Kevin Williams

During the hardest days of the Global Health Crisis and the industry-wide lockdown, The Stinger Report publisher attempted to search out positivity in the face of growing gloom and doom. And so was born the occasional #AfterTheStorm social media feed, and hashtag. Now two-years since the last post, and it would seem fitting to take stock of what the “New Normal” of the Out-of-Home Entertainment sector has become, and some trends and issues shaping the landscape ahead. The Road Well Travelled The COVID conditions, for many amusement businesses, were grim during the early part of the lockdown and pandemic market. The need to depend on Governmental support was felt by many, and the inability to generate revenue hit hard at many corporations. Once reopened, the needs for strict hygiene and operational guidelines added even more pressure on operations, compounded by […]

During these challenging times, the investment in new trends is pivotal to the survival of many businesses. The vacuum created by the current business pressures sees the inclusion of Drones and Robots into the entertainment mix, from delivery to gaming. While at the same time, investment in VR into the Japanese amusement scene is rethought, while others double down on the possibilities to greater revenue this business has to offer. The #RobotsAreComing Many of you who follow our social media feeds, as well as our coverage in The Stinger Report, will be aware of the growing trending topic of the deployment of robotic and autonomous systems into the retail, hospitality and even entertainment sector. Having been in development for many years, a combination of staff shortages and the Global Health Crisis has seen an increased investment in the use of […]

The investment and acquisition spree continues with a brand-new Live Entertainment space revealed. All this and an explosion in interest in immersive entertainment underpinning facility opening, from active flying simulation and Free-Roaming VR experiences. With the technology being applied across attractions and Artainment.  Facility News Just some weeks after we confirmed that Two Bit Circus was working on their second “micro-amusement park” facility to open in Dallas, TX, it was announced that the company had been acquired, for $50m (in stock), by Alpine Acquisition Corporation – a Nasdaq listed special-purpose acquisition company. This is part of a move to acquire two conference hotels from Atrium Hospitality L.P. (located in Denver, CO and Stamford, CT) for $65m. The plan will see these 739-room hotels converted into experiential entertainment and gaming properties under the new ‘Reveler’s Resort’ brand. The combined operations, named […]

An overcrowded few weeks continues for the LBE, amusement, and technology sectors, with the latest development shaping facility business investment and acquisition. We see the holding of one of the largest AR and VR technology conventions, and the beginning of summer is marked by the holding of the first in a long-time physical UK amusement distributor gathering.  Facility Chains Invest to Stay Relevant The momentum in the location-based entertainment scene has gathered more pace (if that was possible), with several new developments revealed. The end of the Licensing Expo saw announcements ranging from the launch of the new ‘Nerf Action Xperience’ from Hasbro, and the ‘Mattel Adventure Park’. But these were just the start of several new developments revealed. One of those marked the latest “dipping of the toe” by the largest entertainment operation, Walt Disney Corporation, into the LBE […]

A condensed entertainment trade season continued as we passed Easter and started to prepare for the first full entertainment and vacation period in some time. The trade reflected this with major developments internationally, including more trade gatherings and ongoing market restructuring. Fun and Games in the North The importance of supporting the entertainment Northern Powerhouse outside of the UK capital was reflected with the holding, in April, of the InterFun Expo (InterFun’22) in Leeds, UK. Organized by publishers InterGame, the event returned to a physical show, and gathered a selection of leading entertainment developers, service providers and distributors. The event was opened by the Blackpool Pleasure Beach attraction’s deputy managing director. The show floor was also supported by a two-day conference session. Spider Entertainment’s co-founder and publisher of The Stinger Report was invited to give the second-day keynote presentation focused […]

The developments across the entertainment landscape were reflected in a very hectic few weeks for the industry. This sees the convergence of the market regarding mergers and acquisitions – along with the defining of new technology trends and the opportunity for the market to grow into new areas of business.   Acquisition, Mergers & Restructuring The big developments still come thick and fast, as the whole of the entertainment landscape is restructured under the continuing pressure of change sweeping the markets. One of the new trends that The Stinger Report has charted is that of “Live Play”. The growth in UFO Online services has continued apace, and one of the originators of this trend found themselves in the crosshairs. Rolling out their first internet operated crane machine (Online UFO Catcher) platform back in 2015, Netch Co., with the ‘Net Catcher’ smart […]

Following on the previous coverage of the Las Vegas entertainment investment, This latest part looks more at the wider implications for the business, along with the inclusion of crypto-currency investment and the use of new payments and investments in the next phase of industry growth. NFT and Blockchain in Entertainment The investment into eSports regarding gaming and blockchain interest is another facet that sees great movement. It was announced that Community Gaming had raised some $16m in a series A round of investment, led by SoftBank (through their ‘SB Opportunity Fund’). This investment is intended to see Community Gaming expand their eSports tournament gaming platform, looking to expand into markets in Latin America – the company is also looking to grow its business with a blockchain-based subscription model which includes prize payments through this platform, already comprising some 100,000 registered […]

The 2022 March period proved a very busy time for all things to do with amusement and entertainment. Along with the Las Vegas AEI’22 trade event and Bar & Restaurant gatherings, there were several high-level seminars and conferences held during this period. We have already reported on FEU and the VR Summit, but a few days after these one of the largest events was held.  Latest FEC Bootcamp From the glitz of Vegas, we travel to Indianapolis, the home of Indy racing, and the home of Creative Works, who held their Amusement360 – an exclusive educational two-day seminar for start-ups and operators entering the FEC and entertainment space. This year’s event saw record breaking attendance, reflecting the interest that this business is generating, and a hunger for information from experienced voices. Creative Works gathered, along with a list of manufacturers […]

The start of a new dawn for coverage from The Stinger Report – and we begin with exclusive coverage of the developments and new opportunities witnessed at the gathering in Las Vegas in March. We share all the developments in this two-part report, as well as information on the other aspects that shaped the industry during this period.  Amusement Trade Assembles For the international industry, the trip to Las Vegas marked the two-year anniversary of the Global Health Crisis – and for many the first time they had been able to make the trip to the United States. The holding of Amusement Expo International (AEI’22) in Nevada marked a return to the original home of the amusement trade event and marked an important line in the sand for the return to some level of normalcy for the Out-of-Home Entertainment trade. […]

The second part of our coverage from Las Vegas and the Amusement Entertainment International (AEI) convention, and the other developments impacting the immersive entertainment scene during this period. Amusement Convention Other developers who supported the VR Summit and were exhibiting on the AEI’22 show floor included LAI Games, with the company having seen great success with their ‘Virtual Rabbids: The Big Ride’ platform, now with nearly 1,000 units in the field. The company promoting their new offer, ‘Rabbids: The Big Bundle’. Along with this success and an extensive range of new amusement and skill gaming machines on their show booth, the company also had the US appearance of ‘Asphalt 9 Legends Arcade’ – the WAHLAP title developed by Gameloft that is represented by LAI in the Western market. On display was both the 5D deluxe motion version and the standard […]