Latest news with #MeowWolf
CNET
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
Meow Wolf's Weird Physical Universe Is Planning to Extend Into Augmented Reality
I've spent years exploring immersive physical and digital spaces and dreaming of how they can overlap. A new partnership is finally making my dream come true. Immersive installation creator Meow Wolf and Pokemon Go creator Niantic Spatial will join forces to expand and extend existing Meow Wolf spaces into a mixed reality game. It will live on your phone, activate and change your physical experience in immersive exhibits, and could even follow you home. The partnership is starting this year with a closed beta test of the world-mapped AR overlays in Meow Wolf's Denver space, Convergence Station. The location-based technology is also designed to bleed outside the physical exhibit and appear on phones. It may even show up on future AR glasses, starting with plans for 2026. "The belief here is that the Meow Wolf universe really could extend both physically and digitally across the entire globe," Vince Kadlubek, Meow Wolf co-founder and chief vision officer told me. Our exclusive conversation included Meow Wolf CTO John Lee and the heads of Niantic Spatial's team. I'm imagining some sort of bizarre Pokemon Go-like series of interdimensional quests that start in the exhibits and continue when you're home, and that's not far off from what's being planned. The partnership could make Meow Wolf's sensory-overload experiences feel even more fascinating, but it also indicates where other immersive physical spaces and theme parks could be heading soon. Meow Wolf dabbled in VR a few years ago, recreating one of its Denver installations in Walkabout Mini Golf. The new partnership with Ninatic aims to directly layer virtual elements into physical exhibits via your phone. Mighty Coconut Physical spaces get augmented reality layers Meow Wolf, a Santa Fe-based collective, has already created five different immersive interactive installations around the US and has plans for two more in the next several years. It's a company I became recently obsessed with because it's already been heavily dabbling in the physical-digital, real-virtual blend. All their experiences are created to feel like they're tapping into interdimensional portals, while their actual exhibits are made out of largely physical materials by hundreds of artists. Now Playing: Meow Wolf and Interactive Experiences - Tech Therapy 06:55 Extending into virtual and augmented reality is a goal Meow Wolf has had for years. The company made a virtual version of its Denver exhibit inside a VR mini golf game in 2023, and played around with AR in its apps back in 2019. The folks from Niantic and Meow Wolf told me that the current move is different. It's actually aiming to layer the real-world exhibits with AR that'll be mapped onto the physical spaces, using visual positioning tools Niantic Spatial started building in games like Pokemon Go. And it's going to work with physical things in the exhibits. "We've been doing a lot of work with what we call mechanical connectivity, so that things that you do in the app can affect the actual physical exhibition via local state changes or big takeovers, and vice versa," Meow Wolf CTO Lee said. When I spoke to Meow Wolf earlier this year, I learned that that the planned New York installation will explore mixed reality in all new ways. This looks like a big part of those plans. "We are in a unique position -- because we have these indoor environments, we are able to build this show system infrastructure that is quite sophisticated," said Kadlubek. Peridot, a mixed-reality pet made by Niantic Spatial, shows some hints of where Meow Wolf's collaboration could be heading. Screenshot by Scott Stein/CNET A field test for the overlap of real and AR The closed beta test later this year will change the way entering and moving through Meow Wolf's Denver location will feel. It'll start with an AR mission outside involving an outdoor portal, leading to quests inside the Meow Wolf space. Maps with portal locations could start appearing in Meow Wolf's app with AR quests. Meow Wolf and Niantic Spatial "What you did outside of the exhibition matters now to what you're doing inside of the exhibition, and the quest continues as you find additional clues and solve additional puzzles inside the exhibition, " explained Kadlubek. "You then have a reward of the exhibition itself physically responding to you completing that quest, being able to recognize who you are and what you've done, and responding with light and sound projection specifically for you. After you leave the exhibition more AR points on a map show up. The proof of concept stops there, but you can start to understand how important that piece is to scaling to