#1229 – Vegas Amusement Gathering – Part 1

AI Constructed Brief

In Part One of the #StingerReport coverage: The Amusement Expo International (AEI) 2025 in Las Vegas showcased significant shifts in the amusement and immersive entertainment sector, despite challenging financial conditions. Key trends included restructuring within major trade associations like AAMA and AMOA, the growing prominence of VR applications such as Synthesis VR’s free-roaming content and Two Bit Circus’s MR public space experiences, and the evolving profitability concerns surrounding VR hardware operations. On the show floor, highlights included Raw Thrills’ debut of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and updates to popular titles like ‘Godzilla Kaiju Wars VR,’ alongside SEGA Amusement International’s introduction of ‘Maimai DX USA’ to the Western market, signalling a revival in music gaming. The event also underscored a shift toward innovative partnerships and new product launches, with 70 first-time exhibitors among 223 companies, reflecting optimism in social entertainment and attraction-based gaming despite broader industry uncertainties. 

Full Stinger Report

US Amusement Trade Expo

The majority of the US amusement trade descended once again too Las Vegas for the Amusement Expo International (AEI) 2025. The trade event marked the largest of the industries events – with seminars along with a two-day convention floor. The financial conditions for this year’s event were challenging, but the interest in amusement and the off shoots in social entertainment have never been stronger, and there was an air of change and restructuring coming from the gathering. We have broken down the key aspects and trends witnessed, across three reports. 

Seminar and Educational Sessions 

First two days consisted of conference and association board meetings, including the voting in of new executives to help steer the future of the trade event and association business. Both the AAMA and AMOA having seen major restructuring, appointing new leadership, preparing to drive the future of the sector. Gatherings also included  

The Foundations Entertainment University (FEU), with their venerable education forum – celebrating the largest attendance in its 23-years of running (the Stinger Report owners a senior presenter at previous forums). Along with speakers from the service side, the event included a presentation from Valo Motion – along with a representation on the show floor, which we will cover later in our exclusive coverage. Also, the Lasertag Association held their series of summit sessions.  

The VR Arcade Summit was supported with some great speakers and panel sessions looking at the “Downloadable Theme Park” concept, and the prospects of LBE VR. Example of some of those thought-provoking session speakers, included Synthesis VR revealing their plans in the free-roaming landscape along with the licensed distribution VR content following the acquisition of SpringboardVR. Regarding that acquisition, it was reported from reliable sources that the impact of the merger was starting to be felt, with Synthesis VR acquiring all the IP rights for use in LBE VR of the library of titles retained by Springboard VR. With rumors that competitive platforms such as AVRI had popular titles such as ‘Space Pirates Trainer’ and ‘Fisherman’s Tale’ taken off their own libraries for April. Further removals are expected as part of the VR arcade restructuring continues.  

Another thought-provoking keynote from Two Bit Circus co-founder was on stage, looking at the lessons learned, as well as looking towards their future giving impromptu demonstrations of their new MR public space experience running on Meta Quest 3, (more information on that later in on in our GDC’25 report). We also saw sponsors represented at the summit, including StrikerVR and others. The VR Summit held a mixer during its event, and an impromptu demonstration of the Zero Latency ‘Space Marine VR’ experience, the company supporting the summit. An event which saw the MGM Grand casino reopening the previously closed VR arena for the VIP presentation. The 2,000-sq.,ft., VR space, part of the previously closed entertainment space at this casino called ‘Level Up’ which has now repopened. Those with long memories will remember the previous Future of Immersive Leisure (FOIL) conference in 2017 held their Las Vegas mixer there. The VR Arcade Summit saw the conclusion of a three-year agreement to co-locate with the Amusement Expo trade event. And negotiations are reported to be underway to evaluate the prospects going forward.  

Fundamentally, the VR aspect of the amusement trade event, while well represented at the summit, there was a growing concern that the business of operating VR hardware has not been as profitable for many operators as previously hoped and proclaimed by industry pundits. The surprise contraction of VR exhibitors on the show floor was incredibly telling – that said some third-party distribution agreements have been made towards representing hardware to the trade. Some attendees voiced the opinion that maybe the amusement trade event, with a focus on a more street-route business and distribution partnerships, may not be the exact fit for the VR developers. Especially in the face of failed initiatives to woo the sector by the trade association. It is expected that the show will be reflecting on the place of VR in their mix for next year.  

First Part of Amusement Show Floor 

Regarding the main two days of AEI, and co-located partnerships with the National Bulk Vending Association (NBVA), Laser Tag Convention, Billiards Congress of America (BCA) Expo – representing billiards, amusement, and home leisure. The difficulty for AEI’25 is to get out from the shadow of the previous IAAPA event only five months previous, with regarding its plethora of new releases. But this year’s AEI was awash with new releases seen for the first time at the show. The show organizers promoting a sold-out event, with 70 new first-time exhibitors of the 223 exhibiting companies.  

