The Flipside Pinball Podcast

In this episode of The Flipside, we dive into one of the biggest conversations happening in pinball right now. There is a growing perception that boutique pinball manufacturers are offering more value than Stern Pinball, and we explore whether that perception is fair, exaggerated, or something Stern should be paying attention to.

This is not a Stern bashing episode.

Instead, we take a balanced and honest look at why many players feel boutique pinball offers more for the money, how Stern’s size and scale may have unintentionally created a perception gap, and the difference between perceived value and real world execution.

We also discuss why boutique companies can take creative risks that Stern simply cannot at volume, whether online pinball discourse is shaping opinions more than actual gameplay, and how community sentiment has shifted since 2023.

This episode also highlights what Stern still does better than anyone in the industry, why their games dominate locations and home collections, and how being the market leader changes expectations from the pinball community.

If you have ever wondered if Stern is getting boring, if boutique manufacturers are really offering more, or if pinball sentiment has shifted over the past few years, this conversation is for you.

Whether you are a long time Stern fan, a boutique buyer, or someone new to the hobby trying to decide where to spend your money, this episode focuses on why the narrative exists, not just whether it is right or wrong.

Let us know in the comments what you think. Is the Stern value gap real, or is it just internet perception?

🕹️ LOOKING TO BUY A PINBALL MACHINE?
Visit Flip N’ Out Pinball for new and used machines:
👉 https://www.flipnoutpinball.com/

👀 Check out Grownup Adjacent Pinball Here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1DCr4GdiEu/?mibextid=wwXIfr

🎯 WANT TO COMPETE?
Find a tournament near you on the official IFPA calendar:
👉 https://www.ifpapinball.com/calendar/

📣 LEAVE ME A VOICEMAIL
I might play it on the show!
🎙️ https://www.speakpipe.com/RetroRalphVM

⸻

🎙️ CHECK OUT MY PINBALL PODCAST – “The Flipside”
📺 Watch the video version on YouTube:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@TheFlipsideRetroRalph

🎧 Prefer to listen? Subscribe here:
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/62ZF6rZGos5tFI77MaznZY
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flipside-pinball-podcast/id1753621594

✅ Don’t miss an episode – Subscribe to The Flipside!
👉 https://shorturl.at/t2pVG

⸻

🛒 RETRO RALPH MERCH & CONTACT INFO
👕 Get your merch: https://bit.ly/2YS5ukX
🐦 Follow on Twitter: https://bit.ly/39mdqzy
📸 Follow on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3fU1Dew

#SternPinball #PinballPodcast #BoutiquePinball #PinballCommunity #TheFlipside #RetroRalph #PinballDiscussion #PinballNews #PinballCollectors #PinballYouTube

What’s really coming to pinball in 2026?

In this episode of The Flipside, we break down everything we know and everything we’re hearing about upcoming pinball machines, rumored titles, manufacturer roadmaps, and where the industry is headed next.

This isn’t just a rumor roundup. We dig into confidence levels, separate real signals from noise, and talk honestly about what makes sense, what doesn’t, and what could shake up pinball in a big way over the next year.

From major manufacturers to smaller studios, licensing trends, release timing, and innovation (or lack of it), this is a realistic look at the future of pinball, not hype for hype’s sake.

If you’re a collector, operator, or just trying to decide what to buy, what to wait on, or what to skip, this episode is for you.

👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments, what do you think is actually coming in 2026?

🕹️ LOOKING TO BUY A PINBALL MACHINE?
Visit Flip N’ Out Pinball for new and used machines:
👉 https://www.flipnoutpinball.com/

🎯 WANT TO COMPETE?
Find a tournament near you on the official IFPA calendar:
👉 https://www.ifpapinball.com/calendar/

📣 LEAVE ME A VOICEMAIL
I might play it on the show!
🎙️ https://www.speakpipe.com/RetroRalphVM

⸻

🎙️ CHECK OUT MY PINBALL PODCAST – “The Flipside”
📺 Watch the video version on YouTube:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@TheFlipsideRetroRalph

🎧 Prefer to listen? Subscribe here:
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/62ZF6rZGos5tFI77MaznZY
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flipside-pinball-podcast/id1753621594

✅ Don’t miss an episode – Subscribe to The Flipside!
👉 https://shorturl.at/t2pVG

⸻

🛒 RETRO RALPH MERCH & CONTACT INFO
👕 Get your merch: https://bit.ly/2YS5ukX
🐦 Follow on Twitter: https://bit.ly/39mdqzy
📸 Follow on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3fU1Dew

In this episode, things get a little spicy 🌶️. We break down pinball drama that honestly didn’t need to happen, why it’s suddenly cool to hate on Stern Pinball, and whether The Walking Dead Remastered is actually better than people give it credit for.

We also dive into Predator by Pinball Brothers and why it might be the sleeper hit of 2025 that no one is really talking about — yet.

All that and more on Episode 48 of The Flipside Podcast with Retro Ralph.

