Communiqué de presse

Marvel and Stern Pinball Collaborate for New Venom Pinball Games Debuting at San Diego Comic-Con

The new Venom pinball games will make their first appearance at Stern Pinball’s official booth (#3721) and at the beloved Stern Pop-up Arcade at the Marriott Marquis, July 19 – 23rd.

CHICAGO, IL – July 18, 2023 – Stern Pinball, Inc. and Marvel are collaborating to debut an all-new line of pinball games featuring one of Marvel’s most – who’s ready to wreak havoc. Venom pinball games are available in Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition (LE) models.

 

Venom, an alien symbiote that bonds with various hosts, including former Spider-Man antagonist Eddie Brock, first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man comic book series in the 80s. The symbiote gives its host superhuman strength and agility, providing creative and versatile powers out of its material. With its unique and visually striking appearance, Venom quickly became one of Marvel’s most recognizable and popular characters. Venom has been an inspiration for numerous products including: action figures, apparel, collectibles, and now pinball - cementing its continual influence on popular culture in game rooms and entertainment locations worldwide.

 

Stern’s Venom pinball games will immerse players into the mayhem of this antihero’s Marvel Universe, featuring more than 20 characters including: Eddie Brock, Flash Thompson, Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker, Black Suit Spider-Man, Miles Morales, Riot, Agony, Lasher, Phage, Doppelganger, Venomized Hulk, Venomized Wolverine and Venomized Captain America. Venom’s arch enemy Carnage is collecting Codices to awaken Knull, the God of the symbiotes. Venom must stop Carnage by battling through his army of symbiotes and the Infected to prevent him from taking over the world.

 

Playing as Venom, gamers will select a host to bond with at the start of each game, altering the entire gaming experience both physically and digitally. Vertical pinball lock symbiote containment vessels located on both sides of the playfield lock and quickly release balls for constant frenetic action as players explore shots through the mechanically changing Agro-Lab and Life Foundation pathways. Players will bash an interactive, custom sculpted Carnage captive ball back into Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane. Additionally, a surprise Doppelganger attack can swing into action at a moment’s notice, unveiling three uplift targets wreaking chaos.

 

Canvassing the Venom pinball game experience is a collection of hand-drawn comic book style artwork by renowned artist, Jeremy Packer (AKA Zombie Yeti). Depending on which host you choose, players will hear a variety of different styles of music throughout gameplay, including over a dozen music tracks from GRAMMY Award-winning musician Mark Tremonti.

 

Venom pinball games include Stern’s award-winning Insider Connected™ system, which enables players to interact with the game and a global network of players in a variety of ways. Through Insider Connected, players will be able to save their game progress through connectivity persistence, allowing anyone to become a (anti)hero as you advance through the game to reach the final wizard mode at the end, no matter how many tries it might take.

 

In addition, Insider Connected allows players to track progress, earn new game-specific achievements, engage with the player community, and participate in promotions and Challenge Quests. Insider Connected also provides an operator-focused toolset to drive location play through Location Leaderboards, build player loyalty, analyze performance, make adjustments remotely, and maintain the games. Registration for Insider Connected is available at insider.sternpinball.com/.

 

Limited to 1,000 games globally, the highly collectible Limited Edition model includes a Venom vs. Carnage inspired full-color mirrored backglass, full color high definition reflective foil decal cabinet artwork, custom high gloss Venom-inspired “goo” powder-coated pinball armor, a custom designer-autographed bottom arch, inside art blades, upgraded audio system, anti-reflection pinball playfield glass, shaker motor, a sequentially numbered plaque, and a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Stern President & CEO Seth Davis.

 

“Collaborating with Marvel has given us an opportunity to create this truly unique, engaging and dynamic pinball experience inspired by Venom,” said Seth Davis, President & CEO, Stern Pinball. “The artwork and animations pop. The music rocks. And we can’t wait for fans to sink their teeth into this game changing pinball experience and get connected today.”

 

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

 

Venom pinball games and accessories are available now through authorized Stern Pinball distributors and dealers around the world.

 

About Insider Connected

Insider Connected is a comprehensive technology initiative to connect the universe of Stern pinball games. The platform is designed to enhance and extend player engagement with the games across both home and commercial environments. It also presents professional operators of the pinball games a robust set of tools to drive location play, build player loyalty, analyze performance, make adjustments remotely, and maintain the games.

 

Registration for Insider Connected is available at insider.sternpinball.com. Players can also register at a connected game by scanning a registration QR code on the machine. Once a player registers, they are issued a unique QR Code that can be used to identify that player at any connected Stern pinball game anywhere in the world. When a player scans into the game, they can track progress, earn new game specific achievements, engage with the player community, and participate in promotions and Challenge Quests.

 

"Insider Connected is transforming how players interact with pinball games. Operators are benefiting from new tools that drive repeat play and help maintain games remotely while players can earn special entertainment location badges," said Seth Davis, President and CEO of Stern Pinball, Inc.

 

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 Foo Fighters, James Bond, Rush, Godzilla, The Mandalorian, Led Zeppelin, Avengers: Infinity Quest, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Stranger Things, Elvira’s House of Horrors, Jurassic Park, Black Knight: Sword of Rage, The Munsters, The Beatles, Deadpool, Iron Maiden, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars, Aerosmith, Ghostbusters, KISS, Metallica, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Star Trek, AC/DC, Batman, and Spider-Man. A broad range of players enjoy Stern Pinball’s games from professional pinball players who compete in high-stakes competitions around the globe to novice players who are discovering the allure of the silver ball for the first time. To join the fun and learn more, please visit www.sternpinball.com.

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