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The Stinger Report #1251 - A License to Thrill!
The BLE’25 event underscored the growing convergence of licensing, media, and location-based entertainment (LBE), highlighting key trends for investors. The show revealed the expanding influence of transmedia properties, with major brands like Universal, Warner Bros., and Netflix showcasing immersive experiences and new venue concepts, including Netflix’s upcoming themed venues and the global proliferation of their streaming content into physical spaces. Licensing partnerships, notably between Licensing International and IAAPA, signal deeper collaboration across IP and attractions sectors, driven by media, gaming, and merchandise. Notably, Japanese IP giants like SEGA, Capcom, and Konami reinforced the importance of gaming-driven properties in LBE. Additionally, sports franchises and brands are increasingly integrating into LBE through immersive activations and partnerships, while new ventures such as Monopoly Lifesized and Dungeons & Dragons immersive quests exemplify the transmedia shift. Overall, the event indicates a robust move towards “phygital” hybrid experiences, with consolidation and innovative licensing models shaping the future landscape.
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This is the Stinger Report, issue number 1251, A License to Thrill, by Kevin Williams. The penultimate coverage of the key shows at the tail end of the year, and the licensing and branding show takes place, revealing location-based entertainment, LBE, and amusements place in defining transmedia. While we also see the holding of the last of the UK's legacy amusement trade events, which will be covered in the report after this one. Big Brand Bash. October started with further exuberance with the holding of Brand Licensing Expo, BLE 2025 London, at the Excel venue. Organized by Informer Markets, Global Licensing Group, and part of the US and Asia series of trade gatherings, the show underpins the strength of the licensing sector, along with illustrating the importance of the LBE scene on the licensing and IP market. Indicated by the first day conference and networking agenda with sessions on the keys to location-based experiences. The closeness of the licensing and branding industry to amusement and attractions was seen with the news of a partnership between Licensing International, the leading trade association for the$369.6 billion Global Brand Licensing Industry and IAAPA, the Global Association for the Attractions Industry, revealing a new strategic partnership aimed at fostering deeper collaboration and unlocking new opportunities for their respective members around the world. The prevalence of media, video gaming, and movie exhibitors at BLE 25 reflected the digital landscape that drives IP and licensing. Video games from the golden age of amusement, console, and the key IP and properties were represented. Part of the amusement and video game presence at the show included Bandai Namco Entertainment, with a large booth promoting the 45th anniversary of Pac-Man, as well as showing the ways that the iconic mascot has been incorporated in apparel, toys, and general branding. Away from BLE 25, and it was announced that the Members' Choice Award at the Licensing International Excellence Awards 2025 had been given to the PACMANLIVEX PERIENCE E, developed by the Little Lion Entertainment. The Immersive Experience recently announcing its appearance in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as part of the season, the territory also home to their Chaos Cart venue. Returning to the London BLE 25 show and Japanese media popularity was outlined in conference sessions, as well as market reports such as including the IP Business 2.0 Frontline Conference organized by NewsPix. Market capitalization of the three companies gathered, BLE 25 being over 2 trillion yen, companies that mark the golden age for Japanese IP. These included Sega celebrating their own mascot's anniversary, Sonic emblazoned atop the booth, while exhibitors Capcom and Konami were also in attendance. The influence of video game IP bolstered by properties with amusement routes. Consumer game developers and publishers also had presence at BLE25, with UBISOFT and Rebellion publishers pushing key properties beyond their console routes. Those attraction routes seen with the later reveal that Falcons Beyond Global, innovator in immersive storytelling, announced an agreement with CD Project Red, the video game development studio known for 30 million selling property, Cyberpunk 2077, towards creating venue concepts based on the game. We look forward for more info on this project in the coming IAAPA 2025 coverage. BLE25 had actual amusement machines on the show floor. The Emoji Brand Booth shared space with partners UNIS Technology, who had a number of their emoji branded prize machines on display. They were also promoting the Emoji Planet Entertainment Facility property that has opened in the UK and US and are looking at an accelerated rollout plan. Along with the UNIS selection of amusement, several amusement machines were presented in an area ladled arcade zone. The BLE25 organizers seeing this as a useful deployment to fill some exhibition space, offering attendees a chance to see the state of the scene. Other properties with links to the amusement and attraction scene included exhibitors Warhammer 40K, promoting their property, which has migrated into a soon-to-be-released streamed series. The platform has also been given the LBE treatment with a partnership with zero latency, turning the content into a VR experience on their platform. The big guns were represented at BLE 25 with the likes of Universal Studios and Warner Brothers, Discover Global, commanding major booths at the show and deep in discussions. It was an open secret that they were looking at a possible merger of the operations, though the sands seemed to shift towards finalizing details. Regarding LBE interest, both corporations have extensive theme park exposure. The UK about to see a greater presence with plans to commence building Universal Studios Great Britain, a 476-acre theme park in Bedfordshire, rumored to be aiming for a 