Observing the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams turns his gaze back to the influences that have shaped the modern adoption of VR. Charting a brief history of the first major theme park attraction from veteran developer SEGA, and how one of the first VR pioneers in that emerging technology shaped this overlooked, but ground-breaking experience.
The recognition of VR in this current generation may be mistaken by some as being its first innovation into the mainstream, but VR has had several false dawns in the entertainment arena. Just some twenty years ago a major theme park attraction was developed by a major amusement and game developer, using technology inspired through a license with a promoted start-up VR company. History has a habit of repeating itself.
Jumping back to 1994 and at the time SEGA was the leading video amusement and digital game content developer. The Japanese powerhouse was investing in cutting edge technology, scaling down their phenomenal amusement releases and turning them into consumer gaming experiences, even scaling down the microcomputer technology to be converted into gaming consoles based on their expertise.
The drive for the latest technology saw SEGA investigate the emerging technology of VR. At the time VR had migrated from the simulation industry for flight training and had been applied for video amusement utilization. The company Virtuality had grown from start-up to London stock exchange trade corporation and was the leader of a boom in VR deployment in the amusement industry. SEGA decided to jump their competition and license the Virtuality technology to create their own platform.
The Virtuality SD 2000. Image Credit: Virtuality
Virtuality and SEGA would pen an extensive agreement that would see the UK specialist working closely with the much-vaunted SEGA GM R&D divisions in Japan, sharing patented technology and unique display and optics designs. Initial work based on the advance Visette head-mounted display. Continuous iterations would be developed from this partnership until SEGA perfected their design to create the ‘Mega Visor Display (MVD)’ – one of the most advanced VR headsets of that generation. Not surpassed in performance until only a few years ago.
Mega Visor Display (MVD). Image credit: Sega
Mega Visor Display (MVD)
Resolution: 756 x 244 pixels
Field of View: 60°(H) x 46.87°(V)
Display Type: Liquid Crystal
Weight: 640 grams
SEGA had been feverishly working on their Amusement Theme Park (ATP) project in the 1990’s – taking the video arcade into a new age, incorporating the latest digital entertainment technology, and encapsulate it in what was described as a “Theme Park in a Box!” A venue that could be dropped into shopping malls, bringing a unique entertainment fixture to this kind of location. Inside were multiple “Zones” offering unique “Mid-Scale Attractions”. The concept evolving into the JOYPOLIS venues (also branded as SEGAWorld), with some nine sites opening in the ’90s, in locations such as Tokyo, London and Sydney, as well as other cities.
VR played its part, as one of the so-called “Mid-Scale Attractions” that populated these ATP was the innovative ‘VR-1’. Based on the concept of a motion simulator ride attraction – SEGA created an eight-seater ride vehicle, with guests using the new Mega Visor Display headset. In this space-themed experience – the players went on a galactic mission, shooting waves of alien vessels, looking where they wanted to shoot. The VR technology while rudimentary, compared to modern systems, still offered a ground-breaking and compelling experience, one of the higher-rated attractions deployed in the JOYPOLIS parks in 1994.
Eventually, the shine of the JOYPOLIS brand would tarnish, and the business foundation it was based on proved uneconomic. A mixture of poor management, instigating bad business decisions soon took their toll, and the collapse of the ATP business reflected a greater failing in the heart of the corporation. SEGA would contract as a global entertainment leader, eventually acquired and merging with Sammy.
Tenaciously, the SEGA corporation has continued to be an amusement powerhouse, with JOYPOLIS still in operation in Japan and China (under theCA SEGA JOYPOLIS division). And still offering VR – though the VR-1 has long since been retired – the venue offers the latest LBE VR with VR Nerds’ ‘Tower Tag’ and the Zero Latency experiences. SEGA’s recent success with the motion picture based on their iconic mascot Sonic revitalizing the brand for a modern generation.
Image credit: KWP
Many have mistaken the fictitious SEGA VR headset for the Genesis, as the only true virtual reality project from the corporation – forgetting this original successful foray in immersive entertainment that was the VR-1 and Mega Visor Display. The lessons that can be learned in design and development from this early first flush of excitement in VR from the 1990s are a history lesson that should not be forgotten; unless the industry wants to repeat its past mistakes again.
Covering the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams continues his visits to re-opening VR and immersive entertainment venues – with exclusive access to the new videogame from Zero Latency. In these features, he reports on the latest experiences and the new conditions that the international LBE business is adapting to.
There has been a continuing surge in the development of new free-roaming VR experiences in the location-based entertainment (LBE) sector. A unique platform for the commercial entertainment sphere offering all the aspects most dreamed about from the promise of VR; the ability to play in a social group, immersed in a vibrant virtual world that the users can freely navigate. While for consumers, first the tether, then the limitation of performance has hindered the realisation of this aspect on home hardware. Emerging from lockdown and the LBE VR scene has seen an upswing in new experiences being released.
So, it was obvious that we would be visiting another of these new launches. Located in the Boxpark venue in the shadow of the Wembley Stadium arch in London – one of the latest location-based entertainment venues is nestled on the second floor of this hospitality and entertainment site. Called MeetSpaceVR, the venue is the latest VR experience offering in the capital. The operation includes a dedicated VR arena for free-roam experiences as well as a VR lounge for the playing of VR Escape Room content, and eSports competition (all supported with a private hire bar area) – and this latest game release fits perfectly into this offering.
Image credit: KWP
Zero Latency has been one of the leading innovators in Free-Roaming (Arena Scale) VR experiences – one of the first to launch the concept onto the market and one of the first to roll out a stable of titles with proven player appeal – installed across 45 venues in some 22 countries. The company choosing its partnership with MeetSpaceVR to launch their latest title – Undead Arena VR. This new Arena Scale experience has between four and eight players wearing the HP powered backpack PC, donning HP Reverb G1 headsets with headphones and mic, and wielding the unique Zero Latency weapon.
Image credit: KWP
The new game offers a unique and compelling take on the zombie-blaster. Undead Arena VR is modelled as if the players are taking part in a reality TV show, set after the zombie apocalypse, blasting through waves of the undead achieving scores that at the end will transport the winners to become instant celebrities. A fast pace zombie-wave-shooter, with unique touches and a compelling narrative that proved an enjoyable workout. The players able to swap between machinegun, shotgun, and crossbow to score headshots and wipe-out the most zombies for that all elusive high score.
The 15-minute game begins only after a professional run down of the features and safety elements of using the Zero Latency hardware – and how the players personal weapon works and the scoring principles. Along with the ability to use fire and explosive barrels to hold back the hoards. And then the players are dropped into the heat of the action, progressing through level after level, and Zero Latency using some of their well-known tricks to immerse the player, including moving walkways and rising elevators all simulated virtually.
Image credit: KWP
The game encourages the players to work as a team in order to survive the zombie infestation, and soon into the game the player is fully immersed in the destruction, surviving (with their score intact) the next wave of the undead. The game is targeted at a 13 and older audience, and the action is fast, frantic, and highly addictive – and it is obvious to see that this title lends itself perfectly to becoming its own eSports sensation. A game that will encourage repeat play to see if the score can be improved, and better proficiency with the different weapons achieved for those crucial headshots.
The team behind MeetSpaceVR revealed the extensive efforts they had gone through working with their landlord (BOXPARK) and following the local government guidelines to achieve the July 4th re-opening. The facility now offering 30-minute individual play sessions for the registered guests, with appropriate physical distancing from other groups and team members. The venue currently operating at 20% of pre-COVID capacity – constantly evaluating the process. But was able to reveal that they are seeing a steady return of old and new customers. We would like to thank all involved in making our visit possible.
