Episode 23: My Cringe Gary Stern Moment, Your Voicemails, & 2025 Pinball Rumors!
The Flipside Pinball Podcast
1 hr
Summary
Retro Ralph reviews cringe Gary Stern CES interview, takes voicemails, previews 2025 pinball rumors.
Retro Ralph hosts an episode of The Flipside Pinball Podcast featuring a self-reflective look at an embarrassing 2019/2020 CES interview with Gary Stern where Ralph demonstrates minimal pinball knowledge, followed by listener voicemails and discussion of 2025 pinball industry rumors and forecasts.
Highlights
- Stern claims 85% market share for mechanical pinball games
- Stern released three cornerstone games per year as of 2019/2020, plus vault/studio games
- Stranger Things was Stern's first game with a projector system, projecting on ramps, drop targets, and screens
- Insider Connected may not have existed yet at Stranger Things launch
- Stern's presence at CES 2019/2020 was minimal: essentially one booth pole with games around it
- Stern's marketing footprint at trade shows has expanded significantly from 2019/2020 to present
- AC/DC Pro Vault Edition pricing was approximately $5,499 MSRP at time of interview
- There was minimal pinball media presence at CES 2019/2020
- Stern was planning to stream AC/DC Premium Edition from Chicago the following week
- Expected 2025 Stern lineup includes Dungeons & Dragons, King Kong (rumored), plus standard three-game format
In Episode 23 of The FlipSide Podcast, I share my hilariously cringe-worthy encounter with the one and only Gary Stern—yes, it’s as awkward as it sounds! Plus, I take your voicemails to spotlight your thoughts and predictions and dive into what the future of pinball could look like in 2025. Don’t forget—it’s not too late to vote for the TWIPYs! Show your support for your favorite podcaster, streamer, game, and more. Tune in, laugh with (or at) me, and let’s celebrate the amazing pinball community together!
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