Stern Launches Star Wars Fall of the Empire Pinball

Kineticist·article·analyzed·Sep 12, 2025

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.030

TL;DR

Stern launches Star Wars Fall of the Empire on Spike 3 with mixed hype and licensing constraints.

Summary

Stern Pinball officially launched Star Wars: Fall of the Empire on September 12, 2025, as the flagship title for its new Spike 3 platform. The game features original trilogy theming, was designed by John Borg with code lead by Raymond Davidson, and is priced at $6,999–$12,999 across three tiers with 770 LE units produced. Notable storylines include community Star Wars fatigue (61% poll opposition), a two-week marketing embargo tied to Disney/Lucasfilm licensing delays, European market exclusion due to regional licensing changes, and no price increases despite material cost increases.

Key Claims

61% of Kineticist newsletter readers responded 'No' to excitement for a new original trilogy Star Wars pin, indicating community Star Wars fatigue.
high confidence · Poll data from Kineticist's 'This Week in Pinball' newsletter quoted directly with reader comment.
Star Wars: Fall of the Empire will not be available in EMEA markets (Europe, Middle East, Africa) due to licensing challenges; Lucasfilm and Disney now allow individual regions more input on product availability.
high confidence · Kineticist confirmed with Stern representatives; attributed to regional licensing strategy changes.
No price increases were implemented for this release cycle despite substantial material cost increases; Stern CEO Seth Davis stated goal is broad market growth rather than margin preservation.
high confidence · Stern media briefing statement by Seth Davis reported directly.
John Borg's first game as lead designer was 1992 Data East Star Wars, which sold 10,400 units—the best-selling Stern title until Godzilla surpassed it in 2021.
high confidence · Kineticist historical context; verifiable via Stern sales records.
Raymond Davidson is leading coding efforts as the de facto lead programmer for Fall of the Empire, his first cornerstone game in that capacity despite prior contributions to multiple Stern titles.
high confidence · Design team credits and Kineticist analysis of Davidson's prior role.
The teaser trailer dropped August 27th, with official reveal delayed until September 12th (16 days later)—attributed to Disney/Lucasfilm licensing approvals and media NDA preview arrangement.
high confidence · Kineticist timeline and Stern explanation to media; confirmed in press materials.
Spike 3 features include 4x computing/video power vs. Spike 2, 18.5" full HD display (125% more pixels than prior generation), 2x more powerful audio amplifier, and wireless headphone support.
high confidence · Stern technical specifications in press release and detailed feature list provided by Kineticist.

Notable Quotes

“Star Wars IP is fun but ubiquitous in every entertainment industry. We (pinners) already have several options available to us, do we need another? Do something unique and interesting, like what was done with D&D. Sure, SW will move some units; it's safe. But hearing this news is disappointing as the opportunity costs feel incredibly high. Pass.”
TWIP Reader (Kineticist Newsletter Poll Respondent) @ Pre-release — Encapsulates community concern about franchise saturation and opportunity cost; represents 61% of poll respondents who answered 'No' to Star Wars excitement.
“Star Wars is one of the most iconic franchises in entertainment history and bringing it to life with a fresh take in our new pinball machine is a dream come true for our team who grew up as fans.”
Seth Davis, President & CEO, Stern Pinball @ September 12, 2025 (press release) — Official positioning of game as passion project; frames design as nostalgia-driven rather than purely commercial calculation.
“At Stern Pinball, we always want to deliver an immersive, high-energy experience for our players, and there's no better way to do that than with Star Wars.”
Seth Davis, President & CEO, Stern Pinball @ September 12, 2025 (press release) — Reinforces Star Wars as strategic priority; justifies IP choice despite community resistance.
“The licenseholders, Lucasfilm and Disney, changed their approach to handling licensing agreements, allowing individual regions and territories, such as Europe, to have more input on products made available to their markets.”
Stern Representative (via Kineticist inquiry) @ Pre-release — Explains European market exclusion as structural licensing policy shift, not Stern choice; suggests ongoing expansion efforts planned.
“Stern's goal is broad pinball market growth and price increases make achieving that goal more difficult.”
Seth Davis, President & CEO, Stern Pinball @ Media session briefing (pre-September 12) — Explicitly contradicts pricing increase rumors; signals strategic commitment to market expansion over margin maximization despite inflationary pressures.

