LBX Collective

Sponsored by Intercard ! On this week's show we share attraction industry headlines from a historic Ferris wheel comeback to the real-world way culture shows up in capital spending at Kennywood. Then we team up with Kevin Williams for Open & Shut to break down the latest location-based entertainment openings, concept risks, and the closures that hint at what’s changing. • Intercard’s 2026...

Leading investors should note Vegas’s dynamic shift towards immersive and competitive social entertainment, exemplified by the continued evolution of AREA15 and new themed hubs featuring IP-driven experiences like ‘Universal Horror Unleashed’ and ‘John Wick’. The decline of VR/XR experiences highlights a strategic consolidation under ‘The Lab,’ while the expansion of live events and IP-based venue...

Sponsored by Intercard ! On this week's show we walk through the realities hitting location-based entertainment right now, from VR arcade business pressure to the pricing and repeat-visit mechanics that decide who survives. We also connect big external shocks like Middle East instability and helium-driven chip constraints to the on-the-ground decisions operators make about tech, IP, staffing,...

Investors should note the rapid evolution in social entertainment, with a focus on immersive, mixed-use venues and gamified experiences. UK funds are investing in innovative concepts like Funk Bowling and SingPods, emphasizing AI-powered, interactive systems that drive revenue beyond traditional sports. Vegas’s AREA15 hub exemplifies this shift, hosting flagship IP-driven experiences such as the J...

Sponsored by Intercard ! On this week's show we’re broadcasting from Shanghai and turning a travel schedule into a ground-level tour of what modern mall-based entertainment looks like in China, from massive active-play parks to a karting add-on that feels like real-life Mario Kart. We also track the week’s biggest location-based entertainment trends, arcade game news, and the simple reasons F...

Those following the sector note a significant surge in competitive socializing investments, highlighted by new facility openings and trade expo activity, signaling a key sector shift. The AEI 2026 showcased innovative products spanning retro cabinets, IP-based amusement, and immersive XR experiences, reflecting a growing convergence of social, hospitality, and entertainment trends. The sector&apos...

Sponsored by Intercard ! On this week's show we  discuss how competitive socializing is hitting a saturation point, and lay out why single-activity venues need a deeper entertainment mix to earn repeat visits. We also track the fast-moving business and tech signals reshaping location-based entertainment, from legal risk to VR pricing to AR smart glasses partnerships.  • phase one competitive...

Our specialist feature on the Immersive technology landscape, we look towards the greater deployment of AR, MR and SR technology. Coming from the simulation and training sector, defining the latest immersive systems, while charting the trends that are shaping the sector.   The consumer VR sector seems to be in freefall, but the reality of commercial application of the wider XR landscape is bloomin...

Sponsored by Intercard ! On this week's show we run through rapid-fire location-based entertainment headlines, from a medieval-themed mini golf launch in Illinois to Pixel Floor landing inside Slick City’s European expansion. Then we shift into openings, closures, and acquisitions with Kevin Williams, including why attraction mix and concept refresh cycles decide who stays competitive. • Parc...

The Amusement Expo International 2026 showcased a vibrant shift towards innovation and branded IPs, with major releases like Disney-themed arcade games, Pokémon pinball, and new VR and interactive attractions highlighting industry growth. The event emphasized social gaming, active entertainment, and clawcade trends, alongside collaborations with prominent brands and exclusive partnerships, such as...

Sponsored by Intercard ! On this week's show we look at CinemaCon as a stress test for cinema, then ask whether cinetainment is a real lifeline or just a costly way to copy everyone else. We connect geopolitics, shifting consumer spend, and the rise of interactive entertainment to the hard math of ROI, revenue per square foot, and why some competitive socializing concepts stall out. • cinema’...

The US amusement sector’s first major trade event, AEI 2026, highlighted key market trends, including a focus on social entertainment, XR, and immersive technology. While VR remains prevalent, new offerings like portable arena systems and AR glasses are gaining traction, though traditional VR arcades face headwinds, exemplified by the closure of CTRL-V’s remaining venues. Ride simulation innovatio...

