In 2018 Cartoon Network and AiSolve teamed up on a virtual reality (VR) experience called We Bare Bears: Food Truck Rush, based on Daniel Chong’s award-winning series We Bare Bears. Debuting at Family Fun Center in Tukwila, Washington, the companies have now confirmed a global launch of the title.
We Bare Bears: Food Truck Rush is a multiplayer, free-roaming experience designed for up to three kids or young adults, putting their teamwork and decision making skills to the test with time highly limited. Players can transform into Panda, Grizz and Ice Bear as they work inside a food truck getting orders ready as fast as possible.
Played inside a 3m x 3m WePlayVR arena, We Bare Bears: Food Truck Rush incorporates the immersive, haptic floor enhanced gameplay designed by AiSolve, making the experience even more intense as players try to avoid kitchen mishaps like dropping food or getting orders wrong.
“When Cartoon Network mentioned that the We Bare Bears experience would take place inside a food truck, we knew our platform would be a perfect choice for the content,” said Devi Kolli, CEO and Co-Founder of AiSolve in a statement. “When the food truck takes off on the adventure, our haptic floor responds to the driving, rumbling and creates a sensation of movement. This deepens the level of immersion and convinces them they’re really being driven around in a food truck.”
Being distributed by Bandai Namco, We Bare Bears: Food Truck Rush will be heading simultaneously to the DEAL show in Dubai and the Amusement Expo in Las Vegas, this week. Cartoon Network and AiSolve are yet to reveal which countries are likely to see the videogame arrive next and when that might occur.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of Cartoon Network and AiSolve, reporting back with the latest updates and announcements.
In a blow to digital out-of-home entertainment (DOE) for the virtual reality (VR) industry, it has been revealed that IMAX Entertainment will now be closing its VR programme, and with it the rest of its VR centres.
This isn’t too shocking a surprise as the company has been slowly shuttering several of its centres over the last few months. IMAX began its location-based VR adventure in 2016 with the completion of a $50 million USD VR fund with several others investors, aiming to open several centres around the world featuring the latest immersive technology.
This was just a pilot programme and it first started to show signs of trouble with the closure of one of its New York locations in June, followed by its Shanghai, China facility soon after. Then in October the other New York location closed, and last month saw IMAX VR in Manchester, UK, close its doors.
Spotted by Variety, IMAX filed a report with the SEC noting its intention to end the programme: “In connection with the Company’s previously announced strategic review of its virtual reality pilot initiative, the Company has decided to close its remaining VR locations and write-off certain VR content investments.”
“With the launch of the IMAX VR centre pilot program our intention was to test a variety of different concepts and locations to determine which approaches work well. After a trial period with VR centres in multiplexes, we have decided to conclude the IMAX VR centre pilot program and close the remaining three locations in Q1 2019,” an IMAX spokesperson told Variety.
These final locations are in Bangkok, Los Angeles and Toronto. This continues IMAX’s VR woes as the company also halted development of a VR camera in conjunction with Google. Should things get better (or worse), VRFocus will bring you the latest announcements and updates.
Canada is rapidly becoming a centre for the roll-out of immersive technology, seeing several location-based virtual reality (VR) centres, and recently the Vancouver International Film Festival hosted a special immersive content exhibition. Now a new VR playground is being opened in Toronto.
VRulez is described as a ‘groundbreaking virtual reality arcade’. It is intended to provide unrestricted access to fully immersive VR experiences, letting players take part in a number of VR worlds, such as slaying demons or exploring deep jungles.
The VR arcade is said to allow users to engage in VR with a wide range of movement without any obstacles. There are a wide range of VR videogames and experiences available, along with a special ‘KatWalk’ machine, a device for enhancing VR which is not currently available anywhere else in Canada.
The KatWalk in an omnidirectional treadmill that means users can walk around through the virtual world in a natural and comfortable way, which in addition to freeing users from having to use controllers for movement, is also said to eliminate many simulation sickness triggers.
Using the KatWalk treadmill means users can walk, run, jump or crouch as they naturally would in the real world, creating a more immersive experience. VRulez staff provide visitors will the required training to ensure that customers can safely use all the equipment to begin exploring the VR world.
