LBX Collective

The LBX Show #77 - BW visits The Factory, Adam Pratt reviews AAA Expo, & more!

Sponsored by Intercard [https://www.intercardinc.com/]! On this week's show we bring you a special edition episode with a boots-on-the-ground tour of Canada’s largest indoor adventure park plus a practical framework for selling more group events. Then we go deep on Asia Amusement & Attractions (AAA) Expo 2026 in Guangzhou, breaking down the arcade machines, cabinet trends, and market realities that are shaping what operators buy next.  • quick hits on upcoming industry events and where to meet the Intercard team  • what we notice at The Factory: volume-ready check-in, zoning, ropes and zip lines, and themed clubhouse attractions  • arcade and redemption choices that stand out plus simple upgrades that boost the food and drink experience  • why pop-up experiments like a slime lab can become a permanent attraction  • group booking growth basics: CRM systems, lead data sources, a clear offer, and a dedicated salesperson  • AAA Expo 2026 highlights across shooters, racers, portrait displays, and new cabinet formats  • what Chinese market scale means for unit sales, pricing, and which games may reach North America Subscribe and visit LBX Collective [https://www.lbxcollective.com] for more!

Sound Off #121 - IP tradeoffs, EVA gets $, Big Buck Hunter lifestyle, and more!

Sponsored by Intercard [https://www.intercardinc.com/]! On this week's show we challenge the idea that a famous IP automatically upgrades an attraction and dig into the real costs, approvals, and operational tradeoffs that come with licensing. We also scan the latest location-based entertainment signals across funding, VR, sportstainment, and the growing tension between hype and execution.  • IP as an amplifier rather than a fix for weak gameplay  • Licensing fees, brand approvals, and hidden operational burdens  • Saudi investment pullbacks and ripple effects across entertainment capital  • Resort and theme park project risk when funding tightens  • Accesso leadership change and the rise of tech-led CEOs  • EVA funding, free-roam VR expansion math, and execution risk  • Zero Latency partnerships and the shift away from standalone VR venues  • Japanese arcade operators testing new markets and heritage branding  • Toca Social’s Mexico launch and family-focused positioning  • Layered Reality administration and lessons from immersive closures  • Sixes social cricket survival rumors and what a buyer would inherit  • Servios layoffs and the post-hype reality in consumer VR  • Vegas mega sports district proposal and fundraising theater  • True Golf Links Center growth and what it signals for sportstainment  • Topgolf layoffs, cost cutting, and rethinking the entertainment offer  • Projection-mapped rooms and repeatable interaction design  • Big Buck Hunter as a lifestyle brand and arcade IP going outbound  • Stranger Things arcade distribution and the ROI question  • Minecraft partnership saturation and how brands choose placements  • AI game center experiments in Japan and the value of indie creation  • Sega backlash over AI-written copy and the limits of automation Subscribe and visit LBX Collective [https://www.lbxcollective.com] for more!

The LBX Show #76 - Herschend’s Heartspitality, Layered Reality collapse, & more!

Sponsored by Intercard [https://www.intercardinc.com/]! On this week's show we share attraction industry headlines from a historic Ferris wheel comeback to the real-world way culture shows up in capital spending at Kennywood. Then we team up with Kevin Williams for Open & Shut to break down the latest location-based entertainment openings, concept risks, and the closures that hint at what’s changing. • Intercard’s 2026 event lineup and where operators can connect  • The Phoenix Wheel’s 1893 build, Asbury Park legacy, and full restoration back in Phoenixville, PA • Herschend’s Heartspitality and what it looks like after the Palace Entertainment acquisition  • Kennywood upgrades from ride anniversaries to guest-facing refreshes  • Host-focused investments like maintenance shop improvements and a renovated employee clubhouse  • Open & Shut trend scan across cinema plus amusement, go-karts, bowling, and competitive socializing  • Indoor mini golf scaling lessons, square footage trade-offs, and F&B-driven monetization  • International expansion notes from Japan, Vietnam, and Mexico concepts  • Closures of Elvis Evolution and War of the Worlds and what operational stability really means Subscribe and visit LBX Collective [https://www.lbxcollective.com] for more!

Entertainment Social Arena #18 - Competitive Socializing USA Visit! – Part 3

Leading investors should note Vegas’s dynamic shift towards immersive and competitive social entertainment, exemplified by the continued evolution of AREA15 and new themed hubs featuring IP-driven experiences like ‘Universal Horror Unleashed’ and ‘John Wick’. The decline of VR/XR experiences highlights a strategic consolidation under ‘The Lab,’ while the expansion of live events and IP-based venues signals a focus on year-round, high-engagement attractions. Additionally, Vegas is becoming a proving ground for global chains like F1 Arcade and Sandbox VR, alongside the rise of movie IP-driven ventures such as Netflix House. These trends underscore a broader industry pivot toward immersive, IP-rich environments that blend entertainment with experiential investments. Subscribe and visit LBX Collective [https://www.lbxcollective.com] for more!

Sound Off #120 - Gen Alpha wants phygital, WXO London debrief, Helium, & more!

Sponsored by Intercard [https://www.intercardinc.com/]! On this week's show we walk through the realities hitting location-based entertainment right now, from VR arcade business pressure to the pricing and repeat-visit mechanics that decide who survives. We also connect big external shocks like Middle East instability and helium-driven chip constraints to the on-the-ground decisions operators make about tech, IP, staffing, and attraction mix.  • why many VR arcades struggle with older formats and single-experience models  • experience design over tech hype as the real driver of ROI  • Middle East tourism and investment uncertainty affecting leisure development  • helium supply constraints leading to semiconductor disruption and higher risk for tech deployments  • Deal’s rebrand to ENL and the timing clash with EAG London  • leadership changes at Triotech and a new sales hire at Touch Magics  • Hasbro-licensed Clue murder mystery as a traveling immersive theater product  • teen takeovers, Swatting, and the need for professional safety playbooks  • Gen Alpha expectations and the push toward interactive, creative, phygital attractions  • competitive socializing saturation and what phase two venues must do to earn repeat visits Subscribe and visit LBX Collective [https://www.lbxcollective.com] for more!