UNIS is bringing a new ticket redemption game to IAAPA based upon the 20th Century Fox movie Independence Day: Resurgence. The game melds aspects of the film into its design while combining mechanical and video aspects for a tangible game play experience. During the first of three stages, players are challenged to launch balls through three targets on the lower field. If successful in stage one, they advance to the second where they must hit the 3D alien “queen” ship to advance to the bonus level where they can win the “Mega Bonus.” The more on-target shots the player…
Author: Casey Minter
The American Amusement Machine Charitable Foundation (AAMCF) has announced the first recipient of its J. Richard Oltmann Scholarship. She’s Emilia Goetsch and she just kicked off her freshman year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Emilia says the $5,000 scholarship will help her keep potential graduate studies in sight and, in time, pursue a degree in law. The Scholarship Program honors the legacy of Richard Oltmann, the Illinois game center operator “who set an example for sharing, teaching and passion.” He was well known for his openness and willingness to teach anyone about the ins and outs of the biz, and…
Nol Van Genuchten, a former creative team member at Cirque du Soleil and expert on live entertainment, will join the company as vice president of creation, announced company founder. “Nol will play a key role at Triotech by overseeing all the creative aspects of the attractions and experiences we create,” said Yale. “He will help define the company’s creative direction.” Charles Décarie, Triotech COO, added: “Nol is an out-of-the-box thinker that thrives on finding unique solutions to different types of creative challenges.” Van Genuchten comes to Triotech with heaps of entertainment experience, and is part of the team responsible for…
Tucked into the heart of the Ozark Mountains is a 4,600-acre resort, Big Cedar Lodge, that just got a major overhaul. The Bass Pro Shops-owned resort contracted with Creative Works to jazz up their laser tag arena, resulting in a customized, wildlife-themed room inside the resorts new Fun Mountain, a 50,000-sq.-ft. FEC at the resort. The two companies started working on the project early this year, communicating constantly so Creative Works could best bring the resort’s vision to life. “Two of the ladies from the location down there came to visit us [in Mooresville] to see what we do and…
The Fort Fun Center got a major overhaul from theming experts at Art Attack. The companies announced their latest collaboration, installing Art Attack’s RUSH Laser Tag Arena at The Fort Fun Center in Amherstburg, Ontario. This new RUSH Laser Tag Arena fits perfectly with The Fort Fun Center’s ideology, says Art Attack, adding that it’s “sure to raise the fun factor for all guests visiting the city of Amherstburg.” Working closely with the Art Attack design team, the fun center has brought this historic event back to life, using the theming to give guests a fun and educational experience all-in-one.
UNIS has contracted with Calinfer S.A. (the group that found crowdfunding success with its Atari Pong Table) to manufacture, market and sell the product around the world. The Pong Table has already caught a lot of people’s attention, with 322 backers supporting the idea with $335,422 by the end of its Kickstarter campaign. The product is essentially a throwback to the days of tabletop arcade games, but is modified in unique ways. Instead of controlling a line of pixels, the game is mechanical in nature, using a combination of magnets, electric motors and rails to mimic the gameplay of the…
The Future of Immersive Leisure Conference left its attendees looking forward to what’s next in our industry, and RePlay contributor Bob Cooney took the time to produce two podcasts with some of the biggest change-makers that were in attendance. Cooney’s latest in a series of podcasts delves into the future of location-based entertainment (LBE) with FOIL organizer and founder of KWP Ltd., Kevin Williams. Cooney and Williams talk about the event in general and the many truly revolutionary attendees who gathered to deep dive into the future. The two discuss immersion, and how it has always existed in entertainment, but…
Location party experts at TrainerTainment have announced their 2018 conference schedule, inviting people to learn and evolve in the year to come. The conference dates are as follows: * April 12-13 the company hosts Train the Trainer Conference * August 22-23 is its Advanced Sales Conference * October 11-12 is a Business Coaching Conference. The company says all three were created to achieve TrainerTainment’s purpose: provide fun training that has serious results to grow people and businesses. The Train the Trainer conference hopes to give attendees to tools to continue building their business and educating their employees. Advanced Sales teaches…
If you have a crane on your route or in your arcade right now, then you probably have Achiel Verstraeten to thank for it. This revolutionary game designer and engineer founded Elaut back in 1959, and changed the industry in a heap of positive ways. Sadly, he passed from us on Oct. 19 at the age of 84. Verstraeten’s curiosity and drive to succeed led to some of the most innovative (now deemed necessary) aspects of the amusement crane, which would not exist as we know it today without his contributions. As one of the most successful and durable of…
The New York Yankees, baseball’s most valuable team, announced an investment partnership with Vision Esports, a large shareholder of esports-related companies including Echo Fox, Twin Galaxies and Vision Entertainment. The partnership looks to accelerate growth and brand awareness of the three entities: Echo Fox, an esports team; Twin Galaxies, one of the oldest record keepers and referees of competitive video games; and game studio Vision Entertainment. The size of the investment was not disclosed, but anything the Yankees are involved in is bound to be pricey! For more information, look here.