For those who enjoy the experience with the KatWalk treadmill, VRulez sells the KatMini, which is a smaller and lighter variant of the KatWalk treadmill that is designed for home use, and is described as being small enough to fit into most rooms.
VRulez is coming to Richmond Hill in downtown Toronto sometime in 2019, and will be the first VR arcade in North American to offer the KatWalk system.
Further information can be found on the VRulez website. For future coverage on new VR arcades, keep checking back with VRFocus.
Five for Co Ltd have announced that its upcoming virtual reality (VR) location-based experience VR Ninja Dojo will get its worldwide debut at the IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando, Florida in early November. To coincide with this announcement, the company has also launched the first promotional trailer for the experience.
VR Ninja Dojo is planned to open in Kanda, Tokyo in February, 2019, where it will provide visitors to Japan with what the company describes as an ‘unforgettable ninja adventure’.
The VR experience combines exercise, martial arts training, performances by trained experts and a final ‘test’ of the skills of the participants designed to add up to an immersive ninjas experience for visitors.
Players will dress in ninja costumes and take part in ‘ninja training’ in VR, learning things such as swordplay, how to throw shuriken (throwing stars), martial arts techniques and the illusive practise of stealth and ninjutsu.
Visitors will then be faces with a final test to earn their ‘ninja status’, donning a VR headset to enter a virtual world and put their skills to use facing a horde of enemies who can be dispatched as part of a ‘ninja battle experience’.
Friends and family can also enjoy the action by watching on outside monitors. Those not wearing VR headsets will also be able to enjoy the performances by high-level players and the ‘ninja master’ staff.
The building where the VR Ninja Dojo will be located is planned to be decorated with suitable Japanese cultural theming, and professional martial artists and performers will act as instructors. The monsters that players will face in the VR world have been designed based on monsters from Japanese mythology to further tie into the theme.
VR Ninja Dojo will debut at IAAPA Expo in Orlando Florida on 13th November, 2018, with its launch at the Kanda, Tokyo location expected for 10th February, 2019. Further information can be found on the official VR Ninja Dojo website.
For future coverage of location-based VR experiences, keep checking back with VRFocus.
An increasing number of entertainment locations are introducing virtual reality (VR) experiences, including shopping centres, theme parks, bowling alleys, cinemas and videogame arcades. Andretti Indoor Karting & Games has now joined this list with a virtual roller coaster experience called Gear Coaster.
Andretti Indoor Karting & Games has worked together with Zamperla to create a VR roller coaster experience that allows customers to get the rush of riding a roller coaster in the safety, comfort and convenience of VR.
The Gear Coaster features ride experiences from both The Cyclone and The Thunderbolt, rides that are featured at Luna Park in Coney Island in New York, as well as the Mine Train at Ocean Park in Hong Kong.
The ride technology allows customers who might be otherwise unable to ride a standard roller coaster to experience what it is like by donning a VR headset and setting in a replica of a roller coaster seat. The VR experience also lets people who might be otherwise too anxious to ride a real-world roller coaster try it out in a safe and controlled way.
The replica roller coaster seats allows the movement of the coaster, including the shakes, bounces and dips of the experience to be faithfully re-created in time with the VR experience shown on the headset, along with wind machines to make the experience even more immersive.
The company has conducted extensive testing to ensure that The Gear Coaster doesn’t cause the simulation sickness symptoms that can affect some users in VR. The Gear Coaster currently has three available roller coaster experiences, but there is capacity to add more at a later date.
The Gear Coaster is available at Andretti Indoor Karting & Games in Orlando, Florida, and VR experiences can be purchased at $6.95 (USD) for a single ride, or $9.95 for two rides.
Earlier this year YDreams Global Technologies launched Arkrave VR, a turnkey solution for location-based virtual reality (VR). The company has now revealed how Arkrave VR and its other immersive projects are doing in its October monthly corporate update.
The update indicates that Arkrave VR has been well-received where it has been shown at trade shows, and YDreams is working with big-name technology brands including Intel and MixCast.
At the VR/AR Global Summit, Arkrave VR was demonstrated, and the event also presented an opportunity for YDreams to build new relationships with other companies, investors and brands in the VR and AR sectors.
