Kevin Williams

Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... We continue to catch up on the developments in the sector impacting entertainment and leisure experiences. We look at the impact the current consumer videogame upheavals are having on the market, and then look at how consumer VR and MR are weathering the storm. AI Constructed Brief The video game industry is experiencing significant upheaval due to mergers, acquisitions, and restructuring, with major publishers like Take-Two reporting record losses and studios like Fall Damage and Phoenix Labs facing layoffs and closures. The B2C game media landscape is also shifting, with IGN acquiring Gamer Network's brands and speculation about further consolidation. Meanwhile, rumors suggest Microsoft is considering a $16 billion acquisition of Valve Corporation, which could have far-reaching implications for the PC gaming and VR sectors. The "Videogame Apocalypse" is a term used […]

Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... While many have been on the road, attending a chaotic mix of international trade events, the aspects of the entertainment business have seen many developments, some fueled by the M&A conditions, as well as the explosion in new trends in the market. We attempt to chart these developments. Competitive Socializing Bonanza AI Constructed Brief Australian mini-golf brand Holey Moley is expanding into the US market, with plans to open three new locations in Denver, Austin, and San Francisco in 2024. The expansion is being led by Funlab, the parent company that owns Holey Moley and other competitive socializing concepts. Funlab recently received investment from private equity firm TPG Capital, which will help fuel the brand's growth in the US. The news comes as other competitive socializing and "eatertainment" concepts like TOCA Social, […]

Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Continuing the extensive coverage of the May and June amusement and attraction scene, with our Bangkok coverage of the IAAPA Expo Asia (IAAPA-Asia’24). The Asian Attraction Expo Event (Part 2.) The rest of the IAAPA-Asia’24 show was a mix of technology, services and developers. As has become the case, the proximity of the IAAPA-Asia event to the Chinese sector allowed a strong showing of VR developers who would not normally frequent the Orlando or European trade events and offers a great snapshot of investment – especially following the observations from the AAA’24 show (previously covered by The Stinger Report). Chinese VR on display included that from exhibitor FunInVR, showing their ‘VR Battleship’ – a passive multi-rider system, and their ‘360’ VR Simulator’ – another passive inverted ride experience, powered by Chinese curated […]

Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... We now cover a very crowded last few months in the sector. The proximity of this mass of “May Convention Madness” to the next run of shows was not lost on hard pressed exhibitors. The next few weeks, moving into June, saw IAAPA Expo Asia, Licensing Expo 2024 and other events. IP Drives New LBE Investment Rushing back from China’s AAA’24 and we were Vegas bound with the Licensing Expo 2024 (LE’24) at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas. The branding and licensing mega-event continued themes of previous years by promoting their “Brands at Play”. The show and conference was promoting the new immersive brand experiences, with 2024 making a major investment in the venue business. As seen both at the US and at coming September European Brand Licensing Show towards […]

Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Continuing our coverage of the Asian amusement scene, and the second part of the Asian Amusement & Attraction (AAA) Expo 2024 report looks at the developments on the extensive show floor. Asian Expo and China Roundup (Part 2) Continuing reporting on the UNIS Technology booth at AAA’24, and a new mid-range three-player variant of ‘Bigfoot Smash’ was on display. This is a unique platform from the conventional DX motion racer original, and the new variant seems to be aimed at younger players. Concerning video amusement, the reality of the business was on display, as Chinese versions of games already represented in the Western market jostled for recognition. Represented by SEGA Amusement International in the West, the Chinese version of ‘Apex Rebels’ was on display – this is a fast-paced racer, with dedicated […]

Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Continuing the coverage of a crowded last few months and we point to events such as FIJMA, Amusement360, SINDEPAT Summit, SNELAC Meeting, and Asia Amusement & Attractions (AAA) Expo, to name a few. The Stinger Report will attempt to capture a snapshot of the trends and developments seen at these events in this coverage. Amusement Wagering Impact Racing across the globe to follow developments across the social and leisure entertainment scene, and we attended the Madrid International Game Fair (FIJMA). Taking place at the same time as SEA’24, this event in Spain was the 40th edition of the International Game Fair, an anniversary for Spain’s largest gaming and casino show. The show was interesting, as it marked the crossover of casino business in the region and the growth in representation of amusement. […]

Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... You could be forgiven for thinking that May was just one wa-to-wall trade convention month. Over seven different events internationally, all vectoring around the LBE, FEC, and Out-of-Home Entertainment trade. These included the Roller Skate Convention, SEA Expo, FIJMA, Amusement360, SINDEPAT Summit, SNELAC Meeting, and Asia Amusement & Attractions (AAA) Expo, to name a few. The Stinger Report will attempt to capture a snapshot of the trends and developments seen at these events in this two-part coverage. Saudi Surprise for Amusement Following on from a whirlwind of trade conventions, and the amusement and attraction trade descended on the capital of the Kingdom for the 5th Saudi Entertainment & Amusement (SEA) Expo at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – going the additional mile to cement the brand […]

Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... The developments of a fractured market, and the growing pressures of the cost-of-living crisis and international events, are all impacting spending and culminating in the perfect storm for our industries. The drive for entertainment continues unabated, but the investments now are focused much closer to home. Although no one is saying “Staycation” (yet), the need for regional, rather than international, development is driving much of the focus. Continuing Layoffs, Mergers and Acquisitions The latest developments in the park and resort business saw the privately held themed entertainment company Herschend Enterprise acquire control of the Callaway Resort and Gardens. This deal for a $20m investment will see the Georgia-based resort fall under control of the operation which already runs some four other resort/park locations – and is the largest family-owned themed attraction and […]

Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... The development of the next generation of audience-based experiences are seen following the developments in theater business. Along with the investment in new chains of Location-Based Entertainment (LBE) venues, and the opportunity for driving the immersive experience business. The New Immersive Auditorium Following the developments at CinemaCon’24, as seen in our previous coverage, we see a drive for the next generation of audience experience. This was illustrated with the news that CJ 4DPLEX and D'Place Entertainment announced their partnership to bring the new ‘ScreenX’ auditorium platform to the North American market, increasing their market penetration. It is this drive for a more immersive audience experience that has been seen receiving serious market investment – a kind of “Cinema 2.0.” to offer a compelling experience for an audience looking for the next big […]

Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Continuing the trend in the entertainment and leisure sector for major upheavals during these financial and global conditions, we saw the next series of Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) sweeping the market, along with some major disturbances. Cinema and 4D Attractions The 4D and 5D movie attraction sector has been seeing its own spate of M&A, with the consolidation of operations such as the TRIOTECH acquisition of CL Corp. in 2019. The 4D theatre and attraction scene has proven a tempestuous sector, as more and more attractions move from a passive film base approach to more immersive experiences, such as the development of “Soaring” style attractions, as well as new CGI film competition from Chinese studios. The impact of these changes was inevitably going to be felt by the older established operations in […]