Kevin Williams – Page 4 – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

June 15, 2020

The Virtual Arena: Defining the Next Phase of Immersive LBE (Part 2.)

Covering the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his second and concluding part of his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams continues the observations made while many location-based entertainment (LBE) venues remain in lockdown. This section looks at the growth in Arena Scale immersive entertainment and investment towards the sector’s future after lockdown.

While many of the venues are in lockdown, the continued investment in the entertainment business has seen the development and launch of new products that will drive the investment in a sector of VR that has benefited from a strong audience appetite.

One of the first territories to see their VR arcade business emerge from lockdown was Taiwan. In this sector, HTC has opened its chain of Viveland sites. A cross between a VR park and a showroom, these have also expanded into “HTC Viveland XR Super Somatosensory Paradise” – a new popup variant. And it was at one of these sites that Fantahorn Studio debuted ‘Dinosaur Age XR’ – a prehistoric VR motion seat experience. Post-lockdown audiences flocked to try the attraction, underlining the considerable interest still seen in this deployment of the medium.

The VR Free Roam Scene

Following on from the last report and speaking of the new distributors of free-roaming (Arena Scale) platforms, its time to look at the considerable popularity of this application with the entertainment audience pre-pandemic. One of the first and leading providers of this application was Australian based Zero Latency. Not allowing the current global crisis to impact their continued investment in developing its platform, the company used May to announce the launch of its latest title. Called Undead Arena VR, the videogame planned to be installed across their 45 Zero Latency venues internationally, (subject to when each will resume business).

The game offers from one to eight players the chance to play as a team in a post-apocalyptic world, part of a retro 80’s TV game show. Fighting off hordes of zombies to gain the high score and become a celebrity. The developers have jokingly defined the game as Smash TV meets The Hunger Games. Deployed on the latest free-roaming backpack PC platform, the company recently adopting the HP Reverb headset for their latest system. This coming as HP rolls out its new HP Reverb G2 (supported by Valve and Microsoft), offering a strong platform for LBE consideration.

The latest version of Zero Latency in operation at MeetSpaceVR in London. Image credit: KWP

A new free-roaming entrant into the market revealed its platform recently. YULLBE is an advanced backpack VR system, developed between Vicon Motion Systems, VR Coaster and MackNeXT (media development specialists in the Mack Group of companies). The platform supports up to 32 players, fully-body tracked in large arenas, employing Vicon’s advanced camera-based architecture, (architecture already used by Arena Scale operations such as Dreamscape and SandboxVR). The YULLBE system will see its first outing for summer 2020, in Germany, as an attraction next to the Europa-Park and the Rulantica waterpark. Seen as a new fully immersive form of VR entertainment, it is targeted at a broader audience than before. VR Coaster having previously partnered with SPREE Interactive on the Roam&Ride attraction ‘Eurosat Coastiality’.

Recommencement of LBE VR Business

All this preparation is to ready for the staggered re-opening of VR entertainment businesses internationally, as reported in the first part of this feature. There has been even greater scrutiny paid to the safe and appropriate operation of VR technology in the commercial entertainment environment #AfterLockdown.

One of those leading the charge is also one of the largest providers of VR entertainment systems internationally having sold some 400-units of their Hologate Arena tethered enclosure platform. The company has amassed a wealth of experience in best practise of operating and cleaning VR in commercial settings, compiling all this knowledge into a simple guide for operators and developers across the market. The Hologate Hygiene and Safety Standard condensing the essential practice towards checking, operating, and cleaning this technology as well as the wider requirements regarding operating VR simulator rigs. The guide shared with the whole of the industry offers support to all to ensure a common practice in providing the best experience to the paying audience, as the industry emerges from forced hibernation.

Another aspect of Hologate’s support of the impacted VR amusement scene is to backup struggling operators beyond advising them on the best practice in operating their hardware. The company announced that it would be offering two months subscription-free to owners of their hardware to take effect as soon as their venues reopen. This was intended to help ease some of the stresses that hard-pressed facility operators were experiencing as they prepared to reopen their businesses after such a long period of disruption.

Hologate at EAG 2020 — VR teamwork in the latest blaster from HOLOGATE. Image credit: KWP

The reopening of the LBE VR scene has started to gain momentum, in Asia, several venues have thrown open their doors – and with the applying of new health measures has still seen strong interest from the playing audience to enjoy VR. As we mentioned previously, HTC has been promoting its Viveland operation – the company is one of the leading VR headset providers to invest considerably into a lucrative commercial entertainment strategy. While consumer VR has proven a slow burner, the commercial deployment has proven a more productive business model, that others now hope to emulate. Last year the company also pointed to wireless multiplayer LBE VR as “the next big thing”. This was part of a drive to establish the company’s Focus Plus standalone mobile VR platform that had been first to prove the genre.

Looking to the future of LBE deployment, the next phase of VR development has supported this growth of interest on arena-scale VR applications. Beyond the conventional backpack PC approach, we have seen the investment in standalone systems. Initially, this approach was popularized by the HTC Focus Plus, but it has been dominated by interest in the Oculus Quest. However, the restrictions of the platform have impacted some plans for Commercial Entertainment application. But the standalone enterprise market will soon be flooded by a new phase of systems. As revealed by Qualcomm and its new XR2 architecture powering the ‘XR Viewer’ series. Amongst these VR and AR 5G enabled headsets are a number of enterprise-focused systems that point to the future of new arena-scale deployment, with a much higher quality of immersion, pointing to the next phase in mobile VR application.

Now towards the reopening of the shuttered LBE VR businesses, and the recommencement towards the new normal. How the scope of impact that the global health crisis has had on the business of immersive entertainment, and if encumbered head-mounted displays, or the development of unencumbered immersive projection systems will spell the next chapter in the deployment of out-of-home entertainment.

June 8, 2020

The Virtual Arena: Defining the Next Phase of Immersive LBE (Part 1.)

Covering the immersive location-based entertainment (LBE) scene for VRFocus as part of his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams returns with the first of a two-part series of observations made while many of the LBE VR venues remain in lockdown. He examines how the commercial entertainment VR scene is still at work, charting new developments in the rental of VR tech, the licensing of VR arcade content for consumer deployment, and new partnerships.

While the whole of the business sector has been on enforced lockdown globally for over nine weeks, developments both to adapt to the situation, as well as prepare for the new normal have been underway, as this considerable business adapts and evolves for life #AfterLockdown.

LBE Venue — One of the many furloughed LBE facilities during May. Image credit: KWP

While some cynics attempted to paint the demise of the enterprise entertainment industry in the face of the global pandemic, the reality has been far more positive. While the industry has been bowed (as all) by the enforced voluntary closure of their operations, the interest to re-open and revigorate what has been one of the few burgeoning aspects of this latest phase of VR adoption, has not diminished.

There has even been an interest to attempt to capture in a bottle, those aspects of the location-based entertainment VR scene and recreate them for consumer adaptation – hoping that the success of LBE VR content can be made to work for the encumbered consumer userbase. One such example of this was revealed from studio Golf Scope; the AR and VR entertainment developers, in partnership with Topgolf Entertainment Group, which is widely known for its technology-driven golf entertainment venues. Together the operation launched Pro Putt by Topgolf on Oculus Quest – offering simple VR golfing action, that including a branded recreation of the popular putting action – encapsulating the venue action in one of a series of digital games. While many of the facilities may still be temporarily closed, VR allows the brand to continue.

Pro Putt by Top Golf experience — The virtual recreation of the Topgolf experience. Image credit: Topgolf Entertainment

Another such example of capturing the Out-of-Home entertainment has seen the launch from start-up Adventure Lab, a group of VR developers, who created what they have described as the “World’s first VR live hosted escape room”. The platform currently supports Oculus Quest hardware, allowing players to register online to take part in a connected 40-minute VR escape game, with a live “game master”, acting as host to help players. The first title Dr. Crumb’s School for Disobedient Pets is in early beta, charging $100 for up to four players. The commercial VR escape gaming scene has been incredibly popular before lockdown, and this move hopes to capitalize on the interest from isolated players, bring remote users together, and even supplying captured scenes to share on social media.

The VR Arcade Scene

Another developer hoping to build off of commercial VR popularity, repackaging for consumer consumption, was German-based VR Nerds – the company famous for Tower Tag, a highly competitive PvP capture-the-flag VR experience, played by over 1,000,000 players in arcades worldwide, reportedly available to some 1,300 VR arcades since its launch in 2018. Licensed by Springboard VR, along with porting to the Hologate arena and seeing success in the Japanese VR scene with CA Sega Joypolis installing several units. In May VR Nerds announced that the title would now be accessible for consumers, available on Steam and Viveport for all the leading consumer VR headsets. The ability to relieve the exciting multi-player shooter as it was released in arcades was supported with the developer providing 3D-printable STL files to recreate the gun controller from the game.

Tower Tag - VR Nerds — Example of the weapon in the ‘Tower Tag’, and the new 3D printed controller for the Quest. Image credit: VR Nerds

The need to feed the interest in VR to an audience that is in lockdown has been a consideration for VR arcade operators with hardware sitting unused. One remedy attempted was seen from The Park Playground. One of the first European VR arcade operations, with their sites temporarily shuttered the company decided to launch a new service. The Beta service, called ‘VR in Home’, is only currently available in the Belgium city of Antwerp – interested players use the operations web page to request loans of an Oculus Quest with appropriate game content, for a minimum four-day rental. What has been nicknamed “the Uber VR arcade!” – the use of hardware as a rental business is not an entirely new idea during the pandemic. In Spain, the Canary Virtual business started a similar service in March including a PC as well as standalone platforms for rental – and all specially cleaned and populated for this service. However, the use of the Oculus Quest in commercial applications has come with its own issues.

