#1222 – IAAPA 2024 Trade Show Bonanza – Part 2

In the second part of our four-part coverage we continue to look at the IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) Orlando 2024 – this session focuses on the Immersive entertainment and Competitive Socializing aspects of the show, and developments being made in the industry.

AI Constructed Brief

Part Two – Investors in the amusement and entertainment industry should take note of emerging trends and innovations highlighted at IAAPA Orlando 2024, particularly in immersive entertainment and competitive socializing. Key developments include the rollout of advanced VR attractions such as Ballast VR’s ‘DIVR+’ and Bay-Tek’s ‘HyperDeck,’ showcasing the growing integration of edutainment within immersive experiences. Notably, Immersive Gamebox parent announced troubling news of entering administration, despite ambitious expansion efforts and partnerships with notable franchises, indicating potential volatility in the sector. Additionally, there’s a marked interest in competitive socializing with platforms like Home Run Dugout, which aims to blend sports and entertainment, and innovations in traditional entertainment formats exemplified by Gel Blaster’s “Lasertag 2.0.” The overall landscape is witnessing significant restructuring and the introduction of technology-driven experiences that could reshape the competitive socializing and immersive gaming markets, presenting both risks and opportunities for investors.

Full Stinger Report

VR Attractions

Along with a presence on the show floor inside, and also outside with their unique pool-based demonstration, in the South Outdoor Exhibition space, Ballast VR showcased an outdoor pool setup featuring live demonstrations of ‘DIVR’, a free-floating VR snorkelling experience, and ‘DIVR+’, developed in partnership with Sub Sea Systems. The ‘DIVR’, immerses guests in fantastic digital worlds as they snorkel freely, while ‘DIVR+’ delivers synchronized haptic feedback to enhance stationary experiences.

Additionally, the newly debuted ‘Ballast Arcade’ platform was available for participants to try out. This innovative platform pairs interactive ‘DIVR’ or ‘VRSlide’ experiences with a dynamic digital scoreboard, allowing guests to compete for daily high scores. Ballast VR, which first attended the IAAPA Expo in 2019, has been redefining aquatic attractions since 2017. The company’s technology is now featured on cruise lines, in waterparks, and at resorts and hotels, with growing interest in deploying these immersive experiences.

Bay Tek Entertainment represented on their booth the ‘HyperDeck’ platform from MajorMega, the popular four-player standing VR experience, offered now through their operation. The developers were able to give a demonstration of their new NASA cooperative game experience used in the system located at their visitor center in Florida. The experience of racing on the surface of the moon, collecting resources, was a strong example of the “Edutainment” style applications VR is being applied in. This and other examples of their library of games were available – with other installations of the immersive enclosure system to be revealed soon.

The edutainment aspect of the VR business was also reflected at IMMOTION – with a demonstrator running their popular “Wild Explorer” suite of experiences featuring ‘Gorilla Trek’, ‘Shark Dive’, and other titles. The company has expanded dramatically under new management and now has a footprint of over 110 zoo, aquarium, and science center locations that feature their motion VR pod-based systems (utilizing PICO headsets), in both indoor and drop-in container-based units for outdoor use.

Exhibitor Frontgrid promoted new installations of their ‘ParadropVR’ system – announcing the opening of a customised and gamified experience flying over Niagara Falls in VR, based in a museum and heritage centre on the USA side of the falls – as well as an arcade-based installation in the UK at the Butlin’s holiday camp social entertainment space ‘PLAYXPERIENCE’. They offered VR demonstrations of new content to show attendees – with the ‘ParadropVR’ platform now installed in 15 countries.

Of the handful of Chinese VR providers at the US show, regular attendee Movie Power brought a selection of their games, but front and center was their ‘VR Space Ride’ immersive enclosure – employing the unique motion theatre seating and immersive VR experience, more an attraction than just a VR amusement piece (as we reported in our IAAPA EMEA coverage, having tested it previously). Meanwhile, manufacturer FuninVR also exhibited their ‘VR Mahic UFO’ VR motion ride simulator for four players, using PICO headsets. Later in our Stinger Report coverage of the IAAPA 2024 trade event we speculate on how possible future tariffs could impact Chinese amusement development.