Image credit: KWP
The explosion in player interest in Arena Scale has not diminished since it appeared on the market. A strong platform that illustrates the separation of what a solitary VR experience can achieve in the home, and the power and immersion of multi-player free-roaming VR experiences in location-based entertainment.
In the post-pandemic landscape, concern has been made about the speed of resurgence of this play experience – though initially, the figures look positive that players are returning as can be seen at both MeetSpaceVR and the other opening sites in Europe and the West. There are however some signs that a lack of liquidity of some Arena Scale LBE VR businesses will mean difficult times ahead. It was reported that The VOID, one of the high-profile developers in this field have entered difficult straights. It was revealed that their Californian Downtown Disney District site had permanently closed its doors. Later revealed that the lease termination was because of a breach of the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures license. All but one of the remaining 17-sites of The VOID had not reopened, other than reports of the Malaysian site located in the Genting resort complex – sources revealing that that site had removed all Disney intellectual property and VR experiences. Once more information is available on this situation, we will share this with our readers.
At the time of visiting the Wembley MeetSpaceVR operation, we took the chance to look at another re-opening site offering VR entertainment. Located on the riverside London-county-hall location, NAMCO Funscape is a bowling, hospitality, and amusement venue – one of the capitals leading entertainment centres prominently placed in London’s’ tourist epicentre close to the well-known London Eye attraction. While the attraction may not be operational yet, the Namco amusement site had opened its doors.
Previously covered by VRFocus – the NAMCO Funland had undergone COVID measures, with the bowling and hospitality elements closed off – and the amusement machines enforcing physical distancing. This, however, did not diminish the interest to try the VR entertainment on offer, with the company operating the only two Bandai Namco VR Zone Portal Mario Kart VR installations in the capital. The site also had their Beat Saber Arcade machine and the Extreme Machine VR experiences. And taking pride of place and being well played during this visit the LAI Games Virtual Rabbid’s machine – all these systems sporting new signage regarding the hygiene necessities of using the venue.
Image credit: KWP
We look forward to reporting on the other VR ZONE Portal installation at the O2 location once the Bowling Alley sector (along with hotel, gyms and theaters) are permitted to reopen for business after the expected lifting of Governmental restrictions. And we will be visiting several other new sites in the coming days – watch this space for more information.
Covering the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams, starts the first of his visits to re-opening VR and Immersive entertainment venues – with exclusive access to a brand new videogame from Vertigo Arcades. In these features reporting on the latest experiences, and the new conditions that the international LBE business is adapting to.
After over 100-days during the COVID-19 lockdown period and the VR amusement and attraction market starts to tentatively reopen for business. In what will become a regular series, KWP has been invited to attend many of the planned international commencements of these businesses. But like many of the coming coverage, this first report is more a review of a brand-new release in the LBE VR scene than just a site visit.
Revealed last month, Netherlands-based Vertigo Arcades – the location-based entertainment arm of Vertigo Games – announced the launch of its new free-roaming (Arena Scale) game experience Ghost Patrol VR. This is the third arena scale title from the company – famous for cross-platform success with Arizona Sunshine and its new Corsair’s Curse title. Vertigo was one of the first to see the potential of LBE VR business, promoting game properties. Ghost Patrol VR is a new direction and marks the representation of third-party developed content, working in cooperation with Crazy Bunch, the German developer behind this great experience.
Based on Vertigo Arcades’ ‘HAZE’ software platform for facilities operating Arena Scale VR attractions, the system handles the loading and operation of the four-player games. Compared to the older-player based zombie-blasting content, Ghost Patrol VR has been created to offer a great family experience, aimed at players between 12-15-years of age and older. After booking their session and naming their character, the players don the VR hardware and are transported to a haunted mansion, navigating the rooms, corridors, and haunted elevators, working as a team to blast the spooky opponents and collect gemstones in a haunted wave shooter extravaganza.
From the start Ghost Patrol VR offers a great playing environment, with the HTC Vive Pro and controllers, and a PC backpack computer, the player is prepared for action. The game uses both controllers, with one used for their “Hue Blaster” and the other for their flashlight. Moving around the rooms, the players are accosted with flying furniture and then hoards of Pink or Blue ghosts – the players must match the colour of their Hue Blaster to the corresponding apparitions. During the 20-minute experience, players navigate the floors of the building, using elevators, secret passages, and portals – the game culminating in a satisfying boss battle.
Of the considerable number of Arena Scale VR experiences, we have evaluated, this was a well-polished and highly enjoyable videogame, and even in this final release version the companies are continuing to tweak the experience. The game giving off Nintendo Luigi’s Mansion vibes but still being able to be its own unique experience, with a fun and colorful cartoon graphical style.
The team behind the game were kind enough to video conference with us to give some detail regarding the launch of this new product. Vertigo Games’ CEO Richard Stitselaar and Producer Paul van der Meer revealing that they have licensed their platform at some 700 venues across 40 countries. And are working with operators as they come back on stream to license this latest game. For this chance to try the brand-new experience, the Escape Room and VR game operator Wing Entertainment were kind hosts at their Omescape London Aldgate venue. They had the latest installation of the Vertigo Arcades setup, offering a selection of all its titles and having just upgraded to include Ghost Patrol VR to their library.
The Escape Room’s at the Omescape venue will be remaining closed under the current level of advisory, but the VR element of the site is now opening to take private parties and hires, able to accommodate current COVID measures to their operation of the immersive entertainment. This VR element, a vital addition to many Escape Room operations is a lifesaver in being able to continue business.
We would like to thank the team at Omescape for the chance to be the first to experience the fun of the new arena scale game, and for the Vertigo Arcades team for video conferencing with us and walking us through the development process. We will look forward to reporting more on the next new releases on the platform coming this year.
Reception at the Omescape venue, showing their other VR experiences on offer. Image credit KWP
Of the other venues coming back on stream, and one such re-opening was held at Universe Science Park, in Denmark, a visitor attraction site, and the location of the “World First” ParadropVR attraction, installed back in 2018. Now with the lifting of COVID measures, the visitor attraction has reopened the building where ParadropVR is situated – developed by UK-based Frontgrid. The attraction offers riders the chance to virtually soar over the landscape, controlling their own paraglider through the virtual landscape with exhilarating speed whilst playing a game; riders scores are then ranked on a mobile app leaderboard.
The ParadropVR system employs a unique rise and surge motion platform, lifting the player physically, and so totally immersing them in the experience. The Universal Science Park team have limited the number of riders to accumulate in the attraction building, and are employing best practise hygiene procedure regarding operating the VR system, but confirm that the interest to ride the experience has not diminished from the guests to the venue.
This ends the first part of our coverage, with the next facility report, and other new developments, coming in a few days from European VR venues coming back to life. See you soon.
Covering the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his second and concluding partof hislatest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams continues the observations made while many location-based entertainment (LBE) venues remain in lockdown. This section looks at the growth in Arena Scale immersive entertainment and investment towards the sector’s future after lockdown.
While many of the venues are in lockdown, the continued investment in the entertainment business has seen the development and launch of new products that will drive the investment in a sector of VR that has benefited from a strong audience appetite.
Players try out the new motion-seat dinosaur experience at Viveland: Image credit: Viveland/Kocpc
One of the first territories to see their VR arcade business emerge from lockdown was Taiwan. In this sector, HTC has opened its chain of Viveland sites. A cross between a VR park and a showroom, these have also expanded into “HTC Viveland XR Super Somatosensory Paradise” – a new popup variant. And it was at one of these sites that Fantahorn Studio debuted ‘Dinosaur Age XR’ – a prehistoric VR motion seat experience. Post-lockdown audiences flocked to try the attraction, underlining the considerable interest still seen in this deployment of the medium.
