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It’s October in the Midwest, which means it’s time for the pinball world to descend on a convention center in Chicagoland for the annual Pinball Expo. Once thought to be an entertainment sector slowly bleeding out, pinball has come back in a big way in recent years. I visited one of Chicago’s last old-school manufacturers before heading down the road to see what’s new in the silver-ball universe. Behind the silver ball Hundreds gathered on a brisk fall Friday morning outside Stern Pinball’s headquarters in Elk Grove, Illinois, waiting to enter a Wonka-like wonder factory where piles of raw parts become licensed creations from Jaws to the brand-new Fallout. Stern invited me to tour its offices and factory floor before heading off to the convention in nearby Schaumburg, Illinois. As I stood with my tour group in Stern Pinball’s HQ lobby, mouth agape at the dozens of machines lining the walls, we were greeted by the man himself, Gary Stern, who gave us some background on the company’s 40-year history. After a stop at Gary’s podium, we were ushered to the factory floor entrance, where Stern employee and legendary game designer George Gomez briefed us on the tour rules and answered questions. According to Gomez, “at any given time, Stern controls 90 percent of the current pinball market, and everybody else splits the rest.” While the industry may be expanding toward something more reminiscent of its glory days, there’s no doubt who still rules the market. With a steady stream of new license releases, Stern has cemented itself as the brand in modern pinball. What I saw on the expo floor, though, showed me that the remaining 10 percent of the market is doing some really interesting things, and hobbyist projects are booming. From modular home setups to open development kits that let anyone with silver-ball dreams try their hand at game design, there was something for everyone. In short, it’s a very exciting time to be a pinball fan.
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