Entities

Star Wars: Fall of the Empiregame Spike 3product John Borgperson Raymond Davidsonperson Seth Davisperson Jeremy Packer (Zombie Yeti)person

Signals

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business_signal: Limited Edition capped at 770 units (matching 1977 Star Wars release year); deliberate scarcity strategy to drive FOMO and collector premium pricing ($12,999 vs. $6,999 Pro).
high · Stern press release: '770 games in the initial launch territories' explicitly 'to honor the original release of Star Wars in 1977.'
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community_signal: Insider Connected platform integration with Fall of the Empire enables player progression tracking, achievements, leaderboards, Challenge Quests, and remote game management. Suggests Stern investment in digital community infrastructure and recurring engagement mechanics.
high · Kineticist detailed Insider Connected functionality in press release context; described as included with all new Stern machines and expanding via roadmap.
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sentiment_shift: Significant community Star Wars fatigue detected; 61% of Kineticist newsletter poll respondents answered 'No' to excitement for new original trilogy Star Wars pin. Reader feedback emphasizes opportunity cost of familiar IP vs. innovative themes like D&D.
high · Kineticist poll data with detailed reader commentary; represents organized community feedback from engaged enthusiast audience.
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design_philosophy: Game designed to appeal to original trilogy fans with iconic mechanical references: AT-AT tow cable shot, Death Star shield-lowering mechanics, Millennium Falcon hyperspace jump, Sarlacc pit escape, Jabba's palace events. Emphasis on cinematic moment recreation over competitive depth.
medium · Press release gameplay descriptions and rules summary; themed mechanics tied directly to specific movie scenes rather than abstract competitive rule depth.
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Topics

Community Sentiment / Star Wars FatigueprimarySpike 3 Technology PlatformprimaryLicensing & Geographic Market ConstraintsprimaryPricing Strategy & Market GrowthprimaryMarketing & Release Rollout DelayssecondaryDesign Team & PersonnelsecondaryLimited Edition Production Numbers & CollectibilitysecondaryGame Features & Mechanicsmentioned

Sentiment

mixed(0.45)— Stern and media outlets present the release positively (technology, design heritage, licensing achievement), but community sentiment is notably negative. Kineticist reports 61% reader poll opposition citing Star Wars IP saturation and opportunity cost concerns. Framing of licensing delays as security measure conflicts with perception of transparency. No price increases acknowledged positively but framed alongside material cost pressures, suggesting margin squeeze. Overall: cautious optimism from manufacturer/media, skepticism from community.

Transcript

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Well, this has certainly been a strange release for Stern Pinball. After the initial teaser trailer dropped on Wednesday, August 27th, we learned nothing new from official channels about the game until over two weeks later when the game was revealed on Stern channels and embargoes from media and distributor preview days were lifted. For a detailed first look review of Star Wars: Fall of the Empire, see our breakdown here. For nuts and bolts information about the game plus context around the release, continue on! Star Wars Fall of the Empire Design Team - Game Design: John Borg - Rules & Code: Raymond Davidson, Mike Mike Vinikour, Andrew Andrew Wilkening - Art: Jeremy Packer (Zombie Yeti) (Zombie Yeti), Vincent Vincent Proce - Sound/Music: Jerry Thompson - Callouts: Chris Bartlett (C-3PO) Star Wars The Fall of the Empire; The Hype & Rumors A mainline Star Wars title has been harder to track in our Hype Index than other IPs, due to the fact that a different mainline Star Wars game was released in 2017 and was still in active production until very recently. Which isn’t to say people were not hyped for a new Star Wars game; at various points, they have been, but it tends to be tied more to specific spinoffs from the Star Wars extended universe, like an Andor or Clone Wars pin. But, the idea of Stern doing a new Star Wars pin has been rumored for a long time, at least a year if not longer. Those rumors have run the gamut from being a prequel-focused game to a Darth Vader or Empire Strikes Back Pin, and then back to something focused on the original trilogy. Notable Storylines Surrounding the Release Teased slightly above, many of the notable storylines with the release of Star Wars Fall of the Empire focus on IP, marketing, and release approach, and Spike 3. The Star Wars IP We ran a poll in our newsletter, This Week in Pinball, asking our readers if they were excited for a new original trilogy pin. 61% of responders said “No” with a few strong follow-up comments indicating heavy Star Wars fatigue, particularly original trilogy fare. “Star Wars IP is fun but ubiquitous in every entertainment industry. We (pinners) already have several options available to us, do we need another? Do something unique and interesting, like what was done with D&D. Sure, SW will move some units; it’s safe. But hearing this news is disappointing as the opportunity costs feel incredibly high. Pass.” - TWIP Reader So, while Star Wars should be an easy cash cow for Stern, is it what pinball enthusiasts really want to see in 2025? Marketing & Release Rollout The game’s teaser trailer was first released on August 27th. A short, 20-second clip featuring a static space background, Star Wars-themed music, and a title card for the game. Spike 3 also received its own micro stinger at the end. That’s all pinball fans would get until the game’s official reveal on September 12, 2025, which by Stern standards is an incredibly long wait. This delay was positioned as due to holdups with licenscing approvals from Disney and Lucasfilm, but was also explained to media and creators as an opportunity to bring us in to see the game before its official release with signed NDAs for a Stern security blanket. There’s probably truth to both angles here. A Push for Spike 3 We now know for sure that some major Spike 3 components will be included in this game, like a larger display, improved sound system, and operating system upgrades, but a question in the community was what else we might see. Turns out most of the Spike 3 improvements have already been covered! Here’s a list of Spike 3 improvements included in Star Wars: Fall of the Empire: - Custom processor based on the Raspberry Pi platform 4x more computing and video power than Spike 2 - 2x more memory - A microSD card slot that’s 3x faster and higher quality - Improved decoding and video playback - New 18.5” screen - Full HD resolution with 125% more pixels - Increased color depth (256x) - 2x more powerful audio amplifier - New optimized speaker system including dedicated tweeters on the LE - Wireless audio headphone support - Improved wifi connections (2.4 and 5 GHz) - HDMI output - Updated OS and graphics engine - Additional technical and engineering upgrades for long-term support John Borg Returns to the Star Wars Universe Designer John Borg’s career comes full circle (and then keeps going). John’s first game as lead designer was the 1992 Data East effort, Star Wars. With this release, he’s returning to the IP that kicked off his design career 33 years ago. Notably, the Data East Star Wars sold 10,400 units, which was the record for best-selling Stern (Data East was essentially Stern by another name) until 2021’s Godzilla eventually surpassed it. Raymond Davidson’s First Cornerstone as Lead Programmer Though Stern’s Raymond Davidson (Rayday) has contributed to the code packages for a number of games (Led Zeppelin, Foo Fighters, Rush), and was the de facto lead on all the code changes for Metallica Remastered, this is the first cornerstone game where he is leading the coding efforts for a game. European Market is Off Limits Early on in this release cycle we learned that Star Wars: Fall of the Empire would not be made available within the EMEA market (Europe, Middle East, Africa). After checking in with Stern representatives, I learned that this is primarily due