Record of Stern Code Names For Games

Just thought i'd start this thread as a record of Stern Code Names for new/in develpment games rather than it being lost in another thread. Ill keep updating as we find new ones / old ones. Good place to discuss the origin of the names also. Post photos of the little labels if possible.

So far we have (thanks to KnockerPTSD Peanuts and jfh in the New Stern Thread):

ACDC - Grinder
Xmen - Pug
Avengers - ?????
Metallica - James
(Possible later run Metallica with metal backbox and LED’s - Fuel)
Star Trek - Bill
Walking Dead - Dinner Time
Game of Thrones - Politico
Kiss - Star
Ghostbusters -Harold
WWE - Dudes
Mustang - Biscuit
Aerosmith - Toys
Star Wars - Donut
Batman66 -Shark
GotG - Furry Hats
BKSoR- Paris
Maiden - Egypt
Munsters - Grandpa
Stranger Things - Goonies
Jurassic Park - Jaws
TMNT - Jason
Deadpool - Guy
Elvira - Curves
Avengers Infinity Quest - Watson
Beatles - Purple Martin
Star Wars ”The Pin” - Munchkin
Led Zeppelin- Ranger
The Mandolorian- Jennie
Godzilla - Spectre
Jurassic Park “The Pin” - Minnow
Rush - Finn
James Bond - Stick
Bond 60th - Twig
Foo Fighters - Falcon
Venom - Chewy
Jaws - Vertigo
John Wick - Waffles
Uncanny X-Men - Treehouse (tbc)

Post last edited 2 days ago.

#2 3 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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Added over 4 years ago:

Unknown Games:
Beatles
Primus
Heavy Metal
Woah Nellie
Pabst
Supreme

Home Games? Spiderman/Star Wars

Added over 4 years ago:

Unknown Codes:
Munchkin

Post last edited 3 years ago.

#3 3 years ago

BHL

snowy_owl

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Here's another thread from a while ago
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/codenames-master-list

#4 3 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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Quoted from snowy_owl:
Here's another thread from a while ago
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/codenames-master-list

Doh.....

6796CF09-5207-4C55-A1CC-FDE98BD63CA5.gif

#5 3 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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Might keep this one anyway since the op didn’t update the original list.

#6 3 years ago

CHD

djreddog

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Avengers = Watson

#7 3 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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Quoted from djreddog:
Avengers = Watson

Cheers. Anyone know the relevance of that?

#8 3 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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Anyone know if Primus, Woah Nellie and Heavy Metal, Beatles, Supreme had code names?

#9 3 years ago

EWG

kermit24

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What is Munchkin?

wires (resized).png

#10 3 years ago

MJO

arcademojo

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Doesn't look like the old thread is keeping updated. So who cares.

Wasn't Star Wars = "Cinnabon" not donut?

#11 3 years ago

BIG

BlueIrocGuy

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Quoted from arcademojo:
Wasn't Star Wars = "Cinnabon" not donut?

Donut was the name I saw on the wire loom schematics and playfields when I visited the factory.
I believe others have seen the same thing since as well, over the course of the games production, fwiw...

#12 3 years ago

EWG

kermit24

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Quoted from arcademojo:
Doesn't look like the old thread is keeping updated. So who cares.
Wasn't Star Wars = "Cinnabon" not donut?

Donut for sure.

#13 3 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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Quoted from arcademojo:
Doesn't look like the old thread is keeping updated. So who cares.
Wasn't Star Wars = "Cinnabon" not donut?

Cinnabon sounds familiar too.

What about earlier games? Does anyone know if this codenaming is only a "recent" thing.

What about early Sam or Whitestar games? Avatar, Elvis, TSPP, LOTR for example.

#14 3 years ago

RPA

RA77

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Code names are fun, Makes for some great trivia.
Thanks for keeping updated.

#15 3 years ago

MJO

arcademojo

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OP
Quoted from cooked71:
Cinnabon sounds familiar too.
What about earlier games? Does anyone know if this codenaming is only a "recent" thing.
What about early Sam or Whitestar games? Avatar, Elvis, TSPP, LOTR for example.

I swear in the old Star Wars threads they were calling it Cinnabon code name.

#16 3 years ago

BIG

BlueIrocGuy

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Quoted from arcademojo:
I swear in the old Star Wars threads they were calling it Cinnabon code name.

Yep, the usual pinside rumors, hype, speculation, make believe, and “I heard it from a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend”, and so on...
If Stern had possibly wanted to use it, maybe they couldn’t because it’s a trademarked ™️ name? But you can see now that I’m adding to rumor, speculation, etc... to the code name mystique....

#17 3 years ago

III

TreyBo69

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Quoted from kermit24:
What is Munchkin?[quoted image]

Well, I'm going to assume that OP's list is correct and that these are testing harnesses for recently produced games...so The Beatles and Star Wars Home are most likely candidates.

#18 3 years ago

EWG

kermit24

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Quoted from TreyBo69:
Well, I'm going to assume that OP's list is correct and that these are testing harnesses for recently produced games...so The Beatles and Star Wars Home are most likely candidates.

There have been tours in the past were codenames for unreleased games were accidentally left in view. But yeah I don't think we know SW Pin or Beatles. We could ask in the club threads.