The Park Playground VR arena in full swing at the Antwerp location before lockdown. Image credit: The Park Playground

But there have been developments in thinking during this changeable time for the Oculus Quest – one of these has been the re-emergence of ‘Oculus for Business’. Finally unveiled with its commercial machine and supported pricing with a yearly subscription, at the same time saw the removal of any of the “Colocation” firmware facility. A facility that had been teased to so many commercial developers only to be removed some 12-months later. It is expected that many developers will continue with their standalone free-roaming release plans, but now deserting official support, (see out previous coverage if this scene).

Another operator of VR venues, as well as a developer of hardware for this sector, has restructured its operation. European based Neurogaming has been known for the RevolVR tethered enclosure VR experience, as well for its PolygonVR free-roaming multiplayer platform, operated in several venues. During May the company announced the signing of a lucrative licensing deal that will see Estonian start-up NeverBored; who will develop a brand-new version of the four-player PvP Western shooter (RevolVR) for the location-based entertainment sector. At the same time, the new developer has started work on a special consumer version of the videogame that will be launched on the Oculus Quest later in the year, bringing the LBE action to consumer players. Additionally, NeverBored will now take on the role of European distributor for the Neurogaming range of LBE hardware including its free-roaming platform. Operations will be restructured to be ready for the reopening of these businesses internationally.

Players competing in the Wild West blaster ‘RevolVR’. Image credit: KWP

This is the end of the first part to this exclusive coverage of the developing immersive commercial entertainment industry. The second part, looking at the new trends moving into reopening and the future of the scene, follows shortly.

April 27, 2020

The Virtual Arena: The Changing VR Out-of-Home Landscape – Part 2

Covering the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams reports – concluding this two-part feature. The impact of the latest trends in free-roaming VR attractions is looked at, as well as the continued success of VR enclosure business. Then the report turns its gaze to the impact of the health crisis, and what life for the VR entertainment scene could be #AfterLockdown.

Returning to the surprisingly crowded show floor of the influential B2B Amusement Expo International (AEI) in New Orleans, during early March. Days before the global health crisis would shut down all commerce – this show revealed the key trends and issues that would need to be reevaluated for a market in transition after lockdown.

Moving away from the approach of standalone VR amusement platforms, seen on the show floor that conformed to the more traditional pay-to-play model (covered in the first part). The amusement and entertainment facility sector had been revolutionized by the appearance and deployment of multi-player videogame experiences that offer a compelling attraction.

This approach has seen two unique categories – the first being “VR Enclosure” systems, these using frameworks to cordon off the player space. This has become a distinctive category of its own, and one of the most successful developers of this approach is Hologate. The company based in Germany has sold hundreds of their four-player systems across the market and came to AEI with an updated ‘HOLOGATE Arena’ – offering a compact two-player version of the system, to suit all sizes of location.

Another developer of this kind of VR enclosure system was from Minority Media, having developed its own small foot-print enclosure, the operation was promoting its latest dedicated game system with ‘Transformers: VR Battle Arena’. Based on the popular Hasbro franchise, four players compete in a player-vs-player blaster, taking part as the famous robots in a fast base and competitive experience.

Looking at a larger enclosure offering, AEI exhibitor Inowize, in partnership with their lead distributor had their six-player enclosure system called the ‘Arkadia VR Arena’. The platform using the HTC Vive Pro headsets, tethered to the ceiling of the enclosure, offering a multiplayer immersive game experience. The flexibility of the system also offering a four-player variant.

The need to offer the latest platform that achieves the best ROI is essential in a fast-moving sector such as VR amusement and entertainment deployment. The latest variants of the VR enclosure category have started to use the new and emerging VR technology. Manufacturer Box Blaster has created a dedicated enclosure to suit the needs of the market, using the latest Valve Index high-end VR headsets for their four-player ‘Box Blaser VR’. And have focused on a family-friendly approach for their content to drive the key demographic interested in trying VR experiences.

Purpose-built enclosures that allow entertainment facilities to run their own VR arcade-style operations, to compete with independent venues, was also on display. The new developer Sektor VR presented at AEI, their enclosure called the ‘Sektor 001’ that used a giant LED spectator screen to allow the audience to see the virtual environment that the players inhabit. The enclosure allowing two players at a time, both using wireless HTC Vive Pro headsets. As with all in this category, the operation is from a touch-screen kiosk, offering a selection of games provided through the popular Springboard VR content distribution platform.

One of the largest and most impressive of the enclosure systems is that offering from Virtuix – a completely enclosed environment offered by their ‘Omni Arena’. The attendant attracting players to come inside the system, prepare to enter the VR environment using the innovative omnidirectional treadmill, to physically navigate the virtual world. Virtuix has worked hard to create a competitive game environment and were running cash prize ‘VRZ Tournament’ during the show, illustrating the eSports credentials of their hardware.

As we saw leading up to the Health crisis, interest in “Arena Scale VR – Standalone” (the second leading category) has grown exponentially. These represented the deployment of the next innovation in tech, with the Standalone VR headsets such as Oculus Quest, Pico Neo2, HTC Focus Plus, and other systems offering a VR multi-player platform. That could be a cheap alternative to the more expensive and complicated backpack PC VR platforms, for area-scale (free-roaming) deployment. As covered in VRFocus recently this sector still garners much interest with developers like VirtuaActions and their ‘Cyberaction Arena’.

The March AEI show reflected the growth of popularity in this trend across the trade floor. Those companies exhibiting with their entry into this category included VEX Solutions with its ‘VEX Arena’ representing a six-player free-roaming turn-key system. The platform building on the operations’ experience with backpack VR systems. The new ‘VEX Arena’ uses specially customised Pico Neo2 headsets. A flexible arena platform that can accommodate four, six, eight and even 10-player configurations.

Another exhibitor with this category of experience was Arenaverse – showing its ‘Arenaverse’ platform, offering a free-roaming system requiring a minimum footprint of 20ft x 30ft – a totally scalable platform ranging from two players all the way up to twelve. An operation comprising accomplished VR executives in this field, many of the lessons from previous endeavours have been applied. Recently coming out of secret development, the platform comprises a unique operator kiosk that charges the headsets and launches the experiences.

The AEI exhibitor, Scale-1 Portal, is an official Oculus IVS Partner, and presented using the Oculus Quest headset, their new ‘Voxel Arena’ – one of the first official standalone free-roaming four-player spaces, crafted to offer unique multi-player specialist experiences. One of these unique titles is the energetic rhythm music game (‘RYTM’), played as a group in a highly frenetic immersive music experience.

This is a snapshot of the considerable impact that VR had on the last major amusement and entertainment trade event of the post-pandemic market. The March Amusement Expo was driven by the innovation that VR was having on the industry, seeing 10% of the exhibitors on the show floor offering a VR solution of some kind.

VR Entertainment’s Future

From all the developments that were presented at the beginning of March, the then Out-of-Home entertainment sector looked to be continuing its rapid growth in market dominance. But this advance would be placed on hold as global commerce was impacted by the ravages of the COVID-19 epidemic. With all Western VR arcades and location-based entertainment centres shuttered, the industry has been placed in hibernation, eager to re-emerge.

VR Arcade — One of the many shuttered location-based entertainment facilities. Image credit: KWP

Going into these latest weeks of lockdown for the entertainment, hospitality and non-essential businesses, across the West; there is a mood towards attempting to understand what the #AfterLockdown future business for location-based entertainment (LBE) VR will look like. Many operators drawing up plans on how they will welcome their guests to the new landscape of social entertainment in an evolving landscape.

The consumer VR scene while in lockdown has proven that the interest in this technology has not diminished, and with the successful launch of Valve’s Half-Life: Alyx, there has been a desire for more. Not every one of the record number of watchers of the streamed “lets-play” of the videogame has access to the VR hardware or intend to buy it, but this does not mean they would not pay heavily to be able to experience the title. And already plans are in place to support VR arcades to run this title as an option to their clientele.

Hygiene and safe operation of their experiences are a constant for the Out-of-Home entertainment sector long before we entered the grip of the pandemic. Numerous developers have added extensive cleaning and guest operation procedures to ensure that as with the 3D cinema sector (with 3D glasses), bowling sector (with shoes and socks), paintball sector (with goggles and masks) and even the Go-kart sector (with helmets and race suits), the guests experience is a clean and comfortable one. Many operators of VR hardware have deployed “Ninja Masks” (disposable paper liners for VR headsets) to customers using their hardware.

VR Ninja Mask Manufacturers are also looking to incorporate dedicated self-disinfection systems to their hardware, similar to that seen with VR LEO USA’s platform (covered in the previous part) – as well as emulating the work that CleanBox Technology has been developing with their UV-C disinfection stations for VR deployment in enterprise. Companies also like VR Cover have supplied specialist versions of their system for use on most VR amusement platforms.

Operators of large numbers of VR headsets ensuring the manufacturers accommodate the needs of resilience and durability regarding deployment in entertainment. The extra development time that has been afforded to the industry during this hiatus will inevitably result in major development work, and increased ingenuity in the deployment of this technology into the market.

Once the restrictions of isolation are eventually lifted and the population is allowed once again to enjoy themselves, there will be no doubt that VR entertainment will continue to play its part in the vast variety of offerings from the Out-of-Home entertainment landscape. But with increased burden on disposable incomes and concerns of venues operating under restrictions from local government, that the “new normal” for the sector will take some time to be defined with undefined new elements added to the mix. We await, with interest, to report on these new developments.

February 24, 2020

The Virtual Arena: Competition is King in VR!

Covering the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams reports on a multitude of brand new commercial entertainment platforms, new eSports offerings and London VR site openings that caught his eye traversing the international XR entertainment scene.

The frantic nature of VR in the commercial entertainment scene continued to gain momentum, with several new platforms launching and facilities opening internationally. While in London, a number of these new developments were on display.