The VR Free Roam Scene
Following on from the last report and speaking of the new distributors of free-roaming (Arena Scale) platforms, its time to look at the considerable popularity of this application with the entertainment audience pre-pandemic. One of the first and leading providers of this application was Australian based Zero Latency. Not allowing the current global crisis to impact their continued investment in developing its platform, the company used May to announce the launch of its latest title. Called Undead Arena VR, the videogame planned to be installed across their 45 Zero Latency venues internationally, (subject to when each will resume business).
The game offers from one to eight players the chance to play as a team in a post-apocalyptic world, part of a retro 80’s TV game show. Fighting off hordes of zombies to gain the high score and become a celebrity. The developers have jokingly defined the game as Smash TV meets The Hunger Games. Deployed on the latest free-roaming backpack PC platform, the company recently adopting the HP Reverb headset for their latest system. This coming as HP rolls out its new HP Reverb G2 (supported by Valve and Microsoft), offering a strong platform for LBE consideration.
The latest version of Zero Latency in operation at MeetSpaceVR in London. Image credit: KWP
A new free-roamingentrant into the market revealed its platform recently. YULLBE is an advanced backpack VR system, developed between Vicon Motion Systems, VR Coaster and MackNeXT (media development specialists in the Mack Group of companies). The platform supports up to 32 players, fully-body tracked in large arenas, employing Vicon’s advanced camera-based architecture, (architecture already used by Arena Scale operations such as Dreamscapeand SandboxVR). The YULLBE system will see its first outing for summer 2020, in Germany, as an attraction next to the Europa-Park and the Rulantica waterpark. Seen as a new fully immersive form of VR entertainment, it is targeted at a broader audience than before. VR Coaster having previously partnered with SPREE Interactive on the Roam&Ride attraction ‘Eurosat Coastiality’.
Recommencement of LBE VR Business
All this preparation is to ready for the staggered re-opening of VR entertainment businesses internationally, as reported in the first part of this feature. There has been even greater scrutiny paid to the safe and appropriate operation of VR technology in the commercial entertainment environment #AfterLockdown.
One of those leading the charge is also one of the largest providers of VR entertainment systems internationally having sold some 400-units of their Hologate Arena tethered enclosure platform. The company has amassed a wealth of experience in best practise of operating and cleaning VR in commercial settings, compiling all this knowledge into a simple guide for operators and developers across the market. The Hologate Hygiene and Safety Standard condensing the essential practice towards checking, operating, and cleaning this technology as well as the wider requirements regarding operating VR simulator rigs. The guide shared with the whole of the industry offers support to all to ensure a common practice in providing the best experience to the paying audience, as the industry emerges from forced hibernation.
Another aspect of Hologate’s support of the impacted VR amusement scene is to backup struggling operators beyond advising them on the best practice in operating their hardware. The company announced that it would be offering two months subscription-free to owners of their hardware to take effect as soon as their venues reopen. This was intended to help ease some of the stresses that hard-pressed facility operators were experiencing as they prepared to reopen their businesses after such a long period of disruption.
VR teamwork in the latest blaster from HOLOGATE. Image credit: KWP
The reopening of the LBE VR scene has started to gain momentum, in Asia, several venues have thrown open their doors – and with the applying of new health measures has still seen strong interest from the playing audience to enjoy VR. As we mentioned previously, HTC has been promoting its Viveland operation – the company is one of the leading VR headset providers to invest considerably into a lucrative commercial entertainment strategy. While consumer VR has proven a slow burner, the commercial deployment has proven a more productive business model, that others now hope to emulate. Last year the company also pointed to wireless multiplayer LBE VR as “the next big thing”. This was part of a drive to establish the company’s Focus Plus standalone mobile VR platform that had been first to prove the genre.
Looking to the future of LBE deployment, the next phase of VR development has supported this growth of interest on arena-scale VR applications. Beyond the conventional backpack PC approach, we have seen the investment in standalone systems. Initially, this approach was popularized by the HTC Focus Plus, but it has been dominated by interest in the Oculus Quest. However, the restrictions of the platform have impacted some plans for Commercial Entertainment application. But the standalone enterprise market will soon be flooded by a new phase of systems. As revealed by Qualcomm and its new XR2 architecture powering the ‘XR Viewer’ series. Amongst these VR and AR 5G enabled headsets are a number of enterprise-focused systems that point to the future of new arena-scale deployment, with a much higher quality of immersion, pointing to the next phase in mobile VR application.
Now towards the reopening of the shuttered LBE VR businesses, and the recommencement towards the new normal. How the scope of impact that the global health crisis has had on the business of immersive entertainment, and if encumbered head-mounted displays, or the development of unencumbered immersive projection systems will spell the next chapter in the deployment of out-of-home entertainment.
Covering the immersive location-based entertainment (LBE) scene for VRFocus as part of his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams returns with the first of a two-part series of observations made while many of the LBE VR venues remain in lockdown. He examines how the commercial entertainment VR scene is still at work, charting new developments in the rental of VR tech, the licensing of VR arcade content for consumer deployment, and new partnerships.
While the whole of the business sector has been on enforced lockdown globally for over nine weeks, developments both to adapt to the situation, as well as prepare for the new normal have been underway, as this considerable business adapts and evolves for life #AfterLockdown.
One of the many furloughed LBE facilities during May. Image credit: KWP
While some cynics attempted to paint the demise of the enterprise entertainment industry in the face of the global pandemic, the reality has been far more positive. While the industry has been bowed (as all) by the enforced voluntary closure of their operations, the interest to re-open and revigorate what has been one of the few burgeoning aspects of this latest phase of VR adoption, has not diminished.
There has even been an interest to attempt to capture in a bottle, those aspects of the location-based entertainment VR scene and recreate them for consumer adaptation – hoping that the success of LBE VR content can be made to work for the encumbered consumer userbase. One such example of this was revealed from studio Golf Scope; the AR and VR entertainment developers, in partnership with Topgolf Entertainment Group, which is widely known for its technology-driven golf entertainment venues. Together the operation launched Pro Putt by Topgolf on Oculus Quest – offering simple VR golfing action, that including a branded recreation of the popular putting action – encapsulating the venue action in one of a series of digital games. While many of the facilities may still be temporarily closed, VR allows the brand to continue.
The virtual recreation of the Topgolf experience. Image credit: Topgolf Entertainment
Another such example of capturing the Out-of-Home entertainment has seen the launch from start-up Adventure Lab, a group of VR developers, who created what they have described as the “World’s first VR live hosted escape room”. The platform currently supports Oculus Quest hardware, allowing players to register online to take part in a connected 40-minute VR escape game, with a live “game master”, acting as host to help players. The first title Dr. Crumb’s School for Disobedient Pets is in early beta, charging $100 for up to four players. The commercial VR escape gaming scene has been incredibly popular before lockdown, and this move hopes to capitalize on the interest from isolated players, bring remote users together, and even supplying captured scenes to share on social media.
The VR Arcade Scene
Another developer hoping to build off of commercial VR popularity, repackaging for consumer consumption, was German-based VR Nerds – the company famous for Tower Tag, a highly competitive PvP capture-the-flag VR experience, played by over 1,000,000 players in arcades worldwide, reportedly available to some 1,300 VR arcades since its launch in 2018. Licensed by Springboard VR, along with porting to the Hologate arena and seeing success in the Japanese VR scene with CA Sega Joypolis installing several units. In May VR Nerds announced that the title would now be accessible for consumers, available on Steam and Viveport for all the leading consumer VR headsets. The ability to relieve the exciting multi-player shooter as it was released in arcades was supported with the developer providing 3D-printable STL files to recreate the gun controller from the game.
