Whizbang Pinball to Make Second Title With Stern

Pinball News Website·article·analyzed·Apr 20, 2016

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.015

TL;DR

Stern announces second WhizBang Pinball collaboration for 2017 release.

Summary

Stern Pinball announces that WhizBang Pinball founders Dennis Nordman and Greg Freres will collaborate on a second game to be released in 2017, following the successful 2015 mass-market release of Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons. The new game will be created in WhizBang's signature fun, campy style, though specific theme and licensing details remain unannounced. Greg Freres currently heads Stern's art department while Nordman works on external projects.

Key Claims

Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons began as a hand-built custom conversion of Continental Cafe in 2009
high confidence · Article states game was 'originally intended to be a short run of hand-built custom conversions of the game Continental Cafe' and was announced at Pinball Expo 2009
Stern Pinball began mass-market production of Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons in 2015 using SPIKE control system
high confidence · Article explicitly states 'In 2015 Stern Pinball began producing the game for the mass market' and notes it 'used Stern's new SPIKE control system'
Dennis Nordman and Greg Freres will create a new game in 2017 for Stern Pinball
high confidence · Stern Pinball official announcement dated April 19, 2016: 'announced today that it is working with Whizbang Pinball founders Greg Freres and Dennis Nordman to bring a new pinball game to the market in 2017'
Greg Freres heads up the art department at Stern Pinball
high confidence · Article states 'Greg currently heads up the art department at Stern'
Dennis Nordman is assisting Silver Castle Pinball with Timeshock! game
high confidence · Article notes 'Dennis is working on a number of projects at home while also assisting the Silver Castle Pinball team with their Timeshock! game'

Notable Quotes

“We are thrilled to be doing a brand new game with Dennis and Greg. The Whizbang team brings a unique energy and feel to their games that resonates with pinball players around the world.”
Gary Stern, CEO of Stern Pinball @ April 19, 2016 announcement — Official endorsement from Stern's CEO establishing the partnership's strategic importance and expressing confidence in WhizBang's design approach
“the fun, campy style for which the Whizbang team is known”
Stern Pinball announcement @ April 19, 2016 — Defines the design philosophy and brand identity for the upcoming WhizBang collaboration

Entities

WhizBang PinballcompanyDennis Nordmanperson Greg FrerespersonStern PinballcompanyGary SternpersonWhoa Nellie! Big Juicy MelonsgameContinental CafegameSilver Castle PinballcompanyTimeshock!game

Signals

?
business_signal: Stern Pinball expanding partnership strategy with independent design teams; second collaboration with WhizBang following Whoa Nellie! success
high · Stern CEO Gary Stern: 'We are thrilled to be doing a brand new game with Dennis and Greg' following 'successful collaboration' on Whoa Nellie!
?
personnel_signal: Greg Freres confirmed as head of Stern Pinball's art department while maintaining WhizBang collaboration
high · Article states 'Greg currently heads up the art department at Stern'
?
announcement: Stern Pinball officially announces second WhizBang Pinball collaboration for 2017 release
high · Official Stern Pinball press release dated April 19, 2016: 'announced today that it is working with Whizbang Pinball founders Greg Freres and Dennis Nordman to bring a new pinball game to the market in 2017'
?
technology_signal: SPIKE control system successfully deployed in mass-market Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons production in 2015
high · Article confirms 'In 2015 Stern Pinball began producing the game for the mass market... was fully lit by LEDs and used Stern's new SPIKE control system'

Topics

Game Development CollaborationprimaryNew Game AnnouncementprimaryStern Pinball Business StrategysecondaryControl System Technology (SPIKE)secondaryDesign Philosophy and Stylesecondary

Sentiment

positive(0.85)— Announcement is celebratory in tone. CEO expresses enthusiasm for the partnership. Previous collaboration (Whoa Nellie!) characterized as successful. No negative commentary or concerns raised.

Transcript

raw_text · $0.000

Date: 20th April 2016 Dennis Nordman's and Greg Freres's joint-venture company, WhizBang Pinball, shot to prominence in October 2009 when the first title created by the duo was first announced at Pinball Expo. The backglass sketch for the game Whoa Nellie! Sweet Juicy Melons was originally intended to be a short run of hand-built custom conversions of the game Continental Cafe, but as 'Sweet Juicy Melons' became 'Big Juicy Melons', the potential for the game also grew. Dennis and Greg at Pinball Expo 2009 In 2015 Stern Pinball began producing the game for the mass market. The now fully electronic game was cosmetically very similar to the original look of the prototype, but was fully lit by LEDs and used Stern's new SPIKE control system. The Stern-produced Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons Dennis and Greg had recently said they had no plans yet for a follow-up to the game, but Stern Pinball have now announced that the pair is to create a game in conjunction with Stern in 2017. Dennis and Greg No details of the theme, whether it will be licensed or not, or the style of game have been announced, but Stern Pinball say it will be designed "in the fun, campy style for which the Whizbang team is known". Greg currently heads up the art department at Stern, while Dennis is working on a number of projects at home while also assisting the Silver Castle Pinball team with their Timeshock! game. Here's what Stern Pinball had to say when announcing the collaboration: Greg Freres and Dennis Nordman Set To Create Another Pinball Classic ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL – April 19, 2016 – Stern Pinball, Inc., the world's oldest and largest producer of arcade-quality pinball machines, announced today that it is working with Whizbang Pinball founders Greg Freres and Dennis Nordman to bring a new pinball game to the market in 2017. Following up on the successful collaboration that brought Whoa Nellie Big Juicy Melons to the market, the new project will present a modern pinball game created in the fun, campy style for which the Whizbang team is known. “We are thrilled to be doing a brand new game with Dennis and Greg. The Whizbang team brings a unique energy and feel to their games that resonates with pinball players around the world,” said Gary Stern, CEO of Stern Pinball, Inc. More details will be announced in the future as the project progresses. About Stern Pinball, Inc. Stern Pinball, Inc., headquartered just outside Chicago, Illinois, is the oldest and largest producer of arcade-quality pinball games in the world. Stern’s highly talented creative and technical teams design, engineer and manufacture a full line of popular pinball games, merchandise and accessories. Recent Stern titles include Ghostbusters, Spider-Man Vault, Game of Thrones, KISS, WWE WrestleMania, The Walking Dead, Mustang, Star Trek, Metallica, The Avengers, X-Men, AC/DC, Tron, Transformers, Avatar, Iron Man, Batman, and many more! All of Stern’s pinball games are crafted by hand and assembled by Stern’s expert team. A broad range of players enjoy Stern’s games from professional pinball players that compete in high-stakes international competitions around the globe to novice players who are discovering the allure of the silver ball for the first time. To join the fun and learn more, please visit http://www.sternpinball.com. Back to the News page Like this page? Share it with your Facebook friends: Back to the front page