First off was the International Casino Exhibition (ICE), the gaming and gambling industries largest European convention filling the London ExCel centre. While in previous years, virtual reality (VR) had played a larger part in the gaming show, it was much harder to find this year. But one big showing was the Vbet platform, developed in conjunction with BetConnect. Called ‘Vbet Boxing Game’, two-players in their own ring spared with each other using the Oculus Quest headset. A VR attraction that will be deployed in casinos as an audience draw.

Another major show for VR at the casino event was on the Gaming Malta booth – a local operator of an eSports racing simulator centre presented their race-rig’s – using the ImSim racing seat, with the latest iRacing content, able to be experienced on the Oculus Rift headset. The ability to offer intense VR entertainment is also supported by the audience appeal of this kind of installation.

The explosion in eSports was a major component of the ICE gaming and gambling trade conference, with a vast dedicated arena streaming live. VR is playing its part in defining the eSports business. Recently SpringboardVR, one of the leading distributors and service suppliers of game content for VR arcades, announced they had teamed up with the Virtual Athletics League (VAL) launching the “Pistol Whip VR Tournament”, supported by Oculus and iBUYPOWER. It’ll feature across SpringboardVR’s 500 connected locations for the second round. With the final streamed live on Twitch and Facebook there will be a prize pool of $10,000 up for grabs.

VAL - Pistol Whip Concerning the London area, the deployment of Location-Based Entertainment (LBE) VR facilities across the international market has continued to gain mentum. And Just down the road from the major gaming exhibition, the UK capital welcomed its latest slew of new VR venues hoping to drive the sector.

First off and the massive entertainment venue that is The O2 arena has already included a VR element, in partnership with the venues’ Hollywood Bowl placement, BANDAI NAMCO Amusement Europe had installed Europe’s first “VR ZONE Portal London”. Based on the Japanese parents dedicated VR installation concept, the first UK installation has been revitalized – along with the Mario Kart Arcade GP VR (£7.99 p/p) set-up, the brand new experience ‘Godzilla VR’ (£4.99 p/p) saw the use of two unique motion cockpits.

Godzilla VR – VR Zone Portal London. Image credit: KWP

The uniquely created Godzilla VR was launched in Japan last year, and this was the first chance we had to play the Western version of the game – an on-rails helicopter simulator experience, with the player only interacting in high adrenaline moments blasting the movie monster with missiles and cannons, as Godzilla levels city-blocks and skyscrapers. The game proved a fun, but short, experience – more a ride with some shooting elements, reflected in its lower price to play.

Hollywood Bowl is not the only VR entertainment installation at the O2 arena, with the adjacent opening of a VR cluster by IMMOTION – the company operating its popular Thrill Coaster, the ‘VR Cinema Pod’ extreme-ride experienced themed around the capital city (as well as a library of other ride scenarios). Next was the new inclusion of their own racing sim area for four of their ‘VR Multi-Racers’.

Immotion - Thrill Coaster — Immotion – Thrill Coaster. Image Credit: KWP

The IMMOTION experience included a VR Gaming Arena, based on the popular Raw Data videogame. This was a unique tethered version of the title, developed in partnership with originator of the game Survios. One of the many consumer VR game developers that are pivoting into creating a commercial entertainment presence. IMMOTION was charging a standard pass (£6 p/p), as well as variety (£20 p/p), and premium pass (£30 p/p), for game time duration on the assembled systems.

England saw the opening of its latest VR ZONE Portal and the third installation of Mario Kart Arcade GP VR in Europe. BANDAI NAMCO’s operation division runs the well-known Namco Funscape, located on London’s South Bank. This multi-level amusement venue has added a compact VR ZONE Portal Westminster that houses the four-player racer based on the popular Nintendo franchise (£7.95 p/p).

But Funscape has also added third-party VR amusement pieces to their mix, away from the VR ZONE Portal. The venue had three of the most popular VR amusement platforms, (as we touched on in our Entertainment, Attractions and Gaming (EAG) expo coverage last month). The London site including a VRsenal Beat Saber Arcade machine, and the two-rider Virtual Rabbid’s The Wild Ride (LAI Games), all front-and-centre. Funscape had also installed two version of the Xtrematic ‘Extreme-Machine’ – a standing VR ride experience, using an innovative standing motion platform.

It was also interesting to see other new London based VR arcades jumping into the mix – while visiting London’s Shepherds Bush area, we had a chance to briefly pop into the new Electric Dreams – VR arcade. Located in a retail unit, the operation, along with a KATVR Omni direction treadmill system, runs two VR multiplayer enclosures using the three-player, wireless, free-roam, HTC Vive system as well as a franchise of the ‘Arkave VR’ platform from YDX. The operation charging a sliding scale for duration of play, (starting at £7 p/p, for 10-minutes). This latest operation reflecting that there are many other venues currently in the works to populate this scene.

Line-up of Beat Saber Arcade cabinets put through their paces at Korean VR Festival

Other VR developments taking place recently, included the holding of the Japan Amusement Expo 2020 (JAEPO) the trade event for the territories amusement and gaming sector. On display for the first time on the amusement giant SEGA Interactive’s booth was the SKONEC Entertainment ‘Beat Saber Arcade’ machine. This is the Asian variant of the popular VR music videogame being presented to Japanese trade. It was interesting to see the reaction to the VR machine, attracting attention. Looking to challenge the plethora of traditional music rhythm titles that dominate the Japanese market, (as well as on the international amusement gaming scene).

This concludes our whirlwind reporting from the LBE VR scene. Next month will see major developments as the action moves to the USA and several momentous location openings and major trade conferences that will offer a taste of the evolving future of this scene.

February 17, 2020

The Virtual Arena: The Standalone LBE VR Experience! – Part 2

Continuing the overview of the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, the second part of his Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams reports on the new phase of investment in “Arena-Scale VR – Standalone” – concluding with a look of the content platforms and developers and the appearance of some amazing new VR headsets looking to muscle their way into contention, as the sector migrates towards an XR future.

A Perfusion of new Developers

One of those who presented one of the first crop of Oculus Quest-based arena-scale systems during the September IAAPA in Paris was Belgium-based Pixnami (and their new division Hero Zone). The company showed the prototype platform, using Oculus Quest in an LBE configuration for a four-player VR experience. The system comprises a 13 sq.,m. foot-space enclosure (with touchscreen operation). The company has developed two videogames for the platform, including ‘Cyber Shock’ and a new title ‘Dead Ahead’ – offering a zombie blasting wave shooter. Hero Zone ran Oculus Quest headsets modified for deployment by a third party, using headphones and Power Pack. Recently Hero Zone sold its first production units, which will be installed by the end of February (as covered in a previous EAG convention feature).

Hero Zone at EAG 2020 — Team of players try out the new Hero Zone game and modified Oculus Quests’. Image credit: KWP

One of the largest showings of this kind of approach was from VEX Solutions. The company has already established a large stake in the backpack PC VR room-scale business (with its ‘VEX Adventure’ system) but has also developed a new ‘VEX Arena’ – making use initially of the Oculus Quest headset. Focused on offering a flexible game space of between 16-up-to-100 square meters – with between two or 12-players, which claims operational through-put of some 120 players-per-hour. VEX revealed its latest iteration with ‘VEX Arena V2‘, with available titles including Battle Royal, Archery, Team Deathmatch and Deathmatch, and offering more functionality from the original development.

Another developer entering a new sector for them is MANUVR Entertainment, with its new game LAVR Tag – offering from two (up-to-100) players the chance to take part in an arena-scale laser tag experience, initially developed to support the Oculus Quest. The company proposes to allow inter-location communication with player competition based around the company’s ‘SnapMap’ infrastructure – the first installations signing on to license this experience to be announced. While ANVIO, the developer of backpack PC free-roaming experiences, has been demonstrating a standalone VR system running on the Oculus Quest, building on its experience in creating team-based co-op VR titles.

Other companies throwing their hats into the ring include TheDeep – a team with a long pedigree in facility operation of their content under a chain of sites. The company announced its new ‘Infinite’ platform as a cost-effective alternative to their already-launched PC backpack arena-scale VR experience. The system offers the ability to accommodate four, six, eight and 10-players simultaneously, using Oculus Quest. The company has been evaluating the prospects of the Oculus for Business entry into LBE and has created a cost-effective platform to accommodate those interested operators.

One of the other entrants into this sphere was Phenomena VR, the company known for its location-based entertainment centre haptic wearable, plus unique VR experiences such as ‘Horos’, and its innovative edutainment-based ‘Enter the Duat’. The company launched a brand new multi-player Oculus Quest LBE system, called ‘Phenomena Platform’, at the end of December. Comprising of four-players (available in either 2x2m, 5x5m, 6x6m and 8x8m), it is described as a “new laser tag style game”, offering frantic action between the two teams. The company has also revealed it has gone one step further and launched a large “stadium-sized” version, with six-player vs. six-player competition.

Developers who have looked at using standalone VR systems in multi-player experiences have moved beyond employing the ‘Co-Location’ systems and favoured brewing their own tracking and multi-player systems. Other modifications are also being considered to address issues with the design of the Quest. The front-heavy nature and lack of robust audio design, has seen the creation of what has been dubbed the “Franken-Quest” – obtaining the robust HTC Vive DAS (Deluxe Audio Strap) and combined to offer an aftermarket hybrid which is much more appropriate to the needs of the LBE scene.

As mentioned previously, some operators are using the VRNRGY Power Pack, offering counterbalance and longer operational life through the packs of Samsung batteries. Another modification for LBE applications is from Kabetec, with its modicap sound kit headphones. A company with extensive knowledge of aftermarket modifications for enterprise VR headsets – working previously on the Samsung GearVR used by VR Coaster, DOF Robotics for their Oculus Go, and for SPREE for its Pico headset deployment. Issues of hygiene and robustness are essential considerations for deployment in this sector.