Example of the weapon in the ‘Tower Tag’, and the new 3D printed controller for the Quest. Image credit: VR Nerds
The need to feed the interest in VR to an audience that is in lockdown has been a consideration for VR arcade operators with hardware sitting unused. One remedy attempted was seen from The Park Playground. One of the first European VR arcade operations, with their sites temporarily shuttered the company decided to launch a new service. The Beta service, called ‘VR in Home’, is only currently available in the Belgium city of Antwerp – interested players use the operations web page to request loans of an Oculus Quest with appropriate game content, for a minimum four-day rental. What has been nicknamed “the Uber VR arcade!” – the use of hardware as a rental business is not an entirely new idea during the pandemic. In Spain, the Canary Virtual business started a similar service in March including a PC as well as standalone platforms for rental – and all specially cleaned and populated for this service. However, the use of the Oculus Quest in commercial applications has come with its own issues.
The Park Playground VR arena in full swing at the Antwerp location before lockdown. Image credit: The Park Playground
But there have been developments in thinking during this changeable time for the Oculus Quest – one of these has been the re-emergence of ‘Oculus for Business’. Finally unveiled with its commercial machine and supported pricing with a yearly subscription, at the same time saw the removal of any of the “Colocation” firmware facility. A facility that had been teased to so many commercial developers only to be removed some 12-months later. It is expected that many developers will continue with their standalone free-roaming release plans, but now deserting official support, (see out previous coverage if this scene).
Another operator of VR venues, as well as a developer of hardware for this sector, has restructured its operation. European based Neurogaming has been known for the RevolVR tethered enclosure VR experience, as well for its PolygonVR free-roaming multiplayer platform, operated in several venues. During May the company announced the signing of a lucrative licensing deal that will see Estonian start-up NeverBored; who will develop a brand-new version of the four-player PvP Western shooter (RevolVR) for the location-based entertainment sector. At the same time, the new developer has started work on a special consumer version of the videogame that will be launched on the Oculus Quest later in the year, bringing the LBE action to consumer players. Additionally, NeverBored will now take on the role of European distributor for the Neurogaming range of LBE hardware including its free-roaming platform. Operations will be restructured to be ready for the reopening of these businesses internationally.
Players competing in the Wild West blaster ‘RevolVR’. Image credit: KWP
This is the end of the first part to this exclusive coverage of the developing immersive commercial entertainment industry. The second part, looking at the new trends moving into reopening and the future of the scene, follows shortly.
Covering the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams reports – concluding this two-part feature. The impact of the latest trends in free-roaming VR attractions is looked at, as well as the continued success of VR enclosure business. Then the report turns its gaze to the impact of the health crisis, and what life for the VR entertainment scene could be #AfterLockdown.
Amusement Expo International: Image credit KWP
Returning to the surprisingly crowded show floor of the influential B2B Amusement Expo International (AEI) in New Orleans, during early March. Days before the global health crisis would shut down all commerce – this show revealed the key trends and issues that would need to be reevaluated for a market in transition after lockdown.
Moving away from the approach of standalone VR amusement platforms, seen on the show floor that conformed to the more traditional pay-to-play model (covered in the first part). The amusement and entertainment facility sector had been revolutionized by the appearance and deployment of multi-player videogame experiences that offer a compelling attraction.
This approach has seen two unique categories – the first being “VR Enclosure” systems, these using frameworks to cordon off the player space. This has become a distinctive category of its own, and one of the most successful developers of this approach is Hologate. The company based in Germany has sold hundreds of their four-player systems across the market and came to AEI with an updated ‘HOLOGATE Arena’ – offering a compact two-player version of the system, to suit all sizes of location.
VR teamwork in the latest blaster from HOLOGATE. Image credit: KWP
Another developer of this kind of VR enclosure system was from Minority Media, having developed its own small foot-print enclosure, the operation was promoting its latest dedicated game system with ‘Transformers: VR Battle Arena’. Based on the popular Hasbro franchise, four players compete in a player-vs-player blaster, taking part as the famous robots in a fast base and competitive experience.
Looking at a larger enclosure offering, AEI exhibitor Inowize, in partnership with their lead distributor had their six-player enclosure system called the ‘Arkadia VR Arena’. The platform using the HTC Vive Pro headsets, tethered to the ceiling of the enclosure, offering a multiplayer immersive game experience. The flexibility of the system also offering a four-player variant.
The need to offer the latest platform that achieves the best ROI is essential in a fast-moving sector such as VR amusement and entertainment deployment. The latest variants of the VR enclosure category have started to use the new and emerging VR technology. Manufacturer Box Blaster has created a dedicated enclosure to suit the needs of the market, using the latest Valve Index high-end VR headsets for their four-player ‘Box Blaser VR’. And have focused on a family-friendly approach for their content to drive the key demographic interested in trying VR experiences.
Box Blaster VR. Image credit: KWP
Purpose-built enclosures that allow entertainment facilities to run their own VR arcade-style operations, to compete with independent venues, was also on display. The new developer Sektor VR presented at AEI, their enclosure called the ‘Sektor 001’ that used a giant LED spectator screen to allow the audience to see the virtual environment that the players inhabit. The enclosure allowing two players at a time, both using wireless HTC Vive Pro headsets. As with all in this category, the operation is from a touch-screen kiosk, offering a selection of games provided through the popular Springboard VR content distribution platform.
One of the largest and most impressive of the enclosure systems is that offering from Virtuix – a completely enclosed environment offered by their ‘Omni Arena’. The attendant attracting players to come inside the system, prepare to enter the VR environment using the innovative omnidirectional treadmill, to physically navigate the virtual world. Virtuix has worked hard to create a competitive game environment and were running cash prize ‘VRZ Tournament’ during the show, illustrating the eSports credentials of their hardware.
As we saw leading up to the Health crisis, interest in “Arena Scale VR – Standalone” (the second leading category) has grown exponentially. These represented the deployment of the next innovation in tech, with the Standalone VR headsets such as Oculus Quest, Pico Neo2, HTC Focus Plus, and other systems offering a VR multi-player platform. That could be a cheap alternative to the more expensive and complicated backpack PC VR platforms, for area-scale (free-roaming) deployment. As covered in VRFocus recently this sector still garners much interest with developers like VirtuaActions and their ‘Cyberaction Arena’.
VEX Arena. Image credit: KWP
The March AEI show reflected the growth of popularity in this trend across the trade floor. Those companies exhibiting with their entry into this category included VEX Solutions with its ‘VEX Arena’ representing a six-player free-roaming turn-key system. The platform building on the operations’ experience with backpack VR systems. The new ‘VEX Arena’ uses specially customised Pico Neo2 headsets. A flexible arena platform that can accommodate four, six, eight and even 10-player configurations.
Another exhibitor with this category of experience was Arenaverse – showing its ‘Arenaverse’ platform, offering a free-roaming system requiring a minimum footprint of 20ft x 30ft – a totally scalable platform ranging from two players all the way up to twelve. An operation comprising accomplished VR executives in this field, many of the lessons from previous endeavours have been applied. Recently coming out of secret development, the platform comprises a unique operator kiosk that charges the headsets and launches the experiences.
The AEI exhibitor, Scale-1 Portal, is an official Oculus IVS Partner, and presented using the Oculus Quest headset, their new ‘Voxel Arena’ – one of the first official standalone free-roaming four-player spaces, crafted to offer unique multi-player specialist experiences. One of these unique titles is the energetic rhythm music game (‘RYTM’), played as a group in a highly frenetic immersive music experience.
