Tag: nerf arena

Manchester-based NERF Action Xperience (NAX) kick-starts UK rollout

Been sitting on this news for some time, but there’s still plenty to talk about! Nerf has a number of initiatives out there, from the mobile tour in North America, a Nerf theme park in Brazil, and a Nerf Action Xperience in Singapore, Nerf is putting another theme arena in Manchester!

This isn’t the first time that Nerf has had a UK based experience, there was/is a setup at Quest arena from years ago, but this is new and looks to be a more standardized setup as this would mark the second location called a “Nerf Action Xperience”. The full press release/article follows:


“Having successfully entered a licensing agreement with global branded entertainment company HASBRO, Rocafella Leisure have recently secured the investment to commence work on the first NERF Action Xperience family entertainment centre (FEC) in the UK.

Each NAX centre provides guests with a multitude of NERF fuelled indoor activities to explore, exhilarate and excite. It consists of three different zones to activate those ultimate NERF adventures in a purpose-built and immersive environment.

The competition zone allows groups to battle it out with different NERF blasters in three immersive themed arenas.

The sports zone features a huge atrium of NERF-related sports challenges including basketball and football volley. Finally, there is a dedicated training zone to hone players targeting skills, truly providing something for everyone.

The inaugural FEC will open in the recently rebranded Trafford Palazzo (Manchester) in Summer 2023, marking the start of a UK-wide rollout which will see two further locations added within the coming years.”

“The NERF Action Xperience in Manchester embodies Hasbro’s Brand Blueprint 2.0, our strategic approach to bringing Hasbro’s iconic brands to life, for fans of all ages,” said Matt Proulx, VP Location Based Entertainment at Hasbro, Inc. “As we expand the NERF franchise into new categories, we will continue to introduce innovative experiences for consumers – and we’re excited to partner with Rocafella Leisure to bring the NAX experience to fans throughout the UK.” 

Working alongside Peel L&P, who now own and successfully manage Trafford Palazzo, Rocafella Leisure shared the same vision to create a unique and rich blend of IP-led entertainment within the venue, which adjoins one of Europe’s largest retail and leisure destinations, the Trafford Centre.

The new Nerf FEC being introduced by Rocafella Leisure will join Trafford Palazzo’s growing tenant mix as it continues to elevate its offering whilst becoming a rivalled destination for retail, leisure and entertainment for families of all ages. The tenant mix currently includes Primark,

Merlin operated LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre and SEA LIFE, Silentnight, Homesense, Natuzzi, newly opened Italian restaurant, Matterello and the newly announced forthcoming addition, King Pins which is due to open in the Spring of 2023.

Work has already begun on altering the current layout and infrastructure of the ground-floor unit, located just inside the main entrance of Trafford Palazzo, installing a mezzanine floor and preparing the mechanical and electrical infrastructure in readiness for the main contractor to start the first phase of building works.

Mark Whittaker, Executive Director Property Investment & Management for Peel L&P said:

“We are really excited to welcome Nerf Action Experience to Trafford Palazzo. The brand aligns perfectly with all existing operators and will I’m sure be extremely popular with visitors, old and new.

“Over the past year, we have focused on developing an activations and events strategy within our mall space which has attracted significant interest and demonstrates the power of creating experiences for customers within a retail space. We are excited to develop our strategy and offering further to bring some spectacular collaborations to Trafford Palazzo.”

Rocafella Leisure have agreed an exclusive partnership with Archie’s, the Manchester based American-inspired diner to be the operator of the food and beverage (F&B) offer within the FEC.

The team–up with Archie’s seemed a logical fit, helping deliver a first-class F&B offering that is grounded in quality and service, and where both brands can use similar values and positioning to attract like-minded customers.

This relationship presents Rocafella Leisure with a trusted ready-made F&B proprietor with appropriate menus, that can organise and deliver children’s parties and have the added advantage of attracting passing footfall to boost their sales.  

Amer Rafiq, co-founder of Archie’s said: “We are hugely excited to be partnering with NAX on such a high-profile attraction coming to Manchester.