“Playing Arkave was one of my favorite experiences of the VR/AR Global Summit. The high-quality level of social gameplay is as good as it gets, and our team has received significant positive feedback from attendees.” said Nathan Pettyjohn, Founder & President, VR/AR Association and VR/AR Global Summit.
Intel’s Virtual Reality Group is also working with YDreams on a high-quality location-based VR experience, as well as working towards enhancing Arkrave VR using wireless headset technology which has been developed in partnership with HTC.
Raj Puran, Director of Client VR Business Development & Strategic Partnerships from Intel stated “Arkave is one of the most compelling and exciting team multiplayer experiences in VR. YDreams and the team behind Arkave have created an innovative approach to Location Based VR and is just a ton of fun to challenge with your friends!”, says Mr. Puran, “We are excited to see this market grow and proud to support a partner like YDreams with our technology roadmap. Their platform is incredible and offers a real turnkey solution to Location Based VR Entertainment.”
The company says it is continuing to build relationships with other companies and brands, such as its new VR project with Petrobras and McLaren. Further information can be found on the YDreams website.
For future coverage on companies involved in VR, keep checking back with VRFocus.
Industry specialist Kevin Williams of KWP, concludes his report on the latest developments shaping the digital out-of-home entertainment (DOE) sector and all things to do with Commercial virtual reality (VR) deployment seen internationally. In this final part we see the drive for new investment and the realities and speculation on the market’s true worth.
With this final part of our coverage and we rush from Germany, to the Czech-Republic, and a major event in the country’s capital, underlined the influence that this new commercial entertainment utopia is having on the investment community. Held at the beginning of September, Future Port Prague was a two-day gathering of innovative technology trends and influential speakers on the subject. Along with dedicated conference events there was a showcase arena that comprised demonstrations of the latest tech-trends, ranging from Drone racing, electric-automobiles, smart home appliances and 3D printing to just name some of the exhibits. As part of this, local Czech developers were also promoting their influence on the scene, and VR made a big showing.
Future Port Prague 2018 – A packed outdoor festival conference stage. (Credit: KWP)
We have already mentioned in part one of this feature Beat Games; the Czech-based company had a version of the Beat Saber VR arcade setup demonstrating to attendees in the VR Zone of the event. It was interesting to see that unlike normal VR arcade deployments of the game, this enclosure used the latest technology from new industry start-up LIV. The green-screen enclosure and specially tracked virtual camera, placed the player in the centre of the action, superimposing them into the virtual environment – but not only creating a great audience element, the LIV system has been developed to offer a unique takeaway, with the player able to download a video of their ‘performance’, with appropriate social media hooks. The company looking to deploy this platform at several VR arcades.
LIV offers an added element to the Beat Saber experience. (Credit: KWP)
Another local Czech-based developer is DIVR Labs – the company famous for a local Prague tourist attraction that is seeing phenomenal business. Golem VR (not to be confused with the otherGolem), the attraction is one of the largest free-roaming virtual experiences operating. The basement of the local Prague Hamleys toy store transformed to accommodate a backpack-based VR experience using Oculus CV1’s. Groups of up to four guests traverse the virtual environment – in an experience that sees them transported through time to the 16th century, to discover the mythical Golem and its creator in an interpretation of the story. DIVR has partnered with Hamleys to develop this first free-roaming VR adventure that has no weapons or shooting (one of the first of its kind). The company in negotiations to open additional venues.
A view of the Golem VR experience at Hamleys in the city centre. (Credit: KWP)(Credit: KWP)
Returning to Future Port Prague, and another Czech-based developer, VRgineers took an exhibition space to offer the first public demonstrations of their XTAL head-mounted display (HMD). This system offers what the company calls an Enterprise-ready solution with a world’s first AutoEye system, offering automatically aligned lenses to the user’s eyes as well as an incredible wide field of view. The system has already been taken up by the local automotive industry, and the company is now in the process of receiving additional investment towards offering the platform too interested location-based VR developers. The company running at the event the ability to fly in a networked aerial combat using the visual fidelity achieved with the XTAL.
