In today’s society, many people, especially children, spend a lot of time in front of screens, playing video games instead of enjoying outdoor activities. Adults, too, often work remotely, which can lead to a lack of personal social interactions. Brent Bushnell, whose father founded Atari and Chuck E. Cheese, recognized this issue and wanted to find a solution.
He created Future Circus, an innovative entertainment concept that transforms everyday spaces like empty parking lots and parks into engaging game environments where people can interact with both the real world and digital elements. His aim is to create “downloadable theme parks,” where players can wear mixed-reality headsets and participate in exciting activities like virtual battles or racing, all while physically present in real locations.
Future Circus Net Worth Shark Tank Update 2025
Brent Bushnell asked for a $500k Investment in exchange for 5% equity in his company. This meant he valued his company at $10 million. However, he did not get a deal from any of the Sharks. This kept the original valuation of his company at $10 million. After the show aired, Future Circus saw a big increase in website traffic, sales, and social media exposure. With an estimated 10% yearly growth rate (typical business growth), the current net worth of Future Circus in 2025 is about $14.64 million.
Brent sought $500,000 for 5% equity in his company during his appearance on the TV show *Shark Tank*, valuing Future Circus at $10 million. He showcased a demo where some of the Sharks, including Mark Cuban and Daniel Lubetzky, experienced a virtual competition, which impressed them.
However, the Sharks ultimately decided not to invest, citing concerns over the high costs involved, previous failures in the industry, and uncertainties about how well such a concept would be received by the public.
| Shark(s) name | Offer & Demand | Counteroffer | Accepted? |
| Daniel Lubetzky | Out | N/A | N/A |
| Lori Greiner | Out | N/A | N/A |
| Kevin O’Leary | Out | N/A | N/A |
| Barbara Corcoran | Out | N/A | N/A |
| Mark Cuban | Out | N/A | N/A |
Future Circus Shark Tank Pitch
Brent comes from a family that has a strong background in engineering and business. His father, Nolan Bushnell, is well-known for creating Atari and Chuck E. Cheese, which are both popular in the gaming and entertainment industries. Despite his family’s accomplishments, Brent had to work hard to make his own way. Starting at a young age, he earned money by bagging groceries when he was just 12 years old, and later, he launched his first business while in college.
His initial business venture was called Two Bit Circus, which was a large entertainment venue in Los Angeles focused on virtual reality (VR) experiences. In 2019, it was quite successful, earning $8 million. However, the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the business, leading to its decline. Instead of giving up, Brent adapted his ideas to cope with the changing circumstances.
His new project, Future Circus 2.0, aims to make entertainment more accessible and flexible. Rather than needing to build expensive VR centers, Brent’s team created affordable technology that can turn virtually any space—like parking lots, malls, or parks—into a gaming area.
Brent sought investment from potential backers, asking for $500,000 in exchange for a 5% share of his company. During his pitch, he demonstrated the technology with a live demo, where two investors, Mark and Daniel, tried on headsets and interacted with a virtual environment, throwing fireballs. While the investors found the demonstration enjoyable, they began to have concerns about the viability of the business.
Queries + Sharks’ Responses and Final Deal
Daniel Lubetzky: He asked Brent if he had any active locations for his business. Brent revealed that although they had generated $9,000 from testing, they had no actual locations operating. Daniel found the idea promising but thought it was too early for investors like him, so he decided not to invest.
Barbara Corcoran: She probed into why Brent’s previous investors left after he lost $40 million in a past venture. Brent explained that the pandemic caused the downfall of his last business, leading to investors withdrawing their support. Barbara felt uncomfortable with the risk involved in Brent’s current pitch and chose not to invest.
Mark Cuban: He questioned how Brent would keep his virtual reality (VR) offering fresh to attract repeat customers, pointing out that the VR industry requires constant updates. Brent assured him that new games would be added, but Mark remained skeptical and opted out of the deal.
Kevin O’Leary: Kevin challenged Brent’s claimed valuation of $10 million despite him having no sales. Brent was optimistic about future growth, but Kevin thought this was a precarious situation, metaphorically describing it as “a tightrope with no net.” He indicated he could offer a very low equity percentage if he invested but ultimately decided to not invest as well.
Lori Greiner: She expressed that, while she liked Brent personally, the business did not align with her interests and the high valuation was off-putting. She also chose not to invest.
What Went Wrong With Future Circus On Shark Tank?
The business, Future Circus, doesn’t have any physical locations open where customers can visit. They only have some software and small demonstrations of what they plan to do. The investors, called “Sharks,” usually want to see that a business is already making money and has some customers before they invest.
The owner, Brent, previously had a business that failed very badly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This made the investors nervous that his current venture might also fail in a similar way. Even if they use cheaper technology, starting up actual physical locations would still be expensive. They would need to pay for things like renting space (real estate), hiring staff to work there, and spending money on advertising (marketing) to attract customers.
Brent’s business was valued at $10 million, but the investors thought that was too high since the company wasn’t making any sales yet. Typically, companies with no income aren’t worth that much.
Product Availability
Future Circus is an exciting new project that is still being worked on. They are trying out small events in different places to see how people enjoy them. This helps them understand what works best. Brent’s team is teaming up with shopping malls and people who plan events. This way, they can create fun experiences in places where lots of people go.
They are making their computer programs better so that when Future Circus is ready to open to everyone, everything will work great. When they do open, they plan to charge around $30 for each person. This will give you about 30 minutes of fun, plus some food and drinks while you’re there!
Right now, they haven’t launched it officially, which means it’s not open to everybody yet. But if you want to know what’s happening, you can check for updates on the Two Bit Circus’s website. It’s like you’re getting sneak peeks into something awesome that’s coming soon!
What Happened To The Future Circus After Shark Tank?
As of today, Future Circus hasn’t made any major moves to expand its business or offerings yet. They aren’t launching new products or entering new markets at this time.
Brent, likely a key person at Future Circus, is directing their efforts towards organizing private events and collaborating with other businesses. This means instead of reaching out to the general public, they are focusing on exclusive gatherings and working with partners to boost their visibility and business.
The industry of mixed-reality gaming, which combines elements of virtual and augmented reality, is becoming more popular and expanding rapidly. However, Future Circus does not hold a significant position in this growing field just yet, meaning they are not a major player or widely recognized in the mixed-reality gaming market.
Conclusion
Brent Bushnell had a creative concept called Future Circus, which aimed to make ordinary places feel like exciting, immersive game environments. However, when he presented this idea to the investors on a TV show called Shark Tank, they decided not to invest. The investors felt that there were too many uncertainties: the project didn’t have any money coming in yet, no previous investors were backing it, and no clear way to start making profits. So, they all chose to pass on the opportunity.
Even though they turned him down, Brent’s idea is still intriguing. If he can show that people actually want what he’s offering and also find a way to make it cheaper to run, there’s a chance that Future Circus could gain popularity. For now, it remains a promising idea that hasn’t quite taken off yet, but there’s potential for it to succeed in the future if things go well.
Hey, I’m Amna Habib an undergraduate student of Bachelors in Business Administration. Shark Tank is one of my favorite TV shows of all time. The show provides a fascinating insight into the world of entrepreneurship by presenting creative solutions to common problems, which strongly connects to my academic interests. I’m interested in learning more about the strategic thinking and creativity that lead these companies as each pitch provides insightful information. I’ve found that watching Shark Tank has inspired my enthusiasm for business and entrepreneurship and has been a very enlightening and motivating experience. Apart from business and writing, I love food, shopping, and hanging out with friends and family. Read more About me.
