Merlin Entertainments has announced what they call ‘a multi-million pound and multi-territory partnership with Immersive Gamebox, the immersive group gaming platform which brings families together through active shared play.’

Immersive Gamebox, which currently operates 27 play locations in the UK, USA, Europe, and United Arab Emirates, is an interactive group gaming experience, combining motion tracking, projection mapping, touch screens and surround sound to deliver a 360-degree experience for groups of two to six players, of all ages and abilities, to enjoy together.

A Merlin press release stated that ‘the partnership solidifies both companies’ commitment to delivering interactive, accessible play experiences for the entire family, underpinned by brand-driven storytelling and technological innovation.

Merlin and Immersive Gamebox will launch their global partnership with two initial Gamebox locations in Merlin’s existing sites in Sydney, Australia and Oberhausen, Germany by the end of 2023. The collaboration sees huge potential for a significant rollout plan across the Merlin Estate over the coming years including the UK, US and APAC. 

Each Gamebox will host eight free-standing Gameboxes per location, each of which can accommodate two to six players per play session and run games lasting between 30 and 120 minutes.

The partnership continues the growth of Merlin’s leading IP and brand relationships including HASBRO’s Peppa Pig, Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Jumanji, Ferrari and Cadbury, alongside its long-standing exclusive relationship with the LEGO® Group. 

Meanwhile, Immersive Gamebox has produced a number of iconic family-driven IP partnerships with leading entertainment studios, including Paramount, with whom they created PAW Patrol: New Recruits, the world’s first immersive game for kids 3+, Rovio Entertainment where they produced the first-ever life-sized slingshot Angry Birds game; Aardman for Shaun the Sheep, and streaming giant Netflix where they created an immersive Squid Game based on the hit TV-show.

Scott O’Neill, CEO Merlin Entertainment commented: “Will Dean is an extraordinary entrepreneur who has masterfully built a world-class team, developed cutting-edge technology and partnered with iconic IP, making Immersive Gamebox the perfect complement in our build-out of our clusters around the world.”

Will Dean, CEO and Co-Founder of Immersive Gamebox said: “We are committed to bringing our audience the very best partnerships which enable us to create one-of-a-kind immersive games they’ll love anywhere in the world. 

“Our company’s purpose is to bring people together through technology-enabled shared play, and we are bringing these games to more people than ever before and revolutionising how fans interact with entertainment through this partnership with Merlin Entertainments. 

“Given Merlin’s position as a global leader in location-based attractions combined with their track record of scaling across markets, the agreement also supports further expansion of Gameboxes globally.”

Images: Merlin Entertainments