The XTAL headset in action. (Credit: KWP)
The next phase of high-end VR headsets has seen a shift in focus towards Enterprise opportunities (a sector prepared to pay for a technological lead). Most recently Kickstarter-funded Pimax demonstrated in Europe the production version of the Pimax 8K wide-field of view system, but also at the same time revealed a cost-reduced version. We saw at the Chinese Amusement trade conference in March one of the first Chinese attraction developers experimenting with the Pimax dev-kit on their robotic arm motion platform, and there are reports of at least one major VR park developer looking to deploy this at their site.
VR Enlightenment – Up in the air in a Pimax back at the Asia Amusement & Attractions (AAA) Expo 2018. (Credit: KWP)
The consideration to a wholly focused Enterprise initiative was also seen from StarVR, the company’s Vice Chairman Jerry Kao reported as saying the company was shifting its operational focus to high-end enterprise applications, with the location-based entertainment market to aerospace and automotive. This was reported following the companies unveiling of the StarVR One HMD during SIGGRAPH in Canada. The new headset offering what the company calls a “100% human viewing angle” is clearly packaged to address a DOE centric business model; building on previous associations with IMAX, SEGA and the VRPark in Dubai, as well as through VR attraction projects with Starbreeze
This year’s SIGGRAPH saw a major push towards location-based VR application of the latest high-end graphics and computer power – many exhibitors showing a shift towards this new business dimension. Leading tracking specialists OptiTrack, introduced their new Active Puck Mini at the event, offering a cost effective and 40% reduced option. The company confirmed that along with conventional motion capture business the system had Location-Based entertainment offerings squarely in their sites. The company has been deployed in many of the leading free-roaming VR installations, and OptiTrak has partnered with Dreamscape Immersive, offering their tracking solution, as well as working in conjunction with several other developers.
Dreamscape Immersive, have been in the news for the tests of their own free-roaming Alien Zoo concept – and the company partnered with movie theatre chain AMC Entertainment late last year, the deal coming after closing some $20 million (USD) of their Series B funding. It is this drive by the movie theatre business to embrace the opportunities of LBE VR that has seen momentous developments in recent weeks. One of the biggest was the announcement that Canadian cinema giants Cineplex had signed a strategic partnership with VRstudios (famous for their VRcade platform and VR experiences). The deal saw Cineplex strategically invest in their VR business, with at least 40 multiplex and location-based entertainment centres planned in the Canada territory by 2021.
Group of players start their progress through VRcade’s Terminal 17 at IAAPA 2017. (Credit: KWP)
This undertaking is mirrored by other cinema chains taking the plunge. The VOID’s “hyper-reality” location-based entertainment (LBE) operation, announced the first “In-Theatre” VR installation in the States – following the signing of an exclusive expansion agreement with leading entertainment and media company Cinemark. This development also saw The VOID LBE VR venues opening across Canada. This news follows on from continuing developments in the movie-theatre sector to embrace the opportunity of VR attractions tailored for their unique audience mix. With the expansion of the operation The VOID was also linked to brand new game content building on influential Intellectual Properties (IPs) – a joint venture of ILMxLAB, a division of Lucasfilm, and The VOID, will see a “one-of-a-kind, original adventure” based in the Wreck-it Ralph films’ unique world (tentatively called Ralph Breaks VR). This is the first of several immersive virtual reality properties from the developer, based on film licenses, building on previous Ghostbusters and Star Wars experiences.
Investing into the cinema scene has gained momentum as the theatre business has seen in the US a 16% decline in ticket sales, attributed to a need for a more diverse offering for the “millennially-minded” audience hoping to be attracted to their locations. Following a spate of mergers and acquisitions in this sector the market has fixated on finding an entertainment-mix to incorporate as a “in-theatre” offering. As we reported in our coverage from the LBE VR summit, manufacturers such as D-BOX Technologies had invested in their own D-BOX Cinematic VR Experience which launched earlier in the year at an Ottawa theatre.