Voxel Arena. Image credit: KWP
This is a snapshot of the considerable impact that VR had on the last major amusement and entertainment trade event of the post-pandemic market. The March Amusement Expo was driven by the innovation that VR was having on the industry, seeing 10% of the exhibitors on the show floor offering a VR solution of some kind.
VR Entertainment’s Future
From all the developments that were presented at the beginning of March, the then Out-of-Home entertainment sector looked to be continuing its rapid growth in market dominance. But this advance would be placed on hold as global commerce was impacted by the ravages of the COVID-19 epidemic. With all Western VR arcades and location-based entertainment centres shuttered, the industry has been placed in hibernation, eager to re-emerge.
One of the many shuttered location-based entertainment facilities. Image credit: KWP
Going into these latest weeks of lockdown for the entertainment, hospitality and non-essential businesses, across the West; there is a mood towards attempting to understand what the #AfterLockdown future business for location-based entertainment (LBE) VR will look like. Many operators drawing up plans on how they will welcome their guests to the new landscape of social entertainment in an evolving landscape.
The consumer VR scene while in lockdown has proven that the interest in this technology has not diminished, and with the successful launch of Valve’s Half-Life: Alyx, there has been a desire for more. Not every one of the record number of watchers of the streamed “lets-play” of the videogame has access to the VR hardware or intend to buy it, but this does not mean they would not pay heavily to be able to experience the title. And already plans are in place to support VR arcades to run this title as an option to their clientele.
Hygiene and safe operation of their experiences are a constant for the Out-of-Home entertainment sector long before we entered the grip of the pandemic. Numerous developers have added extensive cleaning and guest operation procedures to ensure that as with the 3D cinema sector (with 3D glasses), bowling sector (with shoes and socks), paintball sector (with goggles and masks) and even the Go-kart sector (with helmets and race suits), the guests experience is a clean and comfortable one. Many operators of VR hardware have deployed “Ninja Masks” (disposable paper liners for VR headsets) to customers using their hardware.
Manufacturers are also looking to incorporate dedicated self-disinfection systems to their hardware, similar to that seen with VR LEO USA’s platform (covered in the previous part) – as well as emulating the work that CleanBox Technology has been developing with their UV-C disinfection stations for VR deployment in enterprise. Companies also like VR Cover have supplied specialist versions of their system for use on most VR amusement platforms.
Operators of large numbers of VR headsets ensuring the manufacturers accommodate the needs of resilience and durability regarding deployment in entertainment. The extra development time that has been afforded to the industry during this hiatus will inevitably result in major development work, and increased ingenuity in the deployment of this technology into the market.
Once the restrictions of isolation are eventually lifted and the population is allowed once again to enjoy themselves, there will be no doubt that VR entertainment will continue to play its part in the vast variety of offerings from the Out-of-Home entertainment landscape. But with increased burden on disposable incomes and concerns of venues operating under restrictions from local government, that the “new normal” for the sector will take some time to be defined with undefined new elements added to the mix. We await, with interest, to report on these new developments.
Covering the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams reports on the last major amusement trade convention of the pre-pandemic international scene. In this first part, information on the trends that were establishing themselves, and the key developments making this market so important for the technology.
With the global business sector in near lockdown due to the international health crisis, many observers are turning their gaze to how much the business scene will have to change in the post-pandemic landscape. The speculation of the employment of the latest virtual reality (VR) technology to drive a new investment in training and entertainment has been discussed – especially seeing the importance that this technology has had with a populace in self-isolation. The possibilities of what the commercial entertainment sector will look like once the facilities re-open, has also been considered.
Image credit: KWP
Only a matter of weeks before the chaos of the pandemic, and resulting lockdown that has seen all entertainment, cinema and leisure amusement venues temporarily closed; and the American amusement trade held their influential trade convention – Amusement Expo International (AEI) in the heart of New Orleans. On show were pivotal new developments in VR deployment for immersive Out-of-Home Entertainment. This gave a glimpse at the trends being followed, but now reveal what the post-pandemic landscape will be working with when the entertainment scene re-emerges in the West from slumber.
The application of VR tech into the commercial entertainment scene has been split into key categories, and all examples were on show at AEI – offering an excellent opportunity to explore the popularity and audience appeal. First off, we have seen the emergence of the “VR Amusement” category – best described as the adaption of VR technology into the established platform of video amusement hardware, adapting many of the characteristics into a reliable VR platform.
At the show, the amusement distributor and developer UNIS Technology presented its new VR amusement piece ‘Ultra Moto VR’. A two-player “ride-on” motorbike racer on a motion platform, with the unique element of offering conventional play through the games screen, or reverting to immersive play using the VR headsets.
Image credit: KWP
‘Ultra Moto VR’ is a Chinese developed title that had been converted for Western deployment and had already seen considerable success, with strong Return-on-Investment (ROI) when tested at several locations. For many operators still evaluating the value of VR platforms in commercial entertainment, the systems unique ability to swap between a full VR or conventional video amusement approach offered a strong incentive. And allowed operators to charge VR prices for a conventional packaged amusement piece.
Another adaptation of an amusement package with a VR element was presented from US-based Barron Games, a well-known name in the foosball and air hockey table market, the company had partnered with Swiss-based Kynoa SA, to represent their innovative ‘Koliseum’; the system, a VR based foosball tabletop platform offering four players the chance to compete in an immersive re-creation of the traditional game (called ‘Koliseum Soccer VR’). The cabinet and controllers invoking the design of a conventional foosball table.
Image credit: KWP
The need to create compelling games that still fit the limitations of the amusement entertainment and family entertainment centres has driven many of the new designs on show. The developer MajorMega had initially launched its vast four-player motion stage experience (called ‘Hyperdeck’) – but the company chose the New Orleans trade show to launch a brand-new concept. Called ‘Hyperdrive’ this two-player cooperative VR experience has one player taking the role as the driver, and another player the gunner, the whole compact experience sitting on a D-BOX motion platform.
The system was a work-in-progress with much of the feedback to this design, being taken away and applied to a final production prototype, scheduled for release (that had originally been) for later in the year. The motion simulation experience linked to a seated ride platform has been another popular element of the investment in commercial entertainment VR. One of the most successful of the initial categories has been the Virtual Ride Simulator – one of the earliest adaptations of offering VR in an amusement suitable package, this approach has gamed much momentum.
One of the first adaptations was that from LAI Games with their hundred-unit-selling ‘Virtual Rabbids: The Big Ride’ – developed in partnership with Ubisoft, creator of the cartoon ride experience based around their zany characters, and using D-BOX motion hardware. The system has found favour with operators offering what the company describes as unattended virtual reality. At the show the company presented their “Big Expansion Pack”, offering six new rides. This included their new interactive experience ‘Space Skirmish’ – a new departure for the platform, from the previous passive style of experience.
Image credit: KWP
The popularity of this category was seen with an explosion of new developments, at the show, from other developers. Canadian based TRIOTECH presented to the amusement trade their production version of STORM. Employing a similar approach, the two-rider experience, however, had started at the first with an interactive element to the ride simulator. The company mounting on their HTC Vive headsets, Ultrahaptic hand trackers so the player could grab items as their traversed the speeding coaster track, scoring points. TRIOTECH also revealed its next ride experiences in development to keep a regular supply of titles, and the company was keen to reveal it had ramped up the production line to deal with a strong initial order book.
