David Rosen, a New York City native who was one of the original founders of Sega Games in post-war Japan, died Thursday, Dec. 25, at his home in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angeles. According to his spokesman Brad Callaway, he was surrounded by family members when he passed peacefully. Rosen, along with Marty Bromley, Ray Lamaire, Dick Dodderer and several other American expatriates, started the company as an amusement operation called Service Games (i.e. Sega), eventually turning it into a leading manufacturer with the production of such early arcade pieces as Periscope and Monaco GP. Rosen himself was key…
Author: Matt Harding
Waterville Valley Resort, located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, recently got a brand-new arcade from the regional sales representative Joe Kirby and the entire team at Betson Enterprises. The resort features ski slopes and year-round entertainment experiences. “Our village is the heart of the resort, and we wanted to add something that would really resonate with kids and families,” said Jamie Cobbett, director of marketing at Waterville Valley Resort. “The arcade has been a great addition, and we’ve really enjoyed working with Betson on the installation of our new game room.” The 20-plus game arcade includes Fast &…
The AAMA trade association sent off a Happy New Year newsletter last week, touting all their membership benefits and upcoming events. The group has D.C. advocacy fly-in meetings set for March and June; Amusement Expo (with AMOA) in March; FEC Connect in May; the AAMA Coin-Op Pavilion at Bowl Expo in late June/early July; and the AAMA Annual Meeting in September. “We want you to be a part of all these events and more and to do so, start with making sure you’ve renewed your AAMA membership,” said the association’s executive vice president, Pete Gustafson. “By joining, you’ll be able…
PowerKart Raceway in Canberra, Australia, and Fun Area Allgäu in Scheidegg, Germany, are two of the latest new companies to get Laserforce products. The company reported that they installed 30 Gen8 Infinity Battlesuits at PowerKart, a destination that already had go-karts, mini-golf, VR and arcade gaming. The amusement park Fun Area Allgäu now features Pixel Games and expanded their laser tag area. They also have climbing walls, mini-golf and a full-service restaurant and beach bar. Learn more at www.laserforcetag.com.
The IAAPA Morocco Summit will be the association’s first-ever in that North African country. Organized in partnership with the Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development (SMIT), the two-day event will take place in Marrakesh from Jan. 19-21. “Entertainment is no longer just a complement to hospitality – it has become an essential driver,” explained Imad Barrakad, chairman and CEO of SMIT. “Through entertainment, we aim to reveal the richness of our cultures, enhance the quality of the tourist experience, and strengthen the appeal of our destinations. By promoting this type of investment, we showcase our arts, talents and traditions, and we…
The Toy Book has reported that home game maker Arcade1Up was purchased by a company called Basic Fun! Arcade1Up confirmed on their Facebook page with a note from Basic Fun! that read, in part: “Basic Fun! has acquired select assets of Arcade1Up and intends to support, to the best of our ability, the home arcade category and existing Arcade1Up products currently in the market. “This asset acquisition reflects our ongoing commitment to expanding our presence in the home arcade space, supporting current Arcade1Up titles and products alongside our own existing arcade offerings.” Commenters speculated, as RePlay readers also might, that…
TouchTunes has brought back its annual, year-end “Rewind,” which shows users who played at least three different songs between January 1 and November 30 their personal jukebox stats. “Building on last year’s debut, Rewind gives users a personalized look back at their music activity, while introducing new updates designed to make the experience easier to access and more shareable,” the company said. All you have to do is open an updated version of the TouchTunes app to see your top plays, listening habits and more. Built-in social sharing options are now available, too.
J&J Amusements spent their 2025 celebrating 50 years in business (just as RePlay Magazine did, in fact). Here’s some of the team at the recent IAAPA Expo, where they featured their single-seat electric go-kart that debuted last year and is now in production – the Phantom – and unveiled a new go-kart. Twin brothers Jim and John Huish started up a mini-golf business in 1957 and expanded it successfully, with locations in Utah and Southern California. (Today, both of them are in the IAAPA Hall of Fame for their long careers in the industry.) They needed a water attraction for…
Alpen Bluffs Outdoor Resort in Gaylord, Michigan, dubbed the state’s first “outdoor hotel,” has installed an 18-hole Modular Advantage Mini Golf course, a putting green, shuffleboard and a lawn game court – all designed and placed by Adventure Golf & Sports. When all phases of construction are complete, the resort will have room for 227 RV sites, 30 fully furnished camper cabins and 14 “glamping” yurts. Other amenities include a waterpark, pickleball courts, and a full-service grocery store and restaurant-bar. Learn more about their work at www.agsgolfandsports.com.
AAA 2026, the Asia Amusement & Attraction Expo, will be held May 10-12 at the China Import & Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou, China. The massive show features a 1.6 million-sq.-ft. exhibition area featuring more than 1,500 leading companies. “AAA is the premier trade show for the amusement and attractions industry in Asia,” organizers say. “The three-day event will showcase the latest innovations, trends and technologies in the amusement and attractions sector, including but not limited to roller coasters, water parks, family entertainment centers and themed entertainment.” Learn more at www.theaaaexpo.com.