Post Games Why Pinball Moved from Bars to Basements (Seth Davis)
Mar 23, 2026
Seth Davis, President and CEO of Stern Pinball, recounts how Stern survived the downturn and modernized pinball for homes. Lewis Gordon, reporter and critic, breaks down Crimson Desert and the rise of Korean AAA games. They discuss manufacturing complexity, designing tables for home play, connected features and leaderboards, and how franchises and collectors shape the market.
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Validate Pinball With Whitewoods And Banging Tests
- QA pinball by iterative physical testing: life-test fixtures, Whitewoods (no art prototypes), design validation, then production validation.
- Use banging/life-test rooms and multi-stage playfield validation to ensure durability and shot feel before wide release.
Home Machines Need Deep Modes And Achievements
- Home pinball design favors longer, deeper gameplay with mode stacking and theories for score maximization, unlike short arcade sessions.
- Younger players prefer achievements; Stern added Insider Connected achievements, changing design priorities.
Internet Connectivity Lets Pinball Evolve Post Sale
- Since Seth joined, Stern ships Insider Connected on most machines enabling internet updates, achievements, and retrofits for older units.
- Internet connectivity lets Stern update code post-sale to add features and balance gameplay.