It Looks Like The Void is Returning Reports Suggest

In its heyday, The Void was a premium virtual reality (VR) location offering pioneering experiences affiliated with big IPs like Star Wars and Marvel’s Avengers. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic and other issues, the location-based entertainment (LBE) closed last year. Now it looks like there’s a ray of hope regarding a comeback, thanks to new investment reports and a job page appearing.

Protocol reports this week that a former investor in The Void has now acquired all the key assets of the company with plans to relaunch in 2022. The patents and trademarks have been picked up by Hyper Reality Partners, helmed by CEO Adrian Steckel, who was also one of The Void’s board members. He’s not the only one returning with former Chief Creative Officer Curtis Hickman and former VP of Content Jason Howard heading up the new team.

Steckel is currently fundraising to help support the relaunch with $20 million USD supposedly already raised. While the company is staying fairly quiet regarding its plans, a basic placeholder page has appeared listing three engineer positions. “Hyper Reality Partners is a team made up of world-renowned industry leaders in location-based virtual reality. Having acquired The VOID assets and IP, our mission is to take VR well beyond where it has been before,” the page notes. “HRP & The VOID are now entering a period of rapid expansion and are looking for more talented team members to join us. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of VR and the entire entertainment industry.”

This would be a major turnaround for The Void, much like Sandbox VR also managed to achieve in early 2021. Hyper Reality Partners will also be trying to avoid the mistakes of the past, as it wasn’t purely the Covid-19 pandemic that shuttered The Void’s operations.

A lot of The Void’s attraction was down to its Hollywood blockbuster franchises, with titles such as Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire, Ralph Breaks VR, Jumanji: Reverse the Curse and Avengers: Damage Control. The Void had developed its own in-house technology, utilising a modified Oculus headset in combination with a VR backpack, haptic vest and environmental effects like wind and heat to aid immersion.

However, its 17 facilities around the world were all in pricey locations, premium shopping centres or The Venetian casino in Las Vegas. Pre-pandemic these were becoming difficult to afford and the lack of revenue once they were forced the closure with its IP eventually being sold off to HRP. Because of this, Protocol also notes that HRP is now looking at opening larger standalone entertainment venues instead of shopping centre locations, with the first one planned for Vegas.

As further details arise, VRFocus will let you know.

February 3, 2020

Hands-on: The VOID – Jumanji: Reverse the Curse

Virtual reality (VR) can prepare you for many things be it surviving the zombie apocalypse, how to put together an engine, fly a plane or even become an expert bartender. What VR doesn’t prepare you for is your skinny white mate with a ginger beard suddenly changing into action hero and all-round nice guy Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, but then what should you expect when playing one of The VOID’s latest VR experiences – Jumanji: Reverse the Curse?

Jumanji 2 More than any other location-based entertainment (LBE) operator, The VOID specialises in VR tie-in experiences to the biggest IP’s and latest movies. Its roster includes the likes of Ghostbusters: Dimensions, Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire, Ralph Breaks VR, Avengers: Damage Control and now Jumanji: Reverse the Curse – the only other is original IP Nicodemus.

Just like the film it’s based upon, stepping into Jumanji: Reverse the Curse is all about surviving dangerous adversaries, solving puzzles and trying not to get eaten by crocodiles when a teammate is taking too long to cross a river. Oh, and also arriving to find the body you once inhabited is a little different. There’s no character selection so there’s no fighting over who wants to be Jack Black or Karen Gillan.

Which might be a little annoying on subsequent playthroughs but for the first it shouldn’t matter. Each character has their own unique set of abilities which are put to the test at a certain point throughout Jumanji: Reverse the Curse. As Johnson and Gillan both play tough, badass characters they do more of the fighting, whilst Black and Kevin Hart provide support roles ideally suited to the puzzles. Cast in the role of Jack Black’s Professor Sheldon “Shelly” Oberon this meant being able to see clues that weren’t legible to anyone else.

This mechanic makes Jumanji: Reverse the Curse a true team experience as each person has a pivotal role to play to aid in completing the story. On the other hand, you will always need four people to play or it won’t work, so be prepared to partner with strangers if you can’t make the full quota.

