LBX Collective

Brandon Willey

The LBX Collective aims to inform and educate, create opportunities to connect with industry peers, and to spur collaboration, discourse, and cross-pollination of ideas in the location-based entertainment and experience industry.Join our online community at LBXGalaxy.com! Proudly sponsored by Intercard!

  1. Sound Off #115 - Arcade Dynamic Pricing, IP-based Social Entertainment, & more!

    HACE 5 D

    Sound Off #115 - Arcade Dynamic Pricing, IP-based Social Entertainment, & more!

    Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show we challenge the amusement industry’s reaction to dynamic pricing and map out what it would take to use variable pricing without breaking guest trust. Then we sprint through the biggest LBE and FEC trends right now, from geopolitical shocks and investment moves to VR’s reset and the tech and IP trends seen at Amusement Expo International.  • dynamic pricing defined for admissions, sessions, and eventually arcade gameplay  • why transparency, signage, and marketing decide whether guests feel cheated  • Middle East conflict impacts on entertainment events and tourism forecasts  • Saudi Arabia’s esports investment and what it signals for leisure strategy  • American Heartland’s collapse as a due diligence warning for mega-projects  • Funlab's sale watch and what the prospective buyers may change or cut  • Five Iron Golf’s Series E and what it implies about growth pressure  • Immersive Gamebox franchising and the need for hospitality-led formats  • Angry Birds and the ongoing IP infusion race in competitive socializing  • Secret Cinema going permanent and Warner’s Harry Potter experience plans  • executive departures and why missing successors create operational risk  • Merlin revenue softness plus Minecraft as an IP-led turnaround attempt  • Netflix House immersion tech and why interactive tools drive repeat visits  • VR and MR market cycles, liquidations, and why commercial VR still holds  • new turnkey competitive socializing products and the data-risk question  • Pokémon Go data monetization and the public as unintended beta testers  • Amusement Expo International takeaways on IP, arcade innovation, VR, and XR Subscribe and visit LBX Collective for more!

    1 h 27 min
  2. The LBX Show #69 - BW, Kevin, & Adam Debrief Amusement Expo 2026

    22 MAR

    The LBX Show #69 - BW, Kevin, & Adam Debrief Amusement Expo 2026

    Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show we debrief Amusement Expo International 2026 from the show floor and zoom out on what it signals for arcades, FECs, and location-based entertainment. We dig into the surge of licensed IP, the hardware innovations that matter for operators, and the Vegas venues that reveal where competitive socializing is headed.  • attendance and energy at AEI 2026, plus travel and timing constraints  • education programming, networking formats, and what the organizers are testing  • transmedia and licensed IP as the dominant show-floor theme  • Stern Pokémon pinball as a blueprint for bringing new players in  • John Wick shooter cabinet impressions, motion and control trade-offs  • Disney's Speedstorm as a potential Mario Kart successor, vertical screen impact, card system debate  • Cyberpunk 2077 motorcycle racer, cabinet size, pricing, graphics, and ergonomics  • Triotech Typhoon Shockwave changes and the Jumanji XD dark ride license  • Alan-1 Atari Recharged cabinets, Pepper’s Ghost depth effect, and tournament-driven retention  • DOF Robotics compact flying theater, LED dome implications, pricing, and maintenance math  • Area 15 updates, immersive experiences, and what constant iteration looks like  • F1 Arcade in Vegas, premium fit and finish, plus the accessibility problem for groups  • market pressures on manufacturers and distributors, plus the Player One rebrand moment Subscribe and visit LBX Collective for more!

    1 h 27 min
  3. The LBX Show #68 - AEI preview, Dr. Seuss LBE, Pickleball Arcade, & more!

    15 MAR

    The LBX Show #68 - AEI preview, Dr. Seuss LBE, Pickleball Arcade, & more!

    Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show we get you ready for Amusement Expo International with the news that will shape the show floor and the conversations happening in Vegas. Then we dig into what’s opening, what’s closing, and which new arcade releases might actually move the needle for operators.  • Amusement Expo schedule plus why this year feels unusually “new”  • Universal Horror Unleashed IAAPA meetup at Area 15 with a lights-on walkthrough and full show run  • IAAPA Expo Middle East cancelation and the announcement delay • Dr. Seuss and WildBrain expansion as IP licensing moves deeper into location-based entertainment  • New venue openings across mini golf, bar-led social entertainment, claw arcades, VR arenas, karting, and sportstainment closures • Brand clarity challenges when venues stack too many attractions into one concept  • Ramses exhibition model blending museum walkthrough with seated VR  • Six Flags divestment details and open questions about the handover structure  • Lease risk lessons from a forced closure after property ownership changes  • Why Arena23 and Illuminarium struggled, including weak F&B and mixed positioning  • Arcade Corner preview of AEI releases including Zombie Snatcher Outbreak, Pickleball Rivals, Ski Hero, Cyberpunk 2077 Chrome Rush, mystery IP reveals, and Atari Recharged cabinets with Pepper’s Ghost effects Subscribe and visit LBX Collective for more!

    51 min
  4. The LBX Show #67 - Vibe Coding, Six Flags divestment, FEC Connect, and more!

    9 MAR

    The LBX Show #67 - Vibe Coding, Six Flags divestment, FEC Connect, and more!

    Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show we trace how AI-powered “vibe coding” turns ideas into working tools in only a few hours, then zoom out to the big moves shaping arcades, FECs, and branded kid spaces, from clawcade saturation to Sandbox VR’s pop-ups and Six Flags’ sell-offs. We close with precise marketing tactics that convert attention into bookings using conversion tracking, data signals, and mobile ID insights. • Amusement Expo timing, plans for floor interviews and post-show debrief • AAMA’s FEC Connect returns and how operators can apply for access • Vibe coding demo building a travel tracker with auth and database • Why AI lowers build cost and speeds up in-house problem solving • Kennywood’s hiring fair and using signature items to boost recruiting • Clawcade boom, limits of pure crane rooms, and boba-claw hybrids • Mixed-use FEC stacks, European competitive socializing trends • HelloPark’s digital refresh model for repeat under-12 visits • Hershey’s permanent LBE venue, pricing, and party-first repeat drivers • Sandbox VR “secret studio” pop-up and scaling strategy • Six Flags divestment and potential new operators • Regional M&A signals in Glow Golf and trampoline chains • AEI arcade teasers: Cyberpunk Chrome Rush, Resident Evil 2 Arcade testing • ROI playbook: conversion tracking, lookalikes, retargeting, mobile IDs Subscribe and visit LBX Collective for more!

    1 h 5 min

Información

The LBX Collective aims to inform and educate, create opportunities to connect with industry peers, and to spur collaboration, discourse, and cross-pollination of ideas in the location-based entertainment and experience industry.Join our online community at LBXGalaxy.com! Proudly sponsored by Intercard!