Over in Dubai they like to build things big. They’ve built the biggest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa and when they wanted to reclaim some of the sea and build a few islands the designers made The World Islands, with individual islands named after each country on the planet. So it’s no surprise that Emaar Entertainment’s virtual reality (VR), location-based entertainment (LBE) solution, VR Park at The Dubai Mall (PVRK Dubai) would be any less grand. And powering most of the experiences is Starbeeze AB’s StarVR head-mounted display (HMD).
Emaar Entertainment has been working in tandem with Starbreeze Studios, with the developer providing eight VR experiences for guests to enjoy, four of them premiering at the location.
“We’re proud that StarVR location-based entertainment solutions are powering the majority of the experiences at the newly-opened VR Park in Dubai,” said Bo Andersson Klint, Chairman of StarVR Corporation in a statement. “With an industry-leading resolution and 210-degree field-of-view designed specifically for professional use, visitors can be immersed in premium VR experiences that are way beyond what’s available at home.”
Located in the the Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping and entertainment destination, the building is Emaar Properties’ flagship mega-development and at 12 million square feet, the mall’s total area is equivalent in size to 200 soccer pitches. PVRK Dubai covers a modest 75,000 square feet, spanning two levels of Mall for hours of immersive entertainment.
“VR Park is the latest revolutionary experience to be delivered by Emaar Entertainment, offering cutting edge experiences alongside partners including StarVR,” said Damien Latham, Chief Executive Officer of Emaar Entertainment. “As we continue to deliver unprecedented entertainment experiences, we’re pushing the boundaries of innovation for the industry and inviting visitors to #ChallengeReality with our entertainment destinations.”
While StarVR provides some of the biggest and most well known franchise-based attractions including John Wick Chronicles, OVERKILL’s The Walking Dead — Outbreak and The Mummy Prodigium Strike that’s not all that’s on offer. As you’ll see in the video below, VRFocus was invited to PVRK Dubai to see what was on offer, with areas including HTC Vive’s and Samsung Gear VR’s. This is just a taster, with VRFocus bringing you further coverage from the park soon.