Stern Says It Controls 90% of Pinball Market as Expo 2026 Showcases New Entrants

1 articles · Updated · Ars Technica · Oct 20

Hundreds gathered at Stern Pinball’s Elk Grove headquarters before Pinball Expo 2026, where the company highlighted its factory output and lineup of licensed machines including the new Fallout table.
George Gomez said Stern holds about 90% of the current pinball market, underscoring the company’s dominance even as the broader sector rebounds from years of decline.
The remaining 10% drew attention on the Schaumburg expo floor, where smaller makers and hobbyists showed modular home setups and open development kits for aspiring designers.
The contrast suggested a two-track industry: one dominant manufacturer driving mainstream releases, and a growing fringe of independent and DIY projects expanding pinball’s revival.

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With Stern controlling 90 percent of the market, are boutique creators sparking a pinball revolution or just fighting a losing battle?

Can the booming half-billion-dollar pinball revival survive on expensive pop-culture nostalgia, or is this just a temporary bubble waiting to burst?

As modern pinball integrates digital progression and video game mechanics, is the classic tactile arcade experience evolving or slowly dying?

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