Modicap - Oculus Quest — An example of the modicap modified Quest. Image credit: Kabetec

New Zealand-based Beyond Studio is a developer of VR videogames and software which is on a mission to make content affordable for the LBE scene and players. The company had a soft launch for debut title ‘Oddball’ – described as a hilarious laser-tag 2.0, multi-player free-roaming VR videogame. This is a fun family-friendly player vs player experience, where you can blast sticky balls and powerups such as “fart bombs” at each other. It is currently on test in a popup installation at the company’s headquarters, where they have been charging an introductory price of $10(NZD) per-player for two matches (lasting five-minutes each).

Oddball - Beyond Studio — Players of the VR game Oddball at Beyond Studio. Image credit: Beyond Studio

EscapeVR is a developer of VR content based around their collaboration with Escape Games Canada (a developer of physical rooms). Building on their experience in creating compelling content, EscapeVR has moved to the next level in offering a turnkey free-roaming platform called ‘Arenaverse’. Able to accommodate from four-players to a maximum of 12, the platform has been developed to use the Oculus Quest and has several gameplay modes, including team vs team, and wave-shooter with players vs enemies. The company has been developing the project in secret, and only revealed their intentions off the show floor during the IAAPA event last November.

EscapeVR - Arenaverse — The stripped-down version of ‘Arenaverse’ at an Orlando game center. Image credit: EscapeVR

From the Asian market, Vietnamese developer Holomia Technology started testing its arena-scale VR system, running the game MissionX, facilitating four-to-six players using the Oculus Quest in both 6x6m and 6x12m spaces. The company is developing special gun-style controllers to work with the Quest’s interfaces. The final system to be launched in February with a monthly game license fee. Another new entrant to this sphere is Korean studio Finger Eyes, which has moved towards developing the zombie blaster Helios Battle, converted to the Oculus Quest and available as both a four-player system in a 5x5m enclosure and also working on a larger 15x15m 16-player version. This first title is supported by a new two-player game called ‘Death Cage: The Zombie’.

Holomia - MissionX — Prototype MissionX being put through its paces at the Infinity location. Image credit: Holomia

Well-known developer of VR arcade products, Movie Power, threw its hat into the ring with the launch of ‘VR Infinite Space’. The new release from the Chinese developer sees the deployment of a modified version of the Oculus Quest using the HTC Vive DAS, while the player, along with the headset, wears a haptic vest and battery pack. Due to the difficulty in obtaining Oculus hardware in China, the system uses Quests as a promotion point towards the final release. The arena able to accommodate from two-to-six players, in one of four videogames each offering 15-minutes in duration. The system comes in two versions, with an 8x8m and a 10x10m system, described by Movie Player as “redefining VR backpack”.

Other Standalone Alternatives

While many may have become overly fixated on the Oculus Quest as a standalone VR headset solution for LBE, several other providers have already started the process of entering this very lucrative sector with their own standalone solutions. These alternative solutions do not come with the burden of the same restrictions, business aversions, or possible unavailability – as has been seen with the Quest in an open commercial entertainment deployment.

An early entry into the low-cost standalone approach for VR, away from cumbersome backpack PCs, came from Modal Systems. The company was initially promoting its own headset system design, but eventually relented and went with a partnership with HTC, to use the then-new Vive Focus Plus standalone, six-DoF, all in one tracking platform. HTC is even investing in Modal to be able to use the system in North America. The company is launching its game ‘PING!’ on this system, with installation at the Rio Casino in Las Vegas, back in 2018, as well as at TwoBit Circus in Los Angeles.

Modal - HTC Vive — Promotion for the Modal platform in partnership with the Vive Focus. Image credit: HTC Vive

Another developer who embraced the HTC Vive Focus Plus standalone for deployment in LBE VR was Pillow’s Willows VR Studios. The company launched its four-player experience ‘Exodus Burned’ in 2018. The escape from a doomed spaceship experience lasts 15-minutes. The videogame involves players cooperating to escape using the standalone headsets, while spectators can watch and support the antics on audience screens. The platform is developed for LBE venues and popup social events, supporting in-game advertising.

One of those developers who has promoted the creation of cost-effective standalone arena-scale VR experiences is SPREE Interactive. The company has developed its own patented, unique, special tracing platform, which was first employed in 2018 with the Samsung Gear VR headset. However, the company recently partnered with Pico with their new ‘SPREE Arena’, with the company combining its full motion tracking system with the Pico G2, and so allowing multi-player VR competition. SPREE is offering a 10-player arena (10x10m) and a 20-player version (20x10m), establishing the kiosk recharging station for the headsets, and a special enclosure for the game space. Recently the company also announced a partnership with Pixomondo towards the release of ‘Mission to Mars’, a 20-player edutainment experience.

Spree Arena — The crowded ‘SPREE Arena’ in action. Image credit: SPREE Interactive

Beyond these established standalone headsets, there is a new generation looking to surpass what has already been achieved. Examples of these systems looking to offer an alternative were seen at CES 2020, revealing the latest phase of VR headset manufacturing, towards establishing all-in-one standalone VR.

As was expected, CES’20 revealed some new concepts driving forward the VR arena, and some major opportunities for the Standalone approach. Panasonic revealed its much-anticipated new VR eyeglasses – the reference product shown incorporated micro OLED panel for the world’s first High-Dynamic Range (HDR) capable Ultra-High Definition (UHD) VR system styled as a pair of eyeglasses. Panasonic partnered with veteran component developer Kopin Corp., to create the HDR VR system in an incredibly compact and stylish package – PC tethered wirelessly via 5G. The system is Enterprise facing at this point and offers an incredibly compact and dynamic package for applications like Arena-Scale VR entertainment – a true Next-Gen approach.

Panasonic VR Eyeglasses The appearance of true competition in the Standalone VR scene continued during CES’20 with Pico revealing its new VR models called the Pico Neo 2 and the Pico Neo 2 Eye. These systems have been developed primarily for Enterprise deployment, building on what has previously been achieved (as mentioned above with such partnerships with SPREE Interactive). The Neo 2 series boasting a more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset – a 4K display resolution, but also the support of Wi-Fi 5 connectivity offering wireless PC tethering. A serious competitor to the Quest, and from a company that had already established an LBE VR presence.

We have already covered the work HTC achieved with its Vive Focus Pro in the Enterprise sector, another aspect of HTC’s entry into Standalone is the partnership with Qualcomm and the 5G Wi-Fi initiative leading towards their Beta of Viveport Streaming, (the equivalent of what the physical Link cable for Quest achieves regarding linking a mobile VR headset to play PC VR). Though HTC chose to abandon its previous announcement schedule for new hardware at the CES 2020 – teasing “a new vision for Vive” would now be revealed around Mobile World Congress (MWC) in February. Another major corporation that surprisingly decided not to bring any new Standalone VR to CES’20 was Samsung – much rumoured to be working on a successor to its million-selling VR platform, deciding instead to bide time.

Several haptic enhancements have been rolled into the mix of accessories that could be seeing deployment into the consumer, but also LBE space. bHaptics showcased during CES’20 a full-body-haptic-suit – and in support of this, partnered with both Sairento VR and Thrill of the Fight, running the haptic system on Oculus Quest. A multi-sensory kit to enhance the VR experience, bHaptics is looking at further deployment into the Enterprise entertainment arena.

bhaptics kit Another example was from BeBop Sensors with its multiple finger actuator ‘Forte Data Glove’. Offering an enterprise-focused interface and able to accommodate multiple-users (with cleanable construction design), the glove is now Oculus Quest compatible. One feature that is going to be central to the deployment of Standalone headsets between multiple users will be hygiene – and while construction can include cleanable elements, fundamentally a dedicated process is needed.

In conclusion

It will now be up to these various manufacturers to present a workable solution to run alongside the changeable efforts of Oculus – addressing the issues of availability (at the right price), ensuring an open and appropriate Enterprise business structure (for developers and operators), and achieve a level of immersion with superior tracking and support that builds rather than hinders this opportunity of LBE VR.

So in conclusion of this recent coverage of the amazing explosion in interest towards “Arena-Scale VR – Standalone”, it is expected to not be the last on reporting this fascinating sector. As we go to the wire there are other corporations readying to throw their hat into the ring (such as news from Sony, and Samsung). Underlining this point, as this feature was being compiled the news broke of the launch of the brand new Lynx-R1. Offering a powerful new Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chipset, the system created wholly for Enterprise deployment. Designed from the start for pass-through MR applications (combining the ability to offer AR and VR performance). The system to be priced at $1,500, available in summer of 2020.

Lynx-R1 It is this innovation, and a need to support what has already proven a highly anticipated phase of the Enterprise entertainment landscape, moving from just VR to a full “XR” opportunity. We will now see several other major collaborations from major players, expected to be revealed in the coming months, developers that will champion this latest phase of the new Out-of-Home XR entertainment arena. Watch this space for the latest and most in-depth coverage.

February 10, 2020

The Virtual Arena: The Standalone LBE VR Experience!

Covering the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams reports in two parts on the new phase of investment with the growth in “Arena-Scale VR – Standalone”, This first part looking at the influence the new Oculus Quest has had on the deployment of this latest phase of location-based entertainment (LBE) VR, seeing phenomenal growth in interest.

“Arena-Scale VR” – the ability for groups of players to compete in the same virtual world has proven to be a big trend in the latest phase of commercial VR entertainment. Offering a unique element for this VR application, totally unachievable from a consumer perspective. Currently, the popular trend was for backpack PC’s to be employed to supply the virtual experience – but with the advancements in technology a new category has emerged with “Arena-Scale VR – Standalone”.

