The virtual reality (VR), location-based entertainment (LBE) industry has really managed to turn itself around during 2021 with plenty of new content and innovative ideas to attract the public. November’s International Association of Amusement Parks 2021 (IAAPA) Expo showcased what the industry has in store, with Immersive Tech launching its highly portable idea for hyper-reality VR, UNCONTAINED.
VRFocus first reported on Immersive Tech’s idea at the beginning of the year, to create an all-in-one, immersive VR attraction inside a shipping container. Thus making it portable whilst offering a relatively small footprint attraction that can be easily dropped in a location such as a car park. In fact, for the IAAPA Expo, the company brought one of the containers along and positioned it on the show floor for guests to demo. It sat there for four days running at full capacity.
The 40-foot container is split into two bays each accommodating six players at once. Guests were able to demo Deep Signal, a videogame designed specifically for UNCONTAINED. As a hyper-reality experience, UNCONTAINED utilises an array of technology and effects to immerse players, from HTC Vive Pro 2 headsets with wireless adaptors to a rumbling floor, headphone-free spatial audio; climate effects like heat and wind, full-body tracking via Vive Trackers; physical interactive elements and hand tracking.
There’s a lot packed into these impressive units, thus enabling Immersive Tech to begin taking orders for next year. “Autobahn Indoor Speedway is excited to enter into a Letter of Intent for up to ten UNCONTAINED VR units,” said Bill Harris, Autobahn’s Director of Development in a statement. We love UNCONTAINED’s unique combination of unmatched hyper-immersive player experience and it’s scalability, allowing us to rapidly add units inside or outside our locations with no operational disruption. UNCONTAINED will give our customers the next level cutting edge experience that they have come to expect from Autobahn Indoor Speedway.”
“We had a great response to the concept and are excited about what our future holds. What excites me – having been an operator for over 40 years – about UNCONTAINED is that you don’t have to decide what elements of your existing center has to change out to be able to add VR. This standalone unit shows up on a truck, sets down outside, and I’m up and operating in a hurry. Set up outside in your parking lot, indoors where space permits, or near your front door for high visibility,” Steven Dooner, Director of Franchise Development at Immersive Tech adds.
Due to the success at IAAPA 2021, Immersive Tech is planning on increasing the number of pre-orders it was going to accept.
Immersive Tech wasn’t the only VR company at the expo, VRsenal was there to showcase its next-generation unmanned VR arcade units with the help of some familiar faces. Attendees got to try Blackwall Labs’ Rhythmatic and I-Illusions’ Space Pirate Trainer.
It’s an exciting time for the LBE VR industry, so for continued updates, keep reading VRFocus.