Amazing Jakes, located in Mesa, Ariz., just swapped out their old laser tag equipment for a 3-player Helios Pro Laser Tag system and a 4,500-sq.-ft. jungle adventure-themed laser tag arena by Creative Works. The FEC chain is no stranger to fun. Their location has laser tag, bumper cars, carousel, tea cup rides, bowling, go karts, mini-coaster, arcade and a train ride for kids. With a renovation on the way, it only made sense to upgrade their equipment. “Our laser tag was in serious need of replacing. It was important to the facility but lacked excitement,” said Amazing Jakes owner Jeremy…
Author: Casey Minter
As if the hurricanes weren’t enough to test the grit of industry people, the spate of wild fires scorching well over 130,000 acres of Southern California have taken their toll as well. Judy Shannon, formerly of King Plush, lost her home in the city of Ventura, but she and offspring Sierra and Canyon, got out in time to tell the tale. “We’d spent the night at a hotel, only to return home to find ashes instead of our house,” she advised. “What we’re missing most, I guess, is our collection of hand-crafted items that went up in smoke like…
Sega Amusements took to the show floor at this year’s IAAPA Expo with a huge team of salespeople, techs and more filling the company’s booth alongside flashy new arcade games and classics. CEO Paul Williams accepted a Brass Ring Award during the show for the new Daytona Championship USA. “We are delighted by the award and humbled by the industry’s recognition for our innovation and the quality of entertainment delivered by Daytona,” Williams said. Other games Sega brought to Orlando included Hoopla (a carnival inspired ticket game developed with ICE), Pirate Falls (a challenging video redemption game), Maze Escape (a…
A recent ad from the mega-FEC chain Dave & Buster’s featured the stars from the movie Jumanji shooting hoops, warming up on LAI’s Let’s Bounce and having a good time overall. The short ad features Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Karen Gillan and Kevin Hart competing for the best scores. Check it out on the right. In other LAI news, the firm reported success at this year’s IAAPA Expo. LAI says their debut of Virtual Rabbids: The Big Ride went over well with many attendees, and had the show floor buzzing along with the rest of the VR offerings. Ubisoft, the…
For the 16th consecutive year, Foundations Entertainment University (FEU) will be inviting FEC newbies to the well-vetted educational program held just before Expo. (Organizers claim over 1,350 have graduated from the program and 250 FECs got their start thanks to FEU.) It will take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Feb. 25 and 26. The two days and evenings of educational workshops will include one-on-one consultations with instructors, dinner and lunch, a free Amusement Expo pass and more. Early bird registration ends on Jan. 31, 2018, and comes in at $395. Regular registration is $495. Learn more and…
Zero Latency recently announced an agreement with Cinépolis, the largest movie theater chain in Latin America, to open Mexico’s first free-roam VR gaming arena. According to the company, the arena will also be the first of its kind to be integrated into a movie theater anywhere in the world. The cavernous 2,045-square-foot gameplay area will allow eight players to roam freely and untethered simultaneously. The new VR experience opened in November of this year and adds to a growing base of Zero Latency sites worldwide, bringing the total number of ZL-powered arenas in operation to 12. “Through innovation, Zero Latency…
Embed has hired David Teitelbaum as its new Installations Manager. His chief responsibilities include ensuring that all Embed system installations run smoothly and efficiently, and that FEC customers and other users get high-level service. Teitelbaum hasn’t spent much time in the out-of-home entertainment industry, but has provided implementation and support services for the past 27 years for companies including American and United Airlines, as well as physicians’ offices and surgery centers. “In visiting multiple out of home entertainment facilities with my family, from birthday parties to spending a rainy Saturday, I was always intrigued by the systems I knew existed…
Walter Day, patriarch of Twin Galaxies International, reminded that Nov. 30, marked the 35th anniversary of Ottumwa, Iowa, being dubbed the “Video Game Capital of the World.” Wrote Walter: “While most city fathers were legislating against video games, Mayor Jerry Parker gained national prominence by bucking the trend when he made that proclamation back in 1982. “This was a bold move and it earned headlines for Ottumwa around the world,” Walter continued. “Mayor Parker would go on to issue Mayoral proclamations that challenged Japan and Italy to video game championships…in Ottumwa. We honored Mayor Parker at an Aug. 13, 2009…
Tom Petit, a former sales and administrative executive with Atari, Nintendo and Sega USA, was found dead by his wife Nancy the afternoon of Nov. 21 at their home in Durango, Colorado. The Durango Herald reported that he died from a “self-inflicted gunshot wound.” A University of Santa Clara graduate, Tom had spent around 28 years in coin-op before relocating to Durango to pursue a career in real estate. He was only 62 years of age. More news as we get it.
The AAMA (American Amusement Machine Assn.) will now be awarding an FEC Owner/Operator of the Year Award in addition to the other coin-op divisions it recognizes. The association says that over the past several years, it has been intentional in creating relevance and value for the FEC community within their group. This award is meant to acknowledge the continued excellence of that sector of the industry and honor those doing the best work. “The inclusion of the FEC community in the AAMA is a natural fit,” said EVP Pete Gustafson. “They consume a great deal of the products and services…