D-BOX’s cinema seat put through its paces with the latest VR experiences created for this sector. (Credit: KWP)
This also brings us to developer Nomadic, who have been developing their own location-based adventure-based, tactile VR experiences – the company has promoted heavily in the cinema industry (presenting at the 2017 CinemaCon, and reportedly raising some $6 million in seed funding). Focused initially on a in-theatre approach, the company recently announced they had partnered with Vertigo Games to deploy a turn-key, modular-based VR platform based on Arizona Sunshine LB Elite. The first installations schedule to open fall this year. How much this space will mirror the wireless VR experience seen at Gamescom, in Germany recently has yet to be revealed. But this nicely takes us full circle from where this coverage began.
Arizona Sunshine LBE at Gamescom 2018. (Via HTC)
In just a matter of months and we have seen a level of investment in immersive entertainment focusing on developing virtual reality – far surpassing the previously wild speculation of the consumer VR sector. We have seen colourful analysis on the worth of the Commercial Entertainment or LBE VR market – most notably the SuperData chart that looked at a $995 million valuation of Location-Based entertainment by 2021. And we have seen other charts rise the gambit as high as $12 Billion by 2023 (Greenlight Insights), hopeful speculation to be sure – but based on a growing hunger to maximise the aspirations of the audience, to the abilities of this sectors technology, where the consumer equivalent has failed to deliver (for whatever reasons).
LBE Market Forecast via SuperData
It is important to understand that the VR arcades scene is still at a very early stage of development and has by no means established itself as a dependable business model. One such example of this is the IMAX pilot scheme to establish their concept of IMAX VR LBE operations. News recently broke that two of the seven opened sites had been closed (one in New York and one in Shanghai). The IMAX board had already revealed at the beginning of the year in an investor call that the sites were not all operating at the expected financial level, and there was no real surprise that the roll out was being reversed.
On a recent visit to the only European IMAX VR location in Manchester, the site was seen to be closed off for a private party – and while claimed to still be popular, it was revealed that the adjacent Odeon cinema had been giving away vouchers for free VR experiences, with the purchase of movie tickets; in a hope to drive some business. We have also heard reports of major reshufflings of executive teams and complete management replacements at some of the early LBE VR manufacturers and operators, The VOID saw the departure of their CTO and CEO, while other operations in pivoting towards a commercial entertainment business model have had to drastically restructure their executive team, unable to fathom the realities of the DOE business.
But we have not seen anything yet, and one of Europe’s largest amusement and attraction conventions is about to take place in a matter of weeks – already sources have revealed a record number of new VR attractions about to be launched. While the UK amusement trade will hold their Autumn Coin-Op Show (ACOS), taking place at Olympia London during October, and will include the first London Future of Immersive Leisure (FOIL) seminar run alongside ACOS, focusing on the business opportunities presented by immersive technology to the UK’s out-of-home entertainment industry (this event hosted by our consultancy KWP) – look out on VRFocus for the latest developments from these events in the days and weeks to come.
The number of location-based virtual reality (VR) centres has grown hugely in the past few months. As a result, there has also been a rise in the number of companies catering to this market. One of those is ARena Space, which has just secured a substantial investment, which the company will be using to expand its operations into Europe.
ARena Space has secured investments of $7.7 million (USD) from processing company Rucard, with structuring assistance from venture fund IP Fund. This money injection will primary be directed towards the further expansion of the company.
The company are soon going to be opening a branch in Amsterdam, which will act as the first stage of Arena Space in expanding its presence in Europe and other regions. By the following year, the company is expecting to increase the audience for its location-based VR centres to 1 million customers. ARena Space intends to open 150 VR parks by 2021.
The cash injection will also be spent on further development of VR and AR products for the mass market, and the creation of a fund for developers of VR and AR content and a network of VR parks in Europe and the USA. The company is already in discussions with European shopping centres with plans to open the first locations by the end of 2018.
“Unlike competitors who offer monoproducts and small locations, we present a park that integrates the best technologies, attractions and content. Our ideal modular park includes up to 10 different zones, focused on different target audiences, and occupies from 100 to 1000 sqm depending on location and type of intake. Another key advantage is the personalization of content for the profile of each client. And the third point that I would like to note is the APM park management software, which connects all the business processes of the park into a single interface – from customer personalization to management reporting, integrates content launch through a single API and will be able to recognize visitors by face in the nearest future .” said Andrey Taburinsky, co-founder of ARena Space.
For future coverage of new developments in location-based VR, keep checking back with VRFocus.
