with the official Speaker Expression Lighting System accessory. With intelligent RGB LED lighting, your speakers will light up and flash as you explore this Marvel Universe and it is fully integrated and dynamically responsive to game events.

Level up your protection with the Uncanny X-Men Side Armor.  Featuring an X-Men logo backer, this laser cut side armor further immerses you into the world of The Uncanny X-Men.

Complete the look of your game with the Uncanny X-Men Inside Art Blades. Featuring stunning hand-drawn art by illustrator Zombie Yeti that highlights an array of X-Men and Villains. These beautiful art panels will transform the look of The Uncanny X-Men’s world under glass.

“The future is bright with the official The Uncanny X-Men pinball accessories,” said Seth Davis, President and CEO of Stern Pinball, Inc. “There’s nothing dangerous in upgrading your X-Men pinball experience today.”

Pricing and Availability:

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price:

The Uncanny X-Men Billboard Topper                                           $US     1,499.99

Illuminated Mutant Scanner Shooter Knob (coming soon)        $US      199.99

X-Men Side Armor                                                                           $US     269.99

The Uncanny X-Men Inside Art Blades                                         $US       99.99

Speaker Expression Lighting System                                           $US     199.99

MSRP for sales to USA end-users, before any VAT, GST, Sales Tax, Duties, or other taxes.       

The Uncanny X-Men pinball machines and accessories are available now through authorized Stern Pinball distributors and dealers around the world, which can be found here or on the official Stern Store here.

About The Uncanny X-Men Pinball      

Created in collaboration with Marvel Comics, players will step into the lives of their favorite X-Men. To save the world from a future ruled by Sentinels, they must first change the past! The Uncanny X-Men pinball games feature Wolverine, Professor X, Cyclops, Storm, Colossus, Beast, Rogue, Gambit, Nightcrawler, Jean Grey, Bishop, Kitty Pryde, and Magneto, along with a supporting cast of allies and foes. The adventure takes players to familiar X-Men locations including the Danger Room, Beast’s Lab, the X-Mansion, and Genosha. Along the way players will interact with fabled X-Men devices like Cerebro and the X-Jet. To learn more about The Uncanny X-Men pinball please visit https://sternpinball.com/game/the-uncanny-x-men/

About Insider Connected

Insider Connected™ is Stern Pinball’s community network that allows players and owners to engage with pinball games in rapidly expanding ways. The platform unites pinball players worldwide and enhances fun through connected features such as achievements, leaderboards, and quests. Every new Stern Pinball product includes Insider Connected, and it is also available as an add-on for existing games.

Registration for Insider Connected is available at insider.sternpinball.com or in the intuitive Insider Connected™ mobile app on iOS and Android. By tapping a device on any enabled machine, players can track and resume game progress wherever they play, earn new game-specific achievements, engage with the pinball community, and participate in promotions and Challenge Quests. In addition to offering benefits to players, Insider Connected allows Stern to serve its game owners worldwide by upgrading games, offering new features and quests, and extending machines’ longevity for years to come.

About Stern Pinball, Inc.

Stern Pinball, Inc. creates compelling entertainment that inspires a lifetime love of games, sparks passion, forges friendships, and connects people everywhere through fun, innovative, technologically advanced pinball games, and experiences.  Headquartered minutes from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in the heart of North America, the company creates, designs, engineers, manufactures, markets, and distributes a full line of technologically advanced terrestrial and digital pinball games, parts, accessories, and merchandise. Stern Pinball serves digital, consumer, commercial, and corporate markets around the globe.

Recent Stern Pinball titles include The Walking Dead Remastered, Star Wars: Fall of the Empire, King Kong: Myth of Terror Island, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: The Tyrant’s Eye, Metallica Remastered, The Uncanny X-Men, John Wick, JAWS, Venom, Foo Fighters, James Bond 007, Rush, Godzilla, The Mandalorian, Led Zeppelin, Avengers: Infinity Quest, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Stranger Things, Elvira’s House of Horrors, Jurassic Park, Black Knight: Sword of Rage, The Munsters, The Beatles, Deadpool, Iron Maiden, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars, Aerosmith, Ghostbusters, KISS, Metallica, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Star Trek, AC/DC, Batman, and Spider-Man. A broad range of players enjoy Stern Pinball’s games from professional pinball players who compete in high-stakes competitions around the globe to novice players who are discovering the allure of the silver ball for the first time. To join the fun and learn more, please visit www.sternpinball.com.