As with any experience at The VOID, players are taken around a tightly woven series of rooms to maximise the play area. This also allows for other elements to be introduced such as wind when flying on a balloon controlled by a monkey (spoiler: it crashes). The VOID also likes to introduce other physical elements into its titles. For instance in Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire you can pick up guns while in Jumanji: Reverse the Curse one player can hold a flaming torch to light the way, adding a nice visual touch when walking through dark caverns.

Jumanji: Reverse the Curse isn’t very action-oriented, especially if you play as Franklin “Mouse” Finbar or Oberon. So this does mean a lot of walking and just keeping an eye on your surroundings (several gold coins are littered around) which can get a little dull in comparison to The VOID’s other titles. As for the puzzles, they’re all fairly simple and logical so there’s no worry in getting stuck. Obviously, it’s a delicate balance as The VOID doesn’t want guests spending too long in one area as that will hold up the system, however, having a low difficulty reduces that satisfying feeling upon completion.

Jumanji: Reverse the Curse There were the three tattooed lives on each character’s arm which meant you could effectively die. The chance of that happening was very low, mostly occurring when someone wasn’t paying attention to their foot placement and fell through a hole, rather actually being killed by a nasty Jumanji creature.

Unlike previous experiences at The VOID where you exit with a big smile and wanting to go again, Jumanji: Reverse the Curse lacked that spark. The only reason to play again would be to try a different character which doesn’t seem worth it. If you’re a diehard fan of the series then you’ll like the various nods to the franchise, for everyone else, this is the weakest title at The VOID, spend your money on any of the others previously mentioned.

January 16, 2020

The Best Location-Based Centres in the World

Okay, let’s build a complete guide to virtual reality (VR) for a newcomer. First of all, let’s put aside any kind of home use. If you’re a newcomer, you want to try it, nothing more at this point, right? Then, you need a place to go. And there are VR parks, VR arcades, VR centres and VR rooms for you to choose. So where should you go?

Ask yourself these questions.

Did you try VR before?

If yes, hopefully, it wasn’t some low-quality rollercoaster at the mall.

If no, all the experiences in the market are accessible enough for a first-timer so keep calm about that.

Did you feel uncomfortable using VR or 3D-cinema?

You should know that it may happen when you’re in VR, especially if you have already experienced it before. Staff in good locations know what to do if it happens and will help you.

Are you an experienced videogame player?

If yes, ask for challenges because the entry-level experience may look too simple for you.

If no, it’s not a problem. Stick to attraction-like VR. Go to a VR escape room centre or VR theme park with a bunch of VR simulators.

What are your favourite genres?

If you like shooters then go warehouse-scale VR to shoot some zombies. If you’re into Dance Dance Revolution or Guitar Hero, then try a rhythm-based title like Beat Saber. If you are fond of adventures then go to a VR escape room centre.

If you don’t know just ask yourself what do you like to do, what movies are your favourite? And that would be the clue.

Single-player or multiplayer?

Do you want to go it alone? Then head to a VR arcade or VR park. Most will have a varied selection of videogames to suit most tastes and skill level.

If you want to go with company then choose VR escape centres, warehouse-scale VR or check if VR arcade or VR park does have a title that your group would like.

Whom are you gonna take with you?

This is the most important question on the list. Do you want to go with your friends? Will you bring the kids? Or your parents? Or co-workers?

If it’s a kids party, they will love theme parks and will easily adapt to VR in arcades. If you don’t want them to play anything violent then choose wisely. VR escape is a convenient solution since it’s a complete event and you can choose a theme in advance.

If you bring elders with you, choose the most accessible VR escape experience, the one which is more of an attraction than a videogame. Try VR park to see how your old folks will manage a VR swing or a flying simulator.

With colleagues, decide do you want to compete or to cooperate. VR escape is the perfect fit for team building. Some VR arcade games or warehouse-scale VR are good competition. Look at your group. Do your teammates have different videogame experience?

If you’re all experienced in videogames, then go to a VR arcade, and figure it out in the process. And if everyone likes to shoot then just go to warehouse-scale VR. If the diversity is high, either choose a VR park with a lot of attractions or universal experience for everyone which is VR escape game.

