HE'S BACK - AGAIN!


Date: 2nd March 2011

The prolonged speculation about Steve Ritchie's future plans was resolved today when Stern Pinball announced he had joined the company as a staff game designer.

Steve Ritchie
Steve Ritchie

Steve's company Steve Ritchie Productions was previously contracted to Stern Pinball to create pinball designs for game such as Terminator 3, Elvis and Spider-Man but this time he's joining the company as an employee and moving to live in the Chicago area.

There was  quite some animosity when Steve's previous time designing games for Stern Pinball came to an end, but all that has been put in the past and Steve is looking forward to his future with Stern.  He said,"I am elated to bring my 30 years of design and game experience to Stern Pinball and work as part of the new Stern team... I am honored to work with Gary Stern and Dave Peterson, along with the talented Stern staff on an exciting new chapter in pinball history. Long Live Pinball!"

Gary Stern was equally positive about Steve joining the company.  He said, "We are all very excited about Steve’s arrival at Stern.  Steve’s expertise in the art of pinball design and imaginative work will take our machines and game design to a whole new level. Our goal at Stern is to continually push the envelope of what is possible and has never been done. Steve’s work is on par with that vision."

Gary comments suggest Stern may be looking to move away from the more simplistic game designs seen of late, possibly in response to the plans for fully-featured games from startup pinball company Jersey Jack Pinball. 

Steve's arrival at Stern is certainly a boost for the company and for Steve himself, who has been out of pinball design since his game 24 was released over two years ago.

You can read Stern Pinball's press release below:

World Famous Game Designer Joins Stern Pinball

World’s Only Maker of Arcade Pinball Games Welcomes Steve Ritchie, Game Innovator and Designer

MELROSE PARK, IL – March 3, 2011– Stern Pinball, Inc., the world’s only maker of real pinball games, announced today game designer Steve Ritchie will be joining the Stern Pinball team. Ritchie is often referred to in the gaming world as the “The King of Pinball” and “The King of Flow” for his quick paced pinball games utilizing shot-based flow patterns mixed with target-based geometry.

Ritchie has been designing pinball games since the 1970s, producing such notable titles as Superman, Stellar Wars, Black Knight and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Ritchie was the first designer to incorporate multiball game play, ball lane change, transparent playing fields, as well as the first multi-level pinball machine. Ritchie had previously been contracted by Stern Pinball in 2001 to design eight machines including Elvis, Spider-Man and Terminator 3.

“I am elated to bring my 30 years of design and game experience to Stern Pinball and work as part of the new Stern team,” said game designer Steve Ritchie. “I am honored to work with Gary Stern and Dave Peterson, along with the talented Stern staff on an exciting new chapter in pinball history. Long Live Pinball!”

“We are all very excited about Steve’s arrival at Stern,” said Gary Stern, founder, CEO and chairman of Stern Pinball. “Steve’s expertise in the art of pinball design and imaginative work will take our machines and game design to a whole new level. Our goal at Stern is to continually push the envelope of what is possible and has never been done. Steve’s work is on par with that vision.”

Steve Ritchie joins the Stern Pinball and the Stern family tradition of producing quality pinball machines for young and old. The company traces its lineage to Philadelphia in the 1930s when Sam Stern entered the business of operating pinball games. Stern passed his lifelong enthusiasm for the game and the business of pinball to his son Gary Stern who founded Stern Pinball. Today pinball remains one of America’s favorite pastimes.

About Stern Pinball

Stern Pinball, Inc., located just outside Chicago, Illinois, designs and manufactures arcade-quality pinball games. Stern is the only maker of full-sized, arcade quality pinball games on the planet and has released many popular games, including Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones, Shrek, Batman, Spiderman, the Simpsons Pinball Party and many more. Stern’s games continue to be enjoyed by both pinball enthusiasts and casual players around the globe. For more information visit www.sternpinball.com.

 

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