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The Stinger Report #1256 - Orlando Entertainment Extravaganza! Part 3
Investors should note IAAPA 2025's key trends highlighting rapid advancements in immersive projection mapping, AR, and social entertainment, notably in gaming and gamified experiences. Projection mapping continues to evolve with new karting and escape game platforms, while AR, supported by Snap Spectacles, is poised for growth in attraction deployment. The social gaming sector is booming, driven by innovative bowling, axe-throwing, and mini-golf concepts, alongside expanding sports simulators and competitive socializing venues. Major investments include Topgolf's stake sale, signaling consolidation in social entertainment. Racing simulators and motorsport collaborations further underscore the sector’s integration with high-profile branding, representing lucrative investment opportunities in next-generation entertainment infrastructure.
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This is the Stinger Report, issue number 1256, Orlando Entertainment Extravaganza Part 3 by Kevin Williams. We continue our extensive coverage of the Orlando Amusement and Attraction Trade Extravaganza, looking at the projection mapping and migration to the latest LED display technology and the new trends in social entertainment revealed on and off the show floor. Orlando's IAAPAXR investment. Projection mapping used in entertainment was also represented in the presentation of Battlecart at IAAPA25. The company promoting at the show their franchise platform and the development of new game experiences for the system this year saw a new entrant into the projection mapped carting experience, as we covered previously from Triotech. Talking about karting, a company that had been linked to MR carting was Race Parks. We had previously reported on their concept for an MR headset carting experience. Speaking with the team at IAAPA25, they confirmed that plans had been put on hold to develop this concept as market reaction had not been what they expected. They were now pivoting to a more physical gamification of the carting space, placing targets onto the racetrack and were looking to roll out a platform based on this concept next year. Not visited by all that attended IAAPA25 was the Digital Signage Innovation Pavilion. We would like to thank the association and the team members for walking us through the innovation from their members and only wish more of our friends in the immersive entertainment scene had received the same education on the latest display applications being applied into the market. XR-AR, while the MR explosion was noticeable on and off the show floor. At Ayapa 25, there was a surprise-limited appearance of AR, see-through applications. Some five years after the success of the Super Nintendo World installation of Mario Kart, Cooper's Challenge. Other applications of direct AR attractions have not appeared. The Orlando shows had one main AR application on display, which could be found located in the haunting ground pavilion area of the event. Developer Enclu had a demonstration of their Verse immersive, showcasing three most recent releases, augmented experiences with Sitecraft, Everworld, and Trick or Treat. All these were running on the latest Snap Spectacles hardware. Having migrated from the discontinued Microsoft HoloLens headset to the new sleek AR glasses from Snap that bring a level of simplicity and engagement not seen from other AR glasses. EnCLU expect to show the final production version of the experience with the final glasses configuration for the beginning of next year. The whole exhibition demonstration was supported by Cleanbox Hygiene Control, with the sterilization case handling glasses between use. EnCLU operating over 20 installations of their original immersive attraction based on their AR experience. The company NO looks towards growing their deployment, looking at wider application both as standalone and attraction installation, all based on the opportunity that the new Snap headset hardware enables. What a new advance AR hardware will accelerate the application of this kind of approach will be interesting to witness in the coming months. Social Gaming. The popularity of hospitality and social gaming has been prevalent over the previous year's trade events, and IAPA 25 was going to be no different. The charge was led by a perfusion of bowling companies that chose to exhibit at the Orlando event. These included Imply Bowling with their custom bowling lane manufacturer, presenting string bowling at the show with touchscreen support, along with exhibitor Cubica AMF promoting their Fly and Duck, Duckpin Bowling Platform. Other bowling companies coming to the show included Flying Bowling, showing their Flying Bowling Pro string bowling platform. Also on the show floor was Funk Bowling, introducing their Funk Nexus platform, supported by AI Cloud Technology, showing their string bowling platform supported with projection mapped lanes. Other bowling exhibitor was U.S. Bowling Corporation, promoting their extensive range of bowling platforms and supplies, along with Brunswick Bowling, exhibiting with their extensive lineup, including their social bowling platform. The big social entertainment platforms at the event included the showing from Lasertron, along with their already seen crazy darts and their crazy axes, using MR projection within a full enclosure, with seating and kiosk system having proven to be a success in the scene. The company