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Jay Crossman for Digital Trends was joined at CES 2018 by Zack Sharpe, director of marketing for Stern Pinball and the world's number one ranked competitive pinball player. The conversation delved into both the specifics of creating a pinball machine and the resurgence of the hobby itself.

For those new to the world of competitive pinball, the process of acquiring or working with licensed titles can be complex. According to Zack, it typically takes around a year from start to finish to develop a game, although this timeframe may vary depending on the specific license agreements in place. The development process often begins when Stern Pinball is approached by a licensor, such as Guardians of the Galaxy, who wish to see their name and intellectual property featured on a pinball machine.

Stern Pinball takes pride in its ability to work collaboratively with these licensed properties to ensure that the final product meets both the expectations of the license holder and that of the company's own standards. With the success of recent titles such as Star Wars, it is clear that Stern Pinball has mastered this process, creating machines that not only appeal to fans of the original property but also stand on their own merits as unique pinball experiences.

The resurgence of pinball can be attributed in part to its growing popularity among enthusiasts worldwide. In the past, pinball was largely confined to niche arcades and home gamers, with a dedicated yet relatively small fan base. However, over the years, this hobby has experienced a revival, with sales increasing by over 40% from last year to this year alone. The growth can be attributed to various factors, including the rise of online communities, social media platforms, and events such as tournaments that bring people together to compete and showcase their skills.

Speaking of competition, Zack Sharpe is no stranger to the world of competitive pinball. As the current number one ranked player in the world, he has enjoyed a storied career that includes appearances at top-tier events like the World Championships, which took place last year in Denmark. In an effort to foster growth and accessibility within the community, Stern Pinball recently launched The Sturm Pro Circuit, a series of 20 major tournaments taking place across the globe, culminating in a grand finale with over $100,000 in prize money up for grabs.

For those looking to participate in local events or track down upcoming tournaments, the World Wide Pinball Association (WWPIBA) serves as a valuable resource. This organization oversees various ranking systems and helps coordinate events, making it easier for players to connect with one another and pursue their passion for competitive pinball.

In terms of acquiring Stern Pinball machines, Zack explained that they do not sell directly to consumers but instead work through a network of dealers and distributors. The company's best-selling models range in price from $5,500 to $9,500, depending on the specific machine and any additional features or upgrades chosen by the buyer.