Following along this popular category, and formula of approach, amusement powerhouse Raw Thrills, chose the amusement trade show to present their prototype interpretation of the virtual ride simulator. This version called ‘King Kong of Skull Island’ – placed the two riders on motion seats, and also included in this case Ultrahaptic sensors in the seat restraint to track hand movement – the players dropped into a wild ride through the mythical movie Skull Island, home to giant beasts, dinosaurs and King Kong.
Based on the movie property, the early version of the ride/game experience, placed players in a frantic jeep chase across the island, avoiding the monsters, and interacting with the game in scripted quick-time events – finally placed face to face with the legendary giant ape. Still in an early stage of development, the system followed a proven formula, but also hope to offer a cost-effective solution for operators wanting a VR platform. Raw Thrills had worked with HP to deploy the new Reverb headsets with their 5G performance. The other example of the VR ride system at the show was a much more compact and basic offering. From Brazilian RILIX; the company presented an updated version of its non-motion pod called the ‘Rilix Coaster’. The original version of this system, first seen back in 2015.
Image credit: KWP
This system offered as a low-cost solution for areas with high-foot-traffic that want to offer a VR experience in a unique package. As a low-cost system, comprises only a sub-woofer and wind-effect system, with the simple Oculus Go headset arrangement. The platform offered in three flavours as a standalone arcade piece, a system operated by rental companies, and as a self-service (vending machine style) platform for players to walk up and try. To allow this the system and headsets are ruggedized. It is this category of “Self-service VR Kiosk” approach to VR entertainment systems, which had become a new aspect of the market gaining momentum.
On the show floor were other examples of self-service VR kiosks – the first from VRsenal the company have designed a sleek upright kiosk with a tethered headset. The platform called ‘Beat Saber Arcade’ running the popular and well recognized VR music rhythm game licensed from Beat Games (recently acquired by Facebook). The system has been deployed in several entertainment facilities in the West and made unique use of the HTC Vive headset in a wireless configuration. The systems’ appearance at AEI was also to promote new partnerships with leading amusement distributors to help support sales of the platform to a wider operator-base.
The other self-service VR kiosks on display at the trade event was from VR LEO USA – the company showing their ‘LEO’ platform. Another large screen video kiosk with a tethered VR headset. This system, however, was not a single game solution but offered three VR experiences to select from, developed by the Chinese parent company. A unique element of the ‘LEO’ is its automatic retention system, that pulls the headset free of use after the game; and lowers it for the next player. While pulled into retention, the platform self-disinfects the headset with high power ultraviolet lights.
Image credit: KWP
This hygiene element has started to be seen employed across all aspects of VR entertainment system deployment. Long before the global health crisis, the LBE VR scene has been employing measures to secure the continued health and safety of the users on this medium. Now with the full glare of the Pandemic on our doorsteps, the reality of how VR will be deployed in social entertainment is being re-addressed. The question is if unattended self-service platforms such as above will need to be re-evaluated for deployment in the new market.
This concludes the first part of our report on the developments in the commercial entertainment VR arena, now we move to the second part, and looking at emerging trends and the outlook for the sectors future #AfterLockdown.
Covering the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams reports on a multitude of brand new commercial entertainment platforms, new eSports offerings and London VR site openings that caught his eye traversing the international XR entertainment scene.
The frantic nature of VR in the commercial entertainment scene continued to gain momentum, with several new platforms launching and facilities opening internationally. While in London, a number of these new developments were on display.
First off was the International Casino Exhibition (ICE), the gaming and gambling industries largest European convention filling the London ExCel centre. While in previous years, virtual reality (VR) had played a larger part in the gaming show, it was much harder to find this year. But one big showing was the Vbet platform, developed in conjunction with BetConnect. Called ‘Vbet Boxing Game’, two-players in their own ring spared with each other using the Oculus Quest headset. A VR attraction that will be deployed in casinos as an audience draw.
Image credit: Vbet
Another major show for VR at the casino event was on the Gaming Malta booth – a local operator of an eSports racing simulator centre presented their race-rig’s – using the ImSim racing seat, with the latest iRacing content, able to be experienced on the Oculus Rift headset. The ability to offer intense VR entertainment is also supported by the audience appeal of this kind of installation.
The explosion in eSports was a major component of the ICE gaming and gambling trade conference, with a vast dedicated arena streaming live. VR is playing its part in defining the eSports business. Recently SpringboardVR, one of the leading distributors and service suppliers of game content for VR arcades, announced they had teamed up with the Virtual Athletics League (VAL) launching the “Pistol Whip VR Tournament”, supported by Oculus and iBUYPOWER. It’ll feature across SpringboardVR’s 500 connected locations for the second round. With the final streamed live on Twitch and Facebook there will be a prize pool of $10,000 up for grabs.
Concerning the London area, the deployment of Location-Based Entertainment (LBE) VR facilities across the international market has continued to gain mentum. And Just down the road from the major gaming exhibition, the UK capital welcomed its latest slew of new VR venues hoping to drive the sector.
First off and the massive entertainment venue that is The O2 arena has already included a VR element, in partnership with the venues’ Hollywood Bowl placement, BANDAI NAMCO Amusement Europe had installed Europe’s first “VR ZONE Portal London”. Based on the Japanese parents dedicated VR installation concept, the first UK installation has been revitalized – along with the Mario Kart Arcade GP VR (£7.99 p/p) set-up, the brand new experience ‘Godzilla VR’ (£4.99 p/p) saw the use of two unique motion cockpits.
Godzilla VR – VR Zone Portal London. Image credit: KWP
The uniquely created Godzilla VR was launched in Japan last year, and this was the first chance we had to play the Western version of the game – an on-rails helicopter simulator experience, with the player only interacting in high adrenaline moments blasting the movie monster with missiles and cannons, as Godzilla levels city-blocks and skyscrapers. The game proved a fun, but short, experience – more a ride with some shooting elements, reflected in its lower price to play.
Hollywood Bowl is not the only VR entertainment installation at the O2 arena, with the adjacent opening of a VR cluster by IMMOTION – the company operating its popular Thrill Coaster, the ‘VR Cinema Pod’ extreme-ride experienced themed around the capital city (as well as a library of other ride scenarios). Next was the new inclusion of their own racing sim area for four of their ‘VR Multi-Racers’.
Immotion – Thrill Coaster. Image Credit: KWP
The IMMOTION experience included a VR Gaming Arena, based on the popular Raw Data videogame. This was a unique tethered version of the title, developed in partnership with originator of the game Survios. One of the many consumer VR game developers that are pivoting into creating a commercial entertainment presence. IMMOTION was charging a standard pass (£6 p/p), as well as variety (£20 p/p), and premium pass (£30 p/p), for game time duration on the assembled systems.
England saw the opening of its latest VR ZONE Portal and the third installation of Mario Kart Arcade GP VR in Europe. BANDAI NAMCO’s operation division runs the well-known Namco Funscape, located on London’s South Bank. This multi-level amusement venue has added a compact VR ZONE Portal Westminster that houses the four-player racer based on the popular Nintendo franchise (£7.95 p/p).
Mario Kart VR. Image Credit: KWP
But Funscape has also added third-party VR amusement pieces to their mix, away from the VR ZONE Portal. The venue had three of the most popular VR amusement platforms, (as we touched on in our Entertainment, Attractions and Gaming (EAG) expo coverage last month). The London site including a VRsenal Beat Saber Arcade machine, and the two-rider Virtual Rabbid’s The Wild Ride (LAI Games), all front-and-centre. Funscape had also installed two version of the Xtrematic ‘Extreme-Machine’ – a standing VR ride experience, using an innovative standing motion platform.