###

 All trademarks and product names are the property of their respective companies.

The post Marvel and Stern Pinball Launch Full Line of The Uncanny X-Men Pinball Machine Accessories first appeared on Stern Pinball.

The Stern of the Union Address, your monthly resource for news, information and highlights on all things Stern Pinball. Without further ado my fellow pinheads:

The Uncanny X-Men Pinball Accessories:

Rally the heroes of the past to save the future and your The Uncanny X-Men pinball experience with these newly available upgrades that will level up your game!

Star Wars: Fall of the Empire:

Are you a Jedi yet? Check out a bunch of gameplay streams of the new code and get up to speed on the official rules in this rulesheet for Star Wars: Fall of the Empire! https://sternpinball.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Star-Wars-Fall-of-the-Empire-Rulesheet-v5.pdf

The Making of King Kong: Myth of Terror Island Pinball:

See the 8^th wonder of the world come to life behind the scenes in the making of King Kong: Myth of Terror Island pinball!

Metallica Remastered Sweepstakes:

Congratulations to Derek from New Jersey on being the winner of Stern Pinball’s Metallica Remastered Sweepstakes!

While not everyone can be Derek, we appreciate your participation and with Metallica Remastered pinball, everybody wins. To extend the fun, through December 31st if you buy a Metallica Remastered Premium pinball machine and reference the code MET2025 with your authorized Stern reseller (you can also provide the code in your Contact for Availability form submission), you will receive an exclusive highly collectible Metallica Remastered foil poster set while supplies last!

https://shop.sternpinball.com/products/metallica-poster-set

Insider Connected:

Beat their scores.

We know you have it in you.

➡️ https://sternpinball.com/beat_that_score/

New All-Access Perks Are LIVE!

Sign up for All-Access today to compete with your friends and look good doing it with:

IC Home Leaderboards: Compete with your friends by making a leaderboard for your home pinball machine.

Shipping Savings: Get FREE shipping (Continental US) or discounted shipping for Alaska, Hawaii and international on the Stern Pinball Shop. Gear up for less!

Go For Gold: You’ll now appear in Gold on the game and on leaderboards, showing the world you’re an All-Access elite.

Be a PRO at Home: Access tech alerts and machine stats in your new Gameroom PRO.

Need the Details? Check the FAQ!

For all the rules, restrictions on the free/discounted shipping, timing on the next factory tours (starting in 2026), and other important info, head straight to our updated FAQ page:

https://stpb.co/ICHelp

Stay connected and play in ongoing community events! Featuring monthly quests and leaderboards, there’s no shortage of what you’ll be able to achieve including Beat That Score!

Gameroom of the Month:

Congrats to Travis Robertson for winning Gameroom of the Month! Do you have a special home gameroom you want to share with the world? Submit your incredible gameroom directly to Insider@sternpinball.com for your chance to be featured as our next winner!

Stern Army Updates:

The Stern Army continues to grow with troops spreading the gospel of pinball across the globe. Stern Army locations receive first priority shipment of new Stern games for hosting official Launch Parties in addition to supporting events with prizes, giveaways, promotional materials, and tools for hosting recurring tournaments and leagues. Engage and expand your local pinball community and to join the Stern Army, please reach out to SternArmy@sternpinball.com

Location of the Month:

Congrats to Rocksteady Pizza Parlour of Warsaw, Indiana for winning Location of the Month! Do you have a special location you want to share with the world?  Submit your pictures directly to Insider@sternpinball.com for your chance to be featured as our next winner!

Stern Pro Circuit:

Congrats to all competitors at this year’s Free Play Florida Stern Pro Circuit tournament. In the end, Nick Mueller secured his first circuit victory! For full details on the Stern Pro Circuit and to keep up with the current standings and schedule, please visit – https://sternpinball.com/stern-pro-circuit/

Upcoming Stern Pro Circuit Events:

Stern Pro Circuit 2025 Schedule:

Only a few events remain on the 2025 season of the Stern Pro Circuit!