If all of you like the same movie may be The VOID will satisfy your needs with its experiences based on famous franchises.

Also, use this scale of action. It’s not universal, and there are exceptions. Start with this lense, try things and then create your own lenses.

0 – A visual experience, less interaction	VR Cinema
1	VR rollercoasters, swings, bungee
2	Short VR experiences like The Void and Dreamscape
3 – Well-balanced	Seated VR escape rooms, VR flying simulators
4	Free-roam VR escape rooms, VR arcades, VR racing
5 – Plenty of interaction, less to experience	VR free-roam shooters

Top locations across the globe

This is list doesn’t pretend to be full in any way. Here are some examples of perfect client management, diversity of content and unique audience appeal.

Europe

Torch VR in Prague, the Czech Republic is the best VR attraction in Prague according to TripAdvisor. The rating is 5 out of 5. You can play both seated and free-roam VR escape games there. If you’re looking for hand-tracking VR it’s the best place in Europe to try.

DNA VR in the first VR arcade in London, UK and it keeps the highest ratings on TripAdvisor. It’s a good choice if you want to try different experiences all in one place. Likewise, Vertigo VR in Milton Keynes, UK is another noteworthy arcade but it has VR escape games onboard. The location has 5 of 5 on TripAdvisor.

Virtual Room has high TripAdvisor ratings in a few VR escape room locations across the globe. One of them is in Paris. If you want to go to time-travelling with your team, it’s a perfect choice.

VR Games Zone in Oslo, Norway is the best VR centre in the country. You can play both seated and free-roam VR escapes there as well as warehouse-scale shooters.

VR Gamehouse is a VR arcade in Amsterdam with the highest TripAdvisor rating, offering VR racing simulators.

Zero Latency is the synonym for warehouse-scale VR, and its Madrid location has an enormous number of reviews. If you’re looking for zombies to shoot, it’s the place.

Asia

VR Star Park in China is the largest Virtual Reality theme park in the world recently featured at VRFocus. Check out Nathie’s video about it. You’ll find all kinds of VR experiences from rollercoasters to bumper cars, from swings to warehouse-scale VR shooters. Go there with teenager kids and elders, friends and colleagues.

Looking for VR escape rooms, check Virtual Room in Singapore.

Before getting $68 million from Andreessen Horowitz, Sandbox VR started its way as Glostation in Hong Kong. The location keeps its ratings high. The experience is a mix of free-roam VR, escape room and hyper-reality. The Singapore location has five stars as well.

Australia

Virtual Reality Rooms in Sydney, Australia is the first centre in the country dedicated to seated VR escape games. This one was the proof of concept for Entermission opening its locations across the USA right now. Also on the recommendation list is Sydney’s Virtual Room owns one of its best centers in Sydney.

Australia is also a homeland of Zero Latency, so go check its Melbourne location to know if there are any zombies left to be shot.

America

The biggest arcade in America is VR World, New York. It has all kinds of VR arcade games, plus some VR escapes and free-roam shooting titles. Virtual Room’s third-best VR escape centre is located in Los Angeles.

Avengers: Damage Control, Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire, Ghostbusters: Dimension, Ralph Breaks the Internet and Jumanji: Reverse the Curse. These are the franchises you can visit at The VOID facilities. Their locations are well spread across the USA. Visit them if you want a short experience in a well-known universe. And in Dreamscape, you can visit an alien zoo with exotic animals for 15 minutes. There are locations in Los Angeles and Dallas.

Bonus

There is no point listing all the Hologate locations here. Plus it’s hard to understand what locations are actually good since there are no reviews at TripAdvisor or Yelp. But if you want to shoot with your pals at each other, try Tower Tag at one of those. There are accessible across the globe.

November 5, 2019

Step Into the Jungle When The VOID Opens Jumanji: Reverse the Curse This Month

Next month will see the theatrical release of Jumanji: The Next Level in cinemas worldwide. To help promote the new film Sony Pictures Virtual Reality (SPVR) has teamed up with location-based entertainment (LBE) specialist The VOID on an immersive experience called Jumanji: Reverse the Curse.