It was also interesting to see other new London based VR arcades jumping into the mix – while visiting London’s Shepherds Bush area, we had a chance to briefly pop into the new Electric Dreams – VR arcade. Located in a retail unit, the operation, along with a KATVR Omni direction treadmill system, runs two VR multiplayer enclosures using the three-player, wireless, free-roam, HTC Vive system as well as a franchise of the ‘Arkave VR’ platform from YDX. The operation charging a sliding scale for duration of play, (starting at £7 p/p, for 10-minutes). This latest operation reflecting that there are many other venues currently in the works to populate this scene.
Line-up of Beat Saber Arcade cabinets put through their paces at Korean VR Festival
Other VR developments taking place recently, included the holding of the Japan Amusement Expo 2020 (JAEPO) the trade event for the territories amusement and gaming sector. On display for the first time on the amusement giant SEGA Interactive’s booth was the SKONEC Entertainment ‘Beat Saber Arcade’ machine. This is the Asian variant of the popular VR music videogame being presented to Japanese trade. It was interesting to see the reaction to the VR machine, attracting attention. Looking to challenge the plethora of traditional music rhythm titles that dominate the Japanese market, (as well as on the international amusement gaming scene).
This concludes our whirlwind reporting from the LBE VR scene. Next month will see major developments as the action moves to the USA and several momentous location openings and major trade conferences that will offer a taste of the evolving future of this scene.
Continuing the overview of the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, the second part of his Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams reports on the new phase of investment in “Arena-Scale VR – Standalone” – concluding with a look of the content platforms and developers and the appearance of some amazing new VR headsets looking to muscle their way into contention, as the sector migrates towards an XR future.
A Perfusion of new Developers
One of those who presented one of the first crop of Oculus Quest-based arena-scale systems during the September IAAPA in Paris was Belgium-based Pixnami (and their new division Hero Zone). The company showed the prototype platform, using Oculus Quest in an LBE configuration for a four-player VR experience. The system comprises a 13 sq.,m. foot-space enclosure (with touchscreen operation). The company has developed two videogames for the platform, including ‘Cyber Shock’ and a new title ‘Dead Ahead’ – offering a zombie blasting wave shooter. Hero Zone ran Oculus Quest headsets modified for deployment by a third party, using headphones and Power Pack. Recently Hero Zone sold its first production units, which will be installed by the end of February (as covered in a previous EAG convention feature).
Team of players try out the new Hero Zone game and modified Oculus Quests’. Image credit: KWP
One of the largest showings of this kind of approach was from VEX Solutions. The company has already established a large stake in the backpack PC VR room-scale business (with its ‘VEX Adventure’ system) but has also developed a new ‘VEX Arena’ – making use initially of the Oculus Quest headset. Focused on offering a flexible game space of between 16-up-to-100 square meters – with between two or 12-players, which claims operational through-put of some 120 players-per-hour. VEX revealed its latest iteration with ‘VEX Arena V2‘, with available titles including Battle Royal, Archery, Team Deathmatch and Deathmatch, and offering more functionality from the original development.
Out on test the ‘VEX Arena’, proving its flexible scope. Image credit: VEX Solutions
Another developer entering a new sector for them is MANUVR Entertainment, with its new game LAVR Tag – offering from two (up-to-100) players the chance to take part in an arena-scale laser tag experience, initially developed to support the Oculus Quest. The company proposes to allow inter-location communication with player competition based around the company’s ‘SnapMap’ infrastructure – the first installations signing on to license this experience to be announced. While ANVIO, the developer of backpack PC free-roaming experiences, has been demonstrating a standalone VR system running on the Oculus Quest, building on its experience in creating team-based co-op VR titles.
Other companies throwing their hats into the ring include TheDeep – a team with a long pedigree in facility operation of their content under a chain of sites. The company announced its new ‘Infinite’ platform as a cost-effective alternative to their already-launched PC backpack arena-scale VR experience. The system offers the ability to accommodate four, six, eight and 10-players simultaneously, using Oculus Quest. The company has been evaluating the prospects of the Oculus for Business entry into LBE and has created a cost-effective platform to accommodate those interested operators.
One of the other entrants into this sphere was Phenomena VR, the company known for its location-based entertainment centre haptic wearable, plus unique VR experiences such as ‘Horos’, and its innovative edutainment-based ‘Enter the Duat’. The company launched a brand new multi-player Oculus Quest LBE system, called ‘Phenomena Platform’, at the end of December. Comprising of four-players (available in either 2x2m, 5x5m, 6x6m and 8x8m), it is described as a “new laser tag style game”, offering frantic action between the two teams. The company has also revealed it has gone one step further and launched a large “stadium-sized” version, with six-player vs. six-player competition.
Developers who have looked at using standalone VR systems in multi-player experiences have moved beyond employing the ‘Co-Location’ systems and favoured brewing their own tracking and multi-player systems. Other modifications are also being considered to address issues with the design of the Quest. The front-heavy nature and lack of robust audio design, has seen the creation of what has been dubbed the “Franken-Quest” – obtaining the robust HTC Vive DAS (Deluxe Audio Strap) and combined to offer an aftermarket hybrid which is much more appropriate to the needs of the LBE scene.
As mentioned previously, some operators are using the VRNRGY Power Pack, offering counterbalance and longer operational life through the packs of Samsung batteries. Another modification for LBE applications is from Kabetec, with its modicap sound kit headphones. A company with extensive knowledge of aftermarket modifications for enterprise VR headsets – working previously on the Samsung GearVR used by VR Coaster, DOF Robotics for their Oculus Go, and for SPREE for its Pico headset deployment. Issues of hygiene and robustness are essential considerations for deployment in this sector.
An example of the modicap modified Quest. Image credit: Kabetec
New Zealand-based Beyond Studio is a developer of VR videogames and software which is on a mission to make content affordable for the LBE scene and players. The company had a soft launch for debut title ‘Oddball’ – described as a hilarious laser-tag 2.0, multi-player free-roaming VR videogame. This is a fun family-friendly player vs player experience, where you can blast sticky balls and powerups such as “fart bombs” at each other. It is currently on test in a popup installation at the company’s headquarters, where they have been charging an introductory price of $10(NZD) per-player for two matches (lasting five-minutes each).
Players of the VR game Oddball at Beyond Studio. Image credit: Beyond Studio
EscapeVR is a developer of VR content based around their collaboration with Escape Games Canada (a developer of physical rooms). Building on their experience in creating compelling content, EscapeVR has moved to the next level in offering a turnkey free-roaming platform called ‘Arenaverse’. Able to accommodate from four-players to a maximum of 12, the platform has been developed to use the Oculus Quest and has several gameplay modes, including team vs team, and wave-shooter with players vs enemies. The company has been developing the project in secret, and only revealed their intentions off the show floor during the IAAPA event last November.
The stripped-down version of ‘Arenaverse’ at an Orlando game center. Image credit: EscapeVR
From the Asian market, Vietnamese developer Holomia Technology started testing its arena-scale VR system, running the game MissionX, facilitating four-to-six players using the Oculus Quest in both 6x6m and 6x12m spaces. The company is developing special gun-style controllers to work with the Quest’s interfaces. The final system to be launched in February with a monthly game license fee. Another new entrant to this sphere is Korean studio Finger Eyes, which has moved towards developing the zombie blaster Helios Battle, converted to the Oculus Quest and available as both a four-player system in a 5x5m enclosure and also working on a larger 15x15m 16-player version. This first title is supported by a new two-player game called ‘Death Cage: The Zombie’.
