More than 4,000 fun seekers enjoyed Activate, the UK’s newest immersive competitive socialising experience, in the first two weeks of its 19 July launch at the Metrocentre, well exceeding the company’s first fortnight forecast.
Activate chose the Northeast’s leading retail and leisure destination as its second location – and first outside of London – because it was the obvious next step for the expansion of the popular experiential brand where thrill-seekers are invited to jump, climb, and problem-solve in real-time interactive game rooms.
Featuring 12 cutting-edge spaces and nine immersive game types – including Laser, Mega Grid, Hoops, Portals and more – groups of two to five can take on challenges across various difficulty levels in a dynamic, adrenaline-fuelled adventure.
And not only were the Activate team blown away by the opening fortnight visitor numbers, but they have also been overwhelmed by the five-star reviews the attraction has received.
Visitors have described Activate as “so much fun! Everyone needs to give this a try, nothing like it in the northeast”, “so many games to play for all ages! Very futuristic, think The Cube, Crystal Maze and a Mr Beast Video all rolled into one such a good idea!” “So much fun, great experience and a real workout too. All the staff were super friendly and helpful and Rafael in particular was very knowledgeable about games and how to play them, he even offered up a few recommendations. Would definitely recommend 10/10.”
Rich Beese, co-founder of We Do Play, the experiential leisure group behind Activate UK, said: “We knew that Newcastle would love Activate but the reviews and 4,000 visitors in the first two weeks have really confirmed to us that the Metrocentre was the perfect choice for our second UK location for Activate. Activate at The O2 quickly became one of the top-performing Activate venues globally, and now the Metrocentre looks like it is quickly following in The O2’s footsteps. We are over the moon at the success of Activate’s Northeast launch.”
Gavin Prior, centre director at Metrocentre, said: “We always knew Activate would be a hit with our visitors, but seeing over 4,000 people through the doors in just two weeks has blown us away. We’re focused on creating memorable moments and offering experiences that appeal to all ages. Activate fits that ambition perfectly, bringing something truly unique to the region that complements our growing leisure offer. It’s exciting to see how much our visitors have embraced it, and we’re proud to be home to such an innovative concept that’s creating a real buzz across the region.”
Originally launched in Canada in 2017, Activate has grown into a global sensation with 60 locations across Canada, the US, and Dubai, and over 750 million social media views. The brand’s UK rollout continues apace, with new venues planned in Leicester and Oxford Street, London, later this year.
