Activate, which is described as the “world’s first tech-led active gaming attraction”, is set to launch in four new locations by June including Oxford Street. This follows a hugely successful launch at The O2 in London in December.
Activate launched in Canada in 2017 and chose London’s The O2 for its European launch. It has been brought to the UK by We Do Play, one of the UK’s leading experiential leisure groups and the company that launched the successful entertainment experiences, including Flip Out indoor adventure parks and Putt Putt Social and founded the Boom Battle Bar brand.
A sensation in North America with 32 locations across Canada and the US and social media channels with more than 750 million views, Activate is said to be revolutionising the world of competitive socialising in the UK by inviting thrill seekers and lovers of competitive socialising to jump, climb and problem-solve in 12 real-time interactive game rooms.
Since its launch in December, Activate has welcomed thousands of visitors through its doors and is scoring five out of five on all of its Tripadvisor reviews with fans describing it as “challenging, immersive, and a great workout at the same time”, and saying “they wouldn’t hesitate to come back for future games with friends and family”.
Due to its huge success, the Activate team is keen to bring this popular experience to other cities in the UK and has already chosen four new locations to launch in by June with many more to follow as part of an accelerated ramp-up of expansion plans throughout 2025.
Rich Beese, co-founder of We Do Play, said: “The launch of Activate at The O2 has been a huge success. We knew it was going to be popular, but we have been overwhelmed by its success in only the first month since it opened. The feedback from customers has been incredible. As a company, We Do Play has been leading the way in the world of competitive socialising for many years and we have been keen to maintain our position as a pioneer. By bringing Activate straight from North America to London shows how dedicated we are to be constantly evolving the experiences that we are creating in the world of competitive socialising and entertainment.
“Activate is a real game changer when it comes to experiences. Recent research shows that 30%of the UK adult population have previously been to a competitive socialising venue and enjoyed experiences very much based on traditional concepts of games such as adventure golf, darts, cricket, shuffleboard, axe throwing and pool.
“And 57% of those who haven’t experienced competitive socialising said they would consider it in the future. So, there is huge scope for growth. And an experience such as Activate is really leading the way in terms of tech-led, active competitive socialising and is shaking up the industry in terms of what people can expect and enjoy from a night out with friends.
“Oxford Street is going to be our next location, which will bring Activate to a whole new audience. This central London location will be incredible.
“Our rollout of Activate across the UK is going to be huge. We want to bring this incredible experience to as many places as possible in the country. 2025 is going to be a big year for Activate.”
