Elev8 Fun and Dart’em Up From Elev8-ing the Game to Foam-Fueled Mayhem by Barry Zelickson From a massive, two-story former Sears-turned-entertainment-epicenter in Florida to a foam-blasting battlefield born in a Texas backyard, Elev8 Fun and Dart’em Up couldn’t look more different, yet they share a mission that unites them: reimagining play for every generation. While Elev8 Fun dazzles with scale, tech and a full-spectrum experience blending go-karts, VR and craft cuisine, Dart’em Up thrives on simplicity done right, building community and adrenaline with foam darts, glowing dodgeball and heartfelt fun. One is a polished powerhouse; the other, a passion-driven playground,…
Author: RePlay Editor
The State of XR in the Amusement Industry by Bob Cooney This is the 10th anniversary of VR’s beginning in the amusement industry. The year 2015 saw the emergence of Zero Latency and The VOID, two of the most revolutionary entertainment concepts of the last 40 years. While The VOID didn’t emerge from the pandemic, Zero Latency continues its rapid expansion with 120 sites across six continents and opening multiple new locations each month. Today the technology has solidified around industry standards, and there’s a proliferation of quality content and solutions from dozens of companies. Technology I’ve opted to use…
June was a busy month for a number of our state operator associations whose annual summer get-togethers give its members and their families a chance to socialize and kick back after a year that brought the usual pile-up of problems out on the route. What problems? Let’s just quote one tradester who once said: “Every machine at every location is a problem waiting to happen.” Trade people from Colorado, Wisconsin, Minnesota and elsewhere typically gather at resort-style locations around this time of year to talk some business, but also to get in some golf, boating and some other activities that…
You’re My (VR) Hero Hero Zone Aims to Make VR “Compact, Weekend-Proof and Profitable” The emergence of virtual reality a decade ago attracted a new generation of bold entrepreneurs who saw the arcade and FEC markets as ripe ground for innovation. However, building a successful product, let alone an enduring company, in the amusement industry requires more than a new idea – it requires a balancing act of understanding what consumers expect in the ever-evolving gaming market while responding to the unique needs of operators. A handful of companies have successfully walked this tightrope. If you measure success by the…
Urgency vs. Desperation in Sales Why the Difference Matters & Understanding the Distinction By Beth Standlee, CEO, TrainerTainment Urgency in sales is a proactive, confident approach that motivates action by highlighting real opportunities or consequences of delay, while desperation is a reactive, anxious behavior that signals scarcity or fear of missing out on sales. Buyers can sense desperation like a dog understands fear. Being desperate is about the seller meeting their own needs, which I believe is the opposite of why people buy the things sellers sell. It may seem counterintuitive, but people buy what they want or need, not…
Greens with a Twist Two Mini-Golf Worlds Collide by Barry Zelickson If you’re a mini-golf fan, you’re in for a treat! Nate, host of Fun Across America, visited two unforgettable destinations that take the beloved pastime to new heights: Big Stone Miniature Golf in Minnetrista, Minnesota, and Putt Nation in Buford, Georgia. These two venues couldn’t be more different – but both deliver next-level fun and creativity that redefine what mini-golf can be. • • • Big Stone Miniature Golf – Minnetrista, MN – bigstoneminigolf.com YouTube.com/watch?v=DYurWcEAjr0 Set in the picturesque Minnesota countryside, Big Stone Miniature Golf is a whimsical blend…
The Amazing Games & Bowling Partnership Help Take Your Business to the Next Level By Attending Bowl Expo by Howard McAuliffe, Partner, Pinnacle Entertainment Group There has been amazing synergy between bowling and family entertainment centers as the two industries have evolved together over the last 20 years. For route operators, bowling alleys have been solid locations for years. However, like the rest of the business, bowling-based arcades run by operators need to be taken to another level. Seeing that, many operators made the leap and made the investments necessary to profit from the “Bowling Entertainment Center” (BEC) model. What…
To Hire or Not to Hire by Jack Guarnieri, Jersey Jack Pinball & PinballSales.com Are you hiring in this economic climate? Some of my friends who own businesses aren’t hiring anyone while others are only hiring key, vital people. Essentially, these are hires that will just keep the lights on with many not hiring the people who will bring growth and new business. With a manufacturing company, it seems you’re always looking for good people, those who show up, have a positive attitude when doing their jobs, are open to learning new things, and working well with others. Is it…
The 40-Year Story of Incredible Technologies From Basement Beginnings to Global Success In the basement of their suburban Chicago home, with only an ambition to guide them, Elaine Hodgson and Richard Ditton took a leap of faith in 1985 – a leap that would ultimately transform an industry and birth a company that would be thriving 40 years later. Together, Hodgson and Ditton founded Free Radical Software, the first iteration of a company that would ultimately turn into Incredible Technologies. It was here that the journey to bring millions of people together across the world began. Like most things, this…
In the second episode of the new RePlay Magazine Podcast, hosted by Randy Chilton, we sat down with Terry Moss of Moss Distributing. “In the late 1970s, Terry was working for Capitol Records in Hollywood when his father called him home to Des Moines, Iowa, to learn their distributing business. About six months later, a tragic plane crash claimed the life of his father and brother, and Terry stayed to run the company,” a synopsis of the episode explained. “We’ll never know how Terry Moss might have shaped the business of music over a lengthy career, but he’s had a…