4 Innovations to Look Forward to at IAAPA 2021

Anticipation of future events has tremendous benefits to our mental and psychological well-being. Studies have even shown a correlation between the brain and behavior when looking forward to positive events. After skipping last year, IAAPA 2021 is an experience everyone in our industry is eagerly anticipating.   

For owners and operators, discovering and seeing new attractions and technology first-hand helps you make better investment decisions for your business. You also get a chance to meet face-to-face with vendors with whom you shared the intense experience last year.  

While some card system vendors continued to charge their customers for services while they were shut down and cut new product development, Amusement Connect took a different approach.  

As operators ourselves, we supported our customers’ arcades by giving them the option to suspend their accounts while they were closed. Not because we were asked to, but because it was the right thing to do. To commemorate our support for customers, we are giving away T-shirts at our booth (#210).  

We also took the downtime in 2020 to accelerate new product development by introducing two award-winning products. While we appreciate the recognition of the hard work, it was essential for us to stay true to our mission of bringing innovation, value, and the best possible experiences to entertainment venues.  

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Showcasing the latest addition to our product suite at IAAPA this year has our team super excited. Here’s a lineup of products to see for yourself:  

SliderMech  

Many arcades and bowling alleys with coin-operated sliders on pool tables had many friction points for customers to play a game of pool. Going to the ATM to get cash or getting change for dollar bills requires much effort to play a game of pool.   

SliderMech allows players to use game cards to activate games and integrates game revenue data with the rest of the games in the arcade. AMOA awarded the patented reader-activated slider the Innovator’s award.  

Paystation Wally  

Many standing kiosks take up more space and are not ideal in small arcade rooms. Smaller profile self-service kiosks give you the biggest bang for the buck in a business where every square inch is crucial to earning more revenue.  

Paystation Wally is the first wall-mounted kiosk that fits perfectly in bars and bowling alleys. As AMOA’s Operator’s Choice Award winner, Wally has been a tremendous hit with our customers. When you combine the Wally Paystation with SliderMech, you give customers more ways to pay—while reducing friction points.  

Mobile Connect  

With the shift in consumer behavior during the pandemic, the adoption of contactless payments has skyrocketed. As more retailers and restaurants offer mobile payment options for consumers, it’s time for arcades to follow suit.  

Mobile Connect empowers players to add credits and activates games without using coins, cash, or game cards. Scan the QR code, and the application will guide players through adding credits and activating games.  

Redemption Connect  

Attendants at high-volume redemption counters need the ability to serve multiple guests at a time. There are various ideas on the optimal solution; we’ve combined customer feedback and tested multiple process workflows at our arcades to develop a viable solution.   

We’re excited to introduce our attended redemption solution at IAAPA—Redemption Connect. Combined with our self-service prize machine, Prizezilla, you’ll now be able to run a hybrid redemption program to account for less staff on slow days. We’ll be giving demos to walk you through the process at our booth.  

See you at IAAPA 2021  

For Amusement Connect, 2020 was not a year to forget. It was the year that reinforced our commitment to fulfilling our mission and empathy for our customers. For us, IAAPA is not just another industry event; it is a place where we celebrate our shared love for the Amusement and Attractions industry. We can’t wait to see you at our booth!