LBX Collective

Brandon Willey

5.0 (1)
Business
Updated Daily

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!

16h ago

The LBX Show #95 - Dart'em Up on Putting Fans First, Hot Mess Express, & more!

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by PartyPing! Sponsored by Perkiverse! On this week's show we chase one question from three angles: what actually makes guests talk about your venue after they leave. We move from attraction buying and trade show diligence to a real-world “Fans First” makeover that turns a Nerf battle into a live, shareable experience. • IAAPA Expo attendance as a nonnegotiable industry advantage • Record IAAPA Expo Europe buyer numbers and what that signals for capital appetite in our LBE industry • Vendor tradeshow diligence that matters: throughput, labor, maintenance, fees, support, update roadmaps • Hot Mess Express on why hard-to-say names hurt word of mouth • AI selfie wall as a mass-participation attraction and first-party data capture tool • Dart'em Up’s Fans First workshop to remove friction across the full guest journey • Arena upgrades that turn gameplay into entertainment: MCs, music, lighting, dance breaks • Spectator engagement tactics that pull parents and grandparents into the fun • Surprise moments that drive referrals: celebrity walkthroughs, random free passes • Open and shut trends across global openings, competitive socializing, VR, and mixed-use venues • All the latest amusement news from the London expo on Arcade Corner with Adam Pratt Subscribe and visit LBX Collective for more!
5d ago

Sound Off #138 - Gatekeepers, Fruit Claw Machines, Virtual Adventures, & more!

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by PartyPing! Sponsored by Perkiverse! On this week's show we pull back the curtain on how industry gatekeepers shape access, credibility, and information flow across location-based entertainment, and why that line can blur from basic protection into market control. We then pivot into the trends we cannot ignore, from economic pressure and brand stumbles to the next wave of immersive tech, IP, and large-scale VR experiences. • Drawing the line between useful gatekeeping and gate guardians who try to control a market • Credibility tests, exclusion of groups, and access control as the common tactics • Why blocking public information becomes dangerous for media and operators • Interest rates, inflation, diesel, and shipping costs hitting operators and attendance • What Wendy’s, SNK, and broader debt signals say about market stress • Dave & Buster’s challenges with weak player value, failed rollouts, and bad promotion • Chuck E. Cheese doubling down on active play and scalable digital upgrades • Consolidation moves and strange new concepts like grocery claw machines • The risks of buying direct without certification and transparency • Universal UK resort plans, timelines, and what it could change for the region • IP and immersive trends from laser tag theming to Cosm film events and virtual adventures Subscribe and visit LBX Collective for more!
5d ago

Entertainment Social Arena #24 - Immersive Digital Fun Arena

Significant trends in social entertainment should be noted, including the integration of amusement into Sportstainment brands like Topgolf, which is expanding arcade offerings across North America to boost dwell time and secondary revenue streams. New concepts such as Liverpool’s ‘Game Show Olympics’ and Junkyard Social Club exemplify the shift toward multi-activity, nostalgic, and immersive experiences targeting broad audiences and corporate clients. Meanwhile, the closure of Gravity Arcade’s mall-based venue highlights market challenges. The rise of projection-mapped environments like Arcade Arena London and ambitious multi-attraction projects like ACG Arena signal a move toward hyper-immersive, tech-driven entertainment destinations aimed at high-value, repeat visitation. Subscribe and visit LBX Collective for more!
Sep 27

The LBX Show #94 - Zero Latency's Tim Ruse, Perkiverse, League play & more!

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by PartyPing! Sponsored by Perkiverse! On this week's show we kick off season five by tracking the shift toward programmable entertainment platforms where content, identity, and upgrades create repeat visits without constant rebuilds. We also dig into the state of location-based VR with Zero Latency CEO Tim Ruse, then round out the week with openings, closures, and leadership moves shaping the attractions industry. • Intercard trade show schedule and why in-person demos matter • Trend Watch on programmable platforms replacing fixed attractions • Netflix House, Cosm, and Sphere as playbooks for refreshable content • League play as a repeat-visit engine that beats discounting • Pokémon Space Trail as a model for temporary IP overlays • Perkiverse rewards with QR check-in, XP, levels, and built-in entropy • State of VR research on what gets guests out of the house • Designing VR for mixed skill levels through agency and onboarding ramps • IP strategy in VR and how Jumanji expands the audience • What innovation looks like next: immersion and storytelling over specs • Where VR fits best in a venue mix and how to think per square foot • Openings and closures as signals for reinvestment and brand clarity • C-suite and marketing moves across Disney, F1 Arcade, Triotech, and more Subscribe and visit LBX Collective for more!
Sep 24

