Stern Pinball recently spotlighted the Ottesen family, three generations of industry professionals who work for the company, which itself is celebrating 40 years this year. Kenny Ottesen Sr. – called Ace by friends and family – joined the Stern team in 2012 and is the company’s model shop manager. He has 60 years of experience creating fixtures, parts and components for coin-op machines. His son, Kenny Ottesen Jr. joined the team in 2016, is the director of the innovation center and has been in the industry for 32 years. Now, his son, Nicolas Ottesen, is training in a few different…
Author: Matt Harding
The Belgian interactive attractions specialist Alterface marked its 25th anniversary at the recent IAAPA Expo Europe in London. Over those years, they boast 150 million guests and more than 25 industry awards. “For us, it has always been about putting the guest first,” said CEO Stéphane Battaille. “Technology should feel natural and intuitive, and ultimately disappear behind the experience. When guests are no longer thinking about the technology and are simply enjoying the moment, we know we’ve done our job.” Among their highlight attractions over the years – Maus au Chocolat at Phantasialand; the LEGO interactive dark ride developed in…
Betson’s 15th Annual Northwest Amusement Showcase was held in Portland, Oregon, on Sept. 22. Among the seminars were one on pinball maintenance and repair and another giving attendees an inside look at Betson’s portal for parts and vending. The company’s Amber Lambert also had an interactive session called “Building a Winning Game Room,” which broke off folks into groups for a mock arcade draft that had them consider “square footage, earning potential, player demographics and ROI.” The showcase also raised funds for One Tail at a Time PDX, a no-kill animal rescue that was a favorite of the late Lance…
501 Fun, known for their AR Darts and other social gaming experiences, recently launched Virtual Archery. It’s available to order now. Every installation will come with an evolving game library, which currently includes High Noon, Killer, Pie in the Skyand Robin Hood. “Darts and mini-golf have shown just how much global appetite there is for competitive socializing, and archery is about to have that same moment,” said 501 Fun CEO Jonny Powell. “We’ve built Virtual Archery to bring the focus and drama of the sport into venues properly for the first time – a state-of-the-art experience that sits brilliantly alongside…
Laserforce has a few new partnerships – Galaxy Zone in Oakville, Connecticut; Laser Tag Arena in Skellefteå, Sweden; and Lasergame in Beround, Czech Republic. “There is a special kind of energy that comes with welcoming new operators to the Laserforce family,” the company said in their announcement. “Every time a new facility powers on one of our battlesuits for the very first time, it’s a reminder of why we do what we do. Helping visionary business owners deliver world-class, unforgettable fun to their local communities.” At FEC Galaxy Zone, their laser tag is now a “core part of the attraction…
IAAPA North America has revealed their 2027 event lineup and asks operators and industry professionals to “save the dates.” The IAAPA FEC Summit 2027 will be Feb. 7-9 in Atlanta, Georgia; the IAAPA Public Affairs Conference 2027 will be March 1-3 in Washington, D.C.; and the IAAPA North America Summit 2027 will be April 18-20 in Frisco, Texas. Other events that are held throughout the year, such as the IAAPA Meetup program, are available here on the association’s website.
The U.K.-based NQ64 officially opened the doors to its biggest arcade bar yet, reported Verge Magazine. The facility opened at Orange Yard on Manette Street in Soho. “Following the success of its existing London locations, NQ64 Soho takes the brand’s signature combination of retro arcade games, gaming-inspired cocktails, neon graffiti and hip-hop and turns everything up a level,” the magazine detailed. The new venue covers two floors and features more than 60 arcade games. There’s also brand-new experiences like UV pool and AR darts, plus free-play game consoles and two cocktail bars.
The Minnesota Operators of Music and Amusements has awarded seven students with scholarships for the 2026-27 school year. Since 1991, they’ve raised more than $150,000 for some 150 college-bound students. This year, they include Ani (AAA – American Amusement Arcades); Audrey (Dean Vending); Ava (Aspen Video & Vending); Chase (Hazelwood Corporation); Jerome (Hazelwood Corporation); Logan (Mendota Valley Amusement); and Natalie (Stansfield Vending). “The support is need- and merit-based and the recipients are children of those in our industry or league participants who would like to pursue a college education,” the association said. “The funds that students receive can be used…
IAAPA Expo Europe in London finished up last week, welcoming 16,530 verified attendees and 11,710 qualified buyers representing 8,956 buying companies across 118 countries. That’s quite the global trade show! The association said this “record-breaking show floor” represented 50% growth since the last time they were in London (in 2022). “The growth we’ve seen since we were last in London four years ago speaks volumes about the strength of the attractions industry,” said Peter van der Schans, executive director and vice president of IAAPA ESA. “You could feel the momentum across the show floor all week long. From collaborative innovations being unveiled…
Valo Motion recently debuted their new ValoBoard attraction at IAAPA Expo Europe. It follows ValoClimb, ValoJump, ValoArena and Groundfall, their other 2026 debut. “Board sports have captured people’s imagination for decades, but experiencing that rush is often out of reach,” explained CEO Raine Kajastila. “You need a mountain, an ocean, or years of learning to master them. ValoBoard removes those barriers, making the excitement of board sports accessible to a much wider audience. It takes balance and core strength and turns them into a fun, multiplayer game experience.” It has launched with three original games – Sunset Skaters, Trickpunk Snowboarding…