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Five Minutes to Tilt #11 – Zombie Yeti on Going from Popadiuk to Stern Pinball

Dutch Pinball Museum·video·5m 9s·analyzed·Mar 25, 2026
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Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.019

TL;DR

Zombie Yeti traces his path from Zidware to becoming Stern's lead artist across major franchises.

Summary

Jeremy Packer (Zombie Yeti), studio art director at Stern Pinball, recounts his career trajectory from working with John Papa at Zidware on Magic Girl and Alice in Wonderland, to being recruited by Dennis Nordman and Greg Ferrer to Stern, where he became the lead artist on major licensed titles including Ghostbusters, Iron Maiden, Deadpool, Primus, TMNT, and Avengers. He discusses the intensity of working on multiple games simultaneously and reflects on the fortunate path his career has taken despite early setbacks in the indie/smaller manufacturer space.

Key Claims

  • Jeremy Packer started making art for pinball games with John Papa at Zidware, creating Magic Girl, Raza, and Alice in Wonderland

    high confidence · Jeremy Packer speaking directly about his early career, transcribed from video

  • Dennis Nordman reached out to Jeremy and introduced him to Greg Ferrer, who hired him to work on Ghostbusters approximately two to three weeks after their lunch meeting

    high confidence · Jeremy Packer's direct recounting of how he joined Stern

  • Jeremy worked on Deadpool, Iron Maiden, and Primus all in the same year, which he describes as not recommended

    high confidence · Jeremy Packer explicitly stating his workload that summer

  • Iron Maiden was released before Deadpool, though Jeremy expresses uncertainty about the exact order

    medium confidence · Jeremy Packer's statement: 'Iron Maiden came out first, I think. I could be wrong, my brain, but but it seems like it did.'

  • After Deadpool, Iron Maiden, and Primus, Jeremy's next project was likely Turtles, followed by Avengers

    medium confidence · Jeremy Packer's recollection: 'I think the next thing I did was Turtles, maybe. And then um Avengers.'

Notable Quotes

  • “My name is Jeremy Packer, also known as Zombie Yeti. I am currently the studio art director at Stern Pinball.”

    Jeremy Packer@ 0:54 — Self-identification and current role statement

  • “Dennis Nordman reached out to me... and he's like, 'Hey, I like what you did. Do you want to work with me?'”

    Jeremy Packer@ 1:43 — Key moment of recruitment to Stern ecosystem

  • “Greg and I hit it off pretty well. And Greg about two or three weeks later hired me to work on Ghostbusters.”

    Jeremy Packer@ 2:11 — Describes how he became Stern's artist on flagship Ghostbusters title

  • “I did Deadpool, Iron Maiden, and Primus all in one year. I don't recommend doing three games.”

    Jeremy Packer@ 3:09 — Highlights intense work schedule and workload challenges

  • “I came into pinball at just the lucky time... I've been fortunate.”

    Jeremy Packer@ 4:19 — Reflection on career fortune and timing in the industry

Entities

Jeremy PackerpersonZombie YetipersonDennis NordmanpersonGreg FerrerpersonJohn PapapersonKeith EllenpersonStern PinballcompanyZidwarecompany

Signals

  • ?

    personnel_signal: Jeremy Packer's transition from indie/smaller manufacturer (Zidware) to Stern Pinball marks significant career advancement and demonstrates recruitment of established talent

    high · Direct personal account of being recruited by Dennis Nordman and hired by Greg Ferrer

  • ?

    design_philosophy: Jeremy Packer describes becoming Stern's lead artistic voice across major licensed franchises, suggesting concentration of visual design direction in his hands

    high · Timeline of consecutive major franchise titles (Ghostbusters, Iron Maiden, Deadpool, Primus, TMNT, Avengers) all featuring his artwork

  • ?

    community_signal: Dutch Pinball Museum's interview project systematically capturing industry stories before they disappear, documenting career narratives of key figures

    high · Museum framing: 'we collect stories before they are lost... pinball history doesn't live only in machines. It lives in people.'

  • ?

    historical_signal: Career path illustrates transition from indie/boutique pinball manufacturers (Zidware) to established major manufacturer (Stern) during modern pinball renaissance

    high · Jeremy's progression from Zidware projects through Stern's major licensed franchises

  • ?

    operational_signal: Jeremy explicitly warns against simultaneous production of three major games in one year, indicating sustainability and burnout concerns in modern pinball development

    high · Direct quote: 'I did Deadpool, Iron Maiden, and Primus all in one year. I don't recommend doing three games.'

Transcript

youtube_auto_sub · $0.000

0:12
At the Dutch Pinball Museum, we collect stories before they are lost.
0:23
Because pinball history doesn't live only in machines. It lives in people. In stories that are often told once and then disappear. 5 minutes, one act timer. When it rings, the story ends.
0:44
Okay. So, who are you? What are you
0:44
Okay. So, who are you? What are you doing in Pimbo? Can you tell us story? >> Okay. Uh, my name is uh Jeremy Packer,
0:50
Okay. Uh, my name is uh Jeremy Packer,
0:50
Okay. Uh, my name is uh Jeremy Packer, also known as Zombie Yeti. Um, I am currently the uh studio art director at Stern Pitball. Uh, but for the last decade or so, uh, plus I would I've been making uh, art for games. Uh, um, I started with uh, working with John Papa uh, at Sidwear. uh created u Magic Girl and a version of Raza back in the day uh and Alice in Wonderland, a bunch of others. And um because of that, uh I I once everything sort of went a little south there. Um here's my story. I uh was approached by Dennis Nordman. Dennis Nordman reached out to me and was working on some pitching back aches. Um, and he's like, "Hey, I like what you did. Do you want to work with me?" And I'm like, "Uh, you know, I talked to him for a little while. Turned out he actually uh grew up near where I actually was living at the time." And so we had a a lot of uh back and forth and and uh had a good rapport. And so I'm like, "Yeah, let's work together." And so we did. From that he introduced me to uh Greg Ferris. Um we went to went to lunch and Greg and I hit it off pretty well. and and uh Greg uh about two or three weeks later hired me to work on Ghostbusters. So >> yeah,
Ghostbusters
game
Iron Maidengame
Deadpoolgame
Primusgame
Magic Girlgame
Alice in Wonderlandgame
Razagame
TMNTgame
Avengersgame
Dutch Pinball Museumorganization
  • ?