to licensing challenges. The licenseholders, Lucasfilm and Disney, changed their approach to handling licensing agreements, allowing individual regions and territories, such as Europe, to have more input on products made available to their markets. While most global regions have opted into this particular opportunity, some have opted out for the moment due to a combination of factors, including economic considerations and alignment with region-specific business goals. Stern says they are continuing to work on distribution expansion, with the presumed goal of eventually including markets like Europe in this release. Pricing & Availability Notably, there are no price increases for this release cycle, as had been rumored. In a media session briefing, Stern President and CEO Seth Davis made a point to note that even while material costs have increased substantially Stern’s goal is broad pinball market growth and price increases make achieving that goal more difficult. - Limited Edition: $12,999 - Premium Edition: $9,699 - Pro Edition: $6,999 Limited Edition Details - Limited to 770 machines in initial launch territories. - Full color mirrored backglass with hand-drawn artwork. - Expression Lighting System - Interactive Speaker Expression Lighting with X-Wing and Tie Fighter silhouettes - Upgraded speaker system with 3-channel amplifier and tweeter - Anti-reflection playfield glass - Shaker motor - Custom AT-AT power coated armor, legs, hinges, and action button front molding Premium Edition Details - Custom sculpted motorized AT-AT Walker - Motorized Hyperspace lift ramp - Custom sculpted Tie Fighter ship with spotlight - Use The Force with Jedi Save outlane magnetic ball saver - Illuminated custom sculpted Jabba the Hutt figure - Custom sculpted Darth Vader helmet - Custom sculpted Stormtrooper helmet - Cabinet compatible with Expression Lighting System accessory kit Pro Edition Details - Custom sculpted static AT-AT Walker - Stationary Hyperspace ramp - Cabinet compatible with Speaker Expression Lighting System accessory kit Notable Features in Star Wars Fall of the Empire Custom Sculpted Death Star II with motorized target Custom sculpted motorized AT-AT Walker Sarlacc Pit ball spinning ramp Motorized Hyperspace lift ramp feeding wireform ramp Custom sculpted illuminated Millennium Falcon ship Jedi Save outline magnetic ball save Illuminated custom sculpted Jabba the Hutt figure Custom sculpted Darth Vader and Stormtrooper helmets New 18.5" Display Rules and Code REBEL MISSIONS: Complete FORCE targets to light Rebel shots to start a REBEL MISSION. BATTLE OF HOTH MULTIBALL: Hit the AT-AT target to light lock at the Luke shot. Lock 3 balls to start BATTLE OF HOTH MULTIBALL. DEATH STAR MULTIBALL: Hit the Death Star to open the hatch. Lock 3 balls in the Death Star to start DEATH STAR MULTIBALL. JABBA EVENTS: Knock down the Salacious Crumb drop target to access the Sarlacc Pit and start a JABBA EVENT. FALCON FEATURES: Shoot the Millennium Falcon to quality FALCON FEATURES. DARTH VADER MODES: Complete Empire return lanes to light Darth Vader scoop for Dark Side Mystery and DARTH VADER MODES. CHARACTER COMBOS: Make shots in succession to collect character combos shown on the yellow inserts. ION CANNON MULTIPLIERS: Charge up the Ion Cannon by hitting the pop bumpers to light SHOT MULTIPLIERS. Star Wars Fall of the Empire Launch Media Additional Photos Feature Matrix Teaser Trailer Game Trailer Official Video Press Release Stern Pinball Announces Star Wars: Fall of the Empire, the Newest Line of Star Wars™-Inspired Pinball Machines Featuring Next Gen Technology, Stern Pinball Launches Players Into The Legendary Star Wars Galaxy CHICAGO, IL – September 12, 2025 – Today, Stern Pinball, Inc., the largest designer and manufacturer of pinball games in the world, revealed their newest collection of pinball games inspired by one of the biggest entertainment franchises in the world. Stern Pinball is excited to bring Star Wars™ to existing and new generations of pinball players, taking them on an epic adventure to save the galaxy once and for all with a fresh take on the original trilogy. Star Wars: Fall of the Empire pinball games are available in Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition (LE) models. Initial availability will be in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Mexico, and Chile. Availability in additional markets will be communicated at a later date. In Stern Pinball’s Star Wars: Fall of the Empire pinball games; players will take part in the adventures that started it all and experience iconic Star Wars-inspired moments through a pinball experience like no other. Players will take down the AT-AT by attaching their snowspeeder’s tow cable and shooting the spiral ramp to send it crashing down, mirroring the breathtaking scene from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Destroy the Death Star II from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi by lowering shields on the battle station during Death Star Multiball to save the galaxy. Players can also escape from Cloud City when reactivating the Millennium Falcon’s hyperdrive by hitting the center jump ramp to escape to hyperspace. Throughout the pinball experience, players will enter Jabba the Hutt’s Sarlacc Pit, battle stormtroopers, defeat TIE fighters, and even mimic using the Force to save your ball on the journey to defeating the