Silicon Sandbox: Two Bit Circus founders on running amusement park in the pandemic era
LOS ANGELES - The founders of Two Bit Circus' Micro-Amusement Park in downtown Los Angeles shared their origin story and experience running the theme park of the future amid pandemic closures.
Episode 2 of Silicon Sandbox highlights how the tech industry is surviving during a global pandemic.
Two Bit Circus' Micro-Amusement Park in downtown Los Angeles, which closed its doors in March, has shown other tech companies fighting to stay afloat what it means to adapt and overcome.
Founders Eric Gradman and Brent Bushnell caught up with Steve Chung, chief digital officer at FOX TV Stations, and VP of Digital Tech Mike Shivas to talk about how their idea for a futuristic carnival went from the amusement park of tomorrow to a virtual interactive arcade following the coronavirus crisis that saw the closures of scores of businesses in Los Angeles.
It's no wonder with Gradman's experience in computer programming and Bushnell’s engineering experience that they would surely manage to provide the amusement park of your dreams.
That skill set seems to run in the family, too. Bushnell, the son of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese's co-founder Nolan Bushnell, shared his experience and how he was able to envision an entertainment space for the 21st century.
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Before Two Bit Circus' location in LA's arts district closed down, the park offered an array of fun attractions — from virtual experiences to out-of-this-world arcades.
Now, the team has launched a collection of online, live, interactive shows, as well as virtual events, under a new title: Two Bit Circus Remote.
"We are all adjusting to the changes that this pandemic has made to our lives," Two Bit Circus website reads. "We’ve created a customized interactive-cast in which you and your guests can play a set of games. The content is fully customizable, from the games questions, topics, all the way to the branding of the web app."
Access to the virtual games and events can be found on the company's website.
Gradman and Bushnell also talked about the Two Bit Circus Foundation and the impact that up-and-coming tech startups have on their communities.
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Their foundation is aimed at inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs while encouraging young inventors to chase their dreams and change the world.
Episodes of Silicon Sandbox can be found anywhere you listen to podcasts as well as the podcasts page on the FOX 11 Los Angeles website, which is home to even more exciting new content.