Kerry King:

Slayer guitarist Kerry King dives into his decades-long admiration of pinball and how his technical skills as a musician helped him excel across Stern machines!

Stern Rewards Program:

In partnership with the International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA), the Stern Rewards Program annually provides IFPA players who qualify the chance to purchase a new Stern Pinball machine at a special IFPA price plus the opportunity for additional Stern merchandise discounts. Detailed rules for the Stern Rewards Program, including an updated list of qualifiers and updated list of rewards available can be found HERE.

The IFPA is excited to announce that Stern has added King Kong: Myth of Terror Island Pro and Premium to the rewards program!

Gary Cam:

What happens when you give Gary the keys to the cameras? Watch and find out!

Status of Code:

We are continuously working to update and improve software for our machines. There are always code updates and bug fixes in various stages of development; we will release them upon update completion. If you would like to join our mailing list for code updates, please send an e-mail to Code.Updates@sternpinball.com. If you do encounter any bugs please feel free to provide information to bug.report@sternpinball.com. Get Connected and play! https://insider.sternpinball.com/

Code updates and read me files are available at https://sternpinball.com/support/game-code/

Merch and Accessories:

Check out our Stern Shop for all accessories, collectibles, clothing and more!

Stern Pinball accessories are also available to purchase from your local authorized dealer – https://sternpinball.com/find-a-dealer/

Ask Jack Anything:

You’ve got questions? Jack has answers! Ask Jack Anything* is a place to communicate more personably with us at Stern Pinball. Think of it as a digital suggestion box. Don’t be afraid to reach out about anything. It’s as anonymous as you want it to be! ⚡

https://sternpinball.com/askjack/

Random Tutorials, Interviews and more:

Check out a slew of fun content, tutorials, and interviews including a special one with Gary and Jack over in the Netherlands!

The post STERN OF THE UNION ADDRESS – DECEMBER 2025 first appeared on Stern Pinball.

Hexa Pinball have rebranded their Space Hunt title to create a promotional machine for the French car giant, Renault.

The Twingo machine was created to help promote the relaunch of Renault’s Twingo e-tech car as a low-cost fully electric city vehicle, with a claimed 163 miles range from its 28kWh battery.

Hexa Pinball is also a French company, of course, and the playfield hardware looks to be identical to their Space Hunt machine. The cabinet and playfield artwork is pure Twingo though, while the display and sound calls will be customised too.

The pinball will be placed at a limited number of premium dealerships to coincide with the Twingo e-tech’s launch in 2026. It is also currently listed in the Renault webshop where assorted Twingo merchandise can be purchased.

Update

The Twingo e-tech pinball has now been listed in the Renault Twingo store with a price of €17,000. It says the game will be built to order with a lead time of around six weeks.

The Stern of the Union Address, your monthly resource for news, information and highlights on all things Stern Pinball. Without further ado my fellow pinheads:

The Walking Dead Remastered:

There’s a Horde coming with a technologically advanced version of one of the most beloved pinball games of all time… The Walking Dead Remastered! Stay tuned to see the game in action for the first time soon and the opportunity to get your hands on it before it hits locations worldwide… just don’t get bit!

Star Wars: Fall of the Empire:

Are you a Jedi yet? Check out a bunch of streams of gameplay on the new code and get up to speed on the official rules in this rulesheet for Star Wars: Fall of the Empire! https://sternpinball.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Star-Wars-Fall-of-the-Empire-Rulesheet-v4.pdf

Pinball Expo 2025:

We had a BLAST connecting with the pinhead community at this year’s Pinball Expo. Check out the fun we had along the way!

King Kong: Myth of Terror Island Pinball Accessories:

Go bananas and make your King Kong pinball machine the 8^th wonder of the world!

Elvira Vault Spotlight:

The taunting is over and the playing begins before Stern Pinball’s Elvira’s House of Horrors goes into the vault. Join our crew in the haunted mansion as they wade through ghouls, ghosts, monsters & so much more. As part of the Stern Vault Program, Elvira’s House of Horrors has been removed from active production and will remain in the vault for a minimum of two years without any guarantee of returning. These games are almost completely sold out, so contact for availability before it’s too late!

