# Stern Pinball Launches AC/DC Remastered by [Colin Alsheimer](/author/colin) · October 16, 2026 · [News](/news/category/news) > After a bit of a wait, here's everything we know about Stern's AC/DC Remastered release. Stern Pinball launched *AC/DC Remastered*, a new version of its 2012 [*AC/DC*](https://www.kineticist.com/games/pinball/acdc) rebuilt on the SPIKE 3 platform, on Thursday, October 15. It comes in Premium ($10,199) and Limited Edition ($13,499, 500 games) models, with no Pro, and it's on sale now through Stern's distributors. It's Stern's third remaster, after [*Metallica Remastered*](https://www.kineticist.com/news/stern-drops-metallica-remastered) in 2024 and [*The Walking Dead Remastered*](https://www.kineticist.com/news/stern-reveals-walking-dead-remastered) last November. [John Borg](https://www.kineticist.com/people/john-borg), who led both, takes on a Steve Ritchie design this time. The headline changes are a redesigned lower playfield and eight new AC/DC songs. Notably, the launch arrived a day late. Stern's own teaser said it would debut Wednesday, October 14. ![Stern Pinball's Facebook teaser post, "For those about to rock. Coming soon.", stopped on its last frame, the date 10/14/26](https://media.kineticist.com/be2c22b5-364b-4e19-b015-45775fc31f96.jpg) *Stern's Facebook teaser, posted October 13. Its last frame reads 10/14/26.* ## Design Team - Design: [John Borg](https://www.kineticist.com/people/john-borg) (lead game designer, remaster); original 2012 design by [Steve Ritchie](https://www.kineticist.com/people/steve-ritchie) - Code: [Joshua Henderson](https://www.kineticist.com/people/joshua-henderson) (lead software engineer, remaster); original code by [Lyman F. Sheats Jr.](https://www.kineticist.com/people/lyman-f-sheats-jr) - Art: [Randy Martinez](https://www.kineticist.com/people/randy-martinez) (Premium translite and cabinet art), his first Stern game since [*John Wick*](https://www.kineticist.com/news/sterns-john-wick-pinball-released) in 2024 ## Hype & Rumors AC/DC has been on fans' remaster wish lists since *Metallica Remastered* in 2024, and our [upcoming pinball machines roundup](https://www.kineticist.com/news/upcoming-pinball-machines) has carried it as a next-Stern rumor since at least March. The rumor got more specific in late May, when a walkthrough of the Licensing Expo reported a new AC/DC from Stern with "new songs," which [we covered in TWIP in June](https://twip.kineticist.com/p/loading-screen). ## Notable Storylines ### Borg Tweaks Ritchie Borg designed the original *Metallica* and *The Walking Dead*, so both earlier remasters were his own games. *AC/DC* is Steve Ritchie's, and Ritchie is at Jersey Jack Pinball now, where his second game there, [*Sonic the Hedgehog*](https://www.kineticist.com/news/jjp-launches-sonic-the-hedgehog), launched in June. [George Gomez](https://www.kineticist.com/people/george-gomez) opens Stern's features video by calling *AC/DC* a "legendary Steve Ritchie masterpiece," and Borg says he wanted to "honor the original design" while upgrading it. ### A Choppy Launch Stern's October 13 teaser gave the date as "10/14/26," and a Stern Store page, indexed by Google before it was pulled, put the All-Access LE sale at noon Central that day. Neither happened. Rumored Stern dates have slipped before, but we can't recall Stern missing one it published itself. The game arrived in pieces the next evening. The press release went up around 5:30 p.m. Eastern with the features video and the game trailer embedded, but the trailer was still set to private. The game page and Stern's social posts came later. It's a rocky way to launch a game during Pinball Expo, which got underway Wednesday. ### A New Price Point *AC/DC Remastered* costs $500 more than Stern's first two remasters. *Metallica Remastered* and *The Walking Dead Remastered* launched at $9,699 for the Premium and $12,999 for the LE. It's $500 less than [*Fallout*](https://www.kineticist.com/news/stern-fallout-reveal), though, which launched in September at $10,699 and $13,999. ### Henderson's First Lead Stern introduces [Joshua Henderson](https://www.kineticist.com/people/joshua-henderson) in the features video as the remaster's "lead software engineer," the first time he's led a game's code. Before this, he was one of several programmers credited on *John Wick*, *King Kong: Myth of Terror Island* and *Pokémon*. Henderson calls *AC/DC* "one of my personal favorite pinball machines of all time," and he says he wanted to keep what Lyman Sheats (who died in 2022) built into its rules, especially song choice as a strategy and the risk and reward of the song jackpot. ## Pricing & Editions *AC/DC Remastered* is available now through authorized Stern distributors and dealers, in two models: - Premium: $10,199 (€9,499; £8,299) - Limited Edition: $13,499 (€12,499; £10,899), limited to 500 games European and UK prices are Stern's recommended retail prices, before VAT and other taxes. ### Limited