# STERN REVEALS ONLINE STRATEGY

**Source:** Pinball News Website  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2021-08-26  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2021/08/26/stern-reveals-online-strategy

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## Analysis

Stern Pinball announced Insider Connected, a comprehensive online connectivity system launching in the coming weeks that links players, operators, and the company through QR code-based registration on Spike 2 machines. The free player system tracks scores, achievements, and play history, while Insider Connected Pro provides operators with earnings data, diagnostics, and machine statistics. Stern gains access to aggregated gameplay data for development, marketing, and product improvement purposes.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Insider Connected launches in the next few weeks — _Direct statement from Stern Pinball announcement_
- [HIGH] System is free for players to use — _Explicitly stated in article_
- [HIGH] QR code reader kits for upgrade older titles are expected to be offered at an affordable price point — _Direct statement regarding upgrade pricing_
- [HIGH] Spike 2 games already have Insider Connected capability built-in to future titles; replacement aprons available for earlier Spike 2 titles — _Technical specification in article_
- [HIGH] No information yet about whether the Pro version of Insider Connected will have a cost associated with it — _Explicit statement in article_

### Notable Quotes

> "If certain features on a game are rarely started, the software developers could bring out an update to the game code to make them more achievable. Similarly, if players are choosing to always skip certain modes or awards, the scoring balance of the gameplay could be adjusted to make them more rewarding."
> — **Stern Pinball (article text)**
> _Demonstrates Stern's intention to use aggregate player data to iteratively improve game balance and feature usage_

> "Stern might also see if a certain feature or toy is regularly breaking or becoming inactive, using that to make future iterations more robust or make stronger replacements available at the Stern Shop."
> — **Stern Pinball (article text)**
> _Shows how Stern plans to use reliability data to improve future hardware design and support product sales_

> "Loyalty rewards could also be offered to players to encourage them to seek out and play connected Stern Pinball titles."
> — **Stern Pinball (article text)**
> _Indicates Stern's strategy for player retention and engagement through incentives_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Stern Pinball | company | Manufacturer announcing Insider Connected system |
| Insider Connected | product | New online connectivity platform linking players, operators, and machines via QR code registration |
| Insider Connected Pro | product | Operator-facing companion system providing machine statistics, earnings data, and diagnostics |
| Spike 2 | product | Stern's hardware platform (LCD backbox panel) receiving Insider Connected integration |
| George Gomez | person | Vice-President of Game Design at Stern; featured in Insider Connected announcement and podcast interview |
| Stern Insider Basic | product | Existing Stern program that Insider Connected expands upon |
| Stern Insider All-Access | product | Existing Stern program that Insider Connected expands upon |
| Led Zeppelin | game | Example machine shown with Insider Connected system built in |
| Transformers | game | George Gomez design featuring QR codes; historical precedent for Stern's QR code strategy |
| Stern Pinball website | product | Where players register accounts and view Insider Connected data |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Digital connectivity and player engagement systems, Data collection and analytics for game development, Operator tools and machine management
- **Secondary:** QR code integration and registration systems, Spike 2 hardware ecosystem expansion, Achievements and progression systems
- **Mentioned:** Player loyalty and retention strategies

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.75) — Article presents Insider Connected as a forward-thinking infrastructure play with clear benefits for all stakeholders (players, operators, Stern). Tone is informative and enthusiastic about features and future expansion potential. No critical commentary or concerns raised.

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Insider Connected Pro for operators remains unpriced, suggesting Stern is still evaluating monetization strategy for operator-facing analytics tools (confidence: high) — Explicit statement: 'There is no information yet about whether the Pro version of Insider Connected will have a cost associated with it, or how much it will be'
- **[community_signal]** Insider Connected includes player achievements, interaction with game creators, and loyalty rewards—designed for community engagement and retention (confidence: high) — Article explicitly mentions 'achievements system,' 'interacting with the game creators,' and 'loyalty rewards could also be offered to players'
- **[technology_signal]** Stern is building infrastructure to collect granular gameplay data (feature usage, mode skipping patterns, toy reliability, machine tilt levels) for game balancing and hardware iteration (confidence: high) — Article details how Stern will use data to adjust scoring balance, identify breaking toys, and improve future designs
- **[announcement]** Stern officially announces Insider Connected with multi-stakeholder connectivity (players, operators, company) (confidence: high) — Direct announcement with detailed system architecture, launch timeline, and feature roadmap provided
- **[product_strategy]** Insider Connected features expected to expand over coming months and years, indicating planned phased rollout of additional capabilities beyond launch features (confidence: high) — Article states: 'Some of these [features] will be available at launch, but the features of the Insider Connected system are expected to expand over the coming months and years'
- **[technology_signal]** QR code-based player registration and machine connectivity represents Stern's evolution from Transformers one-way QR codes to bidirectional player engagement infrastructure (confidence: high) — Article notes George Gomez's Transformers featured QR codes linked to discontinued website; Insider Connected provides 'much greater interaction and involvement'