Insider Connected:

New All-Access Perks Are LIVE!

Sign up for All-Access today to compete with your friends and look good doing it with:

IC Home Leaderboards — Compete with your friends by making a leaderboard for your home pinball machine.

Shipping Savings — Get FREE shipping (Continental US) or discounted shipping for Alaska, Hawaii and international on the Stern Pinball Shop. Gear up for less!

Go For Gold — You’ll now appear in Gold on the game and on leaderboards, showing the world you’re an All-Access elite.

Be a PRO at Home — Access tech alerts and machine stats in your new Gameroom PRO.

Need the Details? Check the FAQ!

For all the rules, restrictions on the free/discounted shipping, timing on the next factory tours (starting in 2026), and other important info, head straight to our updated FAQ page:

https://stpb.co/ICHelp

Stay connected and play in ongoing community events! Featuring monthly quests and leaderboards, there’s no shortage of what you’ll be able to achieve!

Beat That Score:

Be the Challenge, Play the Challenge! https://sternpinball.com/beat_that_score/

Gameroom of the Month:

Congrats to Verena Zorn for winning Gameroom of the Month! Do you have a special home gameroom you want to share with the world? Submit your incredible gameroom directly to Insider@sternpinball.com for your chance to be featured as our next winner!

Stern Army Updates:

The Stern Army continues to grow with troops spreading the gospel of pinball across the globe. Stern Army locations receive first priority shipment of new Stern games for hosting official Launch Parties in addition to supporting events with prizes, giveaways, promotional materials, and tools for hosting recurring tournaments and leagues. Engage and expand your local pinball community and to join the Stern Army, please reach out to SternArmy@sternpinball.com

https://youtu.be/7vVr8LvKIWM?si=we1i2gQujuXuvtSr

Location of the Month:

Congrats to Intersect Brewing of Fort Collins, Colorado for winning Location of the Month! Do you have a special location you want to share with the world?  Submit your pictures directly to Insider@sternpinball.com for your chance to be featured as our next winner!

Stern Pro Circuit:

Congrats to all competitors at this year’s Pinball Expo Flip Out Stern Pro Circuit tournament. In the end, all the way from Sweden no less, Arvid Flygare outlasted the competition for his first circuit victory! For full details on the Stern Pro Circuit and to keep up with the current standings and schedule, please visit – https://sternpinball.com/stern-pro-circuit/

Upcoming Stern Pro Circuit Events:

Stern Pro Circuit 2025 Schedule:

Only a few events remain on the 2025 season of the Stern Pro Circuit!

Stern Pro Circuit Championship:

The best of the best duked it out at the 2025 Stern Pro Circuit Championship, presented by Mountain Dew in conjunction with the International Flipper Pinball Association & Enterrium! Who ended up with crown? Catch a replay of the competitive event of the year!

Stern Rewards Program:

In partnership with the International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA), the Stern Rewards Program annually provides IFPA players who qualify the chance to purchase a new Stern Pinball machine at a special IFPA price plus the opportunity for additional Stern merchandise discounts. Detailed rules for the Stern Rewards Program, including an updated list of qualifiers and updated list of rewards available can be found HERE.

The IFPA is excited to announce that Stern has added King Kong: Myth of Terror Island Pro and Premium to the rewards program!

Status of Code:

We are continuously working to update and improve software for our machines. There are always code updates and bug fixes in various stages of development; we will release them upon update completion. If you would like to join our mailing list for code updates, please send an e-mail to Code.Updates@sternpinball.com. If you do encounter any bugs please feel free to provide information to bug.report@sternpinball.com. Get Connected and play! https://insider.sternpinball.com/

Code updates and read me files are available at https://sternpinball.com/support/game-code/

Merch and Accessories:

Check out our Stern Shop for all accessories, collectibles, clothing and more!

Stern Pinball accessories are also available to purchase from your local authorized dealer – https://sternpinball.com/find-a-dealer/

Ask Jack Anything:

You’ve got questions? Jack has answers! Ask Jack Anything* is a place to communicate more personably with us at Stern Pinball. Think of it as a digital suggestion box. Don’t be afraid to reach out about anything. It’s as anonymous as you want it to be! ⚡

https://sternpinball.com/askjack/

Random Tutorials, Interviews and more:

Check out a slew of fun content, tutorials, and interviews including a special one with Business Insider!

The post STERN OF THE UNION ADDRESS – NOVEMBER 2025 first appeared on Stern Pinball.

Ryan Claytor is a busy man.  The cartoonist and professor of comic art, who first came to prominence in the pinball community back in 2019 thanks to his co-authoring and illustration of the inaugural Coin-Op Carnival publication, has been involved in numerous pinball-related and non-pinball projects.

Last year he celebrated twenty years of his Elephant Eater Comics imprint with the publication of an anthology entitled, One Bite at a Time.  The lavishly designed hardback book detailed many of his projects – and the processes behind them – over the past two decades. 

Coin-Op Carnival was one of those projects covered, but there were also two collaborations with Mr. Jones watches, promotional material for Multimorphic, and illustration for his fellow Coin-Op Carnival author, Nick Baldridge, for his EM & Bingo Pinball Podcast, amongst others.

Now though, Ryan has decided not to wait another twenty years before spilling the beans on his various works and the processes behind them, and instead to produce a yearly review in the form of his new Annual Dispatch.

The format of Annual Dispatch couldn’t be more different to One Bite at a Time.  While the latter came in, what Ryan described as a “tour de force in terms of format design”, with more than 250 oversize pages incorporating a wide range of creative story-telling devices, the new publication is produced in the more simplistic style of a tabloid newspaper.

The projects featured in this initial release include several related to pinball.

Ryan both designed the logo for the recent PAPA 22 World Pinball Championship, held at Enterrium in Schaumburg, Illinois, in memory of Lyman Sheats, and helped create a bespoke neon sign for the event promoting the Suicide Awareness campaign.

The twelve month period also covers the publication of One Bite at a Time and so looks back at the creative processes used within that book to aid the story-telling and the context of the projects within.

As with his book, Annual Dispatch is being offered through the Kickstarter platform, where a range of rewards is available to backers of the project.  These include digital and physical copies, pin badges, stickers, original artwork and invitation-only discussions with Ryan about the publication as well as his wider career.

This will be Ryan’s twentieth self-published project.  The content is already prepared and ready to print, so he is fully confident of his ability to successfully fulfil his backer’s chosen rewards.

To promote his new publication, Ryan is holding a series of media appearances and interviews, with Pinball News being the first stop of the tour.

So, we began by asking Ryan why he changed the format of his process narratives from a plush hardback to this simpler tabloid newspaper style.

He told us, “Like many cartoonists, newsprint holds a fascination for me.  I’m sure this alure has a combined force, due both to North American comics’ origins in nineteenth century newspapers and eventually being reprinted in pamphlet form (which were also printed on newsprint).  I even have a ton of comics from my youth that were still printed on old, pulpy newsprint nearly a hundred years after those Yellow Kid and Katzenjammer Kids strips from the late 1800s, so this feels somewhat like a full-circle/right-of-passage moment.”

With tabloid-format newspapers traditionally considered to lack the gravitas of their broadsheet rivals, we wondered if Ryan considered the larger ‘broadsheet’ format for his Annual Dispatch. 

He said there were two reasons why the size he chose works well for him.  “I wanted a publication that was larger than my art book to give more weight and detail to the images, while at the same time balancing the price for the reader.  The other happenstance of the tabloid size is that the proportion of the pages are extraordinarily close to that of my art book.  All this to say, if there’s demand for me to continue this Annual Dispatch project for another decade or two, I’ll more-or-less have my pages ready to collect into another hardcover down the line.”

Although Ryan is probably best known amongst Pinball News readers for his pinball-related projects, he has created many other products unrelated to the game over the past twelve months, several of which are featured in this first Annual Dispatch.

