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LBX Collective

Brandon Willey

500 episodes

2 days ago

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show, BW grade last year’s 2025 predictions and closes out with his 2026 predictions, Kevin Williams tracks openings and closures across markets, and Chuck DeMonte lays out clear moves to win in 2026. From cranes and gashapon to mission rooms, XR fitness, and IP-led venues, the theme is positioning, proof, and product discipline. • Japan amusement influence reshaping US mix • Competitive socializing outpacing traditional FEC builds ...

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All content for LBX Collective is the property of Brandon Willey and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show, BW grade last year’s 2025 predictions and closes out with his 2026 predictions, Kevin Williams tracks openings and closures across markets, and Chuck DeMonte lays out clear moves to win in 2026. From cranes and gashapon to mission rooms, XR fitness, and IP-led venues, the theme is positioning, proof, and product discipline. • Japan amusement influence reshaping US mix • Competitive socializing outpacing traditional FEC builds ...

Show more...

Episodes (20/500)

LBX Collective

The LBX Show #58 - BW makes his 2026 predictions and much more!

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show, BW grade last year’s 2025 predictions and closes out with his 2026 predictions, Kevin Williams tracks openings and closures across markets, and Chuck DeMonte lays out clear moves to win in 2026. From cranes and gashapon to mission rooms, XR fitness, and IP-led venues, the theme is positioning, proof, and product discipline. • Japan amusement influence reshaping US mix • Competitive socializing outpacing traditional FEC builds ...

2 days ago

1 hour 30 minutes

LBX Collective

The Stinger Report #1257 - Orlando Entertainment Extravaganza! Part 4

Leading investors should note the industry’s rapid shift towards immersive active entertainment, exemplified by innovations like Gel Blaster’s Gen2 platform, social media integration, and gamified trampoline experiences. Interactive floor games, such as Pixel World and Illumination systems, are expanding with partnerships like Atari, signaling a competitive and fast-growing market. The sector also sees significant investment in themed active zones and new amusement releases, including high-pr...

5 days ago

16 minutes

LBX Collective

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...

1 week ago

16 minutes

LBX Collective

Sound Off #103 - The 12 Trends of 2025, Children IP Collab Misses, and more!

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show we argue for a clean break from the isolating nature of VR to the more social interactive XR, trace the fallout from streaming and retail shakeups, and spotlight where IP-driven venues thrive or falter. From Universal’s UK greenlight to the rise of challenge rooms, the throughline is simple: design for people together. Finally, we wrap the show with a 2025 trend roundup! • why shared XR experiences beat VR isolation • Warner-Ne...

2 weeks ago

1 hour 13 minutes

LBX Collective

The LBX Show #57 - Year-End Trends, Disneyland in Fortnite, IP issues, & more!

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show, we close the year by discussing trending topics such as inclusive operations, capital access concerns, AI that trains rather than just entertains, and how transmedia keeps brands front-of-mind. Then Chuck DeMonte maps a simple, focused plan to grow in 2026 on a tight budget in the Promo Pro Tips segment. • IAAPA FEC Summit details, education theme, and value • What members might gain from the IAAPA and Expression Capital partn...

2 weeks ago

57 minutes

LBX Collective

The Stinger Report #1255 - Orlando Entertainment Extravaganza! - Part 2

Leading investors should note that IAAPA 2025 highlighted significant shifts in immersive entertainment, with a surge in Chinese VR innovations like gun-visor shooting, free-roaming arena systems, and MR experiences utilizing Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro. The decline of UK-based DNA VR signals challenges in traditional VR arcades, while Valve's new Steam Frame VR headset promises to reshape consumer and LBE VR markets in 2026. Meanwhile, MR is rapidly advancing as a dominant trend, with ...

2 weeks ago

16 minutes

LBX Collective

Sound Off #102 - Netflix’s IP Gambit, Dave & Buster’s sales decline, and more!

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show, we push past a strong holiday season to ask how venues earn repeat visits in 2026, from search-proof naming to smarter attraction mixes, while tracking Netflix’s IP ambitions, leadership shakeups across LBE, and the tech trends operators can’t ignore. Along the way we dissect Netflix House, Dave & Buster’s decline, and why some kids’ IP venues miss their audience. • choosing names that surface in real searches and differen...

3 weeks ago

1 hour 2 minutes

LBX Collective

The Stinger Report #1254 - Orlando Entertainment Extravaganza! - Part 1

Leading investors should note the IAAPA Expo Orlando 2025 highlighted transformative trends in immersive and media-based attractions, including the rise of Flying Theaters, IP-licensed experiences like Cyberpunk, and expanding VR applications across theme parks, FECs, and zoological venues. Notable innovations include next-gen motion platforms, hybrid dark rides, and the integration of XR into edutainment, with key developments from Falcon’s Beyond, DOF, TRIOTECH, and others. The event signal...

3 weeks ago

16 minutes

LBX Collective

The LBX Show #56 - Hijinks Hotel & Holey Moley Preview, Netflix House, and more!

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show, we review BW's visit to Funlab’s Hijinks Hotel and Holy Moly preview event in Irvine. Kevin Williams rounds up new openings from Urban Air to Netflix House while Adam Pratt flags fresh arcade listings and pricing moves. • FEC Summit agenda, keynote, pricing, and site tours • New IAAPA North America leadership appointment • Hijinks Hotel check-in flow, staffing, and score receipts • Gameplay variety gaps and easy fixes for repe...

3 weeks ago

1 hour 6 minutes

LBX Collective

The Stinger Report #1253 - Entertainment Gathering Strong Showing!

