The Growth of Toy-Themed LBEs: Kingsmen Xperience Brings NERF Action Xperience to Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Kingsmen Xperience, under license by toy and game company, Hasbro, and its strategic partner, Bright Play, have announced the NERF Action Xperience, an expansive active play center for families and NERF fans on the Pigeon Forge Parkway in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, coming in the fall of 2024.  

“For more than 50 years, NERF has been committed to encouraging social active play, and we can’t think of a better way to bring this to life for our fans than opening this new NERF Action Xperience location,” says Matt Proulx, vice president, location-based entertainment, Hasbro. “With this brand-new family entertainment center, we’re proud to be executing on our promise of bringing unique, innovative experiences to our NERF players in Pigeon Forge.” 

The more than 29,000-square-foot indoor entertainment center features blaster battle zones, sports challenges, an obstacle course, a food and beverage area and a retail store. 

“We are very excited to open the NERF Action Xperience in Pigeon Forge next year,” says Corey Redmond, senior executive vice president, Kingsmen Xperience. “Having spent some time getting to know the market over the last couple of years, and as part of our strategic rollout across North America, this Pigeon Forge site will be our second location after Garden State Plaza in New Jersey, and our first in a thriving tourist and holiday destination that is accessible to two thirds of the U.S. population within a day’s drive.” 

Related:10 Minutes With … Hasbro on IP Celebrations and Activations

The reveal of the NERF Action Xperience expands upon a trend surfacing in the LBE industry: toy and games becoming life-size location-based experiences.  

Hasbro dives head-first into this trend, from “Monopoly: Lifesized” to “Peppa Pig: Surprise Party” to a live version of CLUE, Hasbro has taken its biggest properties and turned them into in-person experiences for its generations of fans. 

Hasbro’s largest direct competitor, Mattel, also has its finger on the pulse of location-based experiences. For the “Barbie” movie alone, multiple LBEs have popped up to celebrate the icon of play. The World of Barbie in Santa Monica, Calif. and pop-ups in the U.K. with LUSH and Selfridges have also appeared.  

To learn more about the power of location-based experiences, attend Brand Licensing Europe Oct. 4-6 at ExCeL London. Learn more about the event and its Location-Based Experiences theme here.