Edition Details ![AC/DC Remastered Limited Edition cabinets from both sides around its playfield](https://media.kineticist.com/2abcd263-2c62-45bb-b93a-c50be0d76dbc.webp) - Limited to 500 games worldwide, with a numbered plaque and signed certificate - Cabinet and Speaker Expression Lighting with AC/DC effects, including laser-cut bell and lightning-bolt speaker logos - Full-color mirrored backglass - Reflective foil high-definition cabinet decals - Powder-coated, laser-cut armor, legs, hinges and Action Button molding - Upgraded audio, anti-reflection playfield glass and a shaker motor - Insider Connected LE owner's badge ### Premium Edition Details ![AC/DC Remastered Premium cabinets from both sides around its playfield](https://media.kineticist.com/bab819a9-560f-4c73-bd28-91f75065523d.webp) - Full-color translite and high-definition cabinet decals with art by Randy Martinez - Optional Cabinet and Speaker Expression Lighting ## Notable Features ### A Redesigned Lower Playfield ![The redesigned lower playfield on the Premium, with its captive ball, two flippers and targets](https://media.kineticist.com/2635f527-bd36-45f2-89be-638372345b14.jpg) *The redesigned lower playfield on the Premium.* Borg calls the redesigned lower playfield "the biggest upgrade" in the remaster. It now has a captive bash ball, two flippers, two targets and a loop. ### Cannon, Train and Bell ![The ball-firing cannon sculpt on the LE](https://media.kineticist.com/932b5055-7313-40cc-9ed9-21ea357aaeb1.jpg) *The ball-firing cannon on the LE.* ![The AC/DC locomotive on the Rock N Roll Train diverter, with red horns on the front](https://media.kineticist.com/b21857a6-ece3-41ff-9916-e728a0e399de.jpg) *The Rock N Roll Train locomotive on the Premium.* Borg says the ball-firing cannon was completely rebuilt, under a new molded cannon sculpt. The Rock N Roll Train ball diverter now has a molded AC/DC locomotive on it, and the swinging Hells Bells bash toy is a new molded piece. ### TNT Detonator ![The TNT detonator box and three TNT drop targets, with the Hells Bells bell behind them](https://media.kineticist.com/2e3c772c-8bf0-4ba4-8922-fe78c8c22b4c.jpg) *The TNT detonator and drop targets, with the Hells Bells bell behind them.* There's a new molded TNT detonator box with an animated plunger, plus three TNT drop targets. ### Songs and Display ![The lit jukebox in the back panel, listing the game's songs](https://media.kineticist.com/ee8e460a-856c-44dc-b878-48df41c14963.jpg) *The jukebox in the back panel.* The 2012 song list gains eight AC/DC songs, six of them new selectable song modes, and the back panel has a bigger, lit jukebox to fit them. Live concert footage and classic music videos run on SPIKE 3's 18.5-inch HD display. ### Smaller Upgrades ![Stainless steel ramp entrances with lit lightning-bolt logos](https://media.kineticist.com/33a475fa-56c5-4f16-a630-1725cf2b1a56.jpg) *The stainless steel ramp entrances on the LE, with lit lightning-bolt logos.* The ramp entrances are now stainless steel with lit, laser-cut AC/DC logos, the right loop gets a spinning target, and the playfield has new RGB lighting. ## Rules & Code Stern says the rules are updated, with new wizard modes and three new Devil Horn timed modes (Oi Mania, Thunder Ramps and High Voltage). For how the 2012 rules play, see our [*AC/DC* tutorial](https://www.kineticist.com/news/ac-dc-pinball-tutorial). ## Media ### Game Trailer (October 15, 2026) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Wcsc-fQicQ ### Features Video (October 15, 2026) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXahnBdSx4Y ### Teaser Trailer (October 13, 2026) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foOlf-1iczY ### Photos ![The full AC/DC Remastered Premium playfield, top down](https://media.kineticist.com/e9193cc0-de17-48fb-8e9c-0aeb3088ba36.jpg) *The Premium playfield.* ![The full AC/DC Remastered Limited Edition playfield, top down, in red armor](https://media.kineticist.com/ea740d83-1828-43dd-a1ef-80500b18bb0d.jpg) *The Limited Edition playfield.* ![The LE backglass: Angus Young with his guitar in front of a lightning-lit AC/DC logo and a crowd](https://media.kineticist.com/96348fd9-7ea1-4e3b-9910-681f33cbafdf.jpg) *The LE backglass.* ![The AC/DC logo on the Premium cabinet side](https://media.kineticist.com/5bad1970-317d-4347-9e1b-bc510428d46f.jpg) *Premium cabinet art by Randy Martinez.* ![The LE cabinet lighting on the inside wall art](https://media.kineticist.com/be9b6cee-7a49-4898-a7fb-0a634f4b523f.jpg) *The LE cabinet lighting.* ![The LE speaker panel with a laser-cut bell, beside an AC/DC Remastered plaque reading Limited Edition 001 of 500](https://media.kineticist.com/ddbac64e-a741-4611-b514-5fb39245a10b.jpg) *The LE speaker panel, with a laser-cut bell and the "001 of 500" plaque.* ![The red LE side armor with a gold cannon on it, next to the yellow Action Button](https://media.kineticist.com/f22e6345-c552-4570-bcd1-44b620275c2c.jpg) *The LE's red armor, with a gold cannon on it.