Active gaming facility Activate is a rapidly growing experiential concept in Canada.
New leases have just been signed in Mississauga (Heartland), Toronto (Stockyards), Cambridge, and the company is working on London, Barrie, as well as expansion in the US, UK, and UAE.
There are currently 10 Active locations in Canada with many more underway. And another five under construction. Those five are opening within the next three months. There’s also locations going into Edmonton and Regina.
Kris Mutcher, Vice President with Colliers International based in Winnipeg, has been working with the brand since securing its first location in 2018 in Winnipeg.
“They’re a home grown Winnipeg success story which we like to boast about,” he said.
“They opened this concept here and started pre-pandemic to look for some options for expanding out to southern Ontario and obviously with Colliers we’ve got a vast broker network across the world. I was able to work with them and work with our colleagues in our markets elsewhere throughout Canada and now we’re starting to do it in the U.S. as well. I’m the master broker for their projects, stickhandling everything here from Winnipeg and utilizing our Colliers team as boots on the ground in the different markets that we’re going into.”
Mutcher said the goal right now is to be in the 9,000 to 12,000 square foot range. Some have been larger. But that is the sweet spot. The one at Stockyards is 20,000 square feet.
“They do have operating partners that are working in the U.S. right now that have opened eight stores under a licensing agreement and they are going to continue to grow and the corporate entity that’s based here in Winnipeg is also starting to secure their own sites south of the border as well. We’re focused on Minneapolis. We’re working on some stuff in Denver, in Phoenix and really starting to spread their wings south of the border because the pace they want to keep going at and growing at it’s starting to become hard to meet that demand in the Canadian market,” said Mutcher.
“They (recently) announced that they’ve got an agreement with a group based in Dubai.”
Activate Games has signed an exclusive partnership with Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment to bring the world’s first active gaming experience to the MENA region.
“We are thrilled to embark on this groundbreaking global journey with Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment,” said Adam Schmidt, Founder, Activate. “This strategic partnership with Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment’s remarkable reputation for operational excellence and their steadfast commitment to innovation aligns perfectly with Activate’s vision.
“Our one-of-a-kind interactive gaming experiences transcend traditional entertainment boundaries, offering a unique fusion of cutting-edge technology with adrenaline-pumping adventure. Moreover, with identical room setups across all our facilities, friends from across the globe can now compete, forging unforgettable connections and shared moments for years to come.”
“Activate is a state-of-the-art active gaming facility and a fantastic new addition to our growing portfolio of leisure and entertainment experiences,” said Rob McMenamin, Director of Leisure & Entertainment, Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment.
“At Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment, we’re dedicated to diversifying our offering and improving the choice of entertainment available. As such, we’re excited to be the exclusive provider of this innovative concept in the region, which we’re confident will delight our guests, giving them even more options to create great moments together.”
Activate MENA is set to open in early summer 2024.
“That’s obviously a big one for them. The U.S. group has been operating for a couple of years already and they are looking at multiple other countries and overall territories to license the concept out. And all of the product that it takes to build out these Activates, the circuit boards, and all the plastic components and the buttons, all that kind of stuff, is manufactured here in Winnipeg at a facility they have,” said Mutcher.
He said the concept has been successful because it’s unique and different than many of the other types of entertainment uses.
“We kind of call it competitive socializing. You’re with a group. You’re having a good time but you get a good workout,” he added.
“People really get into it because they actually do get a pretty good workout. You get your body moving which is great. And then there’s the competitive aspect to it where for their kind of core customer they’re coming quite regularly.
“Their core customers are coming on a regular basis to try and improve at the skills that they’re doing in there, to try to get better scores, to try to pass level 6 and get on to level 7 in a certain game. That level of competitiveness and the ability to do better each time I think has really resonated with people and there’s a large part of their customer base that is coming a lot. Not just once or twice a year.”
