#1238 – Entertainment’s New Territories

AI Constructed Brief

The amusement and attraction sector is experiencing a dynamic shift towards social and immersive entertainment, driven by significant developments in the Middle East, notably Saudi Arabia, and the broader MENA region. The recent SEA’25 Expo highlighted burgeoning investment, including new FEC openings in Qatar, and major projects like Disney’s planned theme park on Yas Island, signaling a strategic push to position the region as a global tourism and entertainment hub. Meanwhile, the region’s evolving infrastructure includes ambitious projects such as Abu Dhabi’s “Las Vegas Sphere” twin and substantial eSports investments like True Gamers’ $15m funding aimed at capturing a significant share of the global gaming café market. The industry’s shifting landscape is also marked by major trade events, licensing collaborations, and IP-driven content, with companies like SEGA, SNK, and KONAMI expanding their footprint across arcades, licensing, and location-based entertainment. These developments suggest a promising outlook for regional growth, strategic partnerships, and innovative entertainment experiences aligned with global trends.

Full Stinger Report

The latest coverage of developments in the amusement and attraction scene, moves from the US events, towards the big developments from the Saudi trade gathering, with implications for the next phase of investment in the territory.

Trade Expos Prepare for New Horizon

The other trade gatherings that populated the first half of the year included several of the leading summits for education and training in the sector. Action Lab Leadership proudly co-hosted the Amusement 360 event with organizers Creative Works reporting more than 150 people from the industry in attendance. The buildup to summer saw a spate of trade gatherings. The Competitive Socialising Show, took place in London organized by Home Leisure Direct. Seeing exhibitors such as 501 Fun and a collection of industry speakers and a new award element. Returning to Las Vegas and the Roller Skate Convention & Trade Show 2025 took place, organized by the Roller Skate Association (RSA), held at the South Point Casino Resort. Reflecting that even the niche entertainment offerings were seeing a significant boost in attendance in this new social entertainment heavy sector. 

Moving back to the Middle East and the Saudi Entertainment and Amusement (SEA) Expo – took place at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center, Saudi Arabia – and included a dedicated Summit for the region. The event was co-located once again with the Saudi Light Sound (SLS) Expo – covering an audio-visual element, alongside the theme park and amusement event. During the buildup to the convention, it was revealed that the Qatar region would see the opening of three new LBE experiences. To be developed by Ground Control Entertainment, this FEC developer will be operating in downtown Doha a ‘Ground Control FEC’, ‘Nerf Action Xperience’ and ‘Play-Doh Fun Factory’, based on these respective IP.  This will be the fourth Ground Control FEC in the region, and is expected to mark the roll out of these brands under the group. 

A crowded show floor at SEA’25 reflected much that had been seen a few weeks previously at the DEAL’25 gathering. Exhibitors such as Conductr / Game Volt presenting their ‘Supercharged’ shuffleboard. Reflecting the impact of social entertainment in the sector. Fresh from their attendance at AAA’25 Race Parx attended the Saudia show, and along with prompting their turn-key karting solutions, also had a demonstrator on the PICO of their AR Go-Karting platform. Also revealed during the Saudi show was the news that BAAN Holding had formalize a strategic partnership with attractions developer AMEGA Entertainment towards developing entertainment for the region and beyond. 

The show took place with a wave of announcements and developments for the territory. It was announced regarding major investment in True Gamers – an eSports network of gaming cafés and esports clubs across the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. Using a hybrid franchise and venture capital model raising total funding of some $15m to date. The operations goal to capture 10-percent of the global gaming café market across the US, Europe, and MENA by 2030. According to Statista, the global gaming market is expected to hit $522b by 2029, with nearly 3.51 billion active gamers expected by the end of 2025—almost half of the world’s population. And the MENA market has invested heavily to lead the way in driving this sector, with SEA’25 presenting these interests. 

In Conclusion – The Saudi show was a barometer of the MENA market following what had been seen at DEAL’25, and the changing investment landscape for the region. Seeing a reasonable 12,000 visitors, who came to view some 350 exhibitors. The owners of the show keen to paint a positive outcome to the event, seeing a number of important contracts and partnerships signed on the show floor. The event supported by the 2025 MENALAC Awards, that saw recipients of recognition, such as TRIOTECH. Also held several seminars on important issues – safety and management were one of these, who’s importance and relevance was illustrated with the news following March’s fire break out at the Yas Waterpark in Abu Dahabi – February’s Oceana water park in Gothenburg, Sweden (16 injuries) and at the Aqualand water park in Torremolinos, Spain in December. 

New MENA Show Calendar 

The proximity of the 2026 show calendar regarding the holding of DEAL, then the new IAAPA Expo Middle-East and SEA event had been a major topic of discussion during DEAL’25 as we revealed. It was reported that the organizers of DEAL had been taking soundings regarding the best position for them to take. Just days before SEA’25 however news broke that the show organiser International Expo-Consults, had taken the drastic decision to move the date for DEAL 2026 – breaking the over thirty-year tradition of holding the show in April. It was revealed originally by InterGame that the organizers were moving the show to February – the exact days were not available at this time. So, moving the clash for exhibitors and attendee having to decide between DEAL and IAAPA, but now seeing international attendees having to decide between the Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries (IAAPI) Expo, and the new DEAL dates.

