Hey Thrill Seekers,

Harry Potter, Marvel, Star Wars some of the most iconic IP’s are not only in movies but also in Orlando Theme Parks. The rise in story telling being at the forefront of everyone’s long term planning means that securing IP’s has become extremely important. The last big IP deal that springs to my mind is Universal’s partnership with gaming giant Nintendo and this got me thinking…

The gaming industry is currently worth approximately $445 billion, with 3.32 billion people playing annually, this number is expected to increase to 4.9 billion by 2027. The reach of video games is obvious to see. Yesterday I wrote a piece on Halloween Horror Night Houses for 2026, just quickly looking at that showed that 3 of the 7 suggestions I made were based on computer games made into films.

So what other IP’s might be of interest to different parks?

Universal Orlando

Fallout (Bethesda)

• Why: Fits their success with dark, immersive, story-driven worlds (like the Wizarding World). Fallout’s retro-futuristic Americana and post-apocalyptic humor would make a great dark ride.
• Synergy: Live actors, immersive “Vault” roleplay areas, interactive quests, and nostalgic 1950s music would create an amazing sensory experience.

Assassin’s Creed (Ubisoft)

• Why: Widespread global appeal, historical backdrops along with park-friendly action scenes make it ideal for a cutting-edge “time travel” stunt show or even a VR experience.
• Synergy: It has the potential to rival Disney’s iconic “Epcot history meets adventure” vibe.

The Witcher (CD Projekt Red)

• Why: A rich fantasy world, appealing to an adult demographic, with crossover potential for shows / books.
• Synergy: Could give Universal a “fantasy land” counterpoint to Harry Potter.

Cyberpunk 2077

• Why: The neon city aesthetic + music + high-tech chaos = great for upbeat rides and nightlife zones.
• Synergy: A edgy brand that fits CityWalk nightlife. Could be a more exciting Fast & Furious style ride?

Walt Disney World

Kingdom Hearts (Square Enix/Disney)

• Why: They already co-own this — but it’s underused!
• Synergy: Perfect bridge between classic Disney and video game audiences. A Kingdom Hearts dark ride with interactive queue would bring nostalgia.

Animal Crossing (Nintendo)

• Why: It’s a game enjoyed by all ages; Cozy, wholesome, and creativity-driven — exactly Disney’s tone.
• Synergy: “Build your own island” park experience, maybe even mixed reality scavenger hunts.

The Sims (EA)

• Why: Family-oriented, creative, and about living stories.
• Synergy: A “design your world” pavilion in Epcot could tie into imagination and social storytelling.

4. Minecraft (Microsoft)

• Why: Cross-generational and instantly recognizable.
• Synergy: Could evolve Disney’s Play! Pavilion or Tomorrowland into interactive, build-and-explore experiences.

United Parks (SeaWorld/Busch Gardens)

Subnautica (Unknown Worlds)

• Why: Underwater exploration + survival = perfect thematic match.
• Synergy: Could create a next-gen aquarium ride — imagine piloting a small sub in an interactive, projected undersea world.

Endless Ocean (Nintendo)

• Why: Family-friendly and educational.
• Synergy: Integrates perfectly with United parks marine conservation message.

Horizon: Zero Dawn (Guerrilla Games)

• Why: Blends natural landscapes with futuristic creatures, merging nature and technology.
• Synergy: Could transform Busch Gardens’ safari areas with an augmented reality overlay experience.

So we came up with some interesting concepts, however as always, legal generally gets in the way so we popped our ideas into an AI to see if any of these concepts might run into legal constraints, this is what it came up with …