other cities, and then eventually scaling globally." After the beta, a public version of the overlaid AR experience could arrive at either Meow Wolf's Denver or upcoming LA locations, according to Kadlubek. Balancing virtual distractions with real experiences The blending of the virtual and the physical is a difficult territory, one promised by AR companies for years. Companies like Niantic Spatial and Snap have built tools and apps that add AR onto physical landmarks or scans of real-world mapped areas. Niantic Spatial used to have a number of AR-enabled games, but sold off most of its gaming properties to Scopely and is now focused on spatial technologies with real-world mapping. Recent projects like Peridot, a whimsical augmented reality pet that looks like it's running around your home, show off how some of the technology could work. The Meow Wolf partnership sounds almost like Pokemon Go, but it'll work both at exhibits and away from them. Kadlubek suggests that the ideal mix is about 20% AR at physical locations and 80% real, and 80% AR when using the app anywhere else. "It's been a long time coming to get the technology to a place where the experience is realistic enough and feels precise enough. And you know, our huge focus is on this idea of connecting bits to atoms, really bringing immersive digital content onto the canvas of the 3D world," said Thomas Gewecke, Niantic Spatial's president and COO. "We think the time has come for this sort of capability." Kadlubek and Lee acknowledge that they don't want these new AR experiences to overwhelm or distract from the physical installations themselves, which are already a celebration of sensory overload. But the AR and mapping additions to Meow Wolf's app could help add quests and deeper layers of substory. Tapping into one of Meow Wolf's terminals at its Las Vegas exhibit. Little RFID cards serve as souvenirs and a sort of interactive game layer. Future layers of augmented-reality interaction with the physical space could do even more. Scott Stein/CNET Where will the real and virtual overlaps blend and bleed here and everywhere else? Meow Wolf's exhibits already have layers of games and secrets, triggered by in-world interactive objects like phones, or by tapping NFC-triggered cards to terminals. Universal's Super Nintendo World and Wizarding World have quests and challenges that get triggered by bands and wands that tap or wave in certain places at the right time. Watch this: What I Unlocked in Epic Universe With Nintendo Power-Up Bands and Harry Potter Wands 08:00 These extra pieces all need to lean on more evolved phone apps, a thing that not everyone visiting a theme park or an art exhibit wants to start pulling out of their pockets. With Disney and Universal, phone apps have become overloaded. Meow Wolf's evolving phone app, which I tried in the Santa Fe and Denver exhibits this spring, is more mysterious -- and it's already overlapping with the physical places. Turning on a "psychic sensor" lets the app scan for Bluetooth beacons in the rooms you walk through. After your visit, you can open it up and see secrets you've unlocked: artifacts you may have missed, videos, bits of lore. Meow Wolf's Kadlubek and Lee say the Niantic Spatial tech infusions will keep evolving that app's creative overlaps in new ways, and add an ARG-like series of game quests that will keep following you. They could even be used, potentially, to connect to pop-up experiences, other partner art exhibits or to trigger or organize performances. The ideas remind me of the potential I saw when Niantic first announced its Lightship world-mapped developer platform years ago, and a collaboration with immersive theater company Punchdrunk that was canceled before anything was created. I've seen promises of these types of overlaps and connections come and go. Are they actually starting to happen? This time, however, the overlays could be coming in all sorts of ways. Meow Wolf's exhibits are going to be built for this tech integration going forward, said Lee. Existing exhibits are being retro-fitted and enhanced -- with the exception of the original, less tech-infused House of Eternal Return in Santa Fe. I already got lost in Meow Wolf's mazes of dripping art, losing myself in other worlds. The collective's weird merchandise sits on my shelves, like escaped pieces of my journey. But maybe I'll be living in Meow Wolf's world all the time in the future. Is that where all our theme parks are heading, too?
Business Journals
05-06-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Meow Wolf's chief impact officer Julie Heinrich departs
Julie Heinrich delivered the keynote at an Albuquerque Business First Women's Summit where she touched on the work Meow Wolf is doing as well as her personal story and her love for New Mexico.
New York Post
03-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Cash-rich retailers are scrapping for a slice of NYC's best avenues
Is everything finally coming up roses for city stores? Maybe. Retail leasing velocity across the city is up 14%, year over year. That represents over 3.5 million square feet of new leases and renewals — and according to CBRE, the number of available storefronts on the main shopping streets has dropped. That's good news for shoppers — but a tough break for stores that want the better locations. It's a situation that parallels Manhattan's divided office market, said Lee Block of Winick Realty Group. Retailers want better spaces and are willing to pay top dollar for them. 5 Meow Wolf nabbed over 74,000 square feet at Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport. Keeyahtay Lewis 'The flight to quality has been a big theme in the office world, and it also works in the retail world,' said Block, referring to the demand for luxury offices that is spilling over to some Class B buildings but leaving most C owners in the lurch while spurring residential conversions. Adding to the competition are new to NYC retailers, who inked 24 deals that gobbled up 205,000 square feet just in the first quarter, according to CBRE. For instance, the immersive art experience, Meow Wolf, leased over 74,000 square feet at Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport for its first NYC location. And Seaview Productions, the group behind George Clooney's 'Good Night and Good Luck,' leased the vacant 16,679-square-foot former Second Stage theater at 681 Eighth Ave. near Times Square. 5 Times Square had always been a nest for major league retailers like Sephora. Tamara Beckwith If fact, Times Square has always been a target for large retailers, with shops like Sephora open until 11 p.m. to service late-day, pre- and après-Broadway show crowds. 'It's the busiest place,' declared Gene Spiegelman of Ripco. At the end of last year, Lincoln Market signed to bring its supermarket to a 35,809-square-foot space left by Lucky Strike bowling at Silverstein Properties' River Place at 650 W. 42nd St. Nevertheless, Times Square still has massive holes, such as the 91,000 square feet that Forever 21 will give up at Vornado's 1540 Broadway and 58,000 square feet ABC is leaving at 1500 Broadway. 5 Forever isn't forever in Times Square. Reuters Another sign of life comes from the Manhattan's ultra-competitive restauranteurs who ate up 171,000 square feet in 39 Manhattan deals. Among them is Michelin chef Masaharu Morimoto who will occupy 17,600 square feet at 1255 Broadway in Nomad. Chicago's Michelin steakhouse Maple & Ash leased nearly 17,000 square feet at Vornado's 1290 Ave. of the Americas and STK will open in 12,600 square feet at 200 Park Ave. South. Old Navy is giving up 150 W. 34th St. to Primark so it can move to 55,000 square feet on corner of Herald Square at 50 W. 34th St. Looking further downtown, vacancies along Broadway in Soho are nearly extinct. 5 Chef Masaharu Morimoto will occupy 17,600 square feet at 1255 Broadway. Google Earth Crocs leased a new flagship at 543 Broadway, and New Balance will hop into 542 Broadway. Calvin Klein signed to open a flagship at 530 Broadway and GU opened at 668-678 Broadway. The Chinese-based, fast-fashion brand Urban Revivo opened its first US store in 30,000 square feet at 515 Broadway. 'Global brands stiltl consider New York the launch pad for expanding their businesses,' said Spiegelman who represented Urban Revivo. 'The top of their list is Soho.' Adidas will relocate its flagship from 115 Spring to 8,700 square feet at 135 Spring. Ray-Ban renewed its 7,000 square feet at 116 Wooster and is building out a new global flagship at 62 Prince. Additionally, 7 For All Mankind's denims renewed 5,500 square feet at 392 W. Broadway. 5 Soho is fast becoming the premier place to shop in Manhattan. Getty Images As higher-priced space was leased, rents on prime Prince Street dropped to $750 per foot, down 24% quarter-over-quarter and 30% year-over-year, according to CBRE. The competition for the best Soho spaces is now so fierce that even the biggest fish are being out bid. For instance, LVMH is hunting for a corner location for Tiffany & Co. (now at 97 Green St.) — but it's already lost out on spaces like the new Ferrari former Nespresso space location at 92 Prince St. which may have leased for $1,800 per foot, the Apple location at 103 Prince and Ralph Lauren's digs at 109 Prince which the retailer just bought for $132 million. 'Everyone is keenly aware and the uncertainty is having an impact.' Matthew Siegel of Lantern Real Estate 'It's hard to find space on Prince, Greene or Spring — you almost have to pay key money,' said Richard Hodos of JLL. Like Ralph Lauren, some stores are tired of playing games. They're simply buying their space outright. To capitalize on the frenzy of both investors and retailers trying to lock in prime locations, CBRE is offering 115 Spring for sale on behalf of SL Green as the 5,100-square-foot, two-level store will be vacant when Adidas relocates to 135 Spring next March. Uptown, Chanel is in talks to buy 60,000 square feet in the base of Gary Barnett's upcoming luxury residential tower at 655 Madison Ave., according to the Commercial Observer and, if that goes sideways, could turn to Related tower on the next block at 625 Madison or return to its first choice of the former Barney's at 660 Madison should the families that own the building realign their future goals. Meanwhile, B&H Photo paid $150 million to buy 333 W. 34th St. Even so, stock market gyrations over global tariffs are still top of everyone's minds. 'We are seeing our clients preparing for the impact and implications of the tariffs on both consumer behavior and input costs,' said Matthew Siegel of Lantern Real Estate. 'Everyone is keenly aware and the uncertainty is having an impact.'