In conclusion, Stern Pinball's commitment to quality and collaboration with licensed properties has helped fuel the resurgence of pinball as a popular hobby. As the company continues to innovate and expand its reach, fans can expect even more exciting machines and competitive events to emerge in the years to come.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enthis is Jay Crossman for Digital Trends we are here at CES 2018 with Stern pinball and here with me I have Zack Sharpe he is the director of marketing for stern pinball and also the number one ranked competitive pinball player in the world so we've got a little I mean not just to talk about certain pinball but about pinball playing all of these are licensed like titles and working with the kind of multimedia entertainment properties talk to me about the process of acquiring or working with these companies and developing a pinball machine sure so a game takes roughly a year to develop from you know start to scratch in terms of your licenses sometimes we're approached so you know guardians of the galaxy they might approach us and you know we want to make a pinball machine and you know kind of work together so you know at the end of the day not only do we want to be happy with the machines that are being made but ultimately our licensure wants to be happy with what's being produced because it's their name on the side of the machine such a Star Wars so and also too I mean pinball is making a pretty big comeback it used to be just kind of like niche arcades that would carry pinball machines I know in Portland we have a couple right downtown but we love our pinball machines there but pinball is making a comeback overall and just kind of like talked about the revolution that's taking place and how people are getting back into it sure I mean sales are up over 40% from last year to this year which is up 40% from the year prior there's tournaments popping up all over the world you know 50,000 players ranked in the world so I've only got one way to go and that's down but that's alright you know I'll take my number one status what other in competition pinball is there like purses like like when it's competition you actually fly somewhere and you get a trophy and a winning a pariah like prize money oh yeah I mean last year the world championships we're sorry I'm having so much fun here I've lost my voice I was in Denmark last year for the World Championships we just launched the sturm pro circuit which is 20 of the largest tournaments all over the world culminating in the final so over a hundred thousand dollars of prize money throughout the year so if somebody does want to participate in one of the how do they go about even like tracking down where a local tournament is is like I'm assuming it goes like regional qualifying tournaments and things like that sure so the ranking systems at WWII FPA pinball calm the sea international flipper pinball Association you can find tournaments all over the world in fact Portland has some of the most tournaments in the world their tournament going on every day somewhere out there I feel like we need to have a CES pinball tournament we'd get like okay it's already gonna happen next year 2019 okay Digital Trends okay okay he promises Jack so just so he has a little bit of a handicap okay very cool well we're here at stern pinball and one of the what are these retail for or how does that work if somebody wanted to acquire for their home or if you're a bar looking to acquire a few more of these where do they go about buying them sure you want to go to WWE star pinball calm we don't sell direct we sell through our dealers and distributors but our you know we have a good better best model system so it ranges from you know 5,500 up to 9500 very cool well thanks doc I appreciate the time here again Jake Rothman for Digital Trends please stay tuned for more coverage at CES from Digital Trendsthis is Jay Crossman for Digital Trends we are here at CES 2018 with Stern pinball and here with me I have Zack Sharpe he is the director of marketing for stern pinball and also the number one ranked competitive pinball player in the world so we've got a little I mean not just to talk about certain pinball but about pinball playing all of these are licensed like titles and working with the kind of multimedia entertainment properties talk to me about the process of acquiring or working with these companies and developing a pinball machine sure so a game takes roughly a year to develop from you know start to scratch in terms of your licenses sometimes we're approached so you know guardians of the galaxy they might approach us and you know we want to make a pinball machine and you know kind of work together so you know at the end of the day not only do we want to be happy with the machines that are being made but ultimately our licensure wants to be happy with what's being produced because it's their name on the side of the machine such a Star Wars so and also too I mean pinball is making a pretty big comeback it used to be just kind of like niche arcades that would carry pinball machines I know in Portland we have a couple right downtown but we love our pinball machines there but pinball is making a comeback overall and just kind of like talked about the revolution that's taking place and how people are getting back into it sure I mean sales are up over 40% from last year to this year which is up 40% from the year prior there's tournaments popping up all over the world you know 50,000 players ranked in the world so I've only got one way to go and that's down but that's alright you know I'll take my number one status what other in competition pinball is there like purses like like when it's competition you actually fly somewhere and you get a trophy and a winning a pariah like prize money oh yeah I mean last year the world championships we're sorry I'm having so much fun here I've lost my voice I was in Denmark last year for the World Championships we just launched the sturm pro circuit which is 20 of the largest tournaments all over the world culminating in the final so over a hundred thousand dollars of prize money throughout the year so if somebody does want to participate in one of the how do they go about even like tracking down where a local tournament is is like I'm assuming it goes like regional qualifying tournaments and things like that sure so the ranking systems at WWII FPA pinball calm the sea international flipper pinball Association you can find tournaments all over the world in fact Portland has some of the most tournaments in the world their tournament going on every day somewhere out there I feel like we need to have a CES pinball tournament we'd get like okay it's already gonna happen next year 2019 okay Digital Trends okay okay he promises Jack so just so he has a little bit of a handicap okay very cool well we're here at stern pinball and one of the what are these retail for or how does that work if somebody wanted to acquire for their home or if you're a bar looking to acquire a few more of these where do they go about buying them sure you want to go to WWE star pinball calm we don't sell direct we sell through our dealers and distributors but our you know we have a good better best model system so it ranges from you know 5,500 up to 9500 very cool well thanks doc I appreciate the time here again Jake Rothman for Digital Trends please stay tuned for more coverage at CES from Digital Trends\n"