Prototype MissionX being put through its paces at the Infinity location. Image credit: Holomia
Well-known developer of VR arcade products, Movie Power, threw its hat into the ring with the launch of ‘VR Infinite Space’. The new release from the Chinese developer sees the deployment of a modified version of the Oculus Quest using the HTC Vive DAS, while the player, along with the headset, wears a haptic vest and battery pack. Due to the difficulty in obtaining Oculus hardware in China, the system uses Quests as a promotion point towards the final release. The arena able to accommodate from two-to-six players, in one of four videogames each offering 15-minutes in duration. The system comes in two versions, with an 8x8m and a 10x10m system, described by Movie Player as “redefining VR backpack”.
The ‘VR Infinite Space’ arena. Image credit: Movie Power
Other Standalone Alternatives
While many may have become overly fixated on the Oculus Quest as a standalone VR headset solution for LBE, several other providers have already started the process of entering this very lucrative sector with their own standalone solutions. These alternative solutions do not come with the burden of the same restrictions, business aversions, or possible unavailability – as has been seen with the Quest in an open commercial entertainment deployment.
An early entry into the low-cost standalone approach for VR, away from cumbersome backpack PCs, came from Modal Systems. The company was initially promoting its own headset system design, but eventually relented and went with a partnership with HTC, to use the then-new Vive Focus Plus standalone, six-DoF, all in one tracking platform. HTC is even investing in Modal to be able to use the system in North America. The company is launching its game ‘PING!’ on this system, with installation at the Rio Casino in Las Vegas, back in 2018, as well as at TwoBit Circus in Los Angeles.
Promotion for the Modal platform in partnership with the Vive Focus. Image credit: HTC Vive
Another developer who embraced the HTC Vive Focus Plus standalone for deployment in LBE VR was Pillow’s Willows VR Studios. The company launched its four-player experience ‘Exodus Burned’ in 2018. The escape from a doomed spaceship experience lasts 15-minutes. The videogame involves players cooperating to escape using the standalone headsets, while spectators can watch and support the antics on audience screens. The platform is developed for LBE venues and popup social events, supporting in-game advertising.
One of those developers who has promoted the creation of cost-effective standalone arena-scale VR experiences is SPREE Interactive. The company has developed its own patented, unique, special tracing platform, which was first employed in 2018 with the Samsung Gear VR headset. However, the company recently partnered with Pico with their new ‘SPREE Arena’, with the company combining its full motion tracking system with the Pico G2, and so allowing multi-player VR competition. SPREE is offering a 10-player arena (10x10m) and a 20-player version (20x10m), establishing the kiosk recharging station for the headsets, and a special enclosure for the game space. Recently the company also announced a partnership with Pixomondo towards the release of ‘Mission to Mars’, a 20-player edutainment experience.
The crowded ‘SPREE Arena’ in action. Image credit: SPREE Interactive
Beyond these established standalone headsets, there is a new generation looking to surpass what has already been achieved. Examples of these systems looking to offer an alternative were seen at CES 2020, revealing the latest phase of VR headset manufacturing, towards establishing all-in-one standalone VR.
As was expected, CES’20 revealed some new concepts driving forward the VR arena, and some major opportunities for the Standalone approach. Panasonic revealed its much-anticipated new VR eyeglasses – the reference product shown incorporated micro OLED panel for the world’s first High-Dynamic Range (HDR) capable Ultra-High Definition (UHD) VR system styled as a pair of eyeglasses. Panasonic partnered with veteran component developer Kopin Corp., to create the HDR VR system in an incredibly compact and stylish package – PC tethered wirelessly via 5G. The system is Enterprise facing at this point and offers an incredibly compact and dynamic package for applications like Arena-Scale VR entertainment – a true Next-Gen approach.
The appearance of true competition in the Standalone VR scene continued during CES’20 with Pico revealing its new VR models called the Pico Neo 2 and the Pico Neo 2 Eye. These systems have been developed primarily for Enterprise deployment, building on what has previously been achieved (as mentioned above with such partnerships with SPREE Interactive). The Neo 2 series boasting a more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset – a 4K display resolution, but also the support of Wi-Fi 5 connectivity offering wireless PC tethering. A serious competitor to the Quest, and from a company that had already established an LBE VR presence.
We have already covered the work HTC achieved with its Vive Focus Pro in the Enterprise sector, another aspect of HTC’s entry into Standalone is the partnership with Qualcomm and the 5G Wi-Fi initiative leading towards their Beta of Viveport Streaming, (the equivalent of what the physical Link cable for Quest achieves regarding linking a mobile VR headset to play PC VR). Though HTC chose to abandon its previous announcement schedule for new hardware at the CES 2020 – teasing “a new vision for Vive” would now be revealed around Mobile World Congress (MWC) in February. Another major corporation that surprisingly decided not to bring any new Standalone VR to CES’20 was Samsung – much rumoured to be working on a successor to its million-selling VR platform, deciding instead to bide time.
Several haptic enhancements have been rolled into the mix of accessories that could be seeing deployment into the consumer, but also LBE space. bHaptics showcased during CES’20 a full-body-haptic-suit – and in support of this, partnered with both Sairento VR and Thrill of the Fight, running the haptic system on Oculus Quest. A multi-sensory kit to enhance the VR experience, bHaptics is looking at further deployment into the Enterprise entertainment arena.
Another example was from BeBop Sensors with its multiple finger actuator ‘Forte Data Glove’. Offering an enterprise-focused interface and able to accommodate multiple-users (with cleanable construction design), the glove is now Oculus Quest compatible. One feature that is going to be central to the deployment of Standalone headsets between multiple users will be hygiene – and while construction can include cleanable elements, fundamentally a dedicated process is needed.
In conclusion
It will now be up to these various manufacturers to present a workable solution to run alongside the changeable efforts of Oculus – addressing the issues of availability (at the right price), ensuring an open and appropriate Enterprise business structure (for developers and operators), and achieve a level of immersion with superior tracking and support that builds rather than hinders this opportunity of LBE VR.
So in conclusion of this recent coverage of the amazing explosion in interest towards “Arena-Scale VR – Standalone”, it is expected to not be the last on reporting this fascinating sector. As we go to the wire there are other corporations readying to throw their hat into the ring (such as news from Sony, and Samsung). Underlining this point, as this feature was being compiled the news broke of the launch of the brand new Lynx-R1. Offering a powerful new Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chipset, the system created wholly for Enterprise deployment. Designed from the start for pass-through MR applications (combining the ability to offer AR and VR performance). The system to be priced at $1,500, available in summer of 2020.
It is this innovation, and a need to support what has already proven a highly anticipated phase of the Enterprise entertainment landscape, moving from just VR to a full “XR” opportunity. We will now see several other major collaborations from major players, expected to be revealed in the coming months, developers that will champion this latest phase of the new Out-of-Home XR entertainment arena. Watch this space for the latest and most in-depth coverage.
Covering the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams reports in two parts on the new phase of investment with the growth in “Arena-Scale VR – Standalone”, This first part looking at the influence the new Oculus Quest has had on the deployment of this latest phase of location-based entertainment (LBE) VR, seeing phenomenal growth in interest.
“Arena-Scale VR” – the ability for groups of players to compete in the same virtual world has proven to be a big trend in the latest phase of commercial VR entertainment. Offering a unique element for this VR application, totally unachievable from a consumer perspective. Currently, the popular trend was for backpack PC’s to be employed to supply the virtual experience – but with the advancements in technology a new category has emerged with “Arena-Scale VR – Standalone”.
Employing standalone headsets with positional tracking, and enough processing power to create compelling content, one benefit is the ability to wirelessly communicate with each other, and in some cases additional peripherals and operator management screens; removing the cost and complexity of the backpack PC solutions.
One of the first examples of a LBE Standalone Arena-Scale experiences. Image credit: KