We’re at the point now where it typically takes a lot to really ‘Wow!’ me with VR. After covering the industry heavily for almost three years, I’ve seen and played a lot. But after I took off the headset and became reacquainted with the real world around me, one thing was clear: Nomadic made me literally say “Wow!” after it was over. I haven’t been this impressed with anything in VR since the first time I tried the technology via roomscale experiences years ago.
What makes Nomadic so special is how interactive everything is. The experience I played was based on Arizona Sunshine, one of the most popular VR games to date that pits you against hordes of zombies. It took place inside a series of small rooms that were arranged like a maze in the real world, but skinned to resemble things like trains, helicopters, elevators, and more inside VR. It’s the closest I’ve come yet to truly tricking my brain.
To be clear, this is old test footage. The actual experience and sets are far more elaborate now.
Nomadic is a VR experiences company founded by people that have a history of work in Hollywood at companies like ILMxLAB on Star Wars films. What sets Nomadic apart from its competitors, such as The Void, is that it’s designed to be much more modular and adaptable. While the bulk of what makes Nomadic so special resides in its interactivity and physicality, the real brains of it all is on the software side.
Nomadic locations are setup so that dozens of people can move through experiences simultaneously without ever interfering with one another. If you try an experience with The Void, you might have to queue up and wait for the next group to finish, but with Nomadic it’s all seamless. While you’re inside the experience a group can be ahead of and behind you and the game will adapt to the pacing in real-time to make sure you don’t run into each other.
What’s more is that it’s not only a multiplayer experience, but the setups are adaptable as well. Environments can be re-skinned and used in novel, new ways without rearranging the props at all. And if they want to do a total overhaul, in a matter of hours they can remap the room using the modular wall system that functions a lot like cubicles.
From a tech perspective Nomadic uses Oculus Rifts with backpack PCs all tracked via OptiTrack’s robust camera system. The actual pieces of the set itself were installed with gyros to track movement and some surfaces could even vibrate and move in sync with their VR counterparts. For example, there was one section where I walked across a plank that actually existed in real life and moved around inside the game when I touched it, or the filing cabinet drawer I opened up with an actual yellow ducky inside.
In my demo I was tasked with seeking out a doctor in a refinery that was holed up in his office theoretically with the cure to the zombie plague. I had to fight my way across the refinery to him and hopefully get there in time to save him and the cure. The game started in a train car.
The back door of the train was open and we were speeding along the tracks at a high-speed. When I poked my head out of the door I could feel the rush of wind on my hands and face. Hanging next to the door was a rifle peripheral that was mapped to match the in-game gun I was carrying perfectly.
Moment-to-moment gameplay was pretty simple: I just shot a bunch of zombies. To make things more intense I ran through the whole experience solo, but it’s designed to be enjoyed by a group as well.
I’ve done The Void’s Star Wars experience, I’ve tried Sandbox VR, and I did the Dead and Buried Arena on Oculus Quest at OC5, among other location-based experiences, but none of those are as interactive as what Nomadic is doing. The way that they’re technology works it really opens up doors to do some incredibly unique and groundbreaking stuff.
It’s difficult to overstate just how powerful it is to see something in VR, reach out with your real hand, see your hand tracked inside the digital world, touch the object, and then have it feel like you’d expect it to in real life. It’s mind-blowing.
And I know, once again, that The Void has done some of this already, but their sets are nowhere near this elaborate. Every small detail from the metal chain links on the fence texture to the moving plank or the platform I sat on at the end, riding a helicopter, with wind in my face, and vibrating movements to simulate flying, really and truly sold me on the illusion.
A mock-up of a Nomadic experience inside of VR.
Nomadic just recently opened their flagship location in Orlando, FL. Reportedly tickets cost $30 per person and there are two versions of the experience — one with lots of gore (age 17+) and one that’s a bit more tame (age 13+). You can check out the official website for more details.
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.
We don’t all have the sort of environment required for room-scale virtual reality (VR) – and if we do have the space, we might not necessarily have all the required funds for equipment. Well if you’re interested in experiencing a large-scale, immersive VR experience, you might be in luck – Nomadic are attempting to open a retail VR centre near you.
Nomadic started up earlier this year and was founded by executives formerly of giant companies such as Apple, ILM, Disney and Electronic Arts. The dream is create untethered VR retail outlets across the world.
Now, Nomadic have secured $6 million in funds to expand their business, hoping this is just the start of their global venture. Doug Griffin, CEO of Nomadic, has said; “There’s currently a huge opportunity for out-of-home location-based VR. With the expertise and global reach of our funding partners, we have the support and resources to forge a new entertainment category, and a new medium for interactive storytelling.”
