Sponsored by Intercard!
Sponsored by Alan-1!

On this week's show, we close the year by discussing trending topics such as inclusive operations, capital access concerns, AI that trains rather than just entertains, and how transmedia keeps brands front-of-mind. Then Chuck DeMonte maps a simple, focused plan to grow in 2026 on a tight budget in the Promo Pro Tips segment.

• IAAPA FEC Summit details, education theme, and value
• What members might gain from the IAAPA and Expression Capital partnership
• Free disability awareness course and why it matters
• Matt Heller's free IAAPA speaker submission coaching opportunity
• AI-personalized golf training vs gambling rant
• Disneyland’s Game Rush Fortnite island as transmedia done right
• Hoteltainment pressure on nearby FECs
• Launch Entertainment’s pivot and attempt at future-proofing
• Japan’s evolving crane and arcade formats
• Tenpin’s refurb strategy and brand challenges
• A big North Carolina eatertainment build
• Mobile VR transitioning to permanent ops
• Kingpin’s zoned branding for lanes, golf, arcade
• IP pitfalls with Nickelodeon closure
• Three-step 2026 marketing plan: analyze, plan, execute

Sound Off #103 drops Dec 23 and our annual predictions LBX Show returns Jan 4!

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Leading investors should note that IAAPA 2025 highlighted significant shifts in immersive entertainment, with a surge in Chinese VR innovations like gun-visor shooting, free-roaming arena systems, and MR experiences utilizing Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro. The decline of UK-based DNA VR signals challenges in traditional VR arcades, while Valve's new Steam Frame VR headset promises to reshape consumer and LBE VR markets in 2026. Meanwhile, MR is rapidly advancing as a dominant trend, with new spatial and hybrid experiences emerging from Asia and Europe, alongside developments in LED, projection, and immersive enclosure technologies, indicating a transformative era for the immersive attraction sector.

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Sponsored by Intercard!
Sponsored by Alan-1!

On this week's show, we push past a strong holiday season to ask how venues earn repeat visits in 2026, from search-proof naming to smarter attraction mixes, while tracking Netflix’s IP ambitions, leadership shakeups across LBE, and the tech trends operators can’t ignore. Along the way we dissect Netflix House, Dave & Buster’s decline, and why some kids’ IP venues miss their audience.

• choosing names that surface in real searches and different languages
• building post-holiday demand with clear offers and return hooks
• Netflix’s Warner IP bid, counterbids, and attraction licensing impacts
• Netflix House pilot strategies in Philadelphia and Dallas
• arcade selection, pricing models, and IP fit inside premium spaces
• leadership changes at F1 Arcade and Play Playground
• Zero Latency’s partner-led expansion and companion attraction logic
• Drive Shack’s corporate rebrand to Golf Entertainment Group
• Planet Playskool closure and audience-definition basics
• Dave & Buster’s comparable-sales declines and strategic risks
• Arcade1Up’s licensing strain and acquisition rumors
• Elaut's new-wave crane, pricing, and design choices
• VR and MR content updates, Meta and Apple pivots
• AI glasses etiquette, marketing backlash, and near-term impact

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