Level Up Your Fun Zone with Digital Signage
by Jasdeep Kohli
Level Up Your Fun Zone with Digital Signage
by Jasdeep Kohli
‘Fun zones’, also known as indoor entertainment, family entertainment or game centres, are seeing a resurgence in popularity post-pandemic. The global family and indoor entertainment centre market is expected to generate USD $69.55bn by 2030 with a CAGR of 10.9% from 2021 to 2030. With many centres located inside shopping malls, Asia-Pacific is projected to see the fastest CAGR of 12.1% due to the rapidly rising number of malls in countries such as India and China. The AR and VR gaming zones segment is expected to see the highest growth, with an estimated CAGR of 12.3% during the forecast period.
One of the most prominent factors driving growth is that modern centres are focused on creating experiences that cater for the whole family. Modern fun zones have evolved from small game arcades to large, sprawling centres with many attractions including gaming consoles and video games, indoor playgrounds, children’s rides and virtual & augmented reality activities, along with food and beverage offerings and opportunities for participatory play.
Creating engaging digital experiences will be a key driving factor in the success of indoor entertainment centres in the coming years. So, how can digital signage solutions for fun zones help drive these experiences? Here are several ways.
Queue management
Studies show that digital signage can help reduce perceived wait times by 35%. Poor queueing experiences can negatively affect perception of a business, and this is especially the case regarding amusement venues like fun zones. No one enjoys waiting in line, but smart queue management for indoor entertainment centres and fun zones can help alleviate some of the frustration. For busy centres with in-demand attractions, virtual queueing and online ticketing may allow guests to reserve and hold their place in line, and be notified when their desired ride, game or attraction becomes available. Time spent waiting in a physical line becomes time that can be spent visiting the snack bar or checking out another attraction. Digital signage placed strategically where people are waiting in line can also be used to play advertising and video content to entertain guests as they wait.
Digital leaderboards
Everyone likes to feel like a winner. Competition is an integral part of the fun zone experience, whether it’s dominating at ten-pin bowling or becoming the champion in a VR game. Digital leaderboards prominently displayed through the venue can be used to display game champions, giving them an ego boost while stimulating a sense of competitive spirit.
Video and music entertainment
Lighting, sound and visuals play a huge part in the fun zone experience. This is where digital signage can really shine. For example, giant videowalls can display 4k video content, clever, eye-catching motion graphics and animations and popular music videos, while other cleverly placed screen configurations can add colour and movement to the centre and add to the sense of excitement and thrill.
Social walls
Make the fun zone experience a social one by integrating social media videowalls. Indoor entertainment centres can use social media walls to create a fun way for guests to share their experience, through displaying a live stream of recent posts from Instagram, Twitter and other platforms. Social walls can be used to highlight positive customer reviews, game champions and images and video of people having a great time at the venue. Venues can also run fun social media competitions to encourage guests to post about their experience on social media, leading to greater brand recognition and awareness.
Advertising
Digital signage and advertising go hand in hand, and fun zones can leverage digital signage to advertise new games and in-house attractions, special promotions and deals, and upcoming game competitions in an eye-catching way. Digital screens can also be used to advertise the venue’s food and beverage offerings and draw attention to quiet zones, restrooms and other facilities.
Snack bar digital menu boards
Most modern indoor entertainment centres have a food and beverage offerings to increase their appeal. With the rest of the venue reaping the benefits of digital signage, the in-house snack bar should not be neglected. Digital menu boards are an efficient and attractive way to display food offerings, promote special offers and combo deals and drive appetite and desire. Fun and games create hungry guests, and digital menu boards can make the ordering process easy and help customers make quick purchase decisions. Digital menu boards have also been shown to increase average spending in restaurant settings, and so can be a clever way for fun zone centres to generate extra revenue.
Level up your fun zone with Scala digital signage
Scala has helped many brands across the entertainment industry transform the customer experience. Scala helps entertainment venues to improve the guest experience, drive sales and engagement, and improve operational efficiency. Find out more here.
About the Author:
Jasdeep Kohli,