 Immersive Enclosures

The VR application with headsets was also being seen in immersive projection enclosures, without the need for headset encumbrance. Leading developer INOWIZE had their ‘QBIX’ platform running the latest content, including their new game ‘Mummy Twist’, a highly active four-player game, making the sixth title on the platform. Meanwhile, at the same time, the operation celebrated a quadrupling of locations operating the unique platform.

In breaking news, Immersive Group Gaming, the parent company of Immersive Gamebox, has entered administration (bankruptcy protection).  Company administration operation Begbies Traynor Group has been appointed to the job of finding a buyer. The company did not exhibit at IAAPA’24, but had recently reported franchise signings of new venues in Paris, France, with Nikito World, and in Calgary, Canada with PowerPlay – and they had also launched their first Australian location in Sydney.

The group operates 32 sites, based around the company’s immersive enclosure platform, accommodating up-to-six players at a time – and using the Vicon camera tracking systems married to their distinctive hat-mounted proprietary technology, within their “Gamebox” system. The company has licensed IP for game experiences such as Squid Games (Netflix), Angry Birds (Rovio), Shaun the Sheep (Aardman), Ghostbusters (Sony Pictures), Paw Patrol (Nickelodeon), Black Mirror, and others. The company has announced a second partnership with Netflix on a game based on the ‘Floor is Lava’ property. The company had also released, earlier in the year, another game internally developed called ‘Escape AI’ – that was called “the first immersive escape room.”

The company, founded in 2018, launched its first concept site in London in 2019, at the time under the Electric Playbox name that was later changed to Immersive Gamebox. The founders included the founders of the ‘Tough Mudder’ property. That property has seen its own trials and tribulations, entering bankruptcy in 2020 and being acquired by Spartan, its main competitor. Immersive Gamebox, having recently pivoted from self-operating standalone sites to installing attractions than self-operated venues, has become recently known for their installations within the Gravity MAX chain of venues. The company’s marketing signage at the venues includes the phrase “like VR… only fun”!

In 2023 it was revealed that Immersive Gamebox had signed a global partnership with Merlin Entertainments, towards rolling out family experiences in a multi-territory agreement across USA, Europe, UK and Australia. The operations confirmed the first two sites being in Australia (Sydney), and Germany (Oberhausen), as the launch of these collaborations. However, little more of this partnership has been heard, and some sources say this may have been paused for the time being. Pressure from this agreement, and the existing licensed property commitment, are suggested as playing a part in the move to administration as revenues flattened.

In more breaking news developments, and speaking of immersive experiences, a month after IAAPA’24 it was announced that Meow Wolf would be laying off 20-percent of its workforce across the operation. This reduction in workforce comes after the corporation announced, in April, the layoffs of some 165 employees. And this after the 2020 reduction in workforce by 250 – along with changes in board executives. The company had been in the news promoting its planned expansion into Los Angeles for 2026, with this new operation joining the Santa Fe, Texas, Denver and Las Vegas ventures. The reasoning for these latest layoffs were blamed on “evolving trends” – although how this will impact previously announced plans was not revealed. The announcement of redundancies so close to Christmas was hitting hard.

The attractions and amusement scene say much restructuring during the months of IAAPA. As previously revealed, the departure of the Merlin Entertainment CEO after only 24-months in the role had links to this news. A proponent of new developments, he had been last seen promoting the partnership with Immersive Gamebox on their Australia and German installations. His successor will be watched very closely to see how they intend to right the entertainment giant.

In another shakeup, it was announced that the CEO of Dave & Buster’s would be departing the operation, offering his resignation.

