LBX Collective

Leading investors should note the industry’s rapid shift towards immersive active entertainment, exemplified by innovations like Gel Blaster’s Gen2 platform, social media integration, and gamified trampoline experiences. Interactive floor games, such as Pixel World and Illumination systems, are expanding with partnerships like Atari, signaling a competitive and fast-growing market. The sector also...

Investors should note IAAPA 2025's key trends highlighting rapid advancements in immersive projection mapping, AR, and social entertainment, notably in gaming and gamified experiences. Projection mapping continues to evolve with new karting and escape game platforms, while AR, supported by Snap Spectacles, is poised for growth in attraction deployment. The social gaming sector is booming, dri...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show we argue for a clean break from the isolating nature of VR to the more social interactive XR, trace the fallout from streaming and retail shakeups, and spotlight where IP-driven venues thrive or falter. From Universal’s UK greenlight to the rise of challenge rooms, the throughline is simple: design for people together. Finally,...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show, we close the year by discussing trending topics such as inclusive operations, capital access concerns, AI that trains rather than just entertains, and how transmedia keeps brands front-of-mind. Then Chuck DeMonte maps a simple, focused plan to grow in 2026 on a tight budget in the Promo Pro Tips segment. • IAAPA FEC Summit det...

Leading investors should note that IAAPA 2025 highlighted significant shifts in immersive entertainment, with a surge in Chinese VR innovations like gun-visor shooting, free-roaming arena systems, and MR experiences utilizing Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro. The decline of UK-based DNA VR signals challenges in traditional VR arcades, while Valve's new Steam Frame VR headset promises to resh...

Leading investors should note the IAAPA Expo Orlando 2025 highlighted transformative trends in immersive and media-based attractions, including the rise of Flying Theaters, IP-licensed experiences like Cyberpunk, and expanding VR applications across theme parks, FECs, and zoological venues. Notable innovations include next-gen motion platforms, hybrid dark rides, and the integration of XR into edu...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show, we push past a strong holiday season to ask how venues earn repeat visits in 2026, from search-proof naming to smarter attraction mixes, while tracking Netflix’s IP ambitions, leadership shakeups across LBE, and the tech trends operators can’t ignore. Along the way we dissect Netflix House, Dave & Buster’s decline, and why...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show, we review BW's visit to Funlab’s Hijinks Hotel and Holy Moly preview event in Irvine. Kevin Williams rounds up new openings from Urban Air to Netflix House while Adam Pratt flags fresh arcade listings and pricing moves. • FEC Summit agenda, keynote, pricing, and site tours • New IAAPA North America leadership appointment...

Leading investors should note the growing integration of entertainment within retail real estate, exemplified by MAPIC 2025’s emphasis on “retailtainment” and social gaming as key mall anchors. Meanwhile, Japan’s amusement sector is evolving with increased Chinese imports, innovative attractions like immersive enclosures, and a focus on claw machines, reflecting shifting consumer tastes and intern...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's 101th episode of Sound Off , we argue for bringing clawcade operators into the fold with clear standards. Then we survey UK competitive socializing, M&A signals, and why content-led, gamified spaces are setting the pace. VR gets a reality check as Meta steps back, while projection arenas, trampoline gamification, and live game s...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show, we discuss IAAPA FEC Summit’s value, a leadership-focused keynote, and why seasonal overlays can unlock repeat visits, then dive into openings, closures, and the VR pivot separating winners from laggards. Along the way, we unpack Chuck E. Cheese’s holiday content play and Zero Latency’s Slay Season strategy. • lower IAAPA FEC...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's 100th episode of Sound Off , we map the biggest shifts in location-based entertainment: rising RAM costs driven by AI, Topgolf’s private equity pivot, the LED takeover, mixed reality stepping past VR’s novelty, and more. Competitive socializing, sportainment, and mission rooms emerge as the next anchor attractions. • RAM inflation h...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show, Brandon, Kevin Williams, Adam Pratt, and Clint Novak unpack a packed IAAPA Expo 2025 and discuss mini escape rooms with auto reset, LED floors evolving into real game platforms, and competitive socializing plowing ahead with arrows, hoops, batting, and smart seating. We call out winners, caution flags, and the IP choices that...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! The leap from one local adventure park to a billion-dollar youth enrichment platform didn’t hinge on luck—it grew from data, grit, and a clear promise to families. Brandon Willey sits down with Michael Browning Jr., founder and CEO of Unleashed Brands, to unpack how Urban Air sparked a movement and why a platform beats a portfolio when your customer is...