CBS News
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Grapevine Main Street Fest includes rides, food, live music, and shopping
The family-friendly Main Street Fest in the heart of historic Grapevine wraps up Sunday. It includes live music, craft beverages, shopping, and much more. The 41st annual event brings back joy to kids of all ages with dozens of rides ranging from the adventurous to traditional at the carnival and midway. The kid zone has all kinds of activities for little ones, while adults can try craft beer from across the country. Meow Wolf Grapevine has artists at the event that people can meet. Of course, with a festival comes food from funnel cakes to corn dogs, and dozens of vendors sell handcrafted items with proceeds going back into the community. "It's so great because we have a thousand volunteers who come out and help out with the festival. They're so amazing. We couldn't do it without them, and it actually benefits their civic service organizations and their nonprofits or giving back to the community at the same time," said Elizabeth Schrack, director of communications with the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau. The next big event in Grapevine is the four-day Grapefest in September.
Business Insider
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
My family's traveled to 44 states, but no place has wowed us as much as this Southwestern city
As a travel writer and mom, many people ask me about the best place to take kids on vacation. After visiting 44 states and more than two dozen countries with my son and husband, my answer is still always Las Vegas. Although Sin City has a distinctively grown-up reputation, the abundance of over-the-top experiences found in this Southwestern hot spot also makes it an ideal spot to take kids of all ages. My tween has been numerous times over the years, and he's always asking to go back. Plus, our whole family enjoys it. Here's why we love it so much and think it's a great travel destination for families. Vegas' themed resorts are a feast for the senses On a recent trip to Nevada, we got a room at the Paris Las Vegas for just under $100 a night. Fortunately, I've found that deals on opulent accommodations like these aren't hard to come by in Vegas, especially when traveling during the offseason. Plus, we later got upgraded to a 1,000-square-foot suite complete with epic views of the Sphere entertainment arena and its fun projections. Even my tween was impressed. No matter where we stay, we love walking along the Strip and exploring the fun, elaborately themed resorts in Las Vegas. Whether we're riding the roller coaster at New York-New York Hotel, eating at the epic Caesars Palace buffets, or watching the Bellagio fountain show, we never run out of fun things to do at these mega-hotels. There's a wide variety of immersive experiences and shows Vegas is widely known as the "Entertainment Capital of the World," and the city's ever-evolving array of shows and experiences means that there's always something new to discover. We've loved the jaw-dropping acrobatics of Cirque du Soleil, the head-scratching magic tricks of Penn & Teller, and the awe-inspiring interactive art installations at Meow Wolf's Omega Mart. As my son grows and his tastes and interests change, we can continue to explore even more of the city's varied offerings. It's refreshing to have a vacation destination with so many options for fun. It's easy to take day trips from downtown to nearby desert landscapes The glitz and glamour of neon lights is exciting, but we don't have to go far to get away from the bustling city. As a family, we've made unforgettable memories exploring the colorful towers of Seven Magic Mountains, which are about 25 minutes from downtown Vegas. We've also had fun hiking in the otherworldly Valley of Fire State Park that's just about an hour from the Strip. Vegas is also conveniently located near several otherworldly landmarks and parks. Our family has made a day trip out of the two-hour drive from Vegas to California's Death Valley National Park. Plus, we've driven two hours from Vegas to Utah's Zion National Park, passing magnificent red-rock canyons and snowy sandstone cliffs along the way. As avid road trippers, there are few drives we've taken that rival this one in terms of epic scenery. Exploring these remote desert landscapes makes us feel like we're worlds away from the big city — but we can still easily enjoy Vegas' award-winning food and resorts at the end of the night. Luckily, our flights to Vegas are pretty cheap Fortunately, nonstop flights from our home in Orlando to Las Vegas are both plentiful and affordable. I've seen round-trip flights on discount carriers like Spirit and Frontier go for as little as $120.