Entertainment Social Arena #23 - Capital Investment into Social Fun

The rapidly expanding competitive socializing sector is experiencing significant growth, driven by new investments and innovative formats across London and beyond. Key developments include London's “Silicon Valley” of social entertainment, with venues like Swingers, NQ64 Arcade Bar, and Boom Battle Bar diversifying offerings with AR, karaoke, escape rooms, and social gaming. In Manchester, Bandai Namco's £75m redevelopment of the Trafford Centre reflects the sector's reinvestment, while immersive concepts like ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ restaurants signal new experiential frontiers. Emerging venues such as Bermondsey Bierkeller underscore saturation in London’s social scene. Key trends include social amusement, hybrid hospitality-gaming models, and immersive brand-driven experiences. Subscribe and visit LBX Collective for more!
Sep 22

The Stinger Report #1282 - Growing the Immersive Audience

Emerging trends reveal a strategic shift in entertainment investment towards immersive, transmedia, and phygital venues, integrating advanced projection, micro-LED, and SAR technology to enhance audience engagement. Major players like Bandai Namco and SEGA are expanding their IP across multi-platform experiences, including immersive arcades and retail stores. The industry is also witnessing the rise of “In Venue Experience” (IVE), blending live performances, interactive environments, and social media-driven buzz. However, high-profile immersive ventures face challenges, underscoring the importance of repeatability and audience participation. Subscribe and visit LBX Collective for more!
Sep 22

Sound Off #137 - Superlekka's gamble, Namco's rebrand, Sega's pivot, & more!

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by PartyPing! On this week's show we challenge the lazy idea that arcade revenue appears the moment you drop machines on a floor and instead argue for designing the mix around real guest play dynamics. We also track the market forces reshaping location-based entertainment, from video game industry contractions and IP deals to rebrands, executive shakeups, and the next wave of VR and competitive socializing concepts. • treating retro, classic, and modern video games as different products with different play dynamics • why layout, maintenance, and machine footprint shape throughput and revenue • how a consumer gaming slowdown plus a GTA-scale launch can hit out-of-home traffic • Namco’s UK rebrand back to the core name and the risk of brand confusion • Sega’s pivot toward transmedia IP, licensing, and store strategy • Dubai Parks reopening signals and operational risks in volatile regions • resort partnerships as a durable growth path for amusement operators • executive departures and new roles that hint at franchise pressure points • Dave and Buster’s declines and what “back to basics” is missing • Merlin refinancing, reinvestment needs, and signs of tired parks • competitive socializing concepts like Superlekka and expanded mini golf formats • product trends from GTI through VR, interactive floors, projection games, and micro escape rooms Subscribe and visit LBX Collective for more!
Sep 20

The LBX Show #93 - IP Licensing risks, GTI Asia China Expo review, & more!

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by PartyPing! On this week's show we track what’s booming and what’s breaking across location-based entertainment, from a surge of new venue openings to closures that reveal the harsh realities of franchising, leasing, and stale concepts. We also review the latest arcade releases and GTI Asia show-floor trends that could shape what players see next in North America. • Preview of Season Five contributors and format tweaks • Tease of a new experiences-based rewards software platform and upcoming rollout timing • Major opening trends across active entertainment, immersive venues, and competitive socializing • Concerns about cookie-cutter retail builds, dwell time, per-cap spend, and long-term freshness • Branded attractions and licensing risk, including the Squid Game experience model • Big swings like Cosm and why cruise ship entertainment is becoming serious business • Closures, takeovers, and rebrands that show how quickly market share can change hands • Arcade Corner highlights from GTI Asia China Expo plus new racing releases and giant light gun screens Subscribe and visit LBX Collective for more!

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!

Creator

Brandon Willey
Years Active

2023 - 2026
Episodes

609
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© 2026 LBX Collective
Show Website

LBX Collective

Management

Management

Updated Weekly
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated Biweekly
Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Updated Biweekly