#19 3 years ago

SAH

onemilemore

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Quoted from kermit24:
There have been tours in the past were codenames for unreleased games were accidentally left in view. But yeah I don't think we know SW Pin or Beatles. We could ask in the club threads.

SW Home Pin smaller version of a regular pin right? So maybe that's Munchkin...

#20 3 years ago

III

TreyBo69

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Quoted from onemilemore:
SW Home Pin smaller version of a regular pin right? So maybe that's Munchkin...

Also it has one less node board, so the testing rig would be smaller than others.

#21 3 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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So just found out that the code names started from ACDC, so wont chase them any further back.

#22 3 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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Beatles is Purple Martin

#23 3 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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Quoted from onemilemore:
SW Home Pin smaller version of a regular pin right? So maybe that's Munchkin...

Confirmed SW Home is Munchkin

#24 3 years ago

729

newpinbin

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Glad this was finally made.

1 month later

#25 3 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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Updated with Led Zeppelin- Ranger

Thanks bestbrad

5 months later

#26 3 years ago

729

newpinbin

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Anyone know the code name for Iron Man?

#27 3 years ago

III

TreyBo69

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Need Mandos as well

1 week later

#28 3 years ago

ACE

mizary

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Cincinnati, OH

8y 20,900 36 1

Quoted from newpinbin:
Anyone know the code name for Iron Man?

I've read that AC/DC (2012) was the first game with a code name, and Iron Man (2010) was before that.

Unless Iron Man VE had a code name.

#29 3 years ago

729

newpinbin

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Quoted from mizary:
I've read that AC/DC (2012) was the first game with a code name, and Iron Man (2010) was before that.
Unless Iron Man VE had a code name.

Can anyone confirm this?

#30 3 years ago

MCC

cooked71

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from cooked71:
So just found out that the code names started from ACDC, so wont chase them any further back.

Quoted from newpinbin:
Can anyone confirm this?

Yes, was confirmed by George Gomez.

Edit: but unsure about VE’s - whether they have distinct code names. Pretty sure they don’t but maybe someone with a BE can check their looms/pf’s?

#31 3 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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Chasing names for TMNT and Mando

#32 3 years ago

SAH

onemilemore

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OP
Quoted from cooked71:
Chasing names for TMNT and Mando

You've got TMNT up above.

#33 3 years ago

729

newpinbin

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OP
Quoted from cooked71:
Yes, was confirmed by George Gomez.
Edit: but unsure about VE’s - whether they have distinct code names. Pretty sure they don’t but maybe someone with a BE can check their looms/pf’s?

What caused the need for code names?

#34 3 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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Quoted from onemilemore:
You've got TMNT up above.

Oops. Lol. Jason.

Should probably put them in chronological order.

#35 3 years ago

dmarston

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11y 60,900 1,616

Quoted from newpinbin:
What caused the need for code names?

Overly inquisitive pinball fans. (At least that's what I think Stern staffers would say.)
.................David Marston

1 week later

#36 3 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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Mando confirmed as “Jennie” thanks to TheProgrammer !

#37 3 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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Anyone any ideas why Jennie?

#38 3 years ago

BGM

GoodOmens

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OP
Quoted from cooked71:
Anyone any ideas why Jennie?

Would be hilarious if it was a reference to Jennifer in BTTF. Just like how people still think Jaws is getting made when I still think it's references to old rumors around JP's code name.

#39 3 years ago

koops

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OP
Quoted from cooked71:
Anyone any ideas why Jennie?

"Gina Carano" Gina/Jennie.

edit: opps looks like you figured that out anyway.

#40 3 years ago

???

jimwe5t

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Gina Carano is an awesome part of the Mando universe. Sure hope she’s in the game.

#41 3 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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Quoted from koops:
"Gina Carano" Gina/Jennie.
edit: opps looks like you figured that out anyway.

Lol, yeh mentioned it in another thread - forgot to update this thread. Could be it.

#42 3 years ago

DAD

dmieczko

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Woodbury, CT

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It's a reference to "Jennie" from Forrest Gump. Big Star Wars fan...

forrestbacca (resized).jpg

1 month later

#43 3 years ago

DWD

KnockerPTSD

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Hamilton, ON

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If you look on wiki
Jenny (not Jennie)
Is one of Han Solo's port girls. She works a bar on Tattoine.
Just reaching.
It could be something as simple as Brian Eddy's dog lol

1 month later

#44 2 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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Godzilla-Spectre

#45 2 years ago

DWD

KnockerPTSD

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Hamilton, ON

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OP
Quoted from cooked71:
Godzilla-Spectre

Those sneaky trolls at Stern

#46 2 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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Quoted from KnockerPTSD:
Those sneaky trolls at Stern

Looks that way. Surely not. Unless it’s some sort of tribute/acknowledgment?

#47 2 years ago

DWD

KnockerPTSD

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Hamilton, ON

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Jp was Jaws. Gz is Spectre.
People have been clamoring about Jaws and Bond. Good troll job/misdirect Stern

#48 2 years ago

III

TreyBo69

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Jurassic Park the Pin code name was Minnow (after the cornerstone being Jaws)

#49 2 years ago

MCC

cooked71

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