He held the position following the merger with Main Event in June 2022 and will be replaced in the interim by the chair of the board until a replacement is found. The media reported that this departure was fuelled by the 7.7-percent slump in D&B same site sales across their operation, seeing a decline in revenue. The departing CEO is blamed for failing to implement a successful process to address this decline.  Some attendees to the IAAPA show made the pilgrimage to the D&B store close to the exhibition facility – the site, having been updated to the new Social Bays feature, includes AR darts, as well as Shuffleboard and The Arena game space, developed by ConductR. This new social entertainment offering was shaping much on and off the show floor.

Social Entertainment

With the recent interest in competitive socializing, there has been an attempt by some industries, such as hospitality and retail, to redefine the definitions of this Social Entertainment landscape. It was reported by one media service that “Eatertainment” was reserved for venues that merge dining with entertainment-like amusement (such as Check E. Cheese), and that “Sportainment” described venues that integrated sports into the dining experience (such as Topgolf). This seemed an arbitrary means to try and own the narrative, avoiding using the already existing “Social Entertainment” and “Competitive Socializing” names, and attempting to grab “ownership” of the sector.

We at The Stinger Report have championed the Competitive Socializing terminology as being clear cut, that this refers to entertainment establishments that include social entertainment and hospitality. Until we see other adoption of the “Sportainment” descriptor, we will keep with our over-nine-year-used term. Now that is sorted out, we return to the crowded IAAPA’24 show floor.

The active entertainment social experiences on display included a raft of ball tracked experiences – what some observed as the reimagining of the traditional baseball machine popular with FECs back in the day. The new systems incorporate video screens and ball launching. IAAPA’24 exhibitors included the ‘HitTrax Suite’ platform – offering softball and baseball, with a projected screen and fence enclosure, and online support. The company, seen as a market leader in this category, is also an official licensor of the Major Leagues Baseball (MLB) association – HitTrax ball and player tracking technology are used in professional sports training.

One of the hits of the show, missed by many who did not venture outside of the convention floor, in the southern Outdoor Exhibits space, was Home Run Dugout – developer and operator of the patented-projection baseball social entertainment experience. The patented soft baseball launcher and screen-based system offers engagement for all sexes and ages, where the traditional batting cage can be intimidating. The operation, having rolled out their first facility, came to IAAPA’24 with hospitality and a strong product, looking to grow their market. This is a platform that, as one executive stated, “wants to be the Topgolf of baseball!”

These systems fall into the “Sportstainment” category of social entertainment. Exhibitor Side Sports Entertainment Technologies showed their batting cage platform, using a projection screen – with their ‘StrikeZon’ platform. We have reported on this from the Japanese trade shows previously, and the system is deployed in several venues. Along with their baseball version, they include golf simulation and their race simulators through their Cool Performance association.

Away from the ball launching systems and the more conventional sports application for projection systems was on display. Technology providers attending the show included Full Swing – with their leading golf ball tracking software, including the new ‘Pro 2.- Simulator’. This provides another example of the training aid migrating into the entertainment market. Exhibitor HD SportsSuite had their immersive enclosure systems running through both golf and other ball sports game experiences. The ball tracking technology is driving the corporation’s range of experiences. The configurable system comprises flat and curved screen variants of differing sizes. The popularity of the Golf-Simulator bays in social entertainment venues is a major factor of its growth.

The deployment of sim-based-golf experience was taken to a new level with the announcement, to take place in Florida, of the TGL presented by SoFi – a new golf league. Combining advanced technology with teams of top players from the PGA TOUR, it will take place at a purpose build venue – the ‘SoFi Center’, Palm Beach. This incorporates a tech-infused green for putting, that can be digitally changed to represent any course. While the long game is played on one of the largest simulator golf screens, the events are streamed on ESPN. This offers a clear representation of “Phygital” and “Sportstainment” combined and is a multi-million Dollar drive by the golf sector to attract a new audience, which will prove synergetic to all the social entertainment gold-simulator bays.

