Secret Location, a distributor of premium immersive experiences, recently announced a collaboration with Inflight VR and SkyLights to bring such experiences to travelers around the world, starting with The Great C. The Philip K. Dick story was adapted last year into a longform cinematic VR experience and will now be featured on Inflight’s entertainment system throughout multiple Paris Star Alliance lounges at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and Fiumicino Airport in Rome, with a larger rollout expected later this year. Secret Locations pact with SkyLights will bring The Great Cto business and first-class passengers of Air France, as…
Author: Matt Harding
Grant Martin, who developed one of the first pilot tests of in-flight virtual reality, says that the technology isn’t ready yet. A big reason? Technological hurdles. In-flight VR is still in its infancy and Martin wrote that trials showed the difficulties of displaying content on the headsets because they have to be pieced with third-party hardware. Martin also noted business hurdles, such as the liability of passengers effectively immersing themselves into another world, which could cause potential issues during an emergency. The FAA has not issued direction on whether VR headsets are safe for in-flight use.
Pinball perks are just a few clicks away, as Stern Pinball recently announced that registration is open for their newly-created Stern Insider program. Offering behind-the-scenes access to the company, membership includes exclusive limited-edition merchandise, special admission to Stern-sponsored events, and private access to webinars, videos and interviews with game designers, programmers and artists. Sign up for $29.99 a year and also receive a membership kit that includes a T-shirt and other surprises. Those interested can visit www.sternpinball.com/stern-insider to register.
The 6th annual Events & Amusement Expo will be held from Feb. 27-March 1 in Tokyo this year. It claims to be the largest B2B amusement exhibition in Japan. Buyers can find products and services relating to theme parks, playground equipment, design, decoration and more. The Events & Amusement Expo will be co-held with the Live Entertainment Expo and Sports Business Expo. For more information, visit www.eventexpo.jp/en-gb.html.
For U.K. “operators of FECs, adventure zones, play centers, arcades, amusement parks and visitor attractions,” the first InterFun Expo will be held in Leeds April 30-May 1. Organized by InterGame’s FEC-focused publication InterFun, the Expo will feature products like laser tag, paintball, trampolines, arcade games, soft play and many others. Bandai Namco Amusement Europe was the first to book a booth and take a chance on the new trade event. “Bandai Namco clearly saw the benefits of a show dedicated to the play sector and we are extremely pleased that they have supported us with such a big stand,” said…
Sometimes, kids just can’t wait to win prizes at the arcade. Toddler Ezra Ingersoll is certainly one of them. Ezra, 2, decided to take matters into his own hands at the crane in an Alabama arcade – recently crawling into its prize door and getting stuck, according to Fox 10. Unfortunately for Rotolo’s Pizzeria in Fairhope (near Mobile), there was no key on site and the machine had to be disassembled by the city’s police and fire departments. About 20 minutes later, Ezra emerged unscathed. Mother Kelsey Ingersoll said Ezra is “very much the adventurer, but he hasn’t quite done…
Six more weeks of winter? Coming up! Tequila Works and Sony Pictures Virtual Reality are working together to produce Groundhog Day: Like Father, Like Son, a VR sequel based on the 1993 cult classic. According to Digital Spy, the game will put players into a reoccurring day of the life of Phil Connors Jr., the son of Bill Murray’s character in the movie. “We are not developing a new Groundhog Day movie,” said Jake Zim, senior VP of the Sony Pictures VR group. “This is us expanding the storyline into a new format.” Keep an eye out for other…
Gillie Guinea Pig, a truly cute stuffed animal available to visitors at Southern California’s Zoomar’s Petting Zoo, won IAAPA’s Brass Ring for Best New Souvenir Plush at the recent Orlando show. The life-sized Gillie beat out the two other finalists…Cookie the Dog (Hong Kong Disneyland) and Slyder the Sea Lion (Gold Coast Australia Sea World)…to nail the coveted prize. The proud pig was the creation of Zoomar’s owner Carolyn Franks (shown with Gillie above). There are around 100 guinea pigs and other farm animals living, and entertaining kids, at her two-acre zoo, which is located in the historic area of…
Two-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be the keynote speaker at this year’s International Bowl Expo, held June 23-27 in Las Vegas. Rodgers is a co-creator of its Aaron, which aims to create awareness for impactful organizations through short films. He is also a supporter of the Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer Fund, as well as other humanitarian efforts. Expo exhibitors can purchase a full registration ($225) to hear from Rodgers, experience Club Xpo, network at the welcome reception and attend other Bowl Expo events, which can be found at www.bpaa.com/bowlexpo. Expo organizers also want to…
Center Manager Pro, the point-of-sale system from Lasertron, recently received its most extensive upgrade ever, according to the company. “Our entire software suite was completely redeveloped from the ground up,” they wrote in a recent newsletter. “It’s currently operating in both of our company-owned stores and a few client locations.” For more details about the system, schedule an online demo by emailing Larry LaClair at [email protected]. Or, go to Lasertron’s spring conference, held in Rochester, N.Y. May 7-8, where they’ll have demonstrations and discussions about all of their products. Registration is available at www.laser-tron.com.