It seems that while consumer virtual reality (VR) sits at a crossroads, the digital out-of-home entertainment (DOE) sector has exploded with new developments – not one day seems to pass without major announcements, partnerships or acquisitions hits the wire. Industry specialist Kevin Williams of KWP, gives his unique perspective on the recent developments and offers some exclusive insights into some recently visited new projects.
Following on from the developments that we covered at the first Microsoft LBE VR Summit (read part one and two here), and momentum continues to build in the commercial entertainment sector. These investments are being registered across the industry, and some of the once previous advocates for a consumer approach to this latest phase of VR adoption. This was best illustrated by Unity CEO, John Riccitiello, quoted at a recent TechCrunch Disrupt event, feeling that we have yet seen a true consumer launch of a VR or augmented reality (AR) headset; stating “AR and VR is mostly to this day been launched to developers”. But Riccitiello continued that he had been impressed by how fast enterprise had latched on to VR and AR tech, surprised that the commercial applications have preceded the consumer applications.
Though an obvious progression for those of us that work in the DOE sector, this realisation has struck most consumer-facing VR developers, and most recently we saw the pivoting of major VR success stories in the consumer sphere, build a commercial entertainment offering. This was best illustrated by Vertigo Games, developers behind the successful consumer VR title Arizona Sunshine, with an estimated $1.4 million (USD) in generated sales on the PC platform. The company has decided to spin out a unique location-based videogame division called Vertigo Arcades B.V., who has started in supporting the already popular utilisation of the title in the VR arcade scene, accounting for approximately 20% of all VR arcade minutes played in Western venues.
At the same time other successful developers have turned towards a commercial facing opportunity in this market place. Czech-based Beat Games renowned for their phenomenally successful Beat Saber, have invested heavily in defining their game for the commercial entertainment scene – signing an official licensing agreement with key VR arcade providers such as CTRL-V (Canada), Exit Reality, IMAX VR, MK2 (France), PeriscapeVR, SpringboardVR, Private Label and SynthesisVR. Their partnership with SpringboardVR seeing a ‘Beat Saber Global Tournament’ run across 50 of their supported VR arcades; emphasising an eSports element to commercial entertainment deployment of VR. In an unusual development Beat Games also officially sanctioned an amusement-based VR adaptation of their license. Originally called Beat Saber Arcade, this Korean manufactured cabinet employs the Samsung Odyssey Windows MR headset and controllers; this seen as the first of several amusement-style VR experiences crossing the divide.
Line-up of Beat Saber Arcade cabinets, put through their paces at Korean VR Festival
An amusement facing approach to commercial VR entrainment was seen most recently appearing in the heart of London – at the VR ZONE Portal housed inside the Hollywood Bowl at the O2 Arena on the Greenwich Peninsula. The first VR ZONE Portal outside of Japan (we reported at their opening last year), the site is part of a special agreement between the bowling site operator and the UK division of BANDAI NAMCO Amusement. The site becoming the first Western location to install the eagerly awaited Mario Kart Arcade GP VR, based on the popular Nintendo license.
Enter London’s latest VR experience. [via KWP]
BANDAI NAMCO and Hollywood Bowl organised an exclusive media junket to promote the appearance of the game, but before-hand we were lucky enough to get a behind the scenes look at the system in operation. The Japanese “Project I Can” system only seeing translation of its game software, with the remainder of the hardware the same as operated in Japan. Players’ using HTC Vive headsets, as well as hand trackers to allow them to throw items at their opponents, players sitting in their own “Fusion Karts” motion simulator – the game able to accommodate four players in this seven-minute single circuit race.
Immersed in the action on Mario Kart GP Arcade VR. (Credit: KWP)
Launched in Japan in 2017, the then titled Mario Kart VR proved an enthusiastic VR title, developed by the rebranded BANDAI NAMCO Amusement Lab Inc., as one of a number of IP based VR experiences that combined the initiative behind the “Project I Can” brand and the VR ZONE concept as a whole. Many have mistakenly thought that this game was developed by Nintendo, but in reality, BANDAI NAMCO and Nintendo have established a long reputation of cross-overs and licensed IP – the amusement division in 2005 launching the popular series with Mario Kart Arcade GP, which saw Pac Man also join the Nintendo racers – and with this background it was logical for the VR ZONE to consider developing a VR interpretation of this popular racer.