The VOID - Jumanji: Reverse the Curse

Up to four players will be able to take on the roles of Dr. Bravestone, Ruby Roundhouse, Professor Oberon and “Mouse” Finbar in an effort to save Jumanji from a new terror. The quest is to rescue the Scepter of Se’payu containing the Red Jewel of Jumanji and return it to the temple from which it was stolen. All while evading man-eating wildlife, navigating across treacherous landscape and battling evil henchmen.

“Since first collaborating on Ghostbusters: Dimension, Sony Pictures Virtual Reality has continued to believe in our unique ability to bring stories to life in a fully immersive, social and dynamic way,” said Curtis Hickman, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of The VOID in a statement. “Through close collaboration on this project, we have been able to develop a dimension that is more interactive and immersive than any VOID experience has ever been before. Utilizing new technology and more illusion design, Jumanji: Reverse the Curse is a true adventure that travellers will want to experience over and over again.”

THE VOID - GB - UNITY - BANNER

“As the characters in Jumanji are pulled into the game, we naturally had the idea to create a VR experience where fans can do the same. What’s more fun for moviegoers than to have the chance to live in VR as the characters they love – and, like in the movie, players will have to work together as a team to win the game and save Jumanji,” said Jake Zim, SVP, virtual reality, Sony Pictures Entertainment. “We had a fantastic experience working with The VOID with Ghostbusters: Dimension and are excited to take immersive entertainment to the next level with this new Jumanji story.”

Jumanji: The Next Level will be available at select The VOID locations from 27th November 2019. Tickets will go on pre-sale from 16th November, no price has been revealed at the moment. For further updates keep reading VRFocus.

The VOID locations featuring Jumanji: The Next Level:

Cinemark West Plano, Plano, Texas
Grand Canal Shoppes in The Venetian and The Palazzo Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, California
Westfield San Francisco Centre, San Francisco, California
The Battery Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
Mall of America, Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Rec Room at Square One, Mississauga, Ontario
The Rec Room Toronto Roundhouse, Toronto, Ontario
The Rec Room West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Alberta
Resorts World Genting, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia
Tysons Corner, McLean, Virginia

November 4, 2019

Jumanji: Reverse The Curse Opening Soon At The VOID

Jumanji will come to life at select VOID locations soon.

We’ve just reviewed the VOID’s latest Marvel hero-filled experience Avengers: Damage Control as the best adventure yet from the Utah-based company. Now the company with VR-powered locations worldwide is preparing to launch another experience ahead the upcoming sequel Jumanji: The Next Level starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Jumanji: Reverse the Curse will open at select VOID locations starting Nov. 27, announced today through a partnership between The VOID and Sony Pictures Virtual Reality. The movie opens Dec. 13 in United States theaters, with the VR experience allowing visitors, according to a press release, to take “on the form of its heroes, Dr. Bravestone, Ruby Roundhouse, Professor Oberon and ‘Mouse’ Finbar, to save Jumanji from a new dark and mysterious villain. Fans will be enlisted on a daring quest to rescue the Scepter of Se’payu containing the Red Jewel of Jumanji and return it to the temple from which it was stolen. Pulled into the perils of Jumanji, players face challenges just like those that the avatars face in the movie – evading man-eating wildlife, navigating across treacherous landscape, battling evil henchmen – to survive and return to real life.”

The VOID previously partnered with Sony on its first Ghostbusters: Dimension attraction, which launched in 2016. According to the company, the Jumanji experience will be available only at select VOID locations including “Cinemark West Plano, Plano, Tx.; Grand Canal Shoppes in The Venetian and The Palazzo Hotel, Las Vegas, Nev.; Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, Calif.; The Battery Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga.; Mall of America, Minneapolis, Minn.; The Rec Room at Square One, Mississauga, Ont.; The Rec Room Toronto Roundhouse, Toronto, Ont.; The Rec Room West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Alta.; and Resorts World Genting, Pahang Darul Markmur, Malaysia.; Tysons Corner, McLean, Va., and Westfield San Francisco Centre, San Francisco, Calif..”

There’s no trailer yet for Jumanji: Reverse The Curse and tickets aren’t available just yet, but we’ll bring you updates on the new experience as soon as we have them.

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