Empire. Feel the power of the dark side as you enjoy special Darth Vader-inspired modes. Accompanying the over 1,000 high-quality film and audio assets integrated into the gameplay, the Star Wars: Fall of the Empire pinball games feature the iconic movie score in addition to hand-drawn, vibrant artwork. The games feature custom audio call-outs from actor Chris Chris Bartlett as C-3PO. “Star Wars is one of the most iconic franchises in entertainment history and bringing it to life with a fresh take in our new pinball machine is a dream come true for our team who grew up as fans,” said Seth Davis, President & CEO of Stern Pinball. “At Stern Pinball, we always want to deliver an immersive, high-energy experience for our players, and there’s no better way to do that than with Star Wars.” The Star Wars: Fall of the Empire pinball games launch on Stern’s next-generation SPIKE 3 technology platform, which includes a larger 18.5” full HD display with true color depth, along with a more powerful processor, and a new immersive audio system. SPIKE 3 electronics also feature more efficient power handling, improved Wi-Fi support, and wireless headphone capabilities. To honor the original release of Star Wars in 1977, the Limited Edition model will be limited to 770 games in the initial launch territories. This highly collectible model includes the Expression Lighting System™ and Speaker Expression Lighting System with Star Wars-themed game effects, a full-color mirrored backglass, full-color high-definition cabinet decals, exclusive custom Star Wars: Fall of the Empire pinball armor, a custom designer-autographed bottom arch, upgraded audio system, anti-reflection pinball playfield glass, shaker motor, a sequentially numbered plaque, a signed Certificate of Authenticity, and a digital Insider Connected LE owner’s badge on registration. The Star Wars: Fall of the Empire pinball games are available through authorized Stern Pinball distributors and dealers around the world, which can be found here. Stay up to date by following Stern Pinball on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Pricing and Availability: Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (“MSRP”)*: *MSRP for sales to USA end-users before any VAT, GST, Sales Tax, Duties, or other taxes. Pro Edition: $US 6,999 Premium Edition: $US 9,699 Limited Edition: $US 12,999 The Star Wars: Fall of the Empire pinball games are available now through authorized Stern Pinball distributors and dealers in the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and Chile or via request for availability on the game information page here. The Star Wars: Fall of the Empire pinball games feature Stern’s best-in-class commercial quality reliability backed by a one-year warranty. About Insider Connected Insider Connected™ is Stern Pinball’s community network that allows players and owners to engage with pinball games in rapidly expanding ways. The platform unites pinball players around the world and enhances fun through a variety of useful online features. Insider Connected is included with every new Stern product and is available as an add-on for existing games. Registration for Insider Connected is available at insider.sternpinball.com or in the intuitive Insider Connected™ mobile app on iOS and Android. By tapping a device on any enabled machine, players can track and resume game progress wherever they play, earn new game-specific achievements, engage with the pinball community, and participate in promotions and Challenge Quests. In addition to offering benefits to players, Insider Connected allows Stern to serve its game owners worldwide by upgrading games, offering new features and quests, and extending the longevity of machines for years to come. About Stern Pinball, Inc. Stern Pinball, Inc. creates compelling entertainment that inspires a lifetime love of games, sparks passion, forges friendships, and connects people everywhere through fun, innovative, technologically advanced pinball games and experiences. Headquartered minutes from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in the heart of North America, the company creates, designs, engineers, manufactures, markets, and distributes a full line of technologically advanced terrestrial and digital pinball games, parts, accessories, and merchandise. Stern Pinball serves digital, consumer, commercial, and corporate markets around the globe. Recent Stern Pinball titles include King Kong: Myth of Terror Island, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: The Tyrant’s Eye, Metallica Remastered, John Wick, JAWS, Venom, Foo Fighters, James Bond, Rush, Godzilla, Led Zeppelin, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Stranger Things, Elvira’s House of Horrors, Jurassic Park, Black Knight: Sword of Rage, The Munsters, The Beatles, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith, Ghostbusters, KISS, Metallica, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Star Trek, AC/DC, and Batman,. A broad range of players enjoy Stern Pinball’s games, from professional pinball players competing in high-stakes global competitions to novice players discovering the allure of the silver ball for the first time. To join the fun and learn more, please visit www.sternpinball.com. ### All trademarks and product names are the property of their respective companies. STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.