U.S. theme park operator Six Flags Entertainment Corp. launched a metaverse experience for visitors to its fun parks, including water-based activities like sliding, wet bubbles, and swimming.
The idea is that users will be able to virtually explore the theme parks across all of the company’s attractions—like the Great Escape in New York, Hurricane Harbor in Oaxtepec, Mexico, and La Ronde English in Quebec, Canada—before they visit in person.
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Test driving reality in the metaverse
Six Flags operates 27 theme parks, including water parks, across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. The New York Stock Exchange-listed firm worked with six entities, including Google and data cloud provider Snowflake, to create the so-called “digital alliance” for its latest venture.
The company’s metaverse leverages AI technology from Google to enhance its immersive and interactive appeal. It is kind of a virtual test drive for real-world amusement park activities, Six Flags asserts.
Selim Bassoul, CEO of Six Flags, said the project aims to improve the visitor experience by “streamlining pre-visit planning” through personalized, AI-driven “intelligent recommendation systems.”
He believes the metaverse will boost “real-time engagement” during guest visits, according to a statement. Bassoul said the company is “using data and technology” to deliver “tailored experiences” for each user, making their visit “more personalized, enjoyable, and memorable.”
Six Flags plans to release its metaverse experience in the “coming months.” People can access the web-based fun theme park using virtual reality headsets, mobile devices, desktops, and via an augmented reality platform hosted by Pure Imagination Studios.
Pure Imagination CEO Joshua Wexler said the Six Flags metaverse will bring “experiential entertainment” through “storytelling, expanded interactivity, and game play in both the physical and digital worlds.”
Entertainment firms tap virtual worlds
Founded 63 years ago, Six Flags Entertainment is one of the biggest regional theme park operators in the world. The company operates 27 theme parks: 24 in the United States, two in Mexico, and one in Canada.
Six Flags says millions of people have visited its theme and water parks for various activities, including roller coaster rides, themed rides, and other water-based experiences.
The company, which reported net income of $111 million during the third quarter of 2023, joins several media and entertainment entities like Warner Music Group, Universal, Shemaroo, and Disney that have created their own metaverse experiences.
In May last year, the BBC Studios launched metaverse versions of its popular TV programs Doctor Who and Top Gear, part of the British broadcaster’s “ambitious plans to grow our brands into new categories with innovative technology.”
The metaverse, a new frontier where people can explore new worlds, meet, and create new experiences, is seen as a major opportunity for media companies to reach fresh audiences and generate new revenue streams.
Shares of Six Flags fell 0.2% to $24.48 after closing on Monday. Over the past year, the stock has reached a high of $31.29 and a low of $18.29, according to Yahoo Finance.
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