    machine_intel: Confirms Iron Maiden release preceded Deadpool, though Jeremy expresses uncertainty; clarifies Deadpool was sidetracked mid-production

    medium · Jeremy's statement: 'Iron Maiden came out first, I think. I could be wrong'

    • 2:16
    yeah,
    2:16
    yeah, >> just sort of it just all happened. It it
    2:18
    just sort of it just all happened. It it
    2:18
    just sort of it just all happened. It it uh fell into place. I got lucky. Yeah. But um and and ever since I've been really good friends with Alt. So it's uh >> So yeah, it's it's a very famous name.
    2:28
    So yeah, it's it's a very famous name.
    2:28
    So yeah, it's it's a very famous name. So can you tell us more about games that you >> uh Ghostbusters? Yeah, Ghostbusters was
    2:33
    uh Ghostbusters? Yeah, Ghostbusters was
    2:34
    uh Ghostbusters? Yeah, Ghostbusters was the first one that obviously got produced with Stern and then uh then I started working on Deadpool, but Deadpool got sidetracked and Keith Ellen got hired and I jumped on to Iron Maiden. >> Okay,
    2:48
    Okay,
    2:48
    Okay, >> so Iron Maiden came out first, I think.
    2:51
    so Iron Maiden came out first, I think.
    2:51
    so Iron Maiden came out first, I think. I could be wrong, my brain, but but it seems like it did. And then uh and then went back to Deadpool. >> Um and that same summer then I ended up
    2:59
    Um and that same summer then I ended up
    2:59
    Um and that same summer then I ended up um uh because I had worked with the band Primus. Okay. >> Uh, I ended up working with them and so
    3:05
    Uh, I ended up working with them and so
    3:05
    Uh, I ended up working with them and so I did, uh, Deadpool, Iron Maiden, and Primus all in one year. >> Willy Wonka Primus game 100 times, mate.
    3:14
    Willy Wonka Primus game 100 times, mate.
    3:14
    Willy Wonka Primus game 100 times, mate. >> Yeah, I don't recommend doing three
    3:16
    Yeah, I don't recommend doing three
    3:16
    Yeah, I don't recommend doing three games. >> No, no, no.
    3:18
    No, no, no.
    3:18
    No, no, no. I have a le and it's for Yeah, it's for adults. >> There are a lot of vaginas on the
    3:25
    There are a lot of vaginas on the
    3:25
    There are a lot of vaginas on the >> Everyone tells me that, you know.
    3:27
    Everyone tells me that, you know.
    3:27
    Everyone tells me that, you know. Everyone tells me that. I don't know that that was intentional. at least 15 vaginas on the back. So like you say chim chungas. How do you say that the wrong vagina vagina vagina? >> But also look at the Lord of the Rings
    3:41
    But also look at the Lord of the Rings
    3:41
    But also look at the Lord of the Rings game. Hey there is a vagina. >> It's you know
    3:43
    It's you know
    3:43
    It's you know >> and if you see the white water game the
    3:45
    and if you see the white water game the
    3:45
    and if you see the white water game the side art from Dennis Northman he's holding his finger on the waterfall. >> That's a good point.
    3:50
    That's a good point.
    3:50
    That's a good point. >> That is something
    3:52
    That is something
    3:52
    That is something >> I mean you know it it uh it could just
    3:54
    I mean you know it it uh it could just
    3:54
    I mean you know it it uh it could just be because it's such a male centric industry. >> I don't know. Yeah. It's always the
    4:00
    I don't know. Yeah. It's always the
    4:00
    I don't know. Yeah. It's always the Easter egg hidden. Yeah. >> So we still have some so the magic girl
    4:05
    So we still have some so the magic girl
    4:06
    So we still have some so the magic girl we had it in the museum. We have some artwork from it. It's it's a very nice it is a lot different. >> I appreciate that.
    4:13
    I appreciate that.
    4:13
    I appreciate that. >> Yeah. No, I I just I you know I came
    4:15
    Yeah. No, I I just I you know I came
    4:15
    Yeah. No, I I just I you know I came into uh pinball at just the lucky time. I mean like I I you know working with John um you know we had some good times. I mean like like uh I learned a lot. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out so well in the end, but um but it did. It did in the grand scheme of things. And and uh you know, I've been fortunate. I mean, after after uh Deadpool and Iron Maiden, Primus, I think the next thing I did was Turtles, maybe. And then um Avengers. >> Ah, wrap it up.
    4:50
    Ah, wrap it up.
    4:50
    Ah, wrap it up. >> Jeremy Zeti. Yes. Thanks for your mini
    4:53
    Jeremy Zeti. Yes. Thanks for your mini
    4:53
    Jeremy Zeti. Yes. Thanks for your mini interview. Appreciate it. I appreciate it. Great to see you. Great to see you.