Nomadic already have everything in place to start opening VR attractions in a variety of places, such as cinemas, malls, airports and casinos. Nomadic’s equipment ensures these pop-up locations can happen anywhere – couple that with the staff’s background in film, gaming, set design and motion capture, and their potential is limitless.
“We’re coming to market as retailers are searching for a new, experiential way to entice consumers back into brick-and-mortar locations,” said Kalon Gutierrez, Head of Growth for Nomadic. “With the support of our funding partners, we’re providing existing venues with a turnkey solution to offer exciting, ever-changing tactile VR adventures that keep customers returning for more.”
Nomadic are sure to keep growing, and faster than ever – stay with VRFocus for all of the latest news on Nomadic and retail VR near you.
In the second part of his feature, (click here for part one) looking at the impact that the movie business and prominent Intellectual Properties (IP) have in steering new commercial entertainment VR business. Digital Out-of-Home entertainment (DOE) industry specialist Kevin Williams charts the major develops shaping this emerging new sector. One of the technologies gaining a strong interest from the deep pockets of this sector is the untethered backpack VR experience (Arena-Scale VR). The technology seen as the perfect medium to immersive the guest in the selected movie IP like-never-before, even some investors seeing this as a natural successor for the representation of the movie experience.
One of the most promoted developers of this approach has been The VOID, championing their ‘Hyper Reality’ concept. After many twists and turns the company opted to enter the race by presenting their technology within the Ghostbusters: Dimension attraction. Sony Pictures in partnership with operator Madame Tussauds investing in a walk-through waxwork attraction with a backpack virtual reality (VR) experience in support, commissioned from The VOID. The whole experience created as part of the marketing effort for the reboot of the famous Ghostbusters franchise, with the 2016 film.
The opening of the New York venue, though critically acclaimed and reported as seeing crowds, has yet to see the proposed roll-out at other Tussauds venues; but The VOID has opened a standalone Ghostbusters: Dimension attraction at JBR’s The Beach in Dubai. With a third installation charted for their new flagship entertainment facility in Utah, Nevada, scheduled to open to the public in July.
The growth in interest in movie properties having their own backpack VR experience was evident during CinemaCon 2017. New start-up Nomadic is an immersive entertainment company creating tactile VR adventures, and promoted at the conference their backpack VR experience (Arena-Scale), aiming to occupy a 20-foot-by-30-foot space. Not only seen as “Lobby Entertainment”, but targeting the existing screening rooms (auditorium), to be appropriated as standalone entertainment offerings with their own recurring revenue stream.
Major movie IP’s that have embraced Arena-Scale VR technology have started to reveal their plans thick-and-fast over the last few months – major movie studios such as 20th Century Fox, through their theme park arm (FoxNext Destinations) revealed that they are in the process of developing a 2,000 sq.,ft., multi-player VR experience based around the Alien movie franchise. FoxNext working to develop a ‘free-roaming’ VR experience undergoing secret testing. This new development building on the work creating a free cinema pop-up 360-degree VR journey called Alien: Covenant in Utero; the promotional lobby entertainment developed by FoxNext VR Studio in partnership with AMD Radeon and DELL.
Another major movie franchise receiving VR attraction investment was revealed to be in develop in partnership between Hasbro and DMG Entertainment, (through the recently established DMG VR division). The planned Transformers Experience Center is based on the popular Transformers IP that over the last 30-years has expanded to include comic books, animated series, films, video games and consumer products, the recent film properties generating $850 million internationally. The first interactive Transformers digital simulation experience center, scheduled to open in China this summer.
The application of arena-scale VR has been charted beyond the cinema landscape, with already Zero Latency establishing a growing number of locations for their multi-player backpack VR platform. The game system complimenting family entertainment centers and karting locations. A constant iterative process the operation launching their last multi-player backpack experience called Singularity with a play duration of 30-minutes in this space station exploration narrative. While at the same time announced that they were working on eight-player simultaneous experiences – while also planning to open the largest free-roaming virtual arena in America in the Boston-area later this year, and Philadelphia in 2018.
As previously reported the Asian amusement scene has jumped into out-of-home VR applications with both feet, in Japan investment in this approach has increased and Zero Latency, saw the first commercial installation of their system through a deal with SEGA at their JOYPOLIS site. Building on this, and a new location for Arena-Scale VR experiences opened within the brand new ‘SEGA VR Area’ location – taking over the top (6th) floor of the famous Club SEGA Akihabara amusement venue in Tokyo. The venerable Japanese amusement factory the latest to dip their toe into the waters of dedicated VR based out-of-home entertainment.
