Getting Lost in the Game ARC-Studios Brings VEX to Life in U.S. The Vex Arena just made its stateside debut at IAAPA, and the location-based entertainment industry is undoubtedly abuzz about the attraction. Officially launched at IAAPA Expo Europe in September by the Belgian developers VEX Solutions, the new arena (plus the Vex Adventure platform) is brought to the United States by ARC-Studios, the Florida-based company that manufactures and distributes it. “We’re one of the only VR attractions that comes from overseas, but we actually acquire all the parts here, put it together and offer full support,” said Lathan Gareiss,…
Author: RePlay Editor
Genesis Debuts Delta Strike Unveils Its Next Generation Laser Tag System If you missed it at IAAPA, you’ll want to make sure to check out Genesis, what its manufacturer Delta Strike International is calling “a groundbreaking new laser tag system.” The big game-changer, they say, is the built-in selfie camera, which allows players to take photos of themselves that display on an opponent’s LCD screen when they are tagged. Unlike text and avatars, the images of players personalize the experience. “The common thread among all FECs is the social aspect,” said Delta Strike co-founder Doug Willems. “There’s got to be…
Why People Like to Party Understanding Key Reasons Leads to a Consistent Party Program By Beth Standlee, CEO, TrainerTainment During the holidays, it’s easy to understand why people are gathering for fun and celebration. When you break apart the why of this “seasonal” activity and apply it to group sales, you can have a giant impact on a consistent party program in your center every day, not just during the holidays. Let’s look at three primary reasons why people like to party. This one will be easy to remember because it’s all about the “FEC” of partying! In my mind,…
Year in Review 2019 Trends and What to Look for in 2020 by Howard McAuliffe, Partner, Pinnacle Entertainment Group It is no secret to experienced operators that merchandise games drive modern arcade sales in nearly every case. Ticket redemption games generate 60 to 70 percent of sales, cranes and merchandisers 15 to 25 percent and other games make up about 15 percent in most modern arcades. As 2019 comes to a close and we begin to look towards 2020, it’s a good time to pause and reflect on this year and look towards next. There are a lot of opportunities…
Editorial After all the advanced hoopla about the recently-concluded IAAPA show, it’s hard to believe there are hundreds of amusement operators out there who’ve never even heard of IAAPA much less attended this gigantic trade event. These are people who rarely if ever visit a distributor in their region and when they do, it’s to pick up a part or two and then scoot. I’m talking about those small operators, occasionally only part-timers, who work pretty much beneath the industry’s radar. Their routes often serve locations that “regular” trade people shun because there’s not enough money in it, or the…
Building Your New Business Muscle Prospecting Is Important Even During Your Busy Party Season By Beth Standlee, CEO, TrainerTainment This is a perfect time of year to round up new business. The holidays are a natural time for people to party. Celebration and family fun is in the air. The end of the year is near and businesses are motivated to do good things for their teams as they prepare for the coming year. It’s a great time for the sales team to carve out 8 to 10 hours per week to focus on finding new business. I know everyone…
Other Voices… Industry Leaders Share Their Perspectives on Success in the Industry By George McAuliffe, President, Pinnacle Entertainment Group For most of us, the IAAPA show means more than just gathering to see the latest products. It is usually combined with setting strategic priorities for the year ahead. I thought it might be useful to gather a variety of voices to provide their perspectives on industry issues. I revisited a number of interviews I conducted in recent years and have repurposed them here (thanks to International Bowling Industry magazine for allowing me to share these remarks with RePlay readers). What would…
The Big Picture Does Not Come Easy Expanding the Industry World View & Studying History to Set the Stage for Growth by Frank Seninsky, President/CEO Amusement Entertainment Management (AEM) & Alpha-Omega Amusements & Sales As we hit November every year, the wider amusement industry prepares for what we used to call the “Parks Show,” the IAAPA Attractions Expo. As the business has morphed and widened, so has this show and in the process, it’s become more relevant to every part of our business, and yes, even route operations. So if you read no further, get this message: You should go…
Editorial There should be some veteran jukebox operators reading this who’ll remember when the record industry made “Little LPs.” These were 7” vinyl discs with two or three tunes on each side that were pressed exclusively for the coin-op business. Only a handful of record labels made them because the market was obviously limited. One that did was Columbia’s Epic label, which had a decent stable of good artists like Tammy Wynette with enough good songs to fill the little discs up. When I worked at Cash Box magazine back in those days, Epic’s chief was a guy named Mort…
Bandai Namco Amusement “Teams Up” Partnerships & A Passion for Fun Drives Development of New Games While it may be cliché that “teamwork makes the dream work,” Bandai Namco Amusement America takes it to a new level not only within its own team, but as it partners with other companies in the industry. Execs there say the unique nature of the amusement business, which “exists purely to create fun experiences and memories,” affords them the opportunity to set aside what might normally be cutthroat competition to instead focus on what creates the most fun for consumers. From Bandai Namco’s development companies,…