Mattel-Branded Family Entertainment Centers in the Works

Mattel has plans to create the first multibranded family entertainment centers featuring its Barbie, Hot Wheels and Mega Construx brands.

The centers will bring the popular Mattel brands to life by combining physical and digital play, featuring immersive, hands-on activities and entertainment experiences. To be created in partnership with iP2Entertainment, the centers’ content and attractions will be geared toward families with children ages 4 to 10. The first of these Mattel-branded family entertainment centers—each of which will feature themed areas for Barbie, Hot Wheels and Mega Construx—is a 25,000-square-foot space that is slated to open in Toronto in spring 2020.

Janet Hsu, chief franchise management officer at Mattel, said: “The family entertainment centers will extend the emotional connection of our brands with kids and allow Mattel to continue to bring wonder and imagination to families. The family entertainment centers offer a powerful combination of physical and digital play that gives kids the chance to interact with Barbie, Hot Wheels and Mega Construx through live events and experiences, gaming and content.”

Roger Houben, iP2Entertainment CEO, said: “Our partnership with Mattel reimagines the indoor entertainment center experience, which, until now, has seen limited innovation for nearly four decades. Together, we’ll create brand new physical and digital play-based experiences for kids that will get them moving and engaged in ways that no small screen device could.”