This move is expected to have far reaching implications for the UAE region, regarding corporations who have used the trade show to plan out their new purchases for the last thirty years. The industry in the region reflecting on these developments now forced upon them by the warfare that has broken out. The importance of this region was reflected in the SEA’25 event reporting of new agreements signed. But also, is reflected in the new developments planned for the area including that of Walt Disney’s plans in Saudi. 

Major Territory Developments

As SEA’25 was taking place, a series of major announcements for the region took shape. The first was the announcement that the Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism had negotiated the development of a “twin” to the iconic Las Vegas Sphere. While detailed information was limited, it was expected that the new immersive viewing venue would be looking at a 2030 completion. Encapsulating many of the aspects of the original in Vegas, working with the team at Sphere Entertainment. 

But the big development news came with the announcement that the Walt Disney Company revealed plans to build a new theme park on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. This project in collaboration with entertainment company Miral, who would be owning the operation. The project will see a new style a sustainable resort developed aiming at a VIP presentation, reflecting aspects of Emirati cultural elements in its design. Observers saw the structure of this project like the ‘Disney Tokyo Seas’ resort. With Miral supplying the funding and operation, while Disney supplies the IP and design experience. Miral a major resort operator in the area with their ownership of ‘Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’, ‘Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi’ and ‘SeaWorld Abu Dhabi’ – along with other hotel resorts.

Disney undertaking a major investment in growing their resort business in an emerging region that executives stated they had been studying the region and saw many opportunities. A strategic location, within a four-hour flight radius of one-third of the global population, to become a world-class global tourism hub. Exact details on the scope of the resort were limited. Though speculation is the layout of the “island” based location would see the Disney Cruise line operation involved in the final design. The announcement of this new Disney resort is expected to start a flurry of new attraction and entertainment venue development in the region – along with re-investment in existing projects. 

The current six Disney resorts defined as Disneyland Resort in California, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan, Disneyland Paris in France, and Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disney Resort in China. All represent a global destination resorts business that brings more than 140 million attendances annually across their six locations. 

Licensing Sectors Vital Entertainment Link

The influence that the Out-of-Home entertainment sector has on the greater economy was illustrated with its presence during the massive 

Licensing Expo 2025, held in Vegas and covering the Mandalay Bay convention center at the casino hotel resort. The event acting as a major gathering of franchise, brand and licensing properties and executives. The event revealed how much entertainment venues are seen as new revenue drivers. During the event it was revealed that industry service Licensing International and the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) had announced a new partnership that will facilitate networking and information sharing for members. Sharing research and networking events. LI serves over 1,200 corporate members, including licensors, manufacturers, retailers, agents, consultants, and service providers. 

It is clear how much videogaming and entertainment media in general shapes the current licensing property sector, touching every facet. The drive towards Phygital also represented – with location-based entertainment (LBE) a constant component of IP and licensing – LE’25 having a dedicated category covering this market. In many cases LBE holding its own against the consumer videogame landscape. The influence of gaming for the trade was seen with Arcade1Up represented at the licensing expo for the first time, along with the show including a “Gaming Lounge”. Alongside big IP brands represented on the show floor including ‘Minecraft’, ‘Roblox’, ‘Tetris’ and Nintendo.  

LE’25 saw sponsorship from SEGA with their lounge, mirroring what we saw during IAAPA’24 – the corporation which celebrates its 65th anniversary this year. The importance of the brand seen with the opening of the first ‘Sega Store Shanghai’ at the Bailian ZX mall, Shanghai, China – a flagship store promoting merch and toys based on the SEGA IP spanning videogame and amusement content. This was followed by news that SEGA would be opening for a limited time a pop-up store in Japan, located in the JR Shinjuku Station complex in central Tokyo – the ‘SEGA Store Tokyo’ would offer products and merch from SEGA and Arlus, along with unique special items. Building on the reaction to these development SEGA will be rolling out a major chain operation. SEGA seeing movie IP success with the Sonic series, and recent announcement of a new movie based on their ‘OutRun’ property, the iconic arcade street racer. 

Another videogame property on the LE’25 show floor was SNK Corporation – fresh from their surprise appearance in our AAA’25 coverage from China, SNK well known for their iconic videogame properties such as ‘The King of Fighters’, ‘Samurai Shodown’, and ‘Metal Slug’. The corporation making a big push on the latest interaction of these properties with ‘The King of Fighters XV’ and ‘Metal Slug: Attack’, having been introduced to new audiences via current console and online placement. 

It was under this current initiative that many observers found it strange that an unknown Chinese amusement company (Quanhun Entertainment) would secure the license from SNK China to release these properties back into the arcades. Now some weeks after the AAA’25 event, and information still scares, with “official license” for the Asian region seeming to have been issued by SNK China to the developer. Promises at the time for full disclosure of the release schedule and plans for these units have been met with silence, and still no official webpage or announcement has been made from SNK or Quanhun Entertainment. We watch this space with interest as many Western operators would love to have a chance to operate the popular videogame range. 

The other videogame brands with amusement connections at LE’25 included KONAMI. The operation promoting its extensive IP range – we have already reported the restructuring in Japan with the news of the transferring of a portion of the business of its wholly owned subsidiary, Konami Amusement, to Konami Arcade Games, a new company separate of the pachinko and metal game business, wholly focused on video amusement. News was revealed that KONAMI JP was already looking at broadening their reach, with a reveal of a Loc-Test of a new videogame at Round1USA sites. Based on the KONAMI iconic IP, entitled ‘Contra Burst’ – a two-player mounted shooter in a unique twin monitor cab. No word if this is just a unique test, or part of a dedicated roll out for release in the West.