Starting off the list of key exhibitors, and on the conjoined Betson Enterprises and Raw Thrills booth, there was some major new placement for the attendees to enjoy. The big push of the show was the first appearance of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ – using the standardized DX twin screen and motion seat configuration popularized by ‘Fast & Furious Arcade’ – the Top Gun jet fighter version removed the 

steering for joysticks. A frenetic fast-paced shooter based loosely on the blockbuster movie action and inspired by games like ‘After Burner’. A twin configuration of the game was seen, with players able to compete – borrowing from the racing game mechanics. The DX version is also linkable to up to four machines. Sources spoke that the game was a 90-percent complete version with software updates still being implemented. Loc-Testing had seen optimizations to the directed free-roaming flight model (“racer-in-the-sky”) enhancing multi player competition. The final polish will be added for a June release of the game. 

Speaking of ‘Fast & Furious Arcade’ the standard version of the game was revealed – incorporating the dual screen (43’’) approach. With this release the door was opened on a possible standard version of the new Top Gun release in due course. Along with the previously released titles from the amusement powerhouse, ‘Minecraft Dungeons Arcade – Series 4’, the latest update of the dungeon crawler team play game. Getting a series update just in time for the release of the Minecraft motion picture launch in theaters. In the videmption category the company was also promoting their new spin-to-win title ‘The Wizard of Oz’ – another license based on a classic movie property, (the Stinger Report will have more on the cinema cross-over in amusement soon with our CinemaCon coverage). Also, on the Betson booth were software updates to recent video amusement, and the full selection of new redemption and prize gaming. This year marks the 25th anniversary of ‘Big Buck Hunter’ – though there was no new release available – possibly at IAAPA? 

Speaking of VR – Raw Thrills premiered the long awaited complete 5 Chapter saga of ‘Godzilla Kaiju Wars VR’ featuring the penultimate “FINAL BATTLE!”, standard on new games, and available as a free update. As was one of the most prolific of the handful of VR producers at AEI – the company also showed ‘King Kong of Skull Island II’, and 

‘MotoGP VR’ – all top earning amusement VR titles. Proving the actual revenue earning power of VR for amusement deployment done right. Betson Enterprise parent H. Betti Industries has celebrated last year their 90th anniversary, and the corporation was in the middle of restructuring with management and structural changes reflected on the booth at AEI’25. 

SEGA Amusement International (SAI) – a division of Kaizen Entertainment – and taking their place with a crowded booth, the company confirming the rumors from last year, SAI made the move to officially bring over to the Western market ‘Maimai DX USA’. The popular two-player rhythm game series – using a distinctive circular touchscreen. Containing 1,100 songs. Its striking design often labelled as the “arcade washing machine”. SAI marketing saying some 6,000 units had been sold of the machine in Asia – the machine first released in Japan during 2012, and seen 25 variants, (including this USA variant). SAI announced their intention “to redefine the rhythm game experience in the United States” with the new release. The game will be vending free AiME IC cards with every game to store their progress – this will be the latest attempt to establish connected game cards into the Western amusement scene.  

It was interesting to note that the machines on display were the actual Loc-Test units – as our friends at Arcade Heroes confirmed. SAI were kind enough to cut through all the rumors on the shipping dates for the Stinger, after the show. Confirming Asia shipping the final “international version” (reported to be the ‘Maimai DX Prism’ variant) of the machines for July, meaning September US delivery for new releases.   

SAI deciding to throw its hat into the music game amusement revival with this property from Japan. This entered crowded waters with the already established Step Revolution, and Andamiro US music games. As well as the move by BANDAI NAMCO to release their Japanese centric music game into the market (see below). We can expect to see an arms race to establish control of the new resurgence of music gaming – especially in securing the music licenses to avoid expensive confusion. As many of these new releases will need some form of network connection, many traditional distributors were silent about their excitement to run these lines. Sources at the show also suggested that we will be seeing a third Japanese amusement factory entering the returning Western music game scene – watch this space.   

Regarding VR at the show, and the Las Vegas attendance saw the Beta production version of ‘Alpha Ops VR Strike – Twin’ – the gun mounted visor game for two players, now with all three levels and bosses completed, the final box art for the environmental cabinet ready for May. This was one of a handful of VR amusement pieces brought over to the show. The game developed in collaboration with Chinese studio 3MindWave. The rest of the booth was populated with direct and third-party redemption and prize machines. The other co-developed video launched previously (‘Apex Rebels’) also was there, along with other previously revealed videos. The booth also represented 501 Fun – which we will cover later in our AEI coverage. 

Away from the show, owner of the SEGA brand – SEGA Corporation JP had been in the news with the announcement of their return to the facility business. With a press release of plans, in May, to open a flagship ‘SEGA Store’ in Shanghai, China. This venue is a merchandising and licensed product store and will include some “entertainment”, though no word if this will be amusement or attraction based. Following on from the SEGA Fave rebranding and the partnership of merchandised IP sales with Tomy and Mitsubishi – this move mimics the developments seen from other corporations in the sector, such as the BANDAI NAMCO Cross-Store roll out.