Past, Meet Future: Mario Kart Arcade GP cabinetsin the shadow of Mario Kart Arcade GP VR. (Credit: KWP)
Trying the title for myself, it proved a hectic mix of racing and throwing items, and though capturing the spirit of the Mario Kart videogame it did not offer as fulfilling a VR interpretation as one might have wanted. A great taste of what is achievable with a VR environment and a world-class property, but not a real game experience that will achieve any level of repeat visitation. The VR ZONE Portal at the O2 has the VR experiences Hospital Escape Terror and Argyle Shift, each costing £8 (GBP) and £5 respectively on launch, but now the restructured layout sees the replacement of the quirky Argyle Shift for Mario Kart Arcade GP VR and all these two games are now £7.99. Many comments on social media, who made a point of hunting down the launch of this iconic VR game property, balked at this high price.
Another interesting element in the handling of this property different to the Japanese approach was Hollywood Bowl having a 15 years of age restriction in playing Mario Kart VR, while in Japan’s VR ZONE operation, the age cut off is 13, with even the VR ZONE Shinjuku seeing children as young as 7 allowed through the doors. No word was given on why BANDAI NAMCO or Hollywood Bowl had picked this arbitrary cut off to play this VR experience. And as with our last visit to the VR ZONE Portal, the UK adaptation of the brand seems a little stilted compared to that achieved in Japan.
Hollywood Bowl has partnered with the UK BANDAI NAMCO Amusement operation and has seen a second VR ZONE Portal opened in Tunbridge Wells, and a planned Leeds Hollywood Bowl site schedule for a third iteration. Sources at BANDAI NAMCO’s VR Projects team confirmed that these sites would be seeing installations of their own Mario Kart VR units by the end of the year respectively – and the company promised that there would be other European and US deployments of the eagerly awaited VR racer. Speaking to the Evening Standard newspaper, Paul Brown, General Manager for HTC Vive Europe, said: “We are so excited to be working with Bandai Namco and Hollywood Bowl to bring Mario Kart VR to the UK, following its stunning launch in Shinjuku.”
The Mario Kart VR installation. (Credit: KWP)
While completing this feature, news broke that BANDAI NAMCO were about to launch yet another VR experience based on previous amusement success – with a re-creation of 1997 white-water rafting experience VR Rapid River – after extensive testing the Amusement Lab team part of the “Project I Can” VR initiative have created a two-rider motion base with yaw and heave components to offer a thrilling white-water rapids ride, with players using tracked ores to steer their craft through a wild water environment. By the time you read this article the first installations of this VR simulator planned for VR ZONES in Japan will possibly be already in venues.
These games developed by the newly reorganised BANDAI NAMCO Amusement Lab Inc., formed to increase investment in intellectual properties (IP) utilising their XR expertise (XR defined as incorporating VR, AR and MR technology). Most recently a VR experience for the VR ZONE flagship location was based on the legendary movie monster, with GODZILLA VR.
But London was not the only UK location to see a brand-new VR attraction unveiled. A quick journey down to the countries South coast and we arrive in Brighton and make our way to the iconic Brighton Palace Pier – the home of a major seaside amusement operation and the first site to run the ParadropVR attraction. The system represents a partnership between creators FrontGrid and manufacturers Simworx releasing a thrilling simulation of soaring the skies on your very own paraglider.
The ParadropVR attraction takes pride of place on Brighton’s Palace Pier. (Credit: KWP)
The attraction uses an innovative vertical heave motion system to simulate the soaring motion, while the player sits in a specially developed harness system while controlling the direction of flight using two lanyards – while wearing an Oculus Rift CV1 to see the virtual vista. The experience was developed to offer an 8-minute experience, as a separate ticket item on the pier. The machine being operated in partnership with local immersive entertainment operator and representative Immersivity Ltd. The experience was a fun one, though the game experience was slightly limited compared to the conventional VR attraction experience we have come to expect.