Employing standalone headsets with positional tracking, and enough processing power to create compelling content, one benefit is the ability to wirelessly communicate with each other, and in some cases additional peripherals and operator management screens; removing the cost and complexity of the backpack PC solutions.

LBE standalone VR — One of the first examples of a LBE Standalone Arena-Scale experiences. Image credit: KWP

Oculus Attempts to Enter the Arena

The first series of standalone headsets started to make an appearance in 2018, and one of those which received a special amount of attention was the Oculus Quest. However, the interest in using this kind of hardware in location-based entertainment (LBE) has not been a priority for the manufacturer, until recently.

Oculus underlined a new commitment to LBE VR when, at 2018s Oculus Connect 5 (OC5) convention, the company invited the operator and developer, The VOID, to present an example of its “Hyper-reality” VR attraction (operating in some eleven sites). Running ‘Star Wars: Secret of the Empire’, the demonstration took OC5 delegates through a special enclosure that maps real objects with the virtual world, created in partnership with Lucasfilm’s ILMxLAB development studio.

The current chain of VOID locations is using a modified version of the, now discontinued, Oculus CV1 headset in its construction – developed under license. This is just one of a handful of such partnerships. However, in comparison to other VR headset developers, Oculus has been less active in establishing enterprise entertainment partnerships – previously seen as standoffish with regards to the explosion of interest in this application of the virtual hardware.

The same OC5 in San Jose revealed the Oculus Quest (evolving from the Santa Cruz prototype), as a new standalone platform. Separate of the PC offering, seeing the CV1 superseded by the Rift-S, the Quest offered a new cost-effective opportunity with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg promising it would run “Rift-quality experiences”. But it was the opportunity that it represented outside of the consumer market that interested a new group of developers.

During OC5, Oculus started to reposition its sights on a possible pivot to fully support the LBE VR scene. Running alongside The VOID popup installation at the Oculus event, was a demonstration of their Capability Concept Demonstrator (CCD), based on a previous popular CV1 game. ‘Dead and Buried Arena’ was a demonstration created by Oculus with support from the original videogame developers. The demonstration included a 371 square-metre arena, with two teams of three players each, wearing Oculus Quest. The demonstrations illustrated the prototype’s asymmetric “co-location” technology.

At the time of the demonstration, Oculus stated that it expected location-based entertainment (LBE) developers to benefit from the technology developed for the D&BA system. But, after the expenditure of such a complicated demonstration, all news of further investment in this direction ceased, and even the original D&BA team was disbanded internally. On the conference stage, the pivot was on par with the statement from Oculus’ head of experiences, telling the audience that the company now loved the idea of an audience being able to go to a destination and have an experience and to love that experience and continue that adventure at home.

Oculus LBE arena — The 2018 artist’s interpretation of how Oculus envisaged an LBE arena. Image credit: Oculus

Oculus Quest would go on to be launched in May of 2019, and by October of that year it was reported that sales had achieved some 500,000 units, but it soon became a very popular seller up to the Christmas period (deliveries in some areas pushed to late-February). The platform is proving to be one of the most successful for VR sales from the Facebook-owned company, since its partnership with Samsung with the Gear VR. But regarding an LBE initiative, none was forthcoming until the end of 2019.

It would not be until the Facebook Developer’s Conference (F8) 2019 that we would see a reversion in the approach to commercial entertainment, with a pivot in the approach for the ‘Oculus for Business Initiative’. This came with the introduction of a new program for the Oculus headset range, including the Quest – led internally by Facebook directly. Oculus for Business had been created as a division in 2017, focused on enterprise customers rather than entertainment.

Others’ Lead the Charge in Standalone

Though receiving very little coverage, major LBE VR deployment of the Oculus Quest was undertaken in partnership with leading Japanese video game and amusement operation, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment. This came with the launch of their brand new MAZARIA facility in Sunshine City, Ikebukuro, Tokyo, during July 2019, when the latest investment by the corporation in a hybrid VR-amusement crossover was revealed.

This came in the form of ‘PAC-MAN Challenge VR’, a two-player experience which sees players using the Oculus Quest standalone headset to allow players to race around the iconic PAC-MAN play-space, collecting power pills and avoiding ghosts, all in 256 seconds. The title was started by the BANDAI NAMCO “Project-i-Can” team two-years ago, working in cooperation with Oculus, at that time developing the prototype Santa Cruz version that would evolve into Oculus Quest.

The second big development surrounding Oculus Quest’s usage in location-based entertainment (LBE), saw ILMxLAB announce a popup training arena based on the ‘Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series’ – in partnership with LBE developer Nomadic. The company announced it was opening at six Cinemark theatres, running ‘Lightsaber Dojo, A Star Wars Experience’ (closing in February). The ILMxLAB videogame is an arcade-style version of the consumer original, using Oculus Quest standalone headsets, players paid some $9.99 for a six-minute experience.

This the first of the main announcements of Oculus supporting the use of their standalone hardware with major IP franchises (ILMxLAB, LucasFilms’ immersive entertainment studio, has connections with the company already, having previously worked together with The VOID projects). Nomadic previously opened its free-roam venue concept under a partnership with Oculus.

Much rumoured, Oculus eventually lifted the veil on its full pivot to support the LBE VR scene. Building on the initial Oculus for Business division’s work, and under the new direction, it was revealed during F8 that new Oculus for Business bundles would be available, supported by the needed Terms of Service (ToS) and warranties for deployment in commercial entertainment and other enterprise applications. This would be supported by a software development kit (SDK) that would allow access to a suite of tools, and most importantly the ‘Co-Location’ platform used for multi-player connectivity – unable to be achieved on the consumer Oculus Quest.

At the beginning of this year, the promise of Oculus support for a standalone VR solution for enterprise was indefinitely put on hold. After the disbanding of the 2018 Capability Concept Demonstrator (CCD) team, Oculus had been attempting to create a workable ‘co-location’ solution on top of the standard SDK that addressed concerns from legal, over tracking accuracy that could lead to injury. Taking much longer than hoped and leading to still being stated as “Available Soon”, months after being promised.

Attempting to stem the floodgates, Oculus for Business went ahead and released an Enterprise User Agreement addendum for the Quest, permitting “Hospitality Entertainment” deployment. But sadly, much of what the LBE sector was waiting for was still prohibited, the addendum seemed more drafted for single-site VR arcades to use the Enterprise licensed Quest but forbidding use of Oculus co-location functionality.

New stipulations saw enterprise developers forced to create their own co-location firmware, and undertake appropriate liability coverage, all to placate the concern overshadowing corporate thinking. However, this “speedbump” has not deterred the entertainment sector from embracing the opportunity, even if they may be looking at alternative VR platforms to release on.

Independent Devs stake their claim

The corporation had initiated the Oculus ISV (Independent Software Vendors) Program to accelerate customer adoption of VR solutions built for Oculus enterprise products. The first of the developers selected by Oculus to support this program was the French location-based entertainment developer, Scale-1 Portal. Earlier in 2019, the company launched its ‘VOXEL ARENA’ platform, which saw networked Oculus Quest systems for four-player competition employed in the LBE VR market. The new system will be launched in March of 2020, with its first title being ‘PANIK’, offering a fun and challenging teamwork-based virtual experience.

PANIK - Scale-1 Portal — Players competing in ‘PANIK’ at one of the first tests of the platform in September. Image credit: Scale-1 Portal

Another member of the Oculus ISV program is Chicken Waffle, an independent developer with a wide track record in content development and with videogames on many of the leading platforms. The company has also partnered with CenterTec, one of the established leaders of the deployment of the concept of VR arcades, with a successful location business that has also expanded into the educational side of the market, to become a community technology centre.

Working with Chicken Waffle, CenterTec has developed its own Oculus Quest powered mobile multi-user solution and has defined several titles that will offer a cost-effective platform. For operators looking at the investment needed to operate a sensible free-roaming offering, this platform will be backed up with the experience gained from operating educational content and will use many of the unique patents held by the operation. But unlike other developers, this system is cross-platform reliant and was seen supporting several of the standalone VR headsets at CES 2020.

Concerning the availability of a software and hardware solution for the VR arcade operators was one aspect under scrutiny with a question over the Oculus Quest availability for LBE deployment. One of the leading providers of commercially licensed VR game content, and venue management solutions, is Springboard VR – an operation with some 500 companies globally deploying their solution, utilising content from all the major consumer game studios, offering suitable VR content licensing through the platform. Most recently, Beat Games (Beat Saber) and VR Nerds (Tower Tag) added their successfully licensed content to this extensive library.

Springboard VR announced during last July its LBE + Education Solution for the platform, offering a device management kit for the Oculus Quest, allowing access for LBE, training and educational content, and for operators to run the system in location-based entertainment venues. This includes the content that had been appropriately licensed with a subscription model for commercial usage. The company is supplying a beta landing page – which at this point has not been updated. Springboard VR is working to support the Oculus Quest and currently supports VR hardware from Pico, HP, and HTC.

Springboard VR Oculus Quest — The marketing campaign for the beta program for interested supporters. Image credit: Springboard VR

Fennec Labs, an augmented and virtual reality development studio with specialisation in VR arcade content, had a big hand in developing the Springboard VR management platform. The company has been privately working on its own standalone VR platform, having undertaken a detailed evaluation of the current crop of headset options, evaluating Oculus Quest and Pico Neo 2 platforms for their PvP title called ‘RE: COIL’ – offering a new multi-player arena-scale LBE VR experience (the project is not tied to the Oculus API). With the launch in early-2020, the company proposes a basic licensing model for operators to get their hands on this title initially but are intending a complete turnkey model in the future.

SynthesisVR – the developer of one of the most advanced software solutions and management programs for operators of VR arcades and LBE VR venues, has established its own considerable library of the latest commercially licensed VR game content. SynthesisVR revealed its entry into LBE standalone support, having developed a version of its premium platform to support the Oculus Quest, HTC Vive Focus Plus, and Pico, as well as other upcoming Android-based headsets. This agnostic approach will offer VR arcade operators the ability to manage multiple devices, launching content simultaneously across them, and with tools for time management and payment collection (all licensed for commercial deployment).

Studio I-Illusions recently teased us with footage of Space Pirate Arena, in what has been described as a multiplayer “hall-scale” VR game, based on the Oculus Quest, for deployment in commercial locations. It is at an early (beta) stage of development but has seen serious interest from VR arcade operators based on its IP – this is a serious addition to the ranks of content looking at this opportunity.

UK-based developer Make Real, with a background in immersive networked technology solutions for enterprise and Out-of-Home Entertainment, is another entrant working towards releasing its own Oculus Quest LBE experience. The company is working on a four-player networked VR videogame within a shared “co-location” space, whilst a “theatre-scale” AR audience, powered by 5G, mixes the realities scale. Building on a collaborative puzzle solving narrative, the title has been developed in support of the Oculus for Business LBE initiative and is expected to go live in mid-2020, for operators to franchise.

The concluding part of this feature on the Standalone LBE scene follows shortly.

January 20, 2020

The Virtual Arena: VR in UK Amusement

Covering the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams reports on the amusement industry’s latest trade extravaganza in London, and the new VR platforms revealed to invited trade buyers, with his exclusive coverage revealing these new category of systems for readers.

The amusement trade represents the pay-to-play sector and started the new decade off underlining how much virtual reality (VR) has influenced innovation in this business. The UK saw one of the largest exhibitions for the sector this month, and VR was front-and-centre. The Entertainment, Attractions and Gaming (EAG) International Expo 2020 – held in London at the beginning of the year for amusement trade professionals – has become a hotbed to demonstrate the latest VR applications in the European Enterprise entertainment sector.

EAG at ExCel — The crowded hall of the ExCel exhibition center. Image credit: KWP.

The various categories of deployment in this market were on display. First was “Standalone VR Arcade” – these are VR systems applied along lines that conform to the needs for amusement deployment in leisure entertainment venues but also applying various levels of “self-service” VR deployment, looking to remove the need for an attendant to run these systems from the mix.

Many of these systems are represented by distributors, companies that place and service the hardware with venue operators for the manufacturer. On the Harry Levy Amusement booth, the VRsenal developed ‘Beat Saber Arcade’ system was presented, an upright kiosk with retractable HTC Vive headset and controllers, configured to as a standalone system running the popular music rhythm VR experience. The machine has become a popular platform with already some 100-units deployed in the Western market.

Beat Saber Arcade at EAG — Beat Saber Arcade proving a big hit with the player-base at the show. Image credit: KWP

Taking on a more familiar amusement approach, UNIS presented on the Instance Automatics booth their ‘Ultra Moto VR’ – a two-player arcade-style ride-on motorcycle racing videogame, with its own motion platform. Players are able to experience the action on the big screen or immersed using the 3Glasses VR headset. The platform marketed to operators as “easy to manage” – offering a familiar package to the VR entertainment medium in amusement.

UNIS - Ultra Moto VR — High-speed competition on the VR motorcycle game from UNIS. Image credit: KWP

Also, on the Harry Levy Amusement booth, was another top-selling VR product, LAI Games has seen great success with its ‘Virtual Rabbids: The Big Ride’ – with hundreds of sales of this two-seat motion ride platform already achieved. Developed in partnership with D-BOX and with content from Ubisoft, the VR ride-experience runs on HTC Vive. At the London show a new compact version of the platform was on display, (for cruise ships and smaller venues), also incorporating three new ride experiences, including a new interactive ride, with scoring elements.

Virtual Rabbids at EAG 2020 — Riding through the Rabbids universe in this eclectic experience from LAI Games. Image credit KWP

The division of the Japanese amusement developer, operator and manufacturer, Bandai Namco Amusement represented the latest entry into this genre with a new two-seat VR motion ride platform from Triotech. Launching their new ‘Storm’, the company has integrated many of the popular elements seen with other systems, using the HTC Vive Pro headset incorporating Ultraleap, to track the riders’ hands. This offering an interactive game element to the roller-coaster ride experience.

Triotech at EAG 2020 — Players using their hands to capture the items during their ride on the TRIOTECH system. Image credit: KWP

Moving on from the standalone amusement deployment, also on show at EAG’20 was the “VR Enclosure” platforms that offer multiple-player VR experiences within an enclosure than as just individual machines. The market leader in this genre is HOLGATE, who came to the London show with its over 500-unit selling ‘HOLGATE Arena’. The latest version of the tethered platform offering a four-player plethora of different co-operative VR experiences, including titles licensed from Angry Birds, World of Tanks and other properties – running on the VR high-end Valve Index headset.

The VR Enclosure approach can also be deployed for the larger game experiences – such as with “Arena-Scale VR” – using backpack PC’s to allow free-roaming for multiple players co-operating in immersive shooting and escape game experiences. EAG exhibitor VEX Solutions presented ‘VEX Adventure’ that takes the Arena-Scale system and places into a flexible platform for both LBE and enclosure deployment. The company showing its system at the show as a complete turnkey solution, with player registration tablets, the onboarding infrastructure – HP backpack PC’s and HTC Vive Pro headsets (incorporating Ultraleap units), and force-feedback weapons.

VEX Backpack PC — Backpack PC VR offering a free-roaming experience on the VEX booth. Image credit: KWP

A glimpse of the future of this application was seen at EAG with the latest example in “Arena-Scale VR – Standalone”, these platforms negate the need for a backpack PC and employed the all-in-one Standalone VR headsets, (a far-reaching feature on the emergence of this new aspect of the VR scene will be published soon in VRFocus). At EAG’20, the exhibitor Hero Zone demonstrated its version of this approach, with a four-player platform, employing Oculus Quest headsets, modified with the Modicap soundkit and battery extension. The pop-up enclosure running the new title ‘Dead Ahead’ – for some co-operative zombie blasting. The first installation of this platform is going live in February.

The final aspect of the diverse Out-of-Home entertainment deployment of this technology is the category of “Large VR Attractions” – turning VR tech into dedicated attractions for theme parks and LBE venues. One of the major developers in this field is Holovis, working on several attractions, but at EAG they revealed plans to develop smaller-scale applications that can suit amusement and FEC (Family Entertainment Center) deployment – offering big experiences in a small package.

Displayed for the first time, Holovis revealed their first title with ‘The Descent’, developed in partnership with D-BOX – the company created an intense alien blaster which uses the physicality of a special-effects mine-cage, descending virtually into the bowls of the Earth, battling waves of aliens on the way down. The system borrowing heavily from all the physical effects deployed in larger attractions, Holovis hoping to open a new sphere of the market with “Mid-Scale VR Attractions”, seeing their first orders at the show.

Holovis at EAG 2020 — The brave player controls their descent into the nest of voracious aliens on the Holovis platform. Image credit: KWP

Along with the new hardware on display EAG 2020 held a seminar to present the opportunity of what immersive entertainment platforms offer the operators in this sector (ranging from seaside, leisure, amusement and FEC venues). Held in partnership with the show organizers, and industry consultancy KWP, the session brought together presenters from key executives in the field, including MeetSpace, operator of the Zero Latency arena in Wembley, the co-founder of HOLOGATE, SPREE Interactive, famous for its arena-scale family VR entertainment, and operating developer IMMOTION – who have championed a radical approach on getting “bums-on-seats” with the deployment of VR entertainment into the leisure sector. While later in the seminar the aspects of deploying VR in eSports experiences saw presentations from Virtuix and others.

Hologate seminar at EAG 2020 — The well-attended seminar session listens to the latest developments from HOLOGATE. Image credit: KWP

This gives a snapshot of what proved a fascinating and intense three-day convention, with many orders made for the latest VR hardware. This will hopefully mean that even more of the general public will be able to get their first taste of VR entertainment at one of the many hundred entertainment venues in the UK and across Europe.

The London show will be followed by a plethora of trade events to start the year, including events in Japan and North America. But also, interest in Enterprise VR will see launches of the latest eSports and even Edutainment deployments. Watch this space for our next coverage.

December 20, 2019

The Virtual Arena: LBE VR Success on Parade (Part 2.)

In his coverage of the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his second part of his latest Virtual Arena column, Kevin Williams reports from the IAAPA trade show on the other emerging categories of “VR Enclosures”, and “Arena-Scale VR” both including backpack PC and now the new launch of Standalone systems.

In this, the second part of our coverage of the mammoth International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) held in Orlando and covering some 580,000 net square feet of exhibit space, and accommodated some 1,140 exhibitors – of those exhibitors it was calculated that over 70 of these had some form of VR product or initiatives on display.

IAAPA 2019 hall — The vast vista of just one hall of the IAAPA 2019 show floor. Image credit: KWP

Continuing the different categories of VR business that were on display during the convention and we come to “VR Enclosures” – this represents the creation of structures that enclose a space within a facility to offer a VR experience. This is best illustrated by leading provider HOLOGATE, who has developed and launched its ‘HOLOGATE Arena’ placed with some 300 active locations throughout Europe, the Middle East, the Asia-Pacific region, and North and South America. The four-player tethered enclosure revealed that the company would be moving from HTC headsets to using the Valve Index. And at IAAPA it also launched an eye-catching ‘HOLOGATE Tower’ – a two-floor steel platform that doubles the floor space to play on.

The company also entered the motion racing VR scene with its new ‘HOLOGATE Blitz’ – the developer partnered with an established motion platform manufacturer to create a unique motion cockpit system as a companion to the successful Arena. As we have seen in the first part of this report, the interest in VR racing simulator videogames has grown, and HOLOGATE is looking to offer a varied selection of both content and VR experiences to drive interest in this platform.