revealed their latest addition to the family, with the new Crazy Arrows, offering a unique archery game experience that looks to draw on the popularity of axe throwing. All these systems supported by the company's proven POS kiosk platform. Another immersive axe throwing platform on the show floor was from Axcitement, Axe Throwing Systems. The company offering their own enclosure system with MR, projection mapped axe throwing target games. Several companies exhibiting at IRPA straddled several key trends and innovations. One of those is Stinger Report Friend Creative Works. During Amusement 360, the company promised some surprises with their presence at IAPA this year, and they did not disappoint. One of the biggest new releases was the platform Detonate, this being an amusement presentation escape game format, created in partnership with an escape game room developer. A compact design has several puzzles for between two to six players to solve. The system, an automated escape game package, able to be operated like an amusement machine and offering a design that could fit a variety of locations. Also, on the Creative Works booth this year, the company presented the latest version of their successful VR platform. The Limitless VR Free Roaming Arena System has continued to go from strength to strength. Moving into the social entertainment scene and the gamified mini golf, the company shared the latest updates to their Lucky Putt platform. While also showing their boutique golf compact social entertainment, building on interior design approach to support modern upscale Deco. Regarding active entertainment and Creative Works represented their partner's Valo Motion, showing their new Valo Arena, with the final aspect of the Creative Works booth being the demonstration of their manufacturing and fabrication capabilities, promoting their laser tag arena design and development, and their custom projects, including automated escape rooms and design work and dark light golf course capabilities. Regarding other golf platforms on and off the show floor, and we had Holoviz come to the show with their 360 Golf Gamified platform, the company bringing an example of one of the courses. While Greenspan came to the show with their Puttify golf experience, also offering a strong fidgetal element to the mini golf experience. A surprise appearance at the show was social entertainment facility chain Put Shack. The team behind the operation took an outside space at the show and presented an example of the tech-infused mini golf platform. The developers have been upgrading their platform with a new ball tracking system and improved player model and came to IAAPA25, looking to add a new business line alongside owned and operated stores of franchising stores and licensing their technology to other operators to grow their tech install base. A brand new concept in gamified mini golf was revealed on the Battle Company booth at IAAPA25 with the new Pixel Putt, a game that sees putted balls represented on a giant floor screen on the virtual course. This mixture of physical game with a digital simulation offered a unique experience. Still in development, the company came to the show with the concept looking for early adopters. The other aspects of social entertainment platforms represented included Shuffly, sharing the Ballmark Robotic Booth. The company representing their gamified shuffleboard platform. The big platforms looking at the competitive socializing scene included the Sport Ainment. These represented sports simulators that are being pivoted towards entertainment application. The ball launching and tracking systems took major space across the show floor, inside and out. Inside the hall, we had hit tracks with their hit track suite, baseball simulator. The sophisticated system includes touchscreen kiosks, support, and an extensive selection of game permeameters. It was the hit track system employed in the newly opened Toroko Sports, first U.S. entertainment venue in Houston, Texas, part of the wider chain. Moving outside of the hall and home run dugout took their familiar space, offering a chance for attendees to see their application of the baseball social entertainment experience. The system having been installed in their own and licensed venues. The platform a much more subtle application of the baseball simulator experience tailored for application in competitive socializing. Next to them, outside this year, was the more traditional baseball simulator approach represented by Batbox. The developer looking at deploying their ball launch and tracked ball batting simulator into social entertainment. It seems that the sports stainment market is heating up in this application. Also, inside the show hall and Shock Adventure Park attractions presented their Big Hoops attraction, which Shock is the authorized distributor of the attraction for the trampoline park and adventure park industry, a concept we saw at IARPA 24 now brought to full effect. The system taking the space as two lanes of an axe thrower offers an automated hoop platform with a rotating backboard and hoops and projection mapping to create a compelling competitive socializing experience. Operated through a touch kiosk and supported with a tournament component. The company has already installed at least two of these platforms in the market to operators with four units currently being installed in one off-lark social entertainment venues in January 2026, following four more units going into Flying Squirrel Miami and Flying Squirrel Vancouver