Bandai Namco Amusement Europe recently said they are bringing back the Namco name to their U.K. family entertainment center estate, “introducing a refreshed look designed to strengthen its connection to the company’s Japanese heritage while making it easier than ever for customers to plan and enjoy their visits.” The rollout will begin with the company’s flagship Trafford Centre venue and continue over the coming months. They say visitors can expect a refreshed interior, updated signage and new visual branding, supported by the launch of a redesigned website that will go live in the coming weeks. “The Namco name has been…
Author: Matt Harding
The Montréal-based Triotech has appointed Martin Carrier as its vice president of sales and business development and Jean-François Couture as its vice president of marketing and strategic growth. They say the moves “represent a natural evolution of Triotech’s leadership as the company builds on its international success.” Carrier brings nearly 30 years of executive experience across the video game, film, TV, live production and entertainment technology industries. He’s held senior leadership positions at Solotech, MELS, Frima, Warner Bros. and Ubisoft Montréal. Couture has more than 25 years of experience in B2B and B2C brand strategy and marketing and was chief…
FACE Amusement Group recently teamed up with the National Down Syndrome Society for their 31st Annual NYC Buddy Walk at Times Square. More than 2,500 participants joined the Buddy Walk. As part of the day’s festivities, FACE Amusement Group donated a teddy bear to every participant in Central Park. “We’re proud to once again stand alongside NDSS and the incredible Down syndrome community,” said Bucky Mabe, CEO of FACE Amusement Group. “Bear Hugs is about something very simple – bringing joy to people and letting them know they are valued. Seeing thousands of participants come together for the Buddy Walk and…
Launch Family Entertainment will open up a pair of centers next month. One in Pensacola, Florida, is expected to welcome guests on Oct. 16, while another in Riverdale, New Jersey, is slated to open Oct. 30. The 31,400-sq.-ft. Florida location will feature attractions for guests of all ages, including trampolines, duckpin bowling, a ninja course, arcade games and the brand’s signature KRAVE restaurant-bar. The 40,000-sq.-ft. New Jersey location will have even more attractions, including Valo Motion’s ValoArena. “Launch has evolved well beyond the traditional trampoline park model into a comprehensive entertainment destination that brings attractions, food and beverage, and social experiences…
Chuck E. Cheese has announced an agreement with Grupo Dicrejart to introduce their new concept in Jalisco, Mexico. “Working with an experienced operator like Grupo Dicrejart gives us a strong opportunity to introduce Adventure World to the Mexican audience and introduce the concept, for the first time, outside the United States,” said Mario Centola, COO of Chuck E. Cheese International. “We are excited to bring a new family experience to Jalisco while the traditions families know and trust from the world of Chuck E. Cheese.” Unlike traditional arcade-based Chuck E. Cheese locations, Adventure World “puts more emphasis on physical activity and…
Zero Latency VR has created a new global support function for its venue network called Venue Success, and named industry veteran Brett Bovio to lead it. Bovio, the senior venue success manager, and Venue Success will give Zero Latency’s global network of operators “dedicated, practical support beyond the technology and license itself, covering areas like revenue growth, pricing and session strategy, local marketing, guest experience, and operational best practice, benchmarked against data from across the network – all aimed at helping every operator maximize the performance of their venue and attractions.” “Our operators have always told us they want a…
The National ATM Council will have NAC2026: ATMs Across America from Oct. 13-15 at the Paris Las Vegas. The event schedule is available here. (The educational events are here.) Among the highlights are technical workshops, the association’s 15th anniversary celebration, a luncheon with keynote speeches and much more. The exhibit hall (located in the Concorde Ballroom) will be open Oct. 13 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.; Oct. 14 from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and again from 2-5:30 p.m.; and Oct. 15 from 8:30-11 a.m. To register, visit: www.natmc.org/attendee-registration.
Industry veteran Pete Gustafson has been hired by Amusement Source International as its senior director of business development. Gustafson most recently spent a decade as the AAMA’s executive vice president and has more than 46 years in the amusement industry, previously working with the likes of Aladdin’s Castle, Data East Pinball and SEGA Amusements. ASI co-founders Cory Haynes and Jacob Yeh touted that Gustafson’s career has “touched virtually every facet of the amusement industry, including sales, marketing, engineering, manufacturing, operations and training.” “This is an incredibly important hire for ASI,” Haynes said. “Pete brings a level of experience, credibility and…
After unveiling the game earlier this summer, LAI Games says their updated racing cabinet Asphalt Moto Blitz DX Plus is now shipping. “Moto Blitz DX Plus represents a substantial step forward for the Moto Blitz franchise,” said Allison Timberlake, the marketing director for LAI Games. “It delivers the scale, spectacle and premium presentation operators expect from a centerpiece racing attraction, while giving players an exciting motorcycle experience with exceptional variety and replayability.” Designed as a premium standalone attraction, the cabinet features an 85” display, immersive motion technology, licensed motorcycles and a selection of 23 tracks. Up to four cabinets can be linked for…
LEXRA, the trade association for virtual and mixed-reality attractions in entertainment venues, has released the agenda for their inaugural LEXRA Summit, a conference at Gilley’s Dallas from Oct. 5-6. Five of the day’s nine sessions are built on attendee participation, organizers said, and the program is “designed to draw on the experience of the operators in the audience.” Two other sessions are “fishbowls,” in which a circle of venue operators sit on stage with two empty chairs that anyone in the audience can fill. The other two are “reverse panels,” where the audience asks the questions. “We have operators coming…