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KWP organizes immersive entertainment seminars for 2020 EAG

December 19, 2019

The planners of the EAG International exposition have announced an agreement under which consultancy KWP will conduct a full day of seminars that address the latest trends in immersive out-of-home entertainment at the upcoming EAG show. It's set for Tuesday, Jan. 14.

KWP principal Kevin Williams explained that the EAG program has been designed to focus specifically on the impact of new technologies on the amusements and attractions sectors. "For too long, there has been a concentration on technology at the expense of its application to amusements and attractions," he said. "We've designed the seminars to be succinct and highly relevant. We've assembled a stellar cast of presenters who are at the top of their game; these are the people who are already driving forward the adoption of these technologies by amusement and attractions operators."

Williams is well-known for his news service, The Stinger Report, and has enjoyed a long career in the theme park amusement and entertainment software industries. He is co-author of The Out-Of-Home Immersive Entertainment Frontier and a regular speaker at international conferences. He will open the event with an overview of the international immersive entertainment scene, a perspective on factors driving the market and an outline of the opportunities that exist for operators.

The first session, entitled "Bringing Arena-Scale VR To The Capital," will be hosted by John Lilley of MeetSpace VR. Variously described as chief executive and "chief zombie," Lilley will share MeetSpace VR's experience with operating escape rooms, eSports stations and free-roam and arcade VR attractions.

Media platform developer Hologate has been a strong supporter of EAG International, both as an exhibitor and a seminar participant. In a relatively young industry, chief executive and founder Leif Petersen has gained extensive experience in creating content for permanent and event-based virtual multi-user experiences, in environments as diverse as arcades and eSports. Petersen will present "Hologate -- Defining Immersive Entertainment."

Spree Interactive head of sales Paul Collimore will address "Defining Younger Immersive Play." He has a proven track record in creating animated and immersive content for the themed attraction industry. Spree Interactive enjoys an impressive client list, including ABBA The Museum, for which the company created a complete interactive overall experience for the exhibition "ABBA: The Full Story."

Already a valued contributor to EAG, Immotion Group chief executive Martin Higginson will host a session entitled "Immersive Deployment For The FEC." Immotion has developed many VR entertainment zones at major venues, including The O2 and Legoland, and introduced some pioneering business models.

EAG predicted that, with more groundbreaking sessions still in preparation, the free-to-attend education day will provide exceptional value for experienced operators of immersive attractions, as well as for those considering their first steps. Those interested in attending EAG International Expo 2020 can register for a complimentary ticket at https://www.eagexpo.com/visit/register.php.