Activate is the world's first-ever, immersive, tech-led active, group gaming attraction. It launched in Canada in 2017 and was brought to the UK by We Do Play, the leading experiential leisure group that has launched a number of hugely successful entertainment experiences, including Flip Out and Putt Putt Social. The group also founded the Boom Battle Bar brand.
A sensation in North America with 60 successful locations across Canada, the US and Dubai, and social media channels with more than 750 million views, Activate is already revolutionising the world of competitive socialising in the UK. It invites thrill seekers to jump, climb, and problem-solve in real-time interactive game rooms, promising a high-energy, adrenaline-fuelled adventure.
London's The O2 was chosen as the springboard for Activate's European launch, and now work has started on the second location for Activate at the top five super regional mall, Metrocentre, with plans to open in time for the summer holidays. The 9,902sqft attraction will be joining other leisure operators such as Treetop Golf, Clip ‘n Climb, Namco Funscape, and The Escapologist. Activate will further strengthen the destination's family offer and meet increased consumer demand across Metrocentre's expansive North East catchment.
Work will also start at the end of this month on the third Activate in the UK, which will be in Leicester, with London's Oxford Street set to be the fourth location, scheduled to launch in the autumn.
Rich Beese, Co-Founder of We Do Play, said: "We welcomed 50,000 fun seekers through the doors of the first Activate at London's O2 in the first six weeks of opening, making this location the number one best-performing Activate out of 60 in North America, Canada and Dubai, and it is already ranked at number 5 on Tripadvisor's ‘Fun Activities and Games in London' with all five-star reviews.
"And we are thrilled to be announcing three new openings with Newcastle's Metrocentre leading the way with a summer launch. Metrocentre felt like the perfect location for Activate's first launch outside of London, already home to a fantastic variety of leisure concepts. The team at this incredible retail, leisure and entertainment destination are great to work with and we can't wait to bring Activate to the North East. We just know that families and fun seekers in the region are going to love it!
"Leicester and London's Oxford Street will follow hot on the heels of the Metrocentre launch - and we have more openings planned later this year. Activate is going to be the biggest competitive socialising experience to launch in the UK in 2025!"
Ben Cox, Director at Sovereign Centros from CBRE, Asset Managers of Metrocentre, said: "Activate is unlike anything we currently have at Metrocentre, or indeed anything that exists in the North East, so it will offer a real point of difference to a destination that already dominates its region. We know there is growing demand from our visitors for more competitive socialising concepts and Activate is the perfect operator to deliver a dynamic and unique experience, one that at the moment can only be found in London. Our ability to appeal to an international operator, taking their team on that critical first journey outside London, only highlights Metrocentre's position as a ‘must-have' destination in the North East for the best brands."