We asked him which of his pinball projects are included in this new publication.  He explained, “I was the event artist for the recent PAPA 22 World Pinball Championships event, so that will definitely be in there.  I was also humbled to design a neon sign honoring the late great Lyman F. Sheats Jr, which will see a couple of spreads in the publication as well.  Finally, during the campaign for One Bite at a Time, I sold a limited number of ‘in-book paintings’, several of which were pinball themed.  So, there’s a fair amount of pinball content.  Beyond that, there’s also some additional neon work and more gaming-related artwork I created, which I see as tangentially related to pinball.”

With so many strings to his bow, we suggested the depiction of himself as a ‘Cartoonist’ in the Annual Dispatch’s front page headline was, perhaps, a little too modest.  What, we wondered, would be a better, fuller description?

He proffered, “When people ask who I am and/or what I do, my response is that I’m a Cartoonist and Professor.  You’re right, my creative output spans beyond comics, but in my mind, it all comes back to comics.  I equate making comics with a custom puzzle-solving experience.  There are macro and micro considerations, from overall story, to breaking that down into beats, then page counts, panels per page, and even elements within each panel. With that said, each of these disparate media I work in, whether it’s a single illustration or a neon design, creating custom clamshell boxes or finishing a massive tome, they each share some DNA of that iterative working process with their own restrictions and limitations, and ultimately that custom puzzle solving experience, for which I feel comics has done a good job preparing me.”

Thanks to several high-profile business failures and extended delays in the pinball world over the past few years, there is understandable caution towards any company or individual asking customers to pre-order their products. Despite this, Ryan thinks his proven track-record of delivery and the benefits of using the Kickstarter platform to promote and market Annual Dispatch should outweigh any concerns backers might have.

He told us, “The pre-order model is SO helpful to self-publishers, like me, who operate on very thin margins and don’t often have the luxury of producing products in higher quantities to take advantage of lower unit costs.  So, knowing a more precise quantity of product to produce is great.  However, unlike pinball, the comics community has really embraced the crowd-funding model and developed centers of support around it.  I’m really proud, not only to have earned a ‘Backer Favorite’ badge for maintaining transparency in my campaigns and fulfilling them in a timely manner, but equally as proud for earning a ‘Superbacker’ badge for supporting nearly 200 different projects.  I mention that to say, I’m not alone in those rankings.  Many comics creators you see on the Kickstarter platform are not simply coming to it as a place to distribute their passion projects and connect with readers, but also to lift up others doing the same.”

As a result, the actual number of copies of Annual Dispatch ultimately produced when printing begins in mid-November will greatly depend on the number of backers and their chosen reward levels. 

In the meantime though, anyone wanting to get their hands on a physical pre-production copy of Annual Dispatch will be able to do so at this year’s Pinball Expo where Ryan will be both exhibiting on the show floor and moderating one of the seminars.

“You’re right”, Ryan told us, “I’m back at Expo this year and I’ll be at table 438.”

“Expo is the only public location I’ll be sharing my proof copy of the ‘Dispatch.  Folks can swing by to take a look at the only copy currently in existence, and I’ll also have copies of my other books, including One Bite at a Time, the precursor to the ‘Dispatch… and potentially a new secret project to share.”

Talking about other projects, we had to ask Ryan about a second issue of the publication which first brought him to attention amongst the pinball community, Coin-Op Carnival.  With he and co-author, Nick Baldridge, both involved in numerous projects, will they find time for issue #2?

Ryan has some good news on that front.  “Nick and I both love Coin-Op Carnival and are so thankful it’s found a similarly interested audience.  To answer your question, the plan is to work with Nick on my next big illustration project which is NOT the follow-up issue to Coin-Op Carnival, but rather an electro-mechanical scratch-build game called Robo-Frenzy.  Once that’s complete, then we’ll set our sights on Coin-Op Carnival #2.”

If you can’t be there in person, follow the extensive Pinball News coverage of Pinball Expo 2025, where you will be able to watch the seminar about the new PAPA 22 World Championship, hosted by Ryan, as well as see him and the only proof copy of Annual Dispatch at his stand on the show floor.

Before that though, the Kickstarter project for Annual Dispatch goes live today. Head over to the project’s page at AnnualDispatch.com and check out the ways you can help support it.

