Brent Bushnell, the founder and CEO of Two-Bit Circus, discusses the challenges faced by Bit Circus during the closure and their innovative solutions to reopen. They also delve into Brent's family background and his father's involvement in founding Atari and Chucky Cheese. The chapter explores Brent's journey from clown school to co-founding Two-Bit Circus, surviving the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and their plans for national expansion. They also discuss the positive aspects of virtual storytelling and the interactive experience called the meta game at Two-Bit Circus.
Two-Bit Circus creates micro amusement parks with a variety of interactive entertainment experiences, pushing the limits of storytelling and technology.
The future of immersive entertainment lies in a hybrid model that combines live and virtual elements, offering unique experiences and opportunities within the retail and travel industries.
Deep dives
Two-Bit Circus: Building Micro Amusement Parks
Brent Bushnell, co-founder of Two-Bit Circus, discusses their innovative concept of micro amusement parks. Two-Bit Circus offers a range of interactive entertainment experiences, including indie arcade games, escape rooms, virtual reality arenas, and even a robot bartender. These micro amusement parks aim to be infinite, providing a variety of ever-changing content to keep visitors coming back. Bushnell's vision is to replicate these parks in different cities across the country, taking advantage of vacant real estate left by the closure of retail stores. The focus of Two-Bit Circus is on pushing the limits of storytelling and technology to create exciting and immersive experiences that bring people together. Despite the challenges faced during the pandemic, Bushnell remains optimistic about the future of immersive entertainment and the opportunities it presents for community, travel, and the retail industry.
The Evolution of Two-Bit Circus: From Interactive Art to Micro Amusement Parks
Brent Bushnell recounts the journey of Two-Bit Circus, from creating interactive art for friends' parties to launching a traveling high-tech carnival. The success of this carnival led to the establishment of their first micro amusement park in downtown Los Angeles. These parks combine different forms of entertainment, such as carnival games, modern arcades, virtual reality arenas, interactive game show theaters, and a robot bartender, offering visitors a diverse and immersive experience. Two-Bit Circus aims to replicate this model in various cities, utilizing vacant spaces that were left behind by retail closures. The company's ambition is to create a network of micro amusement parks that attract both locals and tourists, offering endless fun and novelty.
The Innovation Amidst COVID-19: Two-Bit Circus Adapts to the Pandemic
Brent Bushnell reflects on the challenges faced by Two-Bit Circus during the pandemic and the resilience and innovation it sparked. Forced to temporarily close their micro amusement park, the company focused on developing virtual experiences, including a live-hosted interactive game show. The game show allows participants to compete from home while streaming the host's video feed and receiving interactive challenges. This hybrid model combines the sense of being present at a live event with the accessibility of online participation, offering a unique and engaging experience. Two-Bit Circus also embraced the opportunity to explore virtual entertainment further, recognizing the potential of the hybrid model in the future of live events.
The Future of Immersive Entertainment and Post-COVID Opportunities
In this final segment, Brent Bushnell shares his insights on the future of immersive entertainment and the opportunities arising post-COVID. He highlights the importance of social interaction and the desire for unique and novel experiences. Bushnell predicts that the future of entertainment will involve a combination of live and virtual elements, offering both in-person and remote options for participants. He believes that the changing landscape of retail will create new opportunities for immersive experiences within the health, wellness, beauty, food, and beverage industries. Additionally, the concept of immersive travel, where individuals can enter the fictional worlds of their favorite stories, is predicted to emerge as a popular form of travel. Bushnell concludes by emphasizing the value of investing in relationships and the significance of real, quality time spent with loved ones.
Two Bit Circus cofounder Brent Bushnell shares his thoughts about the current state of the experiential entertainment industry and where it might be headed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.