Entertainment Centers, and are looking towards bigger plans of launching their own venue based on the platform. Regarding the other projection-tracked sports-based entertainment systems on display, Exhibitor HD Sports Suite had two examples of their projection enclosure platform. The first was the HD Sports Suite platform that can offer all kinds of sports activities, including ball tracked and even shooting experiences, while the HD Golf Suite, offering a more traditional sports bay projection platform, mirroring the explosion in this scene. Concerning the social entertainment mix on the IAAPA 25 floor, and another provider was Dartsy, with their gamified Darts platform, including tournament capability, all activated off a touchscreen, the European system looking at the international market. Regarding other social entertainment off the show floor, conductor slash gamevolt and 501 Fun had a unique mixer, named the Power of Play, at the local Dave and Busters venue on International Drive, home to the DB Social Bay concept, including 501 gamified darts and gamevolt's shuffleboard and the arena. This was a perfect opportunity to see these systems in full action, being played by invited partygoers. The event was a great chance to mix with delegates and show attendees and understand the impact of gamification on the Eatertainment operation, competitive socializing developments. The active entertainment and sports tainment sectors have increased their investment into the competitive socializing landscape following the launch of chains such as Toker Social and the announcement of new concepts such as Baller Social, all offering ball-tracked simulator bay action. News was revealed from the UK of a new concept called Crossbar, also hoping to play in this lucrative league. Scheduled for a summer 2026 opening at the pivotal Liverpool 1 leisure and entertainment destination. The new 25,000 square foot venue will comprise several football bays with projection screens and tracked ball interaction, all supported by food service, a dedicated bar and restaurant, and a crossbar foundation to track players' stats. New investment and acquisition continue to take place during the IAAPA 25 week. It was finally revealed that the Top Golf Callaway Brands would be selling a majority stake of its Top Golf brand to private equity firm Leonard Green for approximately$1.1 billion. This deal would see Callaway Golf retain a 40% stake in the operation. This process sees an end to the control of the social entertainment facility chain. Callaway Golf acquired Topgolf for$2.6 billion in 2021. The plans regarding Topgolf Swing Suite, the digital golf chain was not clear at the time of writing, though executives at Callaway confirmed they were still confident in the social entertainment chain, which still plans to open a number of new locations in the coming months. Simulation Racing, an aspect of the sports taintment and social entertainment landscape, has been the deployment of racing simulators. Previous years racing simulators were the purview of the esports and race simulation scene. The technology has grown in adoption, seen as a mixed-use leisure entertainment venues and now social entertainment, personified by the promotion of venues such as F1 Arcade. IAAPA has always been a mecca for race simulators, and there was a new focus on their application. Returning to the show floor and along with Talon Simulations showing their motion platform supporting a VR racing simulators, who we mentioned previously. Other exhibitors included CXC simulators with their brand new four-degree of Freedom Racing Simulator. The company was showing their new SIM system and showed them in a configuration that would be suitable for social entertainment application. The company looking at offering a proven platform and content for the evolving market, having already installed some 400 variants of the hardware in home and commercial. Another established IAAPA exhibitor was Simgear Racing Simulators, the developer of their Motion 4 simulator rig, along with a suite of software packages and content creation, along with the all-important competition managing package essential for successful deployment. The Simgear platform was the latest installation at the adjacent Andrette Indoor Carting Entertainment Space next to the convention hall. Another range of simulator racing cockpit was from IMSIM with their range of systems, employing D-Box motion actuation and offering both standard and mobile examples of their system. Looking not just at racing, but also flight simulation options. Wave Italy had two examples of their Phoenix Pro F1 simulator offering a realistic representation of the Monocoke racing car with three-screen immersion on their IAA PA25 booth. Another example of the Wave Italy F1 simulator was also represented on the IT F1 Racing Simulators booth. The company offering AI F1 pop-up simulator experiences and social environments that is mobile. The company looking at licensing the platform for private hire business. IAAPA 2025 taking place the same week as the Las Vegas F1 race. The importance of big brands linked to the motorsports series. This race marked the first to include Mickey Mouse involvement, part of a Disney partnership with the sports. Vegas seeing a special light and sound show presented by the Corporation Mascot, along with branding on team vehicles. The Las Vegas race also took place only a few months since the latest F1 arcade had opened, with it playing a major part of the VIP events supporting the race.