Returning to the Orlando show floor of IAAPA 2024, and one new application of immersive enclosure experiences using projection mapping was from Birket Engineering – the software controls system solution. Famous for their ‘InThrall’ text caption system using AR glasses for theaters and attractions, partnered with the Disney patented system, the company had at the show a demonstration of their projection control technology, with an immersive hoops projection mapped enclosure.

Augmented Reality (AR) headsets were also employed on the Verse Immersive booth – operated by Enklu. The last of the Microsoft Hololens2 headsets were employed to give a holographic experience. The latest dinosaur battling experience was previewed to The Stinger Report during our visit, showing the latest innovation in the technology. From just three locations a year ago, Verse Immersive is now in 19 locations, across five countries.

One aspect of interest in the battle for clear screen-based systems, be they for ball tracked sports or interactive floor, is the constant battle between projection and new LED display technology. IAAPA exhibitor Christie had a showing at the trade event, where they positioned themselves as a leading provider of the new LED screen displays, alongside their extensive projection offering.

Panasonic Connect exhibited at the show with their projection platform, services, and support operation focused on the commercial sector. Away from the display tech, the company also promoted their ‘ToughBook’ industrial laptop platforms. The core focus was, however, on their immersive display, including a mini-dome display. The immersive projection mapped experience was also represented by exhibitor Battle Karts, coming to the Orlando show to promote their projection mapped karting experience, and looking for new franchisees to join their growing ranks.

Active Entertainment

This was seen as a strong genre across the crowded Orlando show. Valo Motion took their own booth at the IAAPA’24 event with their selection of highly physical entertainment platforms, from their ‘ValoClimb’ and ‘Valo Jump’ platforms. The new look ‘Valo Arena’ was revealed for the first time, with sleek new lines and a more immersive screen presentation for the players and audience. The redesign benefits from their sales and development partnership with Creative Works. And the company revealed they have other developments in store for the beginning of 2025.

Exhibitor Funovation also presented their ‘Infinite – laser challenge’ enclosure, building off the highly physical game experience genre. Regarding the trampoline style game experience, and on a much smaller scale, other examples of this approach were evident. SisyFox – promoting their physical gaming systems – had the new ‘Jumplings’ platform, with up-to-five players jumping on unique pads, controlling their onscreen character. The themed attraction combines FX within the jump pads and offers what the company calls the “first massive multiplayer game controlled entirely by jumping”. It is configurable to three or five player versions of the game.

Operator Activate – came with their unique active gaming experience, also including its own interactive floor component, along with the five-player-group playing experience. The company came to promote at IAAPA and grow their 50-installation franchise business. Active entertainment’s migration to amusement was represented on several booths, with peddle power and rowing, but also the industry’s own interpretation of the jumping experience. JET Games were showing their very physical jumping game, while the company also had their entry into the social entertainment scene with their ‘JET Darts’ tech-infused platform.

Laser tag has always been a popular activity at entertainment venues, but at IAAPA ’24, a new twist on this classic game took center stage. ‘Gel Blaster’, known for their innovative water ball blasters, introduced their new system called Nexus. Combining the thrill of traditional laser tag with a fresh, interactive twist. Players wear vests that track hits and use blasters equipped with advanced technology to record stats. All of this is connected to a mobile app, so players can track their progress and come back for more.

What makes Nexus unique is its flexibility: younger players can stick with a laser-style game, while older players can level up to a more physical, action-packed experience using water-based gel pellets. It’s a game designed to offer fun for everyone, no matter their age or play style. This cutting-edge system, often called “Laser Tag 2.0,” is transforming a classic game into a next-level experience, giving venues a fresh way to upgrade outdated laser tag arenas. At IAAPA, VIP guests had the chance to see Nexus in action at Main Event Orlando, where a traditional laser tag arena was seamlessly upgraded to this advanced system.

The Nexus platform is designed to engage players in three exciting ways: first, through its popular consumer toy brand; second, with facility-based installations; and third, through a tournament-ready app that tracks player stats and encourages repeat play. This innovative approach represents a new direction for the industry, blending fun and technology to create a more engaging experience for players of all ages.