IP	Known public deals / blockers (Orlando relevance)	Risk level for Orlando parks	Recommended next step
Minecraft	Mojang / Microsoft signed a global theme-park partnership with Merlin Entertainments to develop Minecraft attractions in the US and UK (multi-attraction program; US location(s) announced/planned). Merlin already operates large Orlando-area assets (Legoland Florida, SEA LIFE, Madame Tussauds). (merlinentertainments.biz)	High — Merlin has an active US deal for Minecraft; exclusivity or first-refusal terms are likely to protect Merlin’s investment and could bar Disney/Universal/SeaWorld from equivalent Minecraft lands in Orlando.	Get the Merlin/Mojang contract language (territory & exclusivity). If Merlin’s rights are country-level or broad-category, negotiate a carve-out or work with Merlin (co-develop or differentiate guest experience). (merlinentertainments.biz)
Kingdom Hearts	Kingdom Hearts is a legacy, co-owned/complex IP involving Disney and Square Enix; Disney has strong control over Disney properties used in KH and historically controls park use of its characters/locations. Public reporting and community sources show complicated ownership/licensing. (Hardcore Gamer)	High — Disney involvement makes this complex for any non-Disney Orlando operator; Disney World could use KH more easily than competitors, but even Disney must clear Square Enix elements.	If the target is Disney World: legal negotiation inside Disney structure; if Universal/SeaWorld: essentially infeasible unless Square Enix + Disney both sign off — pursue a very high-level group negotiation only. (Hardcore Gamer)
Fallout	Fallout IP (Bethesda) / Amazon Prime Video adaptation was licensed to Universal for a Halloween Horror Nights house (Universal Orlando & Hollywood HHN 2025). That demonstrates active licensing and working relationship between IP holders/producers and Universal. (blooloop)	Moderate — Universal has already licensed Fallout for limited-time HHN attractions; that doesn’t automatically block permanent attractions elsewhere, but it shows IP holders are willing to license to Universal and may have recent/exclusive event deals to consider.	Contact Bethesda / Prime Video to learn scope/term of the HHN license (event-only vs broader). If Universal wants exclusivity, that could be negotiated; other parks can still pursue permanent deals but will face negotiation complexity. (blooloop)
Assassin’s Creed (Ubisoft)	Ubisoft has developed its own entertainment/park plans (announced “next-gen” theme park projects and entertainment centers) and has been licensing LBE (location-based entertainment) projects in other regions. (staticctf.ubisoft.com)	Moderate-High — Ubisoft actively pursues location-based entertainment and may reserve rights for its own centers or preferred partners; third parties must negotiate around Ubisoft’s strategic plans.	Open licensing talks with Ubisoft/NBCUniversal/Licensing agent; be prepared for co-development or paying a premium where Ubisoft has strategic projects. (staticctf.ubisoft.com)
The Witcher / Cyberpunk (CD PROJEKT)	CD PROJEKT has publicly indicated interest in broader licensing (mobile, LBE) and has done LARP/immersive partnerships; but there is no single global theme-park partner announced. (VGC)	Moderate — Rights appear available but CDPR is selective; not presently locked by a major theme-park operator worldwide.	Approach CD PROJEKT for a theme-park license; expect careful IP-guardrails on mature content and a likely requirement to approve scripts/experience design. (VGC)
Animal Crossing / Mario / Nintendo IPs	Nintendo has historically worked with Universal (Super Nintendo World at Universal parks) and is cautious/strategic about licensing. Animal Crossing: no big global theme-park exclusivity reported, but Nintendo’s partnership choices matter.	Moderate — For Mario/Super Nintendo World Universal already has a close relationship; Animal Crossing could be licensable but Nintendo is cautious.	Talk to Nintendo’s licensing arm; if a park is not Universal, expect negotiations that respect Nintendo’s existing strategic partners.
The Sims (EA)	No major permanent theme-park exclusivity publicly announced for Sims, but EA’s IPs have had selective LBE projects.	Low-Moderate — Likely approachable, but EA will require approvals and may have existing LBE deals.	Reach out to EA licensing; propose family/creative pavilion concepts aligned to EA’s brand strategy.
Subnautica / Endless Ocean / Horizon	Subnautica & Horizon are from smaller-to-mid publishers (Unknown Worlds / Guerilla / Nintendo respectively). CDPR (Horizon publisher Sony/Guerrilla) may license selectively; Endless Ocean is Nintendo (family/wholesome). No big global theme-park exclusives publicly announced for these.	Low-Moderate — No public single-operator exclusivity for theme parks; content suitability & publisher strategy are main factors.	Negotiate with the IP owners; emphasize conservation/education fit for SeaWorld/Busch Gardens (Subnautica/Endless Ocean).
Portal / Bioshock / Fortnite	Portal (Valve) and Bioshock (2K/Take-Two) have had experiential projects but no large global theme-park exclusivity publicly announced. Fortnite (Epic) runs events/brand tie-ins and might license live events but also controls a lot of its own experiences.	Low-Moderate — Possible to license but expect Epic/Valve/2K to be selective, especially for IPs with mature themes (Bioshock).	Prioritize brands that match park audience; approach publishers with distinct proposals (Bioshock likely only for adult/night experiences; Fortnite for live events/seasonal tie-ins).

What games would you love to see incorporated in a Orlando theme park? Let us know in the comments and bonus points for attraction / experience ideas!

Smiles Included.

Jamie