Stern is the name of two different but connected arcade game companies. Stern Electronics, Inc. made arcade video games and pinball machines from 1977 to 1985 and was famous for the game Berzerk. Stern Pinball, Inc., started in 1986 under the name Data East Pinball, is a company that produces pinball machines in North America.

Stern Electronics, Inc.

Stern Electronics was started in January 1977 when Sam and Gary Stern purchased the struggling company Chicago Coin. Sam had previously owned part of the amusements company Williams, buying half of it in 1947 and selling it to Seeburg Corporation in 1964. Gary had worked under his father at Williams, and from 1973 to 1976, the two men managed the company. Stern Electronics, Inc. bought Chicago Coin’s assets during bankruptcy sales, but did not take on any of Chicago Coin’s debts. In September 1977, Stern acquired Universal Research Laboratories after the company went bankrupt earlier that year. Universal Research made circuit boards for Bally pinball machines, and Stern used these to create their own designs. This led to a lawsuit by Bally, and Stern agreed to pay royalties totaling $700,000 by 1981.

The first two games made by Stern were Stampede and Rawhide, which had originally been created by Chicago Coin. Only the logos and branding were changed. Sales for Stern Electronics were slow at first but improved by the end of 1977. In 1977, they produced their first solid-state pinball machine, called Pinball. By 1978, Stern used fully solid-state electronics in all their games. In July 1980, Stern bought the jukebox production equipment from the bankrupt Seeburg Corporation for $1.5 million. To improve sales in the declining jukebox market, Stern added screens and customizable displays to the machines. In October 1980, Stern also purchased the August J. Johnson Co., a cabinet manufacturer based in Bensenville, Illinois.

When arcade video games became popular in 1980, Stern created Berzerk, which sold 20,000 units. Stern stopped making pinball machines in 1982. However, the company suffered during the video game crash of 1983 and received financial help from distributor Al Simon to continue operations. In the summer of 1983, Stern sold Seeburg Corporation. Sam Stern died in 1984, and Stern Electronics closed on February 1, 1985. From 1985 to 1986, former Stern employees formed a company called Pinstar, which made conversion kits for older Bally and Stern machines. Gary Stern remained president of Pinstar and later helped start Data East’s pinball division. When Data East was acquired by Sega in 1994, Gary continued to lead the division. Some sources say Data East used the old Stern Electronics building, but it is unclear if they bought the company or just the facilities.

On March 16, 2023, Atari SA announced it had purchased the rights to 12 Stern Electronics games, including Berzerk and Frenzy.

Stern Pinball, Inc.

By 1999, the pinball industry was almost gone. Sega, which had bought Data East Pinball in late 1994 and changed its name to Sega Pinball, left the pinball business by separating its pinball division and selling it to Gary Stern. This led to the creation of Stern Pinball. Stern Pinball became the only company that made pinball machines for sale, but it faced challenges in the 2000s. During this time, the company made about 10,000 machines each year and sold most of them outside the United States.

As of 2023, experienced designers Brian Eddy, John Borg, and George Gomez are creating pinball games for Stern Pinball. They work alongside Keith Elwin, a top-ranked competitive pinball player, and Jack Danger, a well-known pinball streamer. Stern Pinball, Inc. is located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.

Some Stern pinball tables have also been made available as digital versions through The Pinball Arcade and Stern Pinball Arcade.

Arcade games manufactured by Stern

• Astro Invader (1980) (programmed by Konami)
• Berzerk (1980)
• The End (1980) (programmed by Konami)
• Scramble (1981) (programmed by Konami)
• Super Cobra (1981) (programmed by Konami)
• Moon War (1981)
• Turtles (1981) (programmed by Konami)
• Strategy X (1981) (programmed by Konami)
• Jungler (1981) (programmed by Konami)
• Armored Car (1981)
• Amidar (1981) (programmed by Konami)
• Frenzy (1982)
• Tazz-Mania (1982)
• Tutankham (1982) (programmed by Konami)
• Pooyan (1982) (programmed by Konami)
• Dark Planet (1982) (designed by Erick Erickson and Dan Langlois)
• Rescue (1982)
• Calipso (1982) (developed by Stern, released by Tago Electronics)
• Anteater (1982) (developed by Stern, released by Tago Electronics)
• Mazer Blazer (1982)
• Lost Tomb (1982)
• Bagman (Le Bagnard) (1982) (programmed by Valadon Automation)
• Pop Flamer (1982) (programmed by Jaleco)
• Star Jacker (1983) (programmed by Sega)
• Minefield (1983)
• Cliff Hanger (1983) (laserdisc game using video footage from TMS)
• Great Guns (1984)
• Goal to Go (1984) (laserdisc game)
• Super Bagman (1984) (programmed by Valadon Automation)