Formula One motor racing (F1) is an international sport that has the largest attendance per event with crowds exceeding an average of 270,000.

Brad Pitt stars as veteran motor racing driver Sonny Hayes in F1: The Movie where, in an early scene, we see him playing a 1970 Williams Electronics Inc. Grand Prix pinball machine. Surprisingly, there are several closeups of the playfield, and it ‘fits’ into this scene rather than just being a decoration.

Christian Marche’s backglass artwork features vibrant graphics of motor sport, including a Monaco Grand Prix scene. 

A reviewer said of F1: The Movie: “Just the way it was with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, Joseph Kosinski has once again delivered something that pulls you back to cinemas. This is what I call an experience. This movie is what movies are all about. They made promises with this and fulfilled every single one of them. It’s got that story, a young guy taught by the veteran, but everything is done so spectacularly well that, when you leave the theatre, you feel like jumping into a Formula 1 car yourself. Brad Pitt, it had to be you, I’m convinced that this guy just doesn’t do bad movies. In the movie, it feels like it’s Brad just being Brad. And it’s amazing.“

F1: The Movie, is more Hollywood than documentary, but there were several scenes filmed at genuine F1 races during the 2024 season, and several F1 racers and team members that appear in the movie.

We enjoyed watching the film and would encourage you to attend a screening.

F1: The Movie is now showing in theatres and is available in 4DX and IMAX.

Stern Pinball today announced the appointment of Jeremy Packer as their new Studio Art Director.

Jeremy, who also goes under the name Zombie Yeti, has worked on Stern Pinball titles since 2016 when he debuted with the art package for Ghostbusters.

Despite creating the artwork for many more Stern titles as a contractor, including Iron Maiden, Deadpool, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Avengers: Infinity Quest and Godzilla, it wasn’t until February 2023 that he became a full-time employee at Stern, taking on the title of Project Artist.

Many people thought Jeremy would be in the running to take over from Stern’s Art Director, Greg Freres, when Greg retired from the company in October last year. However, Stern appointed Sebastian Napoli instead.

Sebastian’s tenure only lasted a few months before he departed to work on alternate projects. He does still work with Stern on a contractual basis, but his departure left the art department without a head.

The announcement of Jeremy’s appointment as Studio Art Director fills that void and comes one day before his latest work for the company is revealed. Stern’s King Kong: Myth of Terror Island is due to launch tomorrow, April 15th and it features a complete art package created by Jeremy.

Here’s how Stern Pinball made the announcement of Jeremy’s appointment.

Congratulations to Jeremy on his new position. Catch the reveal of King Kong: Myth of Terror Island here at Pinball News as soon as it is announced tomorrow.

Finished Baller Installer last night, so thought this pup pack deserves to be the very first to go into the collection.  Second table install might be a while since I keep wanting to play this instead. 🙂

Thanks for everything!! 

liebowa wrote:

I love the quality and the remix, but am having a few issues with some phrases being played in the ‘old’ style, such as “Hey Buddy” and “you can have that back”.

Are those in this version of the AltSound?

Appreciate the work for sure!

Spot on! Thanks for that feedback. I went through all the voice samples and updated the ones that were left behind from the old ROM. Should be all good now .

BeemanDev wrote:

Spent hours trying to get score to appear in vr but no joy. works fine in 2d

Most VR tables on here dont work 100% out of the box, after hours of tweaking I eventually get most to work, but this one is impossible.

I’m not having any luck either with getting the scores to show. Same trouble with Bugs Bunny Birthday Ball & Taxi or any game that uses DB2S. The back glass looks ok but no score appears.  It’s breaking my heart.

darthwhat wrote:

player and popper

If you are using both then you should Up-Date both – nailbuster.com/betas/PinUPSystem_v_1_4_6_beta18.zip

wylte, I’ve enjoyed this table for several months now.
What mods have you done?  The current SSF sounds are too cool and the patina is great. (And the ROACHES are a riot!!)

Please tell me you’re working on some kind of DMD for this table. That would be great!

• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by MPTech.

@joppnl  @freneticamnesic @hirez00 @S5SLTH @goblindriver

I’ve posted V4 of the directB2S file. would appreciate a test. Thanks.