* ## Press Release **Stern Pinball Invites Players to Rock Out with *AC/DC Remastered*, an Electrifying Pinball Experience Where Rock Legends and High Scores Collide — October 15, 2026** > CHICAGO, IL – October 15, 2026 – Today, Stern Pinball, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of pinball games, revealed and released a technologically advanced new pinball experience celebrating one of the most iconic and influential rock bands of all time – *AC/DC Remastered*. > > *AC/DC* is widely regarded as one of the most popular rock bands in music history, with a legacy that spans decades and more than 200 million albums sold. The band’s landmark album, *Back in Black*, has sold more than 50 million copies, and their signature hits *“Thunderstruck”* and *“Back in Black”* continue to generate billions of streams. Now, that timeless legacy returns to the playfield with *AC/DC Remastered* by Stern Pinball, bringing a celebrated pinball classic to a new generation of players. *AC/DC Remastered* by Stern Pinball is available now in Premium and Limited Edition (LE) models. > > In *AC/DC Remastered* by Stern Pinball, players will experience an updated and enhanced version of the pinball classic, fully integrated on the SPIKE 3 platform. Players must be prepared to be Thunderstruck with refined mechanical updates and upgrades, featuring an all-new redesigned lower playfield and new wizard modes including three new timed modes: “Oi Mania,” “Thunder Ramps,” and “High Voltage”. > > For Those About to Rock, a re-engineered pinball-firing cannon with a custom-molded cannon sculpt has been upgraded along with the Rock N Roll Train ball diverter featuring a custom-molded *AC/DC* locomotive train sculpt. A revised and custom-molded Hells Bells swinging bash toy and custom-molded TNT detonator box with an animated plunger add even more action to this rock concert under glass. > > *AC/DC Remastered* by Stern Pinball also includes an updated back panel with an illuminated song titleboard, upgraded stainless steel ramp entrances with laser-cut *AC/DC* logos, and an added right loop spinning target. All-new RGB playfield lighting is fully in sync with optional cabinet and speaker expression lighting. > > Players can rock out to eight new *AC/DC* songs added to the original 2012 song list in *AC/DC Remastered* by Stern Pinball, along with six new selectable song modes. Live concert footage and classic music videos spanning the history of the legendary band come to life on an 18.5-inch high-resolution SPIKE 3 display bringing an added layer of energy to the experience. > > Loaded with Stern Pinball’s state-of-the-art technology, *AC/DC Remastered* by Stern Pinball seamlessly combines both physical and digital gameplay. Utilizing Stern Pinball’s award-winning Insider Connected platform, players can track their progress, earn new game-specific Achievements, and connect with *AC/DC* fans all over the world. > > Limited to 500 games globally, the highly collectible Limited Edition model includes the updated Cabinet Expression Lighting System™ and Speaker Expression Lighting System with *AC/DC*\-themed game effects, a full-color mirrored backglass, full-color high-definition reflective foil cabinet decals, exclusive custom *AC/DC Remastered* pinball armor, upgraded audio system, anti-reflection pinball playfield glass, shaker motor, a sequentially numbered plaque, a signed Certificate of Authenticity, and a digital Insider Connected LE owner’s badge on registration. > > “*AC/DC* is one of the most iconic and beloved music-themed pinball games of all time, with a legacy that has resonated with players for more than a decade” said Seth Davis, President & CEO of Stern Pinball. “With *AC/DC Remastered*, we’re proud to honor what made the original machine a classic while introducing refined updates and enhancements that bring this beloved game to a new generation of players.” > > *AC/DC Remastered* by Stern Pinball is available through authorized Stern Pinball distributors and dealers worldwide. Find out more and contact us for availability in your location on the game information page here. Stay up to date by following Stern Pinball on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. > > **Pricing and Availability:** > > **Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (“MSRP”) and Recommended Retail Price (“RRP”):** > > *MSRP (US) and RRP (Europe) are for sales to end-users before any applicable VAT, GST, Sales Tax, Duties, Tariffs, or other taxes and are subject to change.* > > Premium Edition: $US 10,199 (RRP – €9,499.00; £8,299.00) > > Limited Edition: $US 13,499 (RRP – €12,499.00; £10,899.00) > > *AC/DC Remastered* by Stern Pinball games feature Stern’s best-in-class commercial quality reliability backed by a pinball best-in-class one-year warranty. ## Related - Game: [AC/DC](/games/pinball/acdc) --- _Canonical URL: https://www.kineticist.com/news/stern-reveals-acdc-remastered_