🕹️ LOOKING TO BUY A PINBALL MACHINE?
Visit Flip N’ Out Pinball for new and used machines:
👉 https://www.flipnoutpinball.com/

🎯 WANT TO COMPETE?
Find a tournament near you on the official IFPA calendar:
👉 https://www.ifpapinball.com/calendar/

📣 LEAVE ME A VOICEMAIL
I might play it on the show!
🎙️ https://www.speakpipe.com/RetroRalphVM

⸻

🎙️ CHECK OUT MY PINBALL PODCAST – “The Flipside”
📺 Watch the video version on YouTube:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@TheFlipsideRetroRalph

🎧 Prefer to listen? Subscribe here:
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/62ZF6rZGos5tFI77MaznZY
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flipside-pinball-podcast/id1753621594

✅ Don’t miss an episode – Subscribe to The Flipside!
👉 https://shorturl.at/t2pVG

⸻

🛒 RETRO RALPH MERCH & CONTACT INFO
👕 Get your merch: https://bit.ly/2YS5ukX
🐦 Follow on Twitter: https://bit.ly/39mdqzy
📸 Follow on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3fU1Dew

#TheWalkingDeadPinball #WalkingDeadPinball #SternPinball #PinballPodcast #PinballCommunity #PinballNews #PinballCollectors #NewPinballRelease #PinballRemake #TheWalkingDead #TWD #HorrorGaming #ZombieGame #GamingPodcast #ArcadeLife #RetroGamingCommunity #ArcadeCollecting #CollectorsCommunity #HypeOrNot #isitworthit

Beetlejuice is a massive win for Spooky Pinball, no debate there. But what does that success mean for the rest of the hobby? Are we now expecting more from every manufacturer, including the market leader, Stern Pinball? And the big question… does Stern even care?

In this episode, we dive into the ripple effect Beetlejuice is having across pinball.
Is Stern better off staying the course, or are boutique manufacturers proving that players want more value, more innovation, and more personality in every game?
Does this shift the landscape, or is it just noise in the bigger picture?

I don’t have all the answers but we’re going to talk about all of it on this episode, and trust me… it’s going to get interesting.

🕹️ LOOKING TO BUY A PINBALL MACHINE?
Visit Flip N’ Out Pinball for new and used machines:
👉 https://www.flipnoutpinball.com/

🎯 WANT TO COMPETE?
Find a tournament near you on the official IFPA calendar:
👉 https://www.ifpapinball.com/calendar/

📣 LEAVE ME A VOICEMAIL
I might play it on the show!
🎙️ https://www.speakpipe.com/RetroRalphVM

⸻

🎙️ CHECK OUT MY PINBALL PODCAST – “The Flipside”
📺 Watch the video version on YouTube:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@TheFlipsideRetroRalph

🎧 Prefer to listen? Subscribe here:
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/62ZF6rZGos5tFI77MaznZY
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flipside-pinball-podcast/id1753621594

✅ Don’t miss an episode – Subscribe to The Flipside!
👉 https://shorturl.at/t2pVG

⸻

🛒 RETRO RALPH MERCH & CONTACT INFO
👕 Get your merch: https://bit.ly/2YS5ukX
🐦 Follow on Twitter: https://bit.ly/39mdqzy
📸 Follow on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3fU1Dew

#beetlejuice #pinball #spookypinball

In this special LIVE episode of The FlipSide Podcast, we’re diving into everything happening in pinball right now , the big reveals, the rumors, and your live questions! 🍻 There will be drinks, so who knows where this one’s going to end up… We’ll be talking Beetlejuice, The Walking Dead Remastered, and what’s coming next in pinball!

🕹️ LOOKING TO BUY A PINBALL MACHINE?
Visit Flip N’ Out Pinball for new and used machines:
👉 https://www.flipnoutpinball.com/

🎯 WANT TO COMPETE?
Find a tournament near you on the official IFPA calendar:
👉 https://www.ifpapinball.com/calendar/

📣 LEAVE ME A VOICEMAIL
I might play it on the show!
🎙️ https://www.speakpipe.com/RetroRalphVM

⸻

🎙️ CHECK OUT MY PINBALL PODCAST – “The Flipside”
📺 Watch the video version on YouTube:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@TheFlipsideRetroRalph

🎧 Prefer to listen? Subscribe here:
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/62ZF6rZGos5tFI77MaznZY
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flipside-pinball-podcast/id1753621594

✅ Don’t miss an episode – Subscribe to The Flipside!
👉 https://shorturl.at/t2pVG

⸻

🛒 RETRO RALPH MERCH & CONTACT INFO
👕 Get your merch: https://bit.ly/2YS5ukX
🐦 Follow on Twitter: https://bit.ly/39mdqzy
📸 Follow on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3fU1Dew

#EvilDeadPinball #SpookyPinball #RetroRalph #PinballLive #HalloweenLivestream #BeetlejuicePinball #RudyVsRalph #PinballShowdown #PinballCommunity #PinballBattle #EvilDead #Beetlejuice #HorrorPinball #PinballStream