Cityneon wins Lumiere Award for VR Machu Picchu experience

Cityneon‘s VR experience, Machu Picchu and the Spirit of the Condor, has won the Best Use of VR category at the 12th annual Lumiere Awards.

The company was honoured alongside many top industry names in global film, television, and gaming studios in the awards ceremony, held at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, California.

Cityneon’s Machu Picchu and the Spirit of the Condor features the first-ever virtual showcase of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Peru. Through the utilisation of patented VR motion chairs fully equipped with multi-sensory stimulation features such as high-resolution six degrees of freedom (6-DOF) VR headsets, haptic feedback on the backseats, scent dispensers and unlimited 360-degree rotation, the VR experience is featured as the highlight of the company’s Original Artefact IP Experience – Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru.

“We are ecstatic to receive this prestigious award,” says Ron Tan, Executive Chairman & Group CEO of Cityneon Holdings. “This award not only recognises the wonderful potential of virtual reality in capturing the world around us, but it is also a testament to Cityneon’s expertise in innovative technologies that empowers the Group to bring immersive entertainment to a whole new level.”

As a global leader of immersive experiences, Cityneon seeks to capture the imagination of their visitors and deliver compelling experiences that will shape the future of the experience entertainment industry. Their enduring partnerships with global partners such as Disney, Marvel, Hasbro, Universal, Lionsgate, and 20th Century Studios, and the Peruvian and Egyptian governments, drive the company to produce world-class experiences for millions of visitors each year.

Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru launched last October at the Boca Raton Museum of Art in Florida and the experience will be travelling to Paris at the City of Architecture and Heritage, Palais de Chaillot, on 16 April 2022. The Group also launched the world premiere of Ramses the Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs in Houston, Texas, last November.

Apart from the two artefact IPs, the Group also holds studio IP rights including partnerships with 20th Century Studios for Avatar: The Exhibition, Universal Studios for Jurassic World: The Exhibition, Marvel for Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. – debuting in Tokyo this April – Lionsgate for The Hunger Games: The Exhibition, and Hasbro for Transformers: The Experience.

Cityneon has also recently announced a partnership with Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment to produce two unique global touring themed art experiences inspired by DC Comics and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, slated to launch in 2023.

To support its global endeavours, Cityneon has announced its expansion into Qatar to cater to markets in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa, and the launch of a new R&D facility in Wuxi, China, to further expand its capabilities in entertainment robotics.

 

Cityneon to deliver DC and Wizarding World immersive art experiences in 2023

Cityneon Holdings has announced a partnership with Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment to produce two new, unique global touring themed art experiences inspired by DC and the Wizarding World, slated to launch in 2023.

Audiences around the globe will be able to engage in an all-new way with their favourite Super Heroes and the much-loved Wizarding World, through immersive themed art environments. Both experiences will fuse cutting-edge media, sound and technology together to create a truly sensorial visitor experience.

Ron Tan, Executive Chairman & Group CEO of Cityneon, says: “This strategic relationship is a testament to our determination to scale greater heights in the arena of IP experiences. With Cityneon’s strong track record of delivering large-scale and innovative experiences globally, I am confident that the DC and Wizarding World experiences will be truly unique and immersive experiences that fans of all ages will enjoy.”

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Cityneon on these two new cutting-edge immersive themed art experiences,” adds Peter van Roden, SVP Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment. “Each of the new experiences will help us further continue to reach our DC and Wizarding World fans with fresh, innovative and immersive experiences where guests can interact with the franchises like never before.”

Additional details will be announced at a later date.

Cityneon picks up multi-year licensing rights for James Cameron’s Avatar touring exhibition

Victory Hill Exhibitions, a subsidiary of Cityneon Holdings, has picked up the multi-year licensing rights for a global touring exhibition based on James Cameron’s blockbuster film Avatar. Cityneon will work closely with Disney Location-Based Experiences and James Cameron and Jon Landau’s Lightstorm Entertainment on the venture.

With Avatar set to release the first of four sequels next year, Cityneon will look to curate an engaging experience for audiences to visit worldwide. The state-of-the-art touring exhibition will feature numerous interactive, multi-sensory segments where guests can explore the wonders of Pandora, the distant moon which is the setting for the films.

Ron Tan, executive chairman and chief executive officer of Cityneon, said: “We are honoured to work with Disney and Lightstorm Entertainment. All of us share the same vision of bringing these experiences alive with artistry and inventiveness. We are thrilled to be part of this collaboration. There’s a lot of anticipation for the film’s first sequel, and we’re excited to be part of the global effort to complement the film’s release with a truly immersive experience for fans in various markets.”

Lightstorm Entertainment’s president of franchise development, Kathy Franklin, added: “Our powerful new relationship with Cityneon for this global touring exhibition will play a key role in our continuing expansion of the reach and impact of the Avatar franchise around the world.”

Released in 2009, James Cameron’s Avatar was the highest-grossing film in motion picture history with a box office gross of nearly $2.8 billion, a record held for ten years. Captivating audiences across the globe with its otherworldly visuals and groundbreaking special effects, the film quickly became a worldwide phenomenon. Avatar is set to be followed by four sequels, with the first sequel scheduled for release in December 2021.

Experiential licensing experts Cityneon acquires Animax

Cityneon Holdings today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Animax Designs, a world leader and global provider of animatronic characters.

Animax Designs was founded by Chuck Fawcett in 1989 and just celebrated its 30th year anniversary in the creation of cutting- edge animatronic and interactive characters, animated costumes, and puppets.

With a workforce of 150, Animax serves some of the largest operators in the world in themed entertainment, live attractions, and location-based entertainment. Its rich history, years of innovation and use of leading-edge technology has gained

Animax a respectable reputation and today, its global clientele includes The Walt Disney Company, Nickelodeon, NBC Universal, Warner Bros., Sesame Workshop, Viacom, Feld Entertainment, and SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment.

“I am extremely proud of all that we have accomplished at Animax over the last 30 years, and I firmly believe that this combination with Cityneon will unlock even more value for shareholders as Cityneon continues to set the pace in what is an exciting and dynamic industry,” said Fawcett.

“This transaction will also substantially expand our international reach, allowing us to offer our world-class products to more strategic markets around the world.”

Fawcett also sits on the International Board of the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), an international non- profit association representing the world’s leading creators, developers, designers and producers of compelling places and experiences – worldwide.

“This is a strategic acquisition for Cityneon, and it is exciting that it is happening at a time when the Company is growing from a position of strength to becoming an industry leader in the creation of new and innovative visitor experiences around the world,” said Ron Tan, executive chairman and group CEO of the Group.

“This acquisition also brings along further diversification of the management and executive teams within Cityneon, which is varied across different cultures and nationalities. We will continue on this path to build, strengthen and add depth to a world-class leadership team for the Cityneon Group.”

The Animax transaction was based on a combination of cash and shares in Cityneon and Animax is expected to contribute immediately to the revenue and profits of the Group post acquisition.