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## Transcript

Stern Pinball today revealed their online connectivity system designed to link their pinball machines to players, operators and Stern themselves. ![Stern Pinball's new Insider Connected programme](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/news/stern-insider-connected/006-stern-insider-connected.jpg) Stern Pinball’s new Insider Connected programme Launching in the next few weeks, Insider Connected expands the company’s existing Stern Insider Basic and All-Access programmes to allow players to log-on to their account at a supported Stern Pinball machine using a QR code reader built into the bottom apron. ![The Insider Connected system built into a Led Zeppelin machine](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/news/stern-insider-connected/001-stern-insider-connected.jpg) The machine To access the Insider Connected system, players will need to create a personal account on the Stern website. This will then give them a unique QR code which they can record – either by taking a snapshot on their phone, by e-mail or even by printing it out. There is currently no suggestion of an app which will allow registration or store the QR code. ![Players need to register on the Stern website](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/news/stern-insider-connected/004-stern-insider-connected.jpg) Players need to register on the Stern website Once they have their code, a player will be able to scan it on a QR code reader built into the bottom apron of a supported Spike 2 system game. Spike 2 games are those which feature an LCD panel in the backbox. Future titles will have this reader built-in, but replacement aprons will be sold to allow earlier Spike 2 titles to also work with the Insider Connected system. ![Scanning a player's unique QR code](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/news/stern-insider-connected/002-stern-insider-connected.jpg) Scanning a player’s unique QR code If the machine is connected to the internet – either wirelessly or through an Ethernet cable – and registered on the Stern system, it will look up the player’s details on the Stern servers and populate the player’s name and playing history on the display. Their game score and in-game achievements will then be sent back to Stern to be added to the player’s record. A new achievements system will also be added to future titles, giving another layer of objectives to achieve during gameplay in addition to the standard game rules. A player’s scores, achievements and play history will then be available for them to view in their Insider Connected section of the Stern Pinball website. Many additional player features are also planned for the system, including interacting with the game creators. ![Connecting the player with the game development team](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/news/stern-insider-connected/005-stern-insider-connected.jpg) Connecting the player with the game development team The Insider Connected system will be free for players to use, while QR code reader kits up upgrade older titles are expected to be offered at an affordable price point. !A new bottom arch is needed to add the Insider Connected system to an existing Spike 2 game A game The link between the machine and the players is only one of the three ways the Insider Connected system communicates. Operators will also be able to create accounts and register their machines along with their locations. A companion system called Insider Connected Pro will provide operators with detailed statistics about their machines’ operation and earnings. Any faults can be flagged so that a repairer can be ready when they make a site visit, while statistics about how the game is being played, which features are started and how level the machine is will be available too. Probably most importantly, the operator will be able to see the earnings information and when the machine is taking money. There is no information yet about whether the Pro version of Insider Connected will have a cost associated with it, or how much it will be. The third link to a connected machine is back to Stern Pinball themselves. A wealth of valuable information – including everything the player and operator sees and much more – is available for the company’s development, diagnostic and marketing purposes. If certain features on a game are rarely started, the software developers could bring out an update to the game code to make them more achievable. Similarly, if players are choosing to always skip certain modes or awards, the scoring balance of the gameplay could be adjusted to make them more rewarding. Stern might also see if a certain feature or toy is regularly breaking or becoming inactive, using that to make future iterations more robust or make stronger replacements available at the Stern Shop. For marketing, Stern would be able to contact operators and either advise on ways to increase earnings or let them know about the upcoming availability of more of their best-earning titles. Loyalty rewards could also be offered to players to encourage them to seek out and play connected Stern Pinball titles. There are many possible ways to utilise the data generated once the machine, player and operator are linked. Some of these will be available at launch, but the features of the Insider Connected system are expected to expand over the coming months and years. Stern Pinball have an interview with their Vice-President of Game Design, George Gomez, where he talks about the Insider Connected system and how it evolved from the early days of machine interconnectivity. It is Episode 12 of the Stern Insider Pinball Podcast but is only available to those who register for the current Stern Insider programme. However, a video by George Gomez describing the functions of Insider Connected is publicly available. VIDEO George and Stern have a history of using QR codes on their machines to promote player interaction. His Transformers design for the company included no fewer than ten of them on the translite, instruction card, bottom apron and ball shooter. Those linked to the now discontinued sternpinball-transformers.com website, however that was a one-way interaction. The new Insider Connected system provides much greater interaction and involvement from both players and operators. Stern Pinball also released this promotional video to announce their Insider Connected programme. VIDEO

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: dbbb8b69-bcb7-4624-8504-3586fd152936*