Stern Electronics was a pinball and arcade game manufacturer founded in 1977 by Sam Stern, a long-time figure in the pinball industry who had previously been involved with Williams Electronics. The company emerged after Stern acquired the assets of Chicago Coin, a struggling pinball manufacturer, and quickly established itself as a competitor in the rapidly evolving arcade and pinball markets of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Stern Electronics was known for producing solid-state pinball machines, embracing the transition from electromechanical designs that had dominated the previous era.

Throughout its run, Stern Electronics released several notable pinball titles, including Stars (1978), Meteor (1979), and Flight 2000 (1980), which were popular among players for their fast gameplay and challenging shot layouts. The company also capitalized on the video game boom, developing arcade hits like Berzerk (1980) and Frenzy (1982). However, like many arcade and pinball manufacturers, Stern Electronics struggled during the industry downturn of the early 1980s, leading to its closure in 1985. While the original company ceased operations, the Stern name lived on when Gary Stern, Sam Stern’s son, later founded Stern Pinball, Inc. in the 1990s, which remains one of the leading pinball manufacturers today.