“The decision to work together was an easy one, as our overall brand proposition and american-inspired menu has great appeal with the intended audience coming to NAX.

“Working with NAX has enabled us to take a huge step in our growth plans, providing a route into new markets where entertainment and dining are possible under one roof. A sector that both organisations are well-equipped and eager to capitalise on through this successful partnership. 

“We look forward to opening our doors next summer as we welcome battle-ready NERFers to experience the high-quality food and drink from our menu as they refuel after a fun and energetic time at NAX.”

As the build takes shape, investments into local services to launch the new centre, provide a positive contribution to local economic growth. Once up and running, 45 new jobs will be created, offering opportunities to kick-start a career within the leisure and hospitality sector.

A curriculum is being developed to help schools and colleges utilise the facilities for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning as key STEM topics can be demonstrated through the gameplay and operations within the venue.

Chris Hayes, Chief Executive of Rocafella Leisure Group said: “This is a momentous moment for Rocafella Leisure as we establish, what we believe, a world-renowned destination that personifies the brand values of NERF within an entertainment setting.

“HASBRO have been extremely supportive of the vision we have proposed and like us are extremely excited to bring this venue to life; continuing to enable and inspire the use of their IP in pioneering ways within the LBE (location based entertainment) sector.

“Not only are we creating a place for families and adults to experience NERF beyond their own homes, we will transport them to an immersive space where they can play with the freedom to challenge, compete, and take home bragging rights – if they wish!

“The industry needs new entrants, those that look to disrupt and strengthen the family entertainment offer, and through NAX we firmly believe we will do that. Creating an experience that is backed by long-standing and well regarded IP and brings together families under one roof, supported by forward-thinking landlords who share the same outlooks on the future of the sector.

“Through NAX we also blend fun-fuelled active play with learning, providing an interactive and innovative STEM focused programme that helps young people understand certain areas we offer. They may look at the trajectory of darts from a blaster; the mechanics of how the games work or the digital and technical complexities that run our venue.

“I can’t wait to finally get this open and provide a beacon destination that cements the North West as a leading light in family entertainment. I hope to see many of you there!”

Fit-out work is due to be completed in Summer 2023, with an official opening to follow soon after. To keep up to date with potential opening dates keep an eye on the NAX website www.nerfax.co.uk“

Notes:

●      Rocafella Leisure Group are the official licence holders for the delivery of the NERF Action Xperience in location-based entertainment within the UK

●      NERF is a trademark of Hasbro and is used with permission. © 2022 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. Licensed by Hasbro

"Nerf" Arenas – Blaster Battle Facilities in the U.S. Are Here

“Nerf” Arenas Continue to Spread – a look at NDWA and Dart Warz from 2015



BASIC STATS:

Dart Warz
Locations (US):
Meridian, ID
Colorado Springs, CO
Centennial, CO
Wichita, KS
Pricing:
Varies by location: see website – DART WARZ
Banned blasters?
Yes – see website
Socks/Shoes during play?
Socks

