Commentary

Amusement trade shows go virtual, players find multiple paths

Several trade shows tested virtual events on account of the coronavirus pandemic. Innovation continued, but on a different scale.

Image courtesy of iStock.

March 29, 2021 by Kevin Williams

With trade events going virtual due to COVID-19, what can we learn about amusement industry trends from some of the trade events that have been held?

The 9th Japan Amusement Expo, rebranded the JAEPO2021 Online Business Meeting, featured a number of exhibits, but access to information about its happenings was limited outside Japan.

One of the more accessible exhibitors was Bandai Namco, as Taiko No Tatsujin, with its popular drum music machine, marked its 20th anniversary with its latest version, which offers a larger screen. The game was released with multilingual support that saw English added, and it will be interesting to see if this could encourage a Western release. This was supported in the videos with "Ace Angler," the latest version of the fishing simulator, with improved features and game elements.

The absence of information from Konami indicated how much the amusement aspects of the amusement factories has been decimated and has fueled, as mentioned previously, the spate of intensive restructuring. Konami, like others, is looking to new verticals like e-sports to shore up fractured business divisions.

Russian online expo

Meanwhile, another Asian exhibition corporation has bitten the bullet and embraced an inclusive virtual event. At the end of February, the Asian Amusement and Attraction Expo organizers held their 2021 Russia Amusement Rides & Entertainment Equipment Expo online. Part of their web-centric marketplace was for exhibitors to show the latest work from Chinese territory. This was the latest gathering, and continuing snapshot on the new trends that developers were looking to present to the market.

The innovations on display included "Immersive Theaters," "Projection Motion-Tracked," "Active Sports," "Interactive Audience Experiences" and the continued drive towards virtual entertainment.

It was also obvious that some of the VR product designs on display had not changed since 2018's first appearances. This is a concerning situation, as Western operators could not fall into the trap of offering sub-par VR entertainment as the consumer VR revolution advances. The issues of self-service and autonomous operation were also watch words fueled by the COVID landscape.

While much of what some companies exhibited had been previously seen, LEKE VR showed its "VR Big Space," an HTC VIVE powered, four-player, 8x12m Arena-Scale system for backpack PC action. VR games promoted on the platform included "Helios" and "Battlefield Company," in this free roaming VR format.

VR upright kiosk

A fun new upright VR kiosk was also shown from Daka Animation Technology — "Space Time Hacker VR," with a tethered headset.

Movie Power had its previously seen VR platforms, as well as a new two-player upright kiosk ("VR Infinite Battle"), but also augmented this with the appearance of new lines such as "Orbit Screen Cinema" — an immersive circular screen theater.

A little mentioned trend in Asia that is gaining interest in the West is that of the "Driving Simulator" — favoring the three-screen, rather than immersive headset, approach.

Jiashi Computer Technology showed its new "Three-Screen Spin Car" — offering an energetic motion base for a driver and passenger seating arrangement. The high-definition screens also add to the immersion.

The company also showed off its "Robotic Arm Simulator" for intense racing action.

Another three-screen racing simulator was on show from Magic Space, with "VR Dynamic Racing" — a rider and passenger configuration with a motorized screen system, as well as the ability to deploy VR headsets.

Regarding other trends on display for the amusement trade, the "Kidtainment" video amusement scene was represented by a new selection of titles, such as Resurgence Animation Technology launching "Skater' and 'Skateboard Hero" — physical video titles.

The "active sports" trend was also seen from exhibitors such as Huoshichuan Entertainment Technology, with its stylish "Riding the World" cycle system and the new "Punch Out" boxing game platform.

Several manufacturers have developed cycling game systems, pointing to a common theme.

Overall, this AAA event followed the same format as we previously reported at the Chinese ASEAN Virtual Exhibition, just with a wider selection of exhibitors. It was clearly aimed towards being a marketplace, as opposed to a convention-style event.

However, it provided a means for commerce to continue under trying conditions. The holding of this event came just as another major China show postponed its plans. 2021 China CAAPA, also known as the China Attraction Expo, previously scheduled for March 25-27, 2021, decided, faced with increased Beijing Municipal Health Commission controls, to postpone its expo to May 22-24, 2021.

News also broke of another postponement — the Saudi Entertainment and Amusement Expo that had previously been scheduled for June 1-3, in Riyadh, rescheduled to Sept. 7-9 at the same Saudi location. The organizers pointed to the continued closure of their boarders to foreign visitors forcing the postponement.

In combination with a spate of manufacturer restructurings, as noted last week, the virtual trade events reflect varying directions in play for the amusement industry for the time being.

(Editor's note: Extracts from this blog are from recent coverage in The Stinger Report, published by KWP and its director, Kevin Williams, the leading interactive out-of-home entertainment news service covering the immersive frontier and beyond.)

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About Kevin Williams

Along with advisory positions with other entrants into the market he is founder and publisher of the Stinger Report, “a-must-read” e-zine for those working or investing in the amusement, attractions and entertainment industry. He is a prolific writer and provides regular news columns for main trade publications. He also travels the globe as a keynote speaker, moderator and panelist at numerous industry conferences and events. Author of “The Out-of-Home Immersive Entertainment Frontier: Expanding Interactive Boundaries in Leisure Facilities,” the only book on this aspect of the market, with the second edition scheduled for a 2023 release.

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