Chuck E. Cheese family entertainment centers will now feature animated characters from VeeFriends, an entertainment company that uses Web3 technology to bring hand-drawn characters to life. The collaboration joins a list of different VeeFriends licensing deals and follows Chuck E. Cheese’s recent brand transformation.
VeeFriends characters include Considerate Cowboy, Moral Monkey, Patient Panda, Selfless Sloth, and more. All 238 characters were created and hand-drawn by Founder Gary Vaynerchuk, also known as GaryVee, and each character represents a trait or quality that he hopes to see in the community. The characters are available as NFTs. Chuck E. Cheese guests will see various VeeFriends characters throughout each location.
VeeFriends and Chuck E. Cheese are both built on similar values like community, friendship, positivity, and kindness — resulting in a collaboration full of love. Both brands aim to cultivate a safe, positive environment for family and friends.
“Millions of families have trusted us with celebrating their birthdays through the decades, and we look forward to serving our multi-generation of fans at this event through our partnership with VeeFriends,” David McKillips, President and CEO of CEC Entertainment, says. “Our two brands have a shared passion for wholesome fun and entertainment, and I can’t wait for what is to come.”
The collaboration kicked off in Brooklyn this month with a celebration for Vaynerchuk’s birthday, where VeeFriends Series 1 Access Token collectors met Vaynerchuk, watched videos of VeeFriends characters, and played arcade games, similar to what Chuck E. Cheese attendees across the nation will experience during the collab.
Chuck E. Cheese guests can expect to find prizes featuring VeeFriends characters such as Notorious Ninja, a Series 2 character, and Diamond Hands Hen. Arcade gamers can also watch VeeFriends entertainment content, such as short animations, on the Chuck E. Cheese closed-circuit TV network as they play games.
“We are introducing debuting, reinforcing, and bringing these characters to life in our four walls,” McKillips says.
VeeFriends fans and Chuck E. Cheese lovers will experience updated entertainment centers as a result of a brand transformation, with new menu items, a new dance floor, options for active play, and brand-new arcade games.
“We have completely overhauled the entire brand and we’re digital forward. We brought in the new dance floors, the jumbotrons, the largest closed-circuit family television network in the industry, new prizes … we’ve brought in celebrity chefs … and we’re introducing active play to all of our fun centers,” McKillips says. “We’re also taking Chuck E. Cheese outside the four walls for the first time with collaborations in NASCAR and collaborations in music with a multi-city concert tour. And then we just signed with California Dreamin’ water park for a whole family area based on Chuck E. Cheese.”
This collaboration is a result of one of the many partnerships VeeFriends has revealed recently. The company has partnerships and licensing deals with several toy companies including Mattel, where the two companies collaborated on Masters of the Universe action figures.
VeeFriends has ventured into plush as well through a collaboration with Jazwares, transforming some of its characters into 12-inch tall Squishmallows plush products. There are also various VeeFriends NFT characters available as plush and vinyl collectibles at Macy’s and Toys ‘R’ Us.
As for the future of VeeFriends, Vaynerchuk plans to focus on the connection between the consumer or NFT holder and their chosen character through other licensing deals and partnerships.
“I don’t plan on doing new NFTs in 2024. We’ve got enough in the market right now. What I’m trying to do is really focus on demand. I want people to fall in love with these characters. So more animation, storytelling, kids books, comic strips, things that actually start to allow people to feel a connection,” he says.
Chuck E. Cheese is also making some additional moves into brand extensions through licensing partnerships with Funko, Just Funky, Wilder Games in association with Barry & Jason Games & Entertainment, and more.