Leading investors should note the convergence of key industry events signaling robust market vitality and evolving trends. The recent UK-specific ACOS’25 showcased innovation in prize machines, music games, and networked racing simulators, highlighting a focus on entertainment diversity and technological refinement amid regulatory discussions on music licensing. Meanwhile, North American trade sho...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's episode of Sound Off, we track competitive socializing’s growing pains, from single-attraction brand traps to the staffing and education needed to earn repeat visits. Then we zoom out to supply shocks, rebrands, soft numbers, and the hype gaps that erode trust and margins. • single-game venue ceiling and brand rigidity • staff-led g...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show, we kick off IAAPA week with a Guest Gab with Bryan Severance and a candid chat on market softness and repeat value, a sweep through openings and pivots with Kevin Williams, and a packed Arcade Corner with Adam Pratt with a preview of the games that deserve a test play. Clear takeaways: evolve your mix, protect your brand, and...

The BLE’25 event underscored the growing convergence of licensing, media, and location-based entertainment (LBE), highlighting key trends for investors. The show revealed the expanding influence of transmedia properties, with major brands like Universal, Warner Bros., and Netflix showcasing immersive experiences and new venue concepts, including Netflix’s upcoming themed venues and the global prol...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's episode of Sound Off, we challenge the hype around mixed reality and debate where tactile, social play still wins. Consolidation, IP land grabs, cinema’s cultural shift, and the rise of premium watch-party venues shape the next year for amusement and location-based entertainment. • Mixed Reality’s latency gaps versus laser tag’s ins...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show, Susan DeBottis, VP of Adventure and Entertainment at Easol joins me as we discuss the path from first click to first visit, showing how brand-aligned booking and a single view of inventory turn group demand into profit. Plus: two Arcade Corner segments with Adam Pratt full of IAAPA reveals, Kevin Williams on global openings an...

Investors should note the rising trend of social shooting experiences, blending gamification, hospitality, and competition. Brands like Clays and PAN are innovating with arcade-style and traditional clay pigeon shooting, appealing to diverse demographics and private events. Platform developers like Laser Shot and HD Sportsuite are creating digital and simulated shooting games for entertainment ven...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's episode we argue for an upscale shift in prize experiences, a sober view on tariffs and show strategy, and a sharper ROI lens on VR. Big brands face 2026 pressure as multi-attraction venues, collectible-forward cranes, and arena-scale content set the pace. • Upscaling prize centers with premium collectibles and frictionless redempti...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's episode we take a fast tour through the latest wins, misses, and pivots in location-based entertainment. We weigh connected pinball, branded "pour" games, and why good branding beats big square footage. • IAAPA Expo preview with LBX Collective's booth speakeasy details • Give Kids The World Golf tourney, 1K, and 5K fu...

Sponsored by Intercard ! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's episode we start off debating the clawcade surge, asking where these crane-only venues work, when they fail, and how branding and location shape outcomes. Then we track major shifts across immersive free-roam, cinema–streaming tie-ups, leadership changes at big park groups, and the rise of social shooting galleries. • viability of c...

Investors should note that private event and party business in social entertainment venues now account for over 40% of revenue, driven by evolving consumer preferences from Millennials to Gen Z. Key sectors include mixed-use entertainment, socializing, and immersive experiences, with venues like Merlin, Gravity MAX, and Lucky Strike expanding their private hire offerings. The industry is experienc...