Third Place

Pico Play, a global leader in planning, designing, developing, and constructing world-class themed attractions and entertainment, will unveil PlayMAXX, its innovative gameplay system for the attractions industry, at IAAPA Expo Asia in Hong Kong from 10- 12 June 2026.

Developed in collaboration with trusted technology partner 2DM, PlayMAXX transforms visitors into active participants, delivering story-driven, quest-based gameplay suitable for venues of all sizes, from family entertainment centres to international theme parks.

The system uses RFID technology embedded in a smart wristband to grant access to attractions and activities, monitor achievements, and personalise the guest experience. This enables guests to compete, cooperate, and progress across different attractions.

A new immersive adventure

Darren McLean, Pico Play executive director, says the PlayMAXX offering was designed to be seamless and simple to integrate across any type of entertainment venue:

“PlayMAXX is gaming for attractions, we're taking the DNA of computer gaming and applying that into a location-based attraction. Guests will find themselves at the heart of the experience.

"Armed with a wristband, they’ll build their own player profile, physically complete quests and missions across the whole park, and as they do so, they’ll earn points for their achievements and unlock rewards and promotions.

“Entertainment value aside, one of the most appealing elements of PlayMAXX is that it’s an inclusive and multi-generational experience that has the ability to engage park guests across every age and ability.”

PlayMAXX from Pico Play invites guests to be part of the action and shape the story as they goImage courtesy of Pico Play

Ben Griffith, PlayMAXX chief technology officer, says the impact is immersive:

“In a traditional theme park, you watch the story unfold like a 3D movie. With PlayMAXX, you get to play the movie. You're the hero, and every choice you make shapes the story and your experience."

The PlayMAXX experience goes far beyond just the physical attraction. From the moment a guest purchases a ticket, PlayMAXX can provide pre-visit content to immerse them in the story before their arrival.

After the visit, guests can remain engaged through leaderboards, ongoing rewards, and connected story chapters that prepare them for their next adventure.

Benefits for operators

For venue and attraction operators, PlayMAXX is not just a guest-experience upgrade; it also functions as a comprehensive commercial platform. It features a promotions engine that enables venues to send targeted offers to specific demographics, boost in-park spending, and promote repeat visits.

“We're providing a platform for venues to push out their own targeted promotions within the gaming experience. This applies to anything that drives spending in their venue on the day, repeat visitation or partnerships,” says McLean.

Innovation in this category has long been overdue, he adds.

“Operators have been pitched the promise of gamification for a decade. True immersive gameplay that we're offering, they haven't experienced before.”

Operators can additionally update content, provide support for multiple languages, and reorganize quests using PlayMAXX's integrated content management system to enhance the experience.

Pico Play's PlayMAXX gameplay system is powered by RFID bands for seamless gameplay and operationsImage courtesy of Pico Play

For Griffith, who oversaw the engineering build, the architectural choice was a key factor:

“Our heritage is in making games and building enterprise grade solutions. The whole idea was to look at what's working in gaming: have seasons, have skins, make it fast, scalable and robust. We knew the solution needed to be responsive and have low latency."

PlayMAXX combines an on-premises game engine and RFID-based identity layer with secure cloud replication, providing sub-second responsiveness in-park and integrating seamlessly with existing ticketing, payment, photo capture, and food and beverage systems.

“We have a flexible mindset, with a small integration piece we are able to connect to existing systems so it's a smoother guest experience overall,” adds Griffith.

PlayMAXX provides a platform experience similar to what operators like Disney and Universal have developed for their parks, offering it as a white-label solution that any venue can implement.

“From a smaller single centre all the way to larger operators across multiple locations, guests can have a Disney-esque or Universal-esque experience all around the world,” says McLean.

Meet the team at IAAPA Expo Asia

Visitors to Pico Play's booth at IAAPA Expo Asia 2026 in Hong Kong will be among the first in the world to experience PlayMAXX.

The team has developed a fully portable version of the platform—a standalone setup that includes everything from the RFID reader and game engine to the camera, lighting, and operator dashboard.

Attendees can register using a QR code, enjoy two short games, earn rewards, and view their personal player profile with achievements and redemption options.

Afterwards, they will gain access to the operator view, exploring the complete analytics dashboard, interactive park map, guest progress tracking, and reader monitoring tools.

“Within three minutes, visitors to our booth should understand what it is and already be thinking about how it can be applied to their venue,” says McLean.

Pico Play also recently added a new showroom and innovative staging facility to its Middle East operations. The purpose-designed space features a modern showroom with a curated exhibition of props, models, and design elements from key projects, plus a staging area with advanced lighting and AV tech.