This sees the start of several events dedicated to the massively popular Halo franchise on Xbox. Called Halo: Outpost Discovery, the travelling live event experience will be heading to various US cities and as part of it VRstudios has created a free-roaming virtual reality (VR) multiplayer called Training Grounds.
Halo Training Grounds is an arena style competitive experience where two teams of three fight it out as Spartan drones. Using VRstudios’ untethered backpack VR system which utilises HTC Vive Pro headsets, the gameplay has been “engineered to challenge various disciplines such as squad-integrated coordination strategies, spatial awareness in the battlefield, and real-time weapon tactics improvisation,” states the studio. Essentially a VR version of laser tag, which Halo: Outpost Discovery does also feature in Combat Deck (not VR).
“It was our aim to enable players to get that “awe” experience as soon they put on their VR headsets and actually feel what’s it like to be immersed in the Halo universe and then battle it out against their friends in a fast-paced and action-packed competitive combat experience,” said Chanel Summers, VRstudios’ Vice President of Creative Development. “Casual and hardcore fans alike will immediately recognize some of the most iconic elements in the Halo universe, including Spartan characters, Covenant Plasma Pistols, and the classic Halo environment, Valhalla. The result is an immersive, high-energy VR experience that puts players and fans inside of the Halo universe like never before.”
While it’s not the full Halo VR videogame VRFocus would love to see, Halo Training Grounds certainly looks a lot better than 2017s rather dismal Halo: Recruit for Windows Mixed Reality headsets.
Halo: Outpost Discovery also features plenty of other stuff for Halo fans to enjoy, such as the Hall of History with UNSC weapons, life-sized sculptures, an iconic to-scale Warthog vehicle and more. Or how about the Pelican Training simulation, or Covenant Escape, an escape-room-style experience.
The event will be heading to the following cities over the next couple of months:
- July 5-7 – Orlando, Florida
- July 19-21 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- August 2-4 – Chicago, Illinois
- August 16-18 – Houston, Texas
- August 30-September 1 – Anaheim, California
Further information including ticket purchases can be found on the official website. For any further updates, keep reading VRFocus.