The 13th ATRAX Istanbul Attractions & Parks Expo in 2026 kept a steady scale but showed very clear demand from local Turkish buyers, with Chinese brands drawing a lot of attention from operators and investors.
Show scale and visitor profile
ATRAX 2026 was a mid-sized show, and overall traffic was roughly in line with the 2024 and 2025 editions. Exhibitor numbers and hall space did not expand significantly, but the quality of visitors remained solid.
There was a healthy mix of decision-makers and front-line buyers: about half of the visitors were owners or investors, and the rest were purchasing and sales staff, which gave us both high-level insights and hands on feedback about the Turkish amusement market.
The audience was mainly domestic. Most visitors came from Turkey, with a smaller share from the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe, so ATRAX feels more like a focused regional show than a global mega expo.
What buyers cared about and how they buy
Different visitors looked at the same machine from very different angles, especially with our Boxing Mars on display. Location owners and FEC developers cared most about how premium the cabinet looked, the lighting, and whether the game could quickly grab attention and stop foot traffic in a mall.
Distributors and operators, on the other hand, paid closer attention to build quality, internal structure, and how easy it would be to service the machine over time. Many of them specifically mentioned that the cabinet felt solid and the gameplay more immersive than what they already had.
Single-game purchases are still the norm in this market. Only about half of the visitors who were planning to open a new venue asked about full park design, revenue projections, or managed operations. When it comes to how money is collected, coin-op is still the dominant model in Turkey.
Card systems, QR payments, and membership systems are not yet widely adopted, and almost no one brought up CRM integration on their own.
Local competition and how brands are perceived
Walking the show floor, it was clear that Chinese manufacturers were getting more walk-up traffic than many local Turkish brands. Buyers were genuinely curious and willing to spend time understanding how the products worked. Well-known names such as DOF and GRMAN GRUPD came up frequently in conversations and are treated as key reference points in this space.
We did not hear many strong stereotypes comparing European and Chinese brands this year, but in general Chinese suppliers are seen as fresh, competitive options in the Turkish arcade and amusement equipment market.
Pain points on the ground and localization needs
The issues operators mentioned most often were a lack of reliable after sales service, language barriers when dealing with overseas suppliers, and outdated games and cabinets in their existing locations. There is strong demand for localized software and interfaces in Turkish and Arabic so that staff and players can use the machines without relying on English.
This is exactly why our localized redemption prize machines stood out at ATRAX 2026: visitors crowded around them and commented that it was finally easy to understand and operate in their own language.
While there was no strong pushback against violent or intense game content, family friendly themes clearly fit better with what Turkish FECs and shopping mall projects are looking for.
Hot categories and where the trends are going
Redemption prize games were clear winners at ATRAX 2026. Players love getting real prizes on top of the gameplay, and local operators are comfortable charging a higher price per play, which makes this category very attractive from a revenue standpoint. Our higher ticket redemption line drew the most questions thanks to its strong prize appeal and flexible pricing.
Family and kids games – including “Family Crane 2” and “Down the Clown”‑style interactives – were the best fit for malls and FECs, where operators want small footprints, simple controls, and “playable by everyone in the family.” Many buyers directly asked for games that parents and kids can enjoy together.
VR drew the most attention on the floor, and most of the VR products were supplied by Chinese companies, but there were fewer simulator rides and racing or shooting games overall, and buyers were still quite cautious when it came to placing bigger VR orders. Given the limited number of new venues being opened, heavy, high‑investment simulators and full turnkey park solutions are not a top priority. Most operators are looking to refresh their existing locations with a few strong hero pieces instead.
Key takeaways and what this means for Chinese suppliers
Our team summed up ATRAX 2026 with three key phrases: strong regional focus, high interest in VR, and growing curiosity about redemption. For Chinese manufacturers, the biggest opportunity is to bring standout single machines to market – especially redemption and family games – instead of leading with large, all in one park packages.
Looking ahead to the next ATRAX, two things will matter most: going deeper on language and cultural localization for Turkey and surrounding regions, and keeping the product lineup fresh with eye catching machines that can quickly become the “must play” attractions on the show floor.
If you are planning to upgrade your FEC or mall arcade in Turkey and want high repeat play family redemption games or a proven boxing challenge game that already performed well at ATRAX 2026, get in touch with us for a tailored localization and product mix proposal.
