This week Nickelodeon revealed it would be updating its mobile videogame Sky Whale with augmented reality (AR) functionality, as well as bringing SlimeZone – its first multiplayer, social VR experience – to select IMAX VR Centres. Today, the SlimeZone roll out has begun, with Nickelodeon confirming it’ll debut exclusively at IMAX VR Centres in Los Angeles, New York City and Toronto.
Created in the Nickelodeon Entertainment Lab, SlimeZone is a multi-player social VR experience that allows kids and families – up to six players at a time – to step inside the Nickelodeon virtual world, play games, watch cartoons and slime friends. After selecting an avatar, users of all ages can slime blast their friends with Nickelodeon’s iconic green slime, play games such as ping pong and basketball, create art projects using glitter streams and colorful paint, and watch fan-favorite Nickelodeon cartoons.
“Our SlimeZone partnership with IMAX lets kids and families interact with Nickelodeon properties and characters by bringing them to life in new and innovative ways,” said Cyma Zarghami, President, Nickelodeon Group in a statement. “This new VR experience will also show the creative community how we are using technology to create unique forms of entertainment for all ages.”
Non-virtual reality players can participate alongside their friends and family as they explore the Nickelodeon world in spectator mode, by flying a virtual drone from a device to slime players.
“IMAX VR is designed to be a highly social, group experience – which makes Nickelodeon’s SlimeZone a perfect fit to bring to our centres,” says David Campbell, Executive Vice President of Corporate Development and Theatre Operations, IMAX Corp. “We are excited that IMAX VR players will get exclusive access to this exciting, fun and family-friendly virtual world.”
SlimeZone was built using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine and Nvidia FleX particle system for slime simulation. While SlimeZone debuts at IMAX VR Centres in Los Angeles, New York City and Toronto today, it’s also scheduled to launch at centers in Shanghai, Bangkok and Manchester (UK) soon. VRFocus will continue its coverage of Nickelodeon and IMAX VR, reporting back with the latest announcements and updates.