Sponsored by Intercard ! On this week's show we track the week’s biggest moves across location-based entertainment, from Scorbit’s cash-prize arcade tournaments to Disney testing pop-up retail experiences that lean into immersive storytelling. We also unpack openings, closures, and new arcade products that signal where competitive socializing and the arcade business are heading next.  • Amuse...

Leading investors should note the surge in “Sportstainment,” exemplified by the ambitious ‘Real David Lloyd's Sports Gardens,’ integrating fitness, sports, and entertainment in large-scale venues supported by digital innovation. The sector is also evolving through immersive exergaming, AI-driven personal training, and transmedia partnerships like TOCA Social’s ‘Angry Birds’ game expansion. Me...

Sponsored by Intercard ! On this week's show we discuss how boutique bowling, immersive IP, and “unlimited” promos all point to the same fight: entertainment venues must raise value per square foot without breaking guest trust. We connect industry history with right-now operator moves to see what scales, what fails, and what the next generation of location-based entertainment demands.  • trad...

Sponsored by Intercard ! On this week's show we jump from a Guinness-chasing trampoline park to year-round horror, new theme park tech, and the latest signals from openings and closures across location-based entertainment. We also hit fresh arcade and pinball headlines and then ask you to help us reshape the LBX Show for season five. • a 192-foot indoor trampoline world record attempt and the...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show we track the biggest moves reshaping location-based entertainment, from interactive LED game floors becoming real anchor attractions to the messy economics forcing operators to rethink what actually drives repeat play. We debate IP-led growth, VR’s latest shakeout, and why better enclosures, better content, and better ops disci...

Leading investors should note the rapid acceleration in the Location-Based Entertainment (LBE) sector, driven by strategic mergers, acquisitions, and restructuring, notably within GENDA Group and Disney, amid a shift towards transmedia integration. The sector is expanding its IP portfolio through immersive VR experiences, partnerships with Hollywood studios like Sony, and ventures into shared real...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show we break down what’s working right now in location-based entertainment, from a coin-op barcade model that avoids the free-play trap to new venue concepts that actually stand out. Then we zoom out with openings, closures, and a practical way to measure marketing performance that goes beyond clicks and even beyond revenue. • coin...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show we challenge the amusement industry’s reaction to dynamic pricing and map out what it would take to use variable pricing without breaking guest trust. Then we sprint through the biggest LBE and FEC trends right now, from geopolitical shocks and investment moves to VR’s reset and the tech and IP trends seen at Amusement Expo Int...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show we track the biggest signals in location-based entertainment right now, from Laser Tag Day and a shuttered QZAR site to Disney’s Bluey activation at Disneyland and an escape room operator expanding into VR and game shows. Then we run the openings and closings with Kevin Williams and finish with Adam Pratt's view of the mos...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show we debrief Amusement Expo International 2026 from the show floor and zoom out on what it signals for arcades, FECs, and location-based entertainment. We dig into the surge of licensed IP, the hardware innovations that matter for operators, and the Vegas venues that reveal where competitive socializing is headed.  • attendance a...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show we sanity-check what “immersive” really means when guests have better options next door and investors want proof of repeat visits. • Augmented shuffleboard tables as a modern default for competitive socializing venues • Gulf-region investment pullback risk for US attractions and game studios • Nintendo lawsuit over rolled-back...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show we get you ready for Amusement Expo International with the news that will shape the show floor and the conversations happening in Vegas. Then we dig into what’s opening, what’s closing, and which new arcade releases might actually move the needle for operators.  • Amusement Expo schedule plus why this year feels unusually “new”...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show we argue why cocktails outperform sports bars for modern social entertainment and follow the money across trade show turmoil, studio mega-deals, and cinema’s pivot. We map how consolidation, new tech, and fresh attractions change what wins on a Friday night. • cocktails driving higher-margin, faster-turn experiences • regional...