The first VR installation in this new space sees SEGA partner with Korean based Skonec Entertainment installing their new Mortal Blitz For Walking Attraction – a three player, backpack VR shooting experience, (using the Pimax 4K headset), opened to the public at the end of May. This destination facility approach following the work that the other amusement powerhouse BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment achieved with their first VR Zone: Project i Can temporary installation; BANDAI announcing that they will be opening a second version of their temporary VR Park in a matter of months in the Tokyo area. (Editor’s Note: For more about this check out two recent VRFocus stories about the experiences on offer including ones based on Mario Kart, Neon Genesis Evangelion, the Gundum franchise and Dragon Ball Z.)
Underlining the interest in using VR as an audience experience akin to a movie theatre or planetarium approach, and Japan has seen the launch of the VirtuaLink. A pop-up paid entertainment experience that has multiple guests sharing a virtual space, with a specially created 360-degree 3D video. Several locations around the Tokyo area will be turned into viewing theaters accommodating some 26 special seats (Wonder Pods) – the VR experience presented on Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) Playstation VR head-mounted displays (HMDs). The concept the closest seen to being a ‘virtual-planetarium’ experience, constructed by Konica Minolta Planetarium Corporation.
From those commentators entrenched outside of the out-of-home entertainment business, we have seen some wild and contradictory statements regarding the perceived impact of this business on the application of their hopes for VR – statements ranging from if VR is confined to public spaces there is a risk of stunting the growth of the medium, too comments that state to love to see these types of themed [VR] centers popping up around the world. A level of ignorance of the DOE market revealed in superficial research of the scene.
This confused speculation, illustrates the disquiet by some as their promised consumer sector slows, in the shadow of the growth (and revenue generating) out-of-home adoption; best illustrated by the growing numbers of consumer platforms pivoting to destination application. Along with HTC, we see OSVR (The VOID, Zero Latency) and StarVR (IMAX VR) deployment in VR arcade settings; it was recently announced in Japan of the new Virtual Gate platform developed by Techno Blood; allowing VR content to be enjoyed at the countries host of Internet Cafes, the platform partnered with the once consumer facing FOVE eye-tracked HMD – already operational at 33 net cafes in the country.
The commercial entertainment industry has proven an uncomfortable enigma to many that had previously invested in a promised consumer approach to VR. To educate and promote, the Digital Out-of-Home Entertainment (DOE) sector has invested in a unique conference in September, partly supported by my consultancy (KWP) and a major exhibition organizer. Based in Las Vegas, the Future of Immersive Leisure convention will bring together operators of the latest immersive entertainment technology, as well as developers of the hardware, and investors shaping the latest developers.
This new event will be the launch-pad where several new projects will reveal their thinking behind entering the commercial entertainment against previous interest in consumer investment. It is the ability to have direct access to the revenue stream, and a believable business model that has drawn both established operations and new start-ups to the DOE business for VR. Expect reports on the build-up to this event and industry developments in following columns.
In Zeiten von Heimkino, Streaming-Diensten und 4K-Fernsehern rücken klassische Entertainment-Medien immer mehr ins Abseits. Vor allem lokale Kinos, sowohl in Europa als auch den Vereinigten Staaten, sehen sie sich sukzessive sinkenden Besucherzahlen ausgesetzt. Das amerikanische Unternehmen Nomadic, hat sich deshalb zum Ziel gesetzt, ungenutze Kinosäle mithilfe von Requisiten und Modulen in einzigartige Erfahrungen in der virtuellen Realität zu verwandeln.
Die Fragen der Zukunft: Kinofilm oder VR-Experience?
Das Team aus ehemaligen Business-Ikonen von Disney, Electronic Arts und Industrial Light and Magic verfolgt mit ihrem neuen Unternehmen die Philosophie, alte Kinos in neuem Glanz erstrahlen zu lassen, indem sie einerseits Module herstellen, die einen real existierenden Hindernisparkour ermöglichen und andererseits die Software bereitstellen, um innerhalb der Lichtspielhäuser komplexe VR-Erfahrungen zu schaffen. Voraussetzung dafür: Man müsse zunächst die Kinosäle entkernen und ein einheitliches Grid einrichten, auf dem Nomadic die entsprechenden Komponenten installieren kann.
Anders als bei den bisherigen VR-Experiences steht dabei der Gedanke der Flexibilität im Vordergrund. Die Kinos sollen also nicht nur ein oder zwei verschiedene Events beherbergen, sondern – ähnlich wie VR Arcades – gleich mit einem ganzen Arsenal aufwarten, das sich spontan auswechseln lässt und Besucher aller Alters- und Interessengruppen zurück in die Filmtheater lockt. Nomadic plant 15-minütige VR-Erfahrungen, die preislich leicht unter einem herkömmlichen Kinobesuch angesiedelt werden sollen. Vorerst ist das Projekt für die Vereinigten Staaten geplant, es ist also fraglich, ob und wann europäische Lichtspielhäuser uns die ersten VR-Angebote machen.
