# Avatar Limited Edition

**Source:** Pinball News Website  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2010-11-23  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/news/avatarle.html

---

## Analysis

Stern Pinball announced a limited edition version of Avatar on November 23, 2010, with 250 units priced at $5,499 each. The LE model features significant enhancements over the Pro version including motorized toys, additional lighting, metal playfield rails, a shaker motor, and a white powerball with sensor. All units reportedly pre-sold to distributors.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] All 250 Avatar LE machines have been pre-sold to distributors — _Pinball News article reporting on official Stern announcement, stated as 'reportedly been pre-sold'_
- [HIGH] Avatar LE is priced at $5,499 — _Official Stern press release and pricing section_
- [HIGH] Production run limited to exactly 250 units — _Stern official press release: 'only producing 250 machines for this limited edition run'_
- [HIGH] First 25 Avatar LE playfields will be signed — _Pinball News article detailing LE features_
- [HIGH] Avatar LE includes motorized transporter pod with opening/closing lid — _Pinball News article listing specific LE enhancements_
- [HIGH] Avatar LE features amp suit with animated legs that march up and down — _Pinball News article comparing Pro vs LE features_
- [HIGH] Avatar LE includes white powerball with scoring sensor — _Pinball News article detailing LE mechanical features_

### Notable Quotes

> "The Avatar Limited Edition machine has been a very special production for Stern Pinball and game designer John Borg. We believe it to be worthy of James Cameron's masterpiece film and firmly believe the pinball community will feel the same."
> — **Gary Stern, Stern Pinball CEO**, November 23, 2010
> _Official statement from Stern leadership positioning Avatar LE as a prestige release_

> "anyone hoping to buy one may have already missed the boat because all 250 of the $5,499 machines have reportedly been pre-sold to distributors"
> — **Pinball News**, Article date November 23, 2010
> _Key market signal about rapid sell-through and scarcity of LE units_

> "Stern Pinball is only producing 250 machines for this limited edition run that will each be numbered with a plaque and a certificate of authenticity."
> — **Stern Pinball official press release**, November 23, 2010
> _Official confirmation of production quantity and certification details_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Stern Pinball | company | Manufacturer of Avatar pinball machine, announced LE variant on November 23, 2010 |
| Avatar | game | Pinball game based on James Cameron's Avatar film; LE version announced with 250-unit production run at $5,499 |
| John Borg | person | Game designer for Avatar at Stern Pinball |
| Gary Stern | person | Founder, CEO and Chairman of Stern Pinball; provided statement on Avatar LE release |
| James Cameron | person | Director of Avatar film; pinball machine licensing based on his film |
| Pinball News | organization | Source publication reporting on Avatar LE announcement and providing detailed technical comparison |
| Sam Stern | person | Historical figure; founder of Stern family pinball business in Philadelphia in 1930s |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Limited Edition release strategy, Avatar pinball game features and variants, Pricing and scarcity in LE machines, Pro vs LE feature differentiation
- **Secondary:** Stern Pinball history and company positioning, IP licensing (James Cameron/Avatar film)

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.75) — Announcement is celebratory with emphasis on prestige and rapid market success (pre-sell out). However, Pinball News includes critical editor's notes about missing information on Stern's website, suggesting some skepticism about marketing execution. Overall positive tone about the product itself.

### Signals

- **[licensing_signal]** Stern positioning Avatar LE as worthy tribute to James Cameron's 'masterpiece film,' emphasizing IP prestige and alignment with film's innovative nature (confidence: high) — Gary Stern quote: 'We believe it to be worthy of James Cameron's masterpiece film'; press release references 'Largest Grossing Film of all Time'
- **[market_signal]** All 250 Avatar LE units reportedly pre-sold to distributors immediately, indicating strong early demand for premium variant (confidence: high) — Pinball News states 'all 250 of the $5,499 machines have reportedly been pre-sold to distributors'
- **[market_signal]** Stern press release emphasizes company lineage and prestige positioning ('world's only maker of arcade quality pinball machines') alongside Avatar release (confidence: medium) — Press release includes historical narrative about Sam Stern (1930s Philadelphia) and family business tradition
- **[market_signal]** Avatar LE priced at $5,499 represents premium tier positioning with enhanced mechanical and cosmetic features targeting collectors (confidence: high) — Official pricing statement; described as 'special run of premium machines' with numbered units, plaque, and certificate of authenticity
- **[product_strategy]** Avatar LE employs multi-tier feature strategy with motorized toys, enhanced lighting, metal rails, and premium materials to justify $5,499 price point vs Pro version (confidence: high) — Detailed feature list showing amp suit animation, motorized transporter pod, shaker motor, additional character models, enhanced lighting, metal playfield rails, white powerball sensor, chrome hardware
- **[product_strategy]** Avatar LE addresses design gaps identified by Pinball News review of Pro version, including motorized transporter pod and amp suit animation, suggesting post-review iteration cycle (confidence: high) — Pinball News explicitly states many features 'we suggested in our in-depth review' and describes how feedback was implemented