Another VR enclosure developer that had big developments at IAAPA was Minority Media, the company is the developer of the four-player ‘Chaos Jump’ enclosure, and building of success selling this system launched their new ‘Transformers: VR Battle Arena’, created in collaboration with Hasbro. Again, four players battle against each other, but this time the videogame uses the new version of the StrikerVR haptic weapon for added immersion.

Hologate Blitz - IAAPA 2019 — Extreme racing on the HOLOGATE Blitz. Image credit: KWP

Transformers: VR Battle Arena at IAAPA 2019. Image credit: KWP

One of the other VR enclosures developers on the show floor was Inowize, presenting the ‘VR Quest Arena’ – this is one of the first systems that offered six-player competition within their platform, using tethered HTC Vive Pros. The company has also partnered with an already established sales veteran, sharing space in the Amusement Products booth during the show.

Aiming at a younger audience has been the focus for several the new VR enclosure developers, hoping to attract the widest demographic. One such developer presenting at IAAPA 2019 was AlterEyes with its ‘DOJO’ – this system using the latest wireless HTC Vive Pros, uniquely able to accommodate four synchronize players. While another developer Boxblaster VR also presented a cost-effective tethered four-player VR enclosure platform, also announcing that its moving across to the Valve Index headset.

Inowize - VR Quest Arena — Inowize’s VR Quest Arena. Image credit: KWP

AlterEyes - Dojo — The AlterEyes DOJO at IAAPA 2019. Image credit: KWP

Another example of the successful deployment of this approach to VR entertainment, the Funovation represented their partnership with Virtuix, (the pioneer of “Active VR”) – who launched last years’ ‘Omni Arena’, a four-player VR enclosure employing their omni-direction movement system and HTC Vive headsets. Virtuix has focused their system on offering a perfect competition platform partnering with HP, to double the 2020 eSports prize-pool from $50,000 to $100,000. The company also announced the launch of the new eSports game ‘Elite Force’, a player-vs-player military blaster.

Another company that has expanded the approach to a VR enclosure from just a structure, but into a full game stage is MajorMega – presenting at the Orlando show its completed ‘Hyperdeck’ platform. Offering multi-sensory effects (wind, heat, motion), running the HTC Vive Pros for the four-players. The company has already seen a strong return on investment numbers while on test at a few well-known venues, and during IAAPA the company gave a sneak peek of its next videogame title on the system called ‘Dream-Saver’.

Virtuix Omni Arena IAAPA 2019 — The Virtuix Omni Arena. Image credit: KWP

The MajorMega Hyperdeck in action. Image credit: KWP

The development of VR enclosures that also expand into the other new category of “Arena-Scale VR – Backpack” was also witnessed, as well as the pivoting of many consumer VR developers into supporting LBE VR. Exhibitor IMMOTION was working in association with Survios to launch ‘Raw Data Arena’, a VR 4m x 4m multi-player enclosure based on the popular game. While Vertigo Games’ LBE VR division Vertigo Arcades made the trip to the Orlando show with their LBE version of their popular ‘Arizona Sunshine’ and their new release ‘Corsair’s Curse’. Both running on backpack PC’s and using HTC Vive Pro headsets.

Not all Arena-Scale VR – backpack systems are housed in enclosures and many builds on free-roaming spaces dedicated for their deployment. One of the veterans of this space is Zero Latency with its multi-player “warehouse space” VR experience. The company showed at IAAPA the Gen 2 VR System, developed in partnership with HP, Microsoft and Intel, with an HP backpack and HP Reverb headset. Zero Latency has started the process of retrofitting across some of their 41 venues, recently adding MeetupVR in London Wembley at Boxpark (as covered in the recent VRFocus report).

More exhibitors promoted their platforms that offered a multi-player arena-scale solution; developer Ideas Extremas presented their ‘VR Ideas – Cybengerz VR Arena’ – a three-player using wireless HTC Vive headset so removing the need for a backpack. While developer ARena Space showed its wireless HTC Vive Pro multiplayer platform, deployed in the companies established chain of stores. The appearance of wireless solutions shows the latest phase of development, while examples of the use of standalone headsets was also evident.

Another Backpack PC VR provider is VEX Solutions – the company showing at the show their previously launched ‘VEX Adventure’ – run as a large VR enclosure employing FX elements such as vibrating floor and heat elements – along with the four players wearing haptic vests and HTC Vive headsets. But the company also launched a new variant of this approach with their “Arena-Scale VR – Standalone” system called the ‘VEX Arena’. This platform making use of the Oculus Quest headset, the company offering a flexible game space of between 16 up to 100 square meters – with between two or 12-players.

Arizona Sunshine LBVR IAAPA 2019 — Vertigo Games’ Arizona Sunshine LBVR enclosure. Image credit: KWP

VEX Arena IAAPA 2019 — The VEX Arena deployed on the Oculus Quest. Image credit: KWP

Another exhibitor with this approach was ANVIO that showed their Standalone VR system running on the Oculus Quest. This was not the only company that looked at Standalone mobileVR headsets, with their all in one approach to offering immersive experience as a new opportunity for cost-effective deployment in the LBE VR scene, and there are several other manufacturers on and off the show floor that are taking the same approach. So much so, that OculusVR has undertaken to re-evaluate their approach to Enterprise business (including LBE VR) and will be making an important announcement in the coming weeks.

But not all Standalone developers are depending on the Oculus Quest – there are several alternative hardware offerings. Emerging VR developer SPREE Interactive; (formerly known as Holodeck VR) has created a suite of Arena-Scale VR experiences that use the Pico standalone headset. The company creating multiplayer free-roam experiences based on their patented technology aiming at a family-friendly approach with their ‘SPREE Arena’.

As touched upon in our previous report SPREE Interactive have taken their tracking technology and in cooperation with VR Coaster launched their ‘VR Bumper Car’ platform, converting a conventional bumper car attraction into a virtual experience – again using their standalone headsets. The company has also built on a third partnership with Hollywood VFX team Pixomondo – to launch a new experience called ‘Mission to Mars’. This free-roaming VR experience accommodating 20-players and allowing them to explore mans’ attempts to inhabit the Red Planet.

SPREE VR Bumper Car — Taking SPREE Interactive’s VR Bumper Car for a spin. Image credit: KWP

Obviously, these two features can only offer a snapshot of this amazing trade gathering regarding some of the myriad of exhibitors that came to IAAPA 2019 – but shows the incredible diversity in development in VR applications for Out-of-Home entertainment. 2020 will continue to see the diversity grow with the launch of new hardware and entertainment platforms continuing, and also the opening of a number of the latest LBE facilities across major cities such as from Sandbox VR and The VOID, (to name just two). Watch this space for the next series for reports from this dynamic sector.

December 16, 2019

The Virtual Arena: LBE VR Success on Parade (Part 1.)

In his coverage of the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his first part of his latest Virtual Arena column, Kevin Williams reports from the exclusive IAAPA trade show on the emerging categories defining the market of ”VR Based Attractions”, “Standalone VR Arcade” including motion rides and kiosks, and even the concept of “VR Water Attractions”.

While the consumer virtual reality (VR) community attempts to regroup towards a workable business model, there is one industry that has seen an explosion of VR investment and innovation (in many cases using the same consumer VR hardware). The evolution of the Commercial Entertainment (Enterprise) market is at an adverse to that seen in the consumer VR arena.

The best illustration of this was seen in November this year, when the largest theme park, water park, amusement and leisure entertainment convention took place in Orlando, Florida. The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) held at the vast Orange County Convention Center (OCC), covered some 580,000 net square feet of exhibit space accommodating some 1,140 exhibitors from across the Globe, and attracting some 42,600 international attractions professionals.

IAAPA Expo crowd — IAAPA Expo 2019. Image Credit: KWP

This was the leading convention to illustrate the valuable revenue generation that VR is offering an industry, (against the speculation of possible future profits seen in consumer). A show littered with products that are installed and are generating revenue. This vast convention is impossible to simply encapsulate, but the key categories shaping the Location-Based Entertainment (LBE) scene, are now highlighted in this two-part feature.

The first of these categories to observe is ”VR Based Attractions” – the use of VR technology in the immersive entertainment attraction sector. While consumer VR has attempted to find a mainstream home the application – in the other sector VR is excelling. The IAAPA 2019 convention allowed the key developments to promote their success. Dreamcraft is one of those corporations that has taken the consumer VR platform and applied it to commercial entertainment with the ‘DreamSet’ – a two-part VR headset system based on the HTC Vive that offer a solution to effective “Onboarding” (the allowing of simple loading and unloading operation on large throughput rides).

In successfully creating a VR system based on the available consumer VR hardware that can be reliable for Out-of-Home entertainment – and interest has grown in deploying this approach. It was revealed that Dave & Busters’ had signed up to utilize a special version of the system (including headphones). This major entertainment centre operator has worked on a number of VR systems for their audience, D&B working in partnership with VRstudios – who announced the new VR attraction ‘Terminator: Guardian of Fate’ installed on some 140 of their four-player VR motion simulator attractions at D&B locations. VRstudios also had their own VR enclosure system (‘VRcade Dual Atom’) on display at the show – this category of system will be covered in more detail in the second part of this report.

Dreamcraft - DreamSet — The DreamSet headset conversion to HTC Vive. Image Credit: KWP

VRstudios - DualAtom — The VRstudios Dual Atom promoting its accessibility. Image Credit: KWP

One of the pioneers of this technology in large throughput attractions is VR Coasters who has recently installed their “Roam & Ride” VR system for Eurosat Coastiality. At IAAPA the company was promoting their continued work and cooperation with SPREE Interactive. At a press event, Italian bumper car manufacturer I.E Park (who also working in cooperation with VR Coaster and SPREE) revealed that they will be representing the ‘VR Bumper Car’ platform to other entertainment venues. The development of free-roaming VR in this market and SPREE’s development of such platforms will be covered in the second part of this report.