Leading investors should note the growing integration of entertainment within retail real estate, exemplified by MAPIC 2025’s emphasis on “retailtainment” and social gaming as key mall anchors. Meanwhile, Japan’s amusement sector is evolving with increased Chinese imports, innovative attractions like immersive enclosures, and a focus on claw machines, reflecting shifting consumer tastes and international influences. Both markets highlight a strategic pivot toward experiential offerings—whethe...

3 weeks ago

12 minutes

LBX Collective

Sound Off #101 - Clawcade Standards, Social Entertainment Differentiation, & More!

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's 101th episode of Sound Off, we argue for bringing clawcade operators into the fold with clear standards. Then we survey UK competitive socializing, M&A signals, and why content-led, gamified spaces are setting the pace. VR gets a reality check as Meta steps back, while projection arenas, trampoline gamification, and live game shows rise. • oversaturation risk from the clawcade boom • associations versus education for best ...

4 weeks ago

1 hour 6 minutes

LBX Collective

The LBX Show #55 - Holiday Plays, FEC Summit Preview, Openings, & more!

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show, we discuss IAAPA FEC Summit’s value, a leadership-focused keynote, and why seasonal overlays can unlock repeat visits, then dive into openings, closures, and the VR pivot separating winners from laggards. Along the way, we unpack Chuck E. Cheese’s holiday content play and Zero Latency’s Slay Season strategy. • lower IAAPA FEC Summit pricing and keynote focus on clarity, team engagement, growth with tours at Fat Cats and Pecan ...

1 month ago

36 minutes

LBX Collective

Sound Off #100 - Top Golf's PE pivot, IP fatigue, Manufacturer pivots, and more!

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's 100th episode of Sound Off, we map the biggest shifts in location-based entertainment: rising RAM costs driven by AI, Topgolf’s private equity pivot, the LED takeover, mixed reality stepping past VR’s novelty, and more. Competitive socializing, sportainment, and mission rooms emerge as the next anchor attractions. • RAM inflation hitting consoles, PCs and venue hardware • Value for money driving guest choices and pricing pressure • ...

1 month ago

1 hour 30 minutes

LBX Collective

The LBX Show #54 - IAAPA Expo 2025 Review: The Trends, Hits, And Misses

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show, Brandon, Kevin Williams, Adam Pratt, and Clint Novak unpack a packed IAAPA Expo 2025 and discuss mini escape rooms with auto reset, LED floors evolving into real game platforms, and competitive socializing plowing ahead with arrows, hoops, batting, and smart seating. We call out winners, caution flags, and the IP choices that miss Gen Alpha. • highlights from Dark Escape’s enclosed puzzles and Creative Works’ open-air stations...

1 month ago

1 hour 32 minutes

LBX Collective

The 3rd Degree #12 - Michael Browning Jr.: From One Trampoline Park To Youth Empire

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! The leap from one local adventure park to a billion-dollar youth enrichment platform didn’t hinge on luck—it grew from data, grit, and a clear promise to families. Brandon Willey sits down with Michael Browning Jr., founder and CEO of Unleashed Brands, to unpack how Urban Air sparked a movement and why a platform beats a portfolio when your customer is the chief household officer and your user is a kid with boundless potential. Michael takes us ba...

1 month ago

57 minutes

LBX Collective

Sound Off #99 - Competitive Socializing’s Pivot Problem, Netflix House, and more!

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's episode of Sound Off, we track competitive socializing’s growing pains, from single-attraction brand traps to the staffing and education needed to earn repeat visits. Then we zoom out to supply shocks, rebrands, soft numbers, and the hype gaps that erode trust and margins. • single-game venue ceiling and brand rigidity • staff-led guest education as growth lever • China tech restrictions and chip supply exposure • Topgolf softness a...

1 month ago

1 hour 12 minutes

LBX Collective

The Stinger Report #1252 - UK Amusement Trade Spectacular

Leading investors should note the convergence of key industry events signaling robust market vitality and evolving trends. The recent UK-specific ACOS’25 showcased innovation in prize machines, music games, and networked racing simulators, highlighting a focus on entertainment diversity and technological refinement amid regulatory discussions on music licensing. Meanwhile, North American trade shows are set to intensify with IAAPA’25, promising insights into emerging Social Entertainment bran...

1 month ago

10 minutes

LBX Collective

The LBX Show #53 - IAAPA Expo Kickoff, Speakeasy, Market Softness, and more!

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's show, we kick off IAAPA week with a Guest Gab with Bryan Severance and a candid chat on market softness and repeat value, a sweep through openings and pivots with Kevin Williams, and a packed Arcade Corner with Adam Pratt with a preview of the games that deserve a test play. Clear takeaways: evolve your mix, protect your brand, and design for return visits. • LBX Speakeasy times and Give Kids The World charity events • QBIX Last Def...

1 month ago

1 hour 22 minutes

LBX Collective

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 betwee...

1 month ago

12 minutes

LBX Collective

Sound Off #98 - Oncoming Headwinds, XR Gaps, Cinema's Decline, & more!

Sponsored by Intercard! Sponsored by Alan-1! On this week's episode of Sound Off, we challenge the hype around mixed reality and debate where tactile, social play still wins. Consolidation, IP land grabs, cinema’s cultural shift, and the rise of premium watch-party venues shape the next year for amusement and location-based entertainment. • Mixed Reality’s latency gaps versus laser tag’s instant feedback • Genda’s acquisitions, China footprint, and supply chain strategy • Oxygen absorbs Ninj...

1 month ago

1 hour 9 minutes