Episode Details

The early 2025 entertainment industry calendar has been marked by a surge in trade shows and expos, underscoring rapid innovation and shifting fortunes in the Location-Based Entertainment (LBE) and consumer gaming sectors. Notable launches include Two Bit Circus’s “Dream Park,” leveraging Meta Quest 3’s mixed reality for immersive, “phygital” experiences, and Snap Inc.’s plans to enter LBE with AR glasses. The sector is seeing significant M&A activity, highlighted by Herschend’s acquisition of Palace Entertainment’s US assets from Parques Reunidos, signaling strategic realignment and consolidation. Meanwhile, the consumer games industry faces contraction, with layoffs, declining investment, and key IPs like Niantic’s Pokémon Go studio sold for $3.5 billion as firms pivot to AR platforms. Competitive socializing is booming, with new tech-driven concepts in bowling, shuffleboard, and shooting games targeting hospitality venues. Overall, the sector is experiencing both robust innovation and structural upheaval, with portable gaming and LBE emerging as key growth arenas. 

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