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Seth

person23 mentionsFirst seen May 17, 2025Last seen Feb 17, 2026

Profile

Seth is a senior executive at Stern Pinball who has held multiple leadership roles, including CEO, over approximately 4+ years with the company. He comes from a video games background and has been involved in major strategic decisions including game design input, licensing negotiations, pricing strategy, and developer timeline management. His tenure spans a period of significant scrutiny from the community regarding game quality, sales performance, and business strategy, with his leadership style characterized by cost-reduction focus and stricter distributor pricing policies.

Aliases

No aliases

Relationships

  • works_atStern Pinball Inc.Senior executive/CEO at Stern Pinball; involved in strategic decisions, design input, and licensing negotiationsmedium
  • affiliated_withGeorge GomezCollaborated on strategic decisions; Kaneda sent feedback emails copied to Gomez; Seth potentially replaced Gomez/Gary in new leadership rolemedium
  • affiliated_withKeith ElwinSeth provided design input on King Kong project per Elwin's accountmedium

Facts

  • achievementRuns tournaments in Montanalow
  • attributeAccountant-focused with cost-reduction strategymediumfrom 2025
  • attributeCame from video games backgroundhigh
  • roleCEO of Stern Pinballhighfrom 2025
  • roleResponsible for stricter distributor pricing decisionsmediumfrom 2025
  • roleInvolved in licensing negotiations for Stern gamesmediumfrom 2025
  • rolePresented at Stern media day events

Claims (2)

  • factualhigh

    Seth has been at Stern Pinball for approximately 4 years

    Source: Jack DangerAsk Jack Anything: Episode 2
  • factualmedium

    Seth is bringing in an outside company to run Stern Sales North America while asking John Buscaglia to move to Europe

    Source: Kaneda (secondhand report)Episode 1146: "Stern Looks Outside To Fix Its Issues Inside"

Recent Mentions (23)

  • New leadership at Stern replacing George/Gary; characterized as accountant-focused, responsible for cost-reduction strategy and stricter distributor pricing

    Pinball Roundtable Part - 11 with Retro Ralph and Cale Hernandez - Episode 77Nov 15, 2025
  • Stern executive; presented Pokémon property background and licensing significance at media day with notably elevated energy compared to previous reveals

    Pinball Roundtable - Is Stern Back on Top? Pokémon Pinball, Rumors & Why 2026 Might Be the Best YeareFeb 17, 2026
  • CEO of Stern Pinball; came from video games background; provided design input on King Kong per Keith Elwin

    Pinball Roundtable with George Gomez - Episode 80Dec 19, 2025
  • Stern leadership figure (likely CEO) with authority over developer work timeline on Pokémon; licensor relationship management

    Pokémon by Stern Pinball: Game Announcement Breakdown. Streamed from Raccoon City Pinball.Feb 14, 2026
  • Stern presentation co-host during media day, provided distributor-level business briefing

    Star Wars: Fall of the Empire Pinball: Detailed Review + Pro/Prem/LE ReactionsSep 12, 2025
  • Stern team member involved in licensing negotiations

Contradictions

  • Existing: Seth is a Stern Pinball executive/CEO based on multiple management-level mentionsvsConflicting: Mention 12 describes Seth as running tournaments in Montana as a peer in expanding PRPA scene infrastructure
    Expert: merged definition Expert: merged definition
    Resolved
    merged · Mar 3, 2026
  • Existing: Seth is described as new to Stern or recently arrived in early 2025 (mention 0)vsConflicting: Mention 8 states Seth has been with Stern for 4 years
    Resolved
    accepted_new · Mar 3, 2026
  • Existing: Seth is CEO of Stern Pinball (established in mentions 2, 8, 19, 20, 21)vsConflicting: Mention 12 describes Seth as running tournaments in Montana and being a peer in expanding PRPA scene infrastructure, which is inconsistent with a CEO role at a major pinball manufacturer
    Expert: merged definition Expert: merged definition
    Resolved

Related Glossary Terms

No linked glossary terms

medium
from 2025
  • rolePart of Pokémon development teammediumfrom 2026
  • roleInvolved in King Kong design input decisionsmediumfrom 2025
  • statusStern employee for 4 yearsmediumfrom 2021 until 2025-10
  • statusReplaced previous leadership (George/Gary)highfrom 2025
  • Changing LandscapeDec 5, 2025
  • Stern Pinball employee; introduced new CMO to Ralph at Amusement Expo International