Reaching for the skies in ParadropVR (Credit: KWP)
FrontGrid recently announced the opening of a second installation, with Denmark’s Universe Science Park opening their first system this month. FrontGrid and Immersivity are now working on refining the platform and deploying the attraction with a number of other interested operators. Europe has seen a spate of VR attractions opening their doors – moving from Denmark to Germany and it was announced that Europa Park had partnered with VR Coaster, Mack Media and Holodeck VR to create a unique VR attraction. The system married a free-roaming experience with a ride-on coaster, with a seamless transition from one to the other. In what the operators referred to as their patent pending ‘Roam & Ride’ setup – the new attraction Eurosat Coastiality has guests putting on headsets and then walking round a pre-show area, before boarding the actual VR rollercoaster ride (employing a mobile VR headset arrangement).
Europa-Park – The first Roam & Ride system to be deployed
The UK has seen one of the first floatation’s on the London Stock Exchange, of a company dedicated to location-based VR entertainment deployment – the Immotion Group PLC has already started a dedicated roll out of venues employing their Immotion branded offering – the company signing a important agreement with UK shopping center operator intu. Following the opening of a new Immotion VR center in Cardiff, the agreement sees a further three sites at intu Derby, Newcastle and Uxbridge. Immotion not just focused on opening venues, but also driving development, seeing AAA content creation for their sites as essential, has recently announced the launch of their wholly developed space-themed VR ride experience Delta Zero.
The company has also worked to ensure a lead in the deployment of the latest VR experiences and announced the extension of their exclusive distribution agreement with leading Chinese manufacturer LEKE VR Technology. A company that has established major advancements in the VR arcade hardware scene, and in 2016 formed a strategic partnership with HTC Corporation towards utilising the latest technology married to VR entertainment for commercial application (at that time for the Viveport Arcades support of the LEKE VR’s VRLe platform). Now with a US sales operation Immotion is seen to be one of the fastest developing companies championing this sector.
(Credit: KWP)
The concluding part of this coverage will follow next week.
The UK-based immersive virtual reality (VR) out of home entertainment company Immotion Group have announced that it is rolling out ImmotionVR brand into Spain, which represents a new market for the company. Having signed an exclusive franchise distribution partnership with a major local leisure operator, Climbing Planet, which will open and operate multiple ImmontionVR branded experiences centers and identify additional supply opportunities, across Spain.
The partnership will see Climbing Planet will be purchasing VR experience simulators from Immotion Group, who will receive an ongoing revenue share from each of the sites and thereby increasing the number of installed seats and positively impacting the cost of entering the consumer market. The first planned centre will open in a shopping centre in the Northern Spanish city of Logrono in November of this year, followed by a second centre at a similar space in Barcelona in December 2018.
“With a shared vision and a raft of experience that complements Immotion Group’s, we see Climbing Planet as an ideal partner to introduce our VR experience centres into Spain.” Says Martin Higginson, CEO of Immotion Group: “This deal will dramatically lower the cost of entering this exciting consumer market and we expect to benefit from the local knowledge that Climbing Planet benefits from, having rolled out VR experiences previously. The partnership highlights the exciting opportunities the Group continues to explore both within and outside the UK to allow more consumers to experience virtual reality, a lot of whom is for the first time.”
Growth within Spain will then be overseen by Climbing Planet who will use their strong knowledge of the regional market to identify additional sites in shopping centres and malls with high football to set up as new locations. Each of these VR centres will feature a number of Immotion Group’s VR experience simulators, ranging from VR motorcycles and cars, to VR cinema pods. There will also be the option to offer dedicated birthday parties thanks to separate rooms and even coffee areas.
“We are excited to be working with Immotion Group and to be bringing its experiences to Spanish consumers.” Says Carles Comas Chief Executive Officer of Climbing Planet S.L: “ImmotionVR provides us with a unique opportunity to launch the ultimate VR destination, and we expect it to be one of our main concepts in the next two years. Immotion Group has created an inspiring offering which fits with our passion to deliver next-generation experiences that provide customers with a taste of the future.”
As Immotion Group and Climbing Planet now progress with their expansion into the Spanish market, VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on this in the future.
Following on from the developments that we covered at the first Microsoft LBE VR Summit (read part 
