Hasbro, Falcon’s Beyond, NAFTOS, and Feld Entertainment are among the brands that have revealed extensive Location-Based Entertainment plans for next month’s Licensing Expo.
From turning show attendees into NFTs and transporting guests into imagined worlds to a VR battle arena, this year’s event is gearing up to be highly interactive and trend-driven in order to provide a more seamless experience that facilitates new IP discovery.
Confirmed LBE activations will include Hasbro previewing the Transformers: VR Battle Arena with Meta4 Interactive, which enables players to play as a Transformers robot in a VR world. Players can choose from heroic Autobots such as Bumblebee and Optimus Prime or Decepticons such as Megatron and Soundwave.
Hasbro will also offer a sampling of mini experiences including My Little Pony and Transformers x Marriott Autograph Collection, a themed hotel which is opening in Shanghai in Q4 2022; the Monopoly Life-sized and Top Hat Restaurant and Bar in London; and the Nerf Challenge, which is billed as the ‘ultimate’ Nerf playground and is currently touring North America, among others.
Meanwhile, at Falcon’s Beyond booth guests will experience immersive and interactive technologies like no other through a tour of Falcon’s X-Lab. The X-Lab will offer a 20-minute demonstration of a handful of Falcon’s ground-breaking products by appointment. These include SpectraVerse, Falcon’s Vision, ON!X Theater, plus other themed attraction systems leveraging real-time gaming technologies and metaverse integrations.
In addition, Licensing Expo newcomer NAFTOS – an industry leader in minting 2D, 3D, and 3D interactive NFTs – will take the mystery out of digital collectables by showcasing actual NFT creations on the exhibition floor at the entrance of the show, booth D3. Companies interested in learning more about NFTs and the metaverse for their brands can schedule an appointment with NAFTOS at Executive Suite D101 on the show floor.
Feld Entertainment will also have Grave Digger Simulator Ride Experience, created in partnership with DOF Robotiks. The stand-alone attraction allows attendees to experience what it is like to take a ride in a Monster Jam truck. The simulator offers a range of movement on a 6-axis platform featuring pitch, roll and yaw movements. The realistic motion is combined with video delivered through VR headsets.
“We landed on the theme of location-based experiences in order to strategically align with society’s transition from product-focused to experience-centric behaviors,” commented Anna Knight, svp of the Global Licensing Group, organiser of Licensing Expo. “More than ever before, people develop profoundly strong connections with the brands and content they engage with daily; LBE enables IP-owners to foster an even deeper connection that lays the groundwork for a loyal fanbase.
“We’re so excited to showcase the power and potential of LBE and be a catalyst for its adoption across the globe.”
In addition to these immersive exhibitor experiences, visitors can visit the new Sports Bar and Toy Café. Confirmed participants include Major League Baseball Players, NFL Players,NASCAR, NFL, WWE and Motul for the Sports Bar, plus Hasbro, Mattel, MGA, Spin Master, WildBrain CPLG, Jazwares and Brand Activation Consulting for the Toy Café.
Meanwhile, Art Brand Studios, Giordano Studios, Jewel Branding & Licensing, Mitchell Black Wallpaper, Tate & Co Licensing and Artestar will all be featured in the Art & Design Lounge.
Licensing Expo 2022 runs from 24-26 May at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas. Find out more by clicking here.
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