2031 opening date. Other major media powerhouses at the show included Paramount Global with their merger and acquisition plans. The company has extensive theme park and resort interests as well. Lego also exhibited at BLE25, though none of the experienced team were available. The company was tight-lipped about the recent announcement of their separation of the LEGO Land Discover Center business from Merlin Entertainments, and how this move would impact future relationships over the existing Lego resorts, still retained under Merlin control. Also at BLE 25 Ardman Animations, previous involved with the failed London Resort Park project, the operation has moved on now involved in new attractions based on their properties, such as the recent plans for their A-grand experience opening in 2026. Another previous licensee in the failed London project also has increased their involvement into the location-based entertainment licenses, BBC Studio. Previous rumors of attractions and further immersive experiences based on BBC properties such as Doctor Who were soon quashed days after the event, when it was revealed that Walt Disney had dropped further investment and involvement with the Sy-Fi Veterans series across their streaming platform, and that the BBC management were considering its future. Toy brands play a massive part in the LBE sector, and one of the most successful puzzle games marked a massive anniversary during the BLE25 event. Hasbro celebrating the 90th anniversary of Monopoly. Numerous adaptations of the board game have been created charting popular culture and brands. The brand itself has also been turned into its own spin-offs, from apparel to toys based on the unique player pieces, as seen with a recent deal with Matchbox, along with numerous online, smartphone and console game adaptations. The corporation has also moved into LBE, with the rollout initially in London of the Monopoly life-sized experience that is being expanded internationally with a pop-up site in North Carolina and in Colorado. The touring model for their LBE concept is in the early stages after a successful run and is expected to visit other major capitals. Hasbro Property has also been seen involved in a new immersive live action experience that opened in Texas. Developed by Vibrant Studios, the Dungeons ⁇ Dragons, the Immersive Quest has opened in Texas, offering a 60-minute walkthrough experience with animatronics, immersive displays, and live performances supported by hospitality, based around the Hasbro property. Following in the footsteps of what we have seen done with other properties as a traveling experience, such as the Minecraft experience, also with involvement through FEVER. It is these crossover brands we define as transmedia that are driving much of the investment. One major newcomer to BLE25 was Netflix, the mega streaming service and entertainment giant decided on an offshow floor suite to hold court. Major streamed series finding strong following and brand agreements. The power that Netflix now wields saw them sign not one but a joint co-master toy license agreement with Hasbro and Mattel over their K-pop Demon Hunters property. This latest Smash hit series with multi-million loyal streaming audience has also been involved in an agreement with AMC Cinema Chain to see the property make the crossover to the big screen directly. An amazing harbinger of the future of box office profits coming directly from streamed content. Announced prior to the BLE25, Netflix also dropped the opening schedule for their two Netflix house venues, the Philadelphia venue opening its doors later in November, while the Dallas venue is expected to be open for the end of the year. Netflix having already revealed plans for their third venue in Las Vegas. Many key streaming, movie, and toy brands are eyeing reaction to this mega entertainment facility crossover. Even the Chinese market has taken note of these transmedia moves. Netflix Chinese equivalent, IKEA, announced plans to open a theme park, IKEA Land, later this year in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province. A site that was reported to feature seven unique entertainment sectors, including immersive theater, holographic lightspace, interactive performance theater, film set interaction area. If this will prove a direct competitor to the Western streaming services plans, we will have to wait and see. Finally, sports was one of the trends on the BLE 25 event floor that also showed signs of grabbing the transmedia coattails. At the show, A Picklebull Court promoting branded sports attire had been set up, while major sports teams from Formula One Racing to the leading soccer teams such as Chelsea FC and FC Barcelona promoted their brands for deployment across other properties. Motorsport racing teams, along with MotoGP, also looked at the LBE opportunities, following from the successful launch of the F1 arcade and TOCO social chains recently. Deployment of sports brands into the sector has gathered pace, and following the show, it was revealed that a new concept called Baller Social would be launched in London with links to FIFA, full coverage in our sister publication Entertainment Social Arena. Recent sports license developments saw NBA and Cosm announce long-term partnership to showcase live games at Cosm venues. Cosm will produce and present key national games across ABC/ESPN, NBC slash Peacock, and Prime Video. This came just as Apple announced they intended to sign deals with key sports fixtures to be screened on their Apple Vision Pro spatial computing headset, trying to jump on the media consumption bandwagon to salvage their platform's credibility. Clean lines between the physical and media approach to enjoying experiences. In conclusion, BLE25 proved another valuable microcosm of how the new brand experience is migrating into the LBE sector. It is now impossible to ignore the number of new amusement releases and actual venues that are linked to a keystone property. It is expected following the conclusion of merger discussions, the trade event next year will reflect an increased consolidation to control all aspects of media deployment, with some pointing to a new fidgetal landscape for licensed properties.
