Agenda

Take a trip through 90's nostalgia and learn about how MajorMega pivoted from a digital media company to become creators of the Hyperdeck - and almost (literally) burnt it all down. 

VR location-based entertainment is clearly at a nascent stage, lacking key structural elements.   This session will examine new strategies integrators, distributors, syndicators, and hardware and software platform providers, and other third party developers are taking to build a new and more robust infrastructure for VR location-based entertainment.

The VR and MR arcade experience is expanding with the introduction of more diverse content and new business models.  This session will examine key new opportunities for non-game content in arcades, the effectiveness of membership/subscription models for VR and MR arcades, internal content development in arcades, and the use of VR arcades as incubators for new VR and MR experiences.

Successful brands recognize the importance of creating consumer relationships that engage their customer’s physical and emotional state at every touchpoint along the consumption journey.  With the expansion of immersive technologies, brands are experiencing ever-increasing opportunities to evolve their traditional consumer relationship away from passive towards more engaging and personalized consumer journeys.  However, as technologies expand and consumer behavior evolves, so do business models - the need to identify new ways to monetize grows. 

This session features division heads of brands from three different verticals, who will share their insights on the future of immersive entertainment, the opportunities presented thereby, and implications on brand sustainability and growth.  And, together, we will explore the related opportunities for content creators, technology innovators, venue operators, and investors.

Immersive rides are undergoing a major transformation, with the introduction of new technologies and a wider range of experiences.

A steady stream of less conventional immersive rides have been rolled out.  Immersive rides such as those employed in Disney’s land “Pandora- The World of Avatar” are revolutionizing the medium. 

Over the past year, there has been a flurry of announcements about VR coasters and rides, including rides connected with well known properties.   The new rides and coasters promise to integrate more powerful and versatile technologies.  But what are the best opportunities for VR in those attractions, and how can VR be well integrated in those attractions?  A growing number of park operators are also using or plan to add AR to the mix.  How will that expand opportunities for immersive rides and attractions?   This session will examine how to effectively harness VR and AR in or with rides, and address such key issues as hygiene and throughput concerning VR rides.

The strong growth of e-sports is opening up key new opportunities for next-generation immersive sports experiences.  VR and AR afford deeper, more interactive location-based sports experiences, including VR sports tournaments and VR sports leagues.  This session examines the likely development and growth of those experiences and the most effective immersive sports experiences out-of-home.

Given the nascent stage and frequent churn in VR and AR location-based entertainment experiences, it can often seem difficult discerning clear trends in visitor attitudes towards those kinds of experiences.  This session will present findings and insights regarding visitor attitudes towards hardware, content, and pricing issues relating to VR and AR location-based entertainment.  These research results and insightscan help significantly in better positioning VR and AR location-based entertainment projects.

How will VR affect FECs and the out of home entertainment market? Alexis Macklin of Greenlight Insights will present LBE VR industry forecasts, current monetization strategies, consumer insights, and opportunities of growth. 

FOIL attendees can receive Complimentary Access with their badge and photo ID Between 7:00pm and 9:40pm 

ULTIMATE THRILLS – ULTIMATE FUN – ULTIMATE ADVENTURE

Experience the unique worlds of Hollywood’s top brands as high-definition 3-D projection and thrilling special effects place you right in the middle of the action. Join some of your favorite characters on incredible 15-minute adventures at the all-new Ultimate 4-D Experience.
Now showing Man of Steel – 4-D Experience, San Andreas – The 4-D Experience and The LEGO™ Movie™ – 4-D Experience.

Dome theaters are undergoing a dramatic transformation, as new technologies and more diverse content substantially expand the medium.  This session will examine the increasing impact of 4D, 5D, projection mapping, and virtual reality on dome experiences and the greater introduction of sports, game, and even wellness experiences in domes.

One of the most intriguing trends in VR location-based entertainment is the increasing synergy of VR and escape games.  Clearly, the two experiences have natural affinities, and the prospects for this hybrid form have been boosted by the surging popularity of escape games.  How is this form evolving, and what strategies are being employed to effectively exploit such a synergy?

The VR theater concept seems to be constantly reevaluated and reinvented.  Many diverse strategies are being employed to introduce VR in movie theaters, including offering VR games in theaters and using theater space for essentially VR exhibitions, but what are the best prospects.  This session will examine a panoply of VR theater strategies and outline some of the more promising directions for VR theaters.

Pokemon Go has constituted an amazing phenomenon and success in location-based entertainment through mixed reality, creating unusually high levels of engagement and generating spectacular publicity.  How can this success be leveraged and exploited to generate more diverse and vibrant forms of mixed-reality location-based entertainment, especially those with more of an edutainment focus?

Positioning:  Why marketing your attraction as Virtual Reality is a sure way to fail

Marketing:  Selling vision and experience instead of technology

Pricing:  Selling by the hour vs by the experience

Throughput: How to manage labor costs in a high-touch low volume attraction

Hygiene: Critical component or just for show?

The Santa Monica Pier is reknowned as a popular, eclectic tourist destination, drawing millions of visitors from around the world.  Executive Director Negin Singh will share the Pier’s vision for expanding the boundaries of its attractions by offering diverse immersive experiences, including Ocean VR experiences and interactive holiday installations, designed to appeal to myriad audiences