Another major amusement attraction developer, DOF Robotics has already achieved success with their award-winning ‘Hurricane 360 VR’ attraction, employing Oculus Go mobile VR headsets and an extreme 360’ motion platform. The company used the IAAPA 2019 event to launch their brand-new VR attraction ‘Defender’ – a four-player highly themed motion platform, with players sited in the cab of the simulated vehicle using force-feedback machinegun blasting at aliens attacking their virtual convoy.

Extreme motion platform partnered with VR was a common deployment on the show floor at this year’s IAAPA – one of the veterans of these kinds of motion platforms, Maxflight – showed their 360-degree motion two axes ‘FS3000’ two-seat flight simulators, configured to run the Oculus Rift CV1 headsets, offering an immersive flight simulator experience with extreme motion.

DOF Robotics - Defender — DOF Robotics’ Defender at IAAPA 2019. Image Credit: KWP

Maxflight - FS3000 — The Maxflight FS3000 simulator. Image Credit: KWP

Beyond the big attractions, a surprise category for this technology was “VR Water Attractions” – last year saw the first deployment of VR water flume experiences using new waterproof headsets. This year VORTEX Aquatic Structures International and Ballast VR presented the latest application of VR water attractions Ballast VR having already installed their ‘VRSlide’ – waterslide VR experience at several European sites and building on this and their waterproof VR hardware exhibited at the Outside Exhibit space where they had set up a swimming pool allowing attendees to done swimming costume and try for themselves the new system. The ‘DIVR’ is a free-floating experience while the ‘DIVR+’ incorporates handles to grip and a unique water jet system to simulate movement, creating unique and compelling experiences.

Going for a swim with Ballast VR. Image Credit: KWP

The ability to have a simple plug-n-play VR solution for deployment in entertainment venues has seen the establishment of the “Standalone VR Arcade” category. One of the aspects of the new investment into LBE VR was that of self-service (automatic) VR experiences – systems that do not need an attendant and are self-serviced.

Examples of this categories growth in popularity was seen from VRsenal who presented their previously launched ‘Virtual Arcade Cabinet’ – a “Self-Service VR kiosks” that runs a amusement version of the ‘Beat Saber’ videogame experience – incorporating a special headset and controller wired retraction system for simple ease of operation allowing the system to be automatic to run. This game licensed from developer Beat Games, who were in the news after being acquired by Facebook, the owner of Oculus.

Another self-service VR game kiosk was presented from VR LEO USA, with their ‘LEO’ platform developed in partnership with Shanghai Lions Intelligent Technology. The kiosk also employs a retention system for the Acer VR headset incorporating a unique feature of cleaning the headset when retracted using Ultraviolet light, in the top structure. While another Chinese invested system on the show floor was ‘VR Magic Box’ from Steki Amusement Equipment (Owatch). Their kiosk also comprising 3Glasses S2 headset retention system and a large touch screen display. It is expected that these turn-key automatic kiosks will continue to be a popular element of VR deployment.

VR Leo USA IAAPA 2019 — Self-service kiosk by VR Leo USA at IAAPA 2019. Image credit: KWP

VRsenal IAAPA 2019 — Self-service kiosk by VRsenal at IAAPA 2019. Image credit: KWP

One of the leaders of the “VR Self Service” platform approach was amusement developer LAI Games, who have seen great success with their ‘Virtual Rabbids: The Big Ride’ – the two-seat motion VR experience using HTC Vive’s was developed in partnership with Ubisoft. It also needs to be remembered that Ubisoft is also instrumental in the LBE VR escape room business (more on this in later reports). The ‘Virtual Rabbids’ system has proved a major success with over 500 units already installed across the market.

This two-seat, self-service platform has proven a popular approach and other developers are throwing their hats into the ring. Launched at IAAPA this year was a new system from media attraction and amusement company TRIOTECH with their new ‘Storm’ two-seat motion system offering a roller coaster adventure in the canyons and caves, but adding the new element of interactivity, with the use of a Ultraleap tracking system on the HTC Vive Pro headsets – tracking guests hands as they collect coloured balls during the ride.

Virtual Rabbids IAAPA 2019 — Riders enjoying Virtual Rabbids: The Big Ride. Image credit: KWP

Triotech - Storm at IAAPA 2019 — Triotech’s new Storm platform at IAAPA 2019. Image credit: KWP

Another amusement manufacturer, Universal Space (UNIS) showed its VR amusement system with an attendant free approach called ‘Ultra Moto VR’ – a ride-on street racing motorcycle experience with its own motion platform employing the 3Glasses headset. This is the latest VR arcade machine from the UNIS (also developed by IGS), the company launching last year their car racer ‘Overtake VR’.

Motion racing simulators married to VR has grown exponentially in this sector and a number of the latest offerings were seen at the Orlando show, Talon Simulations launched their ‘Talon Vortex’ –a turnkey amusement focused VR cabinet, using their ‘Atomic A3’ dynamic motion platform, the system running at the show the ‘Assetto Corsa’ VR racing title, developed by Kunos Simulazioni.

Talon Vortex - IAAPA 2019 — The new Talon Vortex simulator. Image credit: KWP

And talking about racing content – IAAPA 2019 showed a considerable number of racing releases for eSport and tournament activities for Race Room deployment. Leading provider CXC Simulations showed their ‘Motion Pro II’ in a six-networked race setup supporting tournament installation. While another big announcement saw a major theme park media attraction developer Brogent Technologies pivoting to the launch of racing and flying simulator attractions. More than just a Pay-to-Play entertainment but offering eSports revenue, with an audience as well as a player experience – the future will see if this tournament activity will be driving future LBE VR investment.

CXC Simulations - Motion Pro II — Intense competition on the Motion Pro II. Image credit: KWP

Brogent motion simulator — Brogent’s new motion simulator. Image credit: KWP

This is a good point to pause, while in the second part of this feature we will look at the other categories that were promoted during this years IAAPA trade convention including the launch of new VR enclosure systems and the growth in Arena-Scale VR experiences. The next issue follows shortly.

November 22, 2019

Virtual Arena: London Calling LBE – Immersive Fun!

Recommencing his semi-regular coverage of the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his latest Virtual Arena column, Kevin Williams reports on an explosion of brand new LBE VR entertainment properties making the capital their home. The first part of this three-part report looks at the appearance of the first true Mixed Reality (MR), hyper-immersive group gaming space in London.

While the consumer virtual reality (VR) scene still attempts to find its feet, the use of immersive entertainment has blossomed internationally, several LBE VR venues have broken ground across the Western market after we previously saw investment across the Asian market. This momentum has grown, and the UK is one of those pivotal territories that is leading the charge.

In previous coverage we reported on one of the UK’s first VR arcades – with the opening of DNA VR back in 2017 – along with VR arcades, we have also seen major investment in immersive attractions, such as the exclusive launch in London of (‘The War of the Worlds: Immersive Experience’) that brought immersive theatre and the latest VR technology together.

War of the Worlds LBE — The star-studded opening of the War of the Worlds experience. Source: KWP

The capital, because of its diverse audience, and large footfall is being used as a proving ground for new immersive entertainment technology, and along with VR, we are also seeing the inclusion of the latest XR hardware. While VR may be the current zeitgeist – the real investment is looking at the overall experience, and the use of immersive technology to create social entertainment that guest a unique and repeatable entertainment.

We were lucky to be invited to the opening of the latest new development that offers a unique experience like no other. Electronic Theatre has styled itself as an “Immersive experiences in interactive digital rooms” – taking group fun to a new level and revealing the compelling social engagement that this kind of technology offers. Located in the arches close to Southwark tube station, the new start-up locations offer a glimpse of the future of entertainment.

Electronic Theatre location — Entrance into the new Electronic Theatre premises. Source: KWP

Following checking in, the group of players (accommodating up to six) enter one of eight rooms – which the company have dubbed the “LightBox”. No 3D glasses or VR headsets are employed, all the players need to wear are specially tracked poker visor. LightBox is equipped with four HD projectors, that project the videogame experience on the walls which the group of players interact with within the 200 sq.,ft., hyper- immersive group gaming space, taking part in these experiences at some £25.00 GBP per person.

Electronic Theatre has crafted two “Adventures”, the one tried on this visit was ‘Alien Aptitude Test’ – set in a retro-styled 1984, players compete in minigames against hordes of aliens inspired by the classic arcade videogames of the time. The players compete in groups in many cases steering the character on screen with their body movement or interacting directly with the screen in several challenges accruing a score. The highly compelling Adventure lasting either mini 30-minutes or full 60-minute adventures. The second Adventure to play in the LightBox is ‘Rescue The Royal’ – a tongue in cheek romp set in a 2026 Britain, rescuing the Queen from captivity in a despotic game show.

Inside the Lightbox — Inside the LightBox, with this unique immersive experience. Source: KWP

The adventures are fun and compelling, and the players are soon pulled into the action and competition – the developers have created a strong social gaming experience. Electronic Theatre is the brainchild of two business partners (Will Dean and David Spindler), who saw the opportunity for a media-based videogame experience that could offer a social experience. The need for a socially inclusive adventure was built on Will’s previous project ‘Tough Mudder’ – global mud-run phenomenon. The team looking to roll out a chain of sites based on this fun social experience.

While this can be called a “projected interactive experience” (sometimes called Mixed or Cross Reality (XR)), an explosion of more conventional VR location-based entertainment venues have sprung up in the London capital, and we will chart them and other VR experiences in the following reports.

The next part of our coverage of developments in this sector follows shortly.