Dart Warz! One of the first arenas I ever heard about, but also definitely the first franchise I ever heard about. Randi and Stanton W. were nice enough to fly me out for a night to experience not only their arena(s), but to try my skills playing on one of their teams for their proprietary tournament, NDWA (National Dart Warz Association.)
As it stood, I met staff from the Idaho location, but had the privilege to look at the Centennial and Colorado Springs locations in the scenic, lovely, state of Colorado. Each location had 2 arenas (with enough square footage to accommodate modern Nerf blasters that hit 40-50’ flat, if that’s helpful), littered with obstacles, pro shop, rental stations, safety briefings, DJs playing music, open play, private games, things like that. It was a real neat setup to see in person. I believe each play area could accommodate up to 40 players on each field, and I can only imagine the chaos THAT would look like.
Dart Warz has rules, as many competitive style places do. One rule is, you play in socks. In order to preserve their floors (foam mats), they ask that players wear socks during play. It took some getting used to for me, but after a bit of time it wasn’t a serious problem. Different, yes. A deal breaker? No. The games also have referees, which removes the honor system in place for a lot of Nerf I played in the past, at least most of the time. Refs are still human and you might think a call gets missed, but just play through and get it the next time. Either way, it’s definitely nice to have the refs there in the first place. There are also special house rules, some special house game types, but nothing I can really go into detail here. Must be experienced! But I had fun and the games we played ranged from the familiar to the alien, and it was great to see a bunch of new (to me) ideas at play. House rules such as bunker destruction, “grenades”, and precision targets as objectives were all fun to participate in, especially in large team games. Players were allowed armor and shield rules as well, which added another depth of tactics for some game types and situations.
The obstacles were sturdy enough, and the field layouts had decent movement, cover, firing lanes, choke points, and so on. Once in awhile the field arrangement seemed a bit favored but for the most part they worked. Dart Warz at the time was still using Vortex blasters heavily, which added an element of surprise, due to the curve of the discs around cover. Many players really liked Vortex, and remarked they were sad to see it fading even then. The Pro Shop had Dart Warz emblazoned gear, including socks, shirts, and headbands. Blasters were rented from a base tier to more expensive tiers, and I think a chronometer was available for “xtreme” (modded, blowguns, etc.) league play. Yes, that’s right, league play. Either way, the facilities and business models appear to have an option of foam blaster play for all ranges of interest in the hobby, from people just getting into it to heavy modders (within reason).

The NDWA tournament itself was an intense affair, pitting the skills of staff from the three arenas against each other in a variety of games, both blaster and melee (with foam swords and other weapons) oriented. Objectives had to be met, flags raised or captured, and within a time limit. Points were awarded based on performance and ultimately one store’s staff would lead in points, but ultimately everyone is still one big Dart Warz entity, just there to have fun and meet the other staff. I had a good time talking to some folks and seeing how they developed their play styles within Dart Warz, and definitely took home some ideas to tool around with in my own games. I flew into the tournament blind, ultimately, and used a Cycloneshock for the duration of the tournament. Opting to step out of my comfort zone, I went with a Mega blaster with slam-fire, and it served me well during the tourney. My loadout consisted of that, my ammo pouch, and my eye protection. It was kinda liberating to not rely on my “favorite” blaster and just go with what I could, a little extra difficulty for me, but an element of the unknown that makes stepping into an unknown playing field with an unknown opponent even more interesting.
I regret I only had a day to spend playing at Dart Warz, but what I did experience was different from my usual park pickup games. And it was a lot of fun all the same trying out something new and seeing how a place like a dedicated Nerf arena might operate, in this case the Dart Warz model. The fact that three stores operate under this brand show there’s some interest out there, and it’s interesting to know that within 3 years of emerging they’ve grown even this much. Yes, it may be a little more rigid than internet organized games and meetups, but places like this forge their own niche in the hobby, as well as introduce the idea of blaster games to a larger more regular and accessible audience. If you have one in your area, it’s definitely worth a look at least once.

SUPER BIG THANK YOU again to the staff and owners of Dart Warz, for bringing me out and putting me up for the night to have this experience. It was a glimpse of something new and different for the hobby, and as a proponent of varied play, I am totally fine with that. Have blaster, will travel.

Questions? Comments? Any facets of the place I missed? Let me know!

Detroit Dart Club Needs your Votes! (Nerf Arena in Detroit, MI)

Vote for the Detroit Dart Club – a Top 10 Semifinalist 

Hatch Detroit is hosting a contest for a savvy entrepreneur to win $50,000, and Detroit Dart Club is in the running! Go to the link here (or the Hatch Detroit link at the beginning) to cast your vote for the Detroit Dart Club. I visited the place last summer, and the owner, Connor, has a really good grasp on the place and about accessible gametypes for newcomers and vets alike. Currently, they can fit about 40 people in the club at a time, and there are lockers (one of which is adorned with a sticker from yours truly), a party area for food, and foam…. so much foam. This is just the semifinals so the contest is far from over, but let’s help get them to the next round and vote, keep the Nerf Arenas growing in the U.S.!

Here’s a shot from last year, but it hardly does them any justice. See more action shots at their instagram feed

Thanks a lot in advance, community! Please let’s help them out and get them growing! (Hatching? Incubating?)