Physische Objekte im virtuellen Raum
Die Jungs und Mädels von UploadVR konnten im Rahmen eines Besuchs bei Nomadic bereits einen Einblick in die Möglichkeiten von VR im Kino gewinnen und zeigten sich durchweg begeistert:
As I walked through the first room I decided to randomly kick a stool placed in the corner. My guess was they wouldn’t have positionally tracked EVERY asset in the experience. But, sure enough, my foot connected with metal. I then started testing everything I could and all of the walls, tables, doorknobs and drawers were all physically there with me in the digital experience.
Die Experience unter dem Codenamen Chicago entführt die Kunden in die „Windy City“, in der es – passender könnte es nicht sein – direkt auf eine windige und turmhohe Feuerleiter geht, auf der etliche Dronen mit einer virtuellen Waffe, in der Realität einer Atrappe, zu erledigen sind. Momentan nutzt Nomadic die Oculus Rift als VR-Brille, die in Kombination mit einem PC-Rucksack auf dem Rücken des Kunden Platz findet. In Zukunft soll allerdings die hauseigene Technik Anwendung finden. Optitrack Kameras scannen den ganzen Raum und sorgen für punktgenaues Tracking.
A new VR company is emerging from stealth mode that is aiming to make location-based VR arenas as common as your local movie theater or shopping mall. It is called Nomadic and was founded by a group of entrepreneurs with former experience at Disney, Industrial Light and Magic and Electronic Arts. Nomadic will facilitate, deliver and help to implement modular VR arenas that provide deeper levels of immersion through real world props and carefully designed spaces.
The Nomadic approach is similar to that of other location-based VR companies such as The Void, but with a greater emphasis on modular assembly and multi-use spaces, according to company representatives.
A mockup of a Nomadic space.
The Nomadic team is targeting movie theaters as their primary clients due to that market’s current search for innovation. Netflix’s CEO Reed Hasting’s made headlines this week by slighting traditional movie theaters for not innovating beyond popcorn. Theaters across the country are scrambling to attract customers by adding more comfortable reclining chairs, increasing screen sizes and crafting more creative concessions. Nomadic wants to give theaters a lifeline by enabling them to turn one or more of their underused spaces into a bustling VR arena.
A mockup of a Nomadic experience inside of VR.
The Nomadic approach would involve fairly heavy initial construction — leveling the floors, removing the screens and seats, etc. — but then offers a grid layout that makes assembling new components for different experiences a snap. This means that rather than having to construct a multi-million dollar arena with one or two dedicated experiences that will stand for months or even years, Nomadic is aiming to allow its venues the option to rotate out their components for new content every 90 days.
Nomadic will simply ship the necessary pieces, parts and structures to the venue which would then be able to snap everything together on the grid. The company is also building the software experiences in-house as well, at least at the outset, but the plan is to work with additional content partners as things progress.
A new company called Nomadic specialising in creating immersive entertainment installations for retail venues has just announced it is opening its doors.
The company was founded by veterans from companies such as Apple, ILM, Disney and Electronics Arts. Nomadic aims to create large-scale untethered virtual reality (VR) installations in retail locations and other communal spaces
The idea is to use modular construction to create VR experiences within the constraints of the location, that can be easily updated and reconfigured for new content without the need for extensive construction or remodeling work.
Nomadic aims to complement the VR experience with set design, staging, physical props, music and elemental effects to increase immersion.
“We’re creating a new medium of entertainment,” said Nomadic CEO, Doug Griffin. “Our goal is simple – for everyone to walk away saying ‘wow!’”
“We’ve developed a platform that adds monetary value though increased foot traffic and repeat engagement,” said Kalon Gutierrez, Head of Growth for Nomadic. “Nomadic’s modular VR solution gives content and location partners around the globe the opportunity to provide local communities with an unparalleled entertainment experience.”
VRFocus will bring you further news on Nomadic and other new VR companies as it comes in.
The application of arena-scale VR has been charted beyond the cinema landscape, with already 
The commercial entertainment industry has proven an uncomfortable enigma to many that had previously invested in a promised consumer approach to VR. To educate and promote, the Digital Out-of-Home Entertainment (DOE) sector has invested in a unique conference in September, partly supported by my consultancy (KWP) and a major exhibition organizer. Based in Las Vegas, the 