    Episode 41: Star Wars Pinball Delayed?! The Truth About Licensing & Expo Hype!Sep 7, 2025
  • Stern team member; wanted Kong static model included on Pro edition to fill visual space

    Triple Drain Pinball Podcast Episode 70 - Elwin is back and he is dropping truth bombs!Dec 9, 2025
  • Stern team member; part of Pokémon development team; in good mood per Kaneda; mentioned as potential architect of future animated Disney/anime titles

    Free Show: EPISODE 1188: "Why Pokemon Might Be The Most Important Pinball Ever & The LE Will Hit $30,000!"Feb 16, 2026
  • Stern staff member; received recommendation from hosts about using 501st Star Wars reenactors for events

    Pinball Junk Drawer Episode 81 - Star Wars media day is HERE!Sep 14, 2025
  • Runs tournaments in Montana; cited as peer in expanding PRPA scene infrastructure.

    034 - Building A Community - How Scenes Grow & Why They DieFeb 9, 2026
  • Likely Stern Pinball leadership (possibly CEO); Kaneda calls for increased community engagement from this person

    FREE EPISODE 1145: "What's Going on With Stern's Director of Sales?Oct 7, 2025
  • New person at Stern with vision; Kaneda notes their arrival but criticizes lack of strategic course correction

    Episode 1137: "Kaneda's 8am Patreon Live Rant"Sep 16, 2025
  • Stern executive; Kaneda questions responsibility for strategy decisions alongside George Gomez

    Episode 1138 FREE SHOW: "Is Star Wars Selling? Why Beetlejuice Will Be So Hard To Get"Sep 19, 2025
  • Stern executive implicated in pricing and strategy decisions

    Kaneda's Spooky Shill Spectacular! Nov 15Nov 16, 2025
  • Stern Pinball executive; described as 'really great guy' by Canada

    Saturday Morning Spectacular! May 17May 17, 2025
  • Stern Pinball figure implied to be frustrated by The Walking Dead remaster failure

    Kaneda's Pinball Podcast Saturday Morning Spectacular Jan 24Jan 24, 2026
  • Stern CEO; holding internal meetings expressing frustration with game sales performance, particularly Walking Dead Remastered

    Episode 1175: "Pokemon Teaser This Week?"Jan 7, 2026
  • Stern management figure blamed by Kaneda for recent game quality decline

    Episode 1180: "Pokemon is Stern's Biggest Test Ever!"Jan 26, 2026
  • Stern executive met by Kaneda a year ago; recipient of strategic feedback

    FREE SHOW: EPISODE 1140: "Kaneda's 4am Takedown of Stern Pinball That Everyone at Stern Needs to Hear!"Sep 24, 2025
  • Stern executive (likely COO or similar); recipient of Kaneda's email about collector concerns; forwarded to Gomez

    Episode 1161: "George Called Me & Barrel's Next Game?"Nov 17, 2025
  • Stern Pinball employee; been with company 4 years; pinball skill level unknown to Jack but presumed high

    Ask Jack Anything: Episode 2Oct 16, 2025
  • Speculated as current/future CEO of Stern who might reset company strategy in response to Beetlejuice momentum

    Episode 1160: "Beetlejuice is a Masterpiece"Nov 14, 2025
  • merged · Mar 3, 2026
  • Existing: Seth arrived as new leadership replacing George and Gary (mention 22, dated 2025-11-15)vsConflicting: Mention 9 states Seth has been with Stern for 4 years as of 2025-10-16, which would place his arrival around late 2021, contradicting the characterization of him as new leadership in late 2025
    Resolved
    accepted_new · Mar 3, 2026
  • Existing: Seth is characterized as accountant-focused with cost-reduction strategy (mention 22)vsConflicting: Mention 4 describes Seth as 'really great guy' and mentions 14, 21 show him in notably elevated mood/energy regarding Pokémon, which somewhat contrasts with a purely accountant/cost-focused characterization
    Expert: merged definition Expert: merged definition
    Resolved
    merged · Mar 3, 2026