---

## Transcript

Date: 23rd November 2010

Stern Pinball today formally announced the new limited edition version of their Avatar game.  However, in a bizarre marketing twist, anyone hoping to buy one may have already missed the boat because all 250 of the $5,499 machines have reportedly been pre-sold to distributors.

The Limited Edition model has a number of enhancements over the regular (or Pro) version, some of which we suggested in our in-depth review.  They are:

The amp suit model which just falls down and lifts back up in the Pro model, has animated legs which march up and down.
The transporter pod we said should have been motorised gets the motor it needs to enable the lid to open and close.
A shaker motor is included in the game.
There are more models of the characters including a banshee over the ramp, Colonel Quaritch in his amp suit - another feature we said should have been included - and Na'vi people over the N-A-V-I targets.
We noted the number of unused lamps on the lamp matrix.  Well, these have been used to add more controlled lighting which sits alongside more general illumination lamps.
There's a return to a metal bottom arch which has backlighting for new translucent blue windows.
Metal playfield slide rails are also fitted in place of the pegs used on newer models.
The original-style lock bar and latch mechanism make a comeback.
A white powerball in included in place of one of the steel balls, along with a sensor which increases scoring when the special ball is in play.
New game rules and software is added to operate the new playfield devices and features.
Chrome side rails, lock bar and hinges are installed.

In addition, playfields for machines 1-25 will be signed, while all Limited Edition playfields will have an additional hard coat applied.  All 250 will also be individually numbered and include a special plaque and certificate of authenticity.

Here's Stern's press release about the new model.

Stern Pinball Releases Avatar Limited Edition Pinball Machine

World’s Only Pinball Manufacturer Celebrates the Largest Grossing Film of all Time with a Special Run of Premium Machines

MELROSE PARK, IL – November 23, 2010- Stern Pinball, Inc., the world’s only maker of arcade quality pinball machines, announced today the Avatar Limited Edition Pinball machine. After the success of the arcade version of the Avatar pinball game, Stern is releasing a limited edition run of handcrafted machines featuring enhanced game play and superior mechanical features.

The Avatar special edition pinball machine brings players to the paradise planet of Pandora where they become hero Jake Sully on a quest to protect the Na’vi people from an invading mining colony. Staying true to the innovative nature of the film, this pinball machine translates James Cameron’s history making epic into a one-of-a-kind gaming experience. Stern Pinball is only producing 250 machines for this limited edition run that will each be numbered with a plaque and a certificate of authenticity.

“The Avatar Limited Edition machine has been a very special production for Stern Pinball and game designer John Borg,” said Gary Stern, founder, CEO and chairman of Stern Pinball. “We believe it to be worthy of James Cameron’s masterpiece film and firmly believe the pinball community will feel the same.”

The Avatar Limited Edition game continues both the Stern Pinball and the Stern family tradition of producing quality pinball machines for young and old. The company traces its lineage to Philadelphia in the 1930s when Sam Stern entered the business of operating pinball games. Stern passed his lifelong enthusiasm for the game and the business of pinball to his son Gary Stern who founded Stern Pinball. Today pinball remains one of America’s favorite pastimes.

View the Avatar Limited Edition machine in action at: http://bit.ly/aKBzSD

(Editor's note: This link only shows the regular version, not the LE model)

Pricing and Availability

The Avatar Limited Edition machine is $5,499 and only available for a short time.

For more information and to view the limited edition machine visit: www.sternpinball.com

(Editor's note: At the time of writing there is no info on the site about the LE model)

Back to the News page

Back to the
front page

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

---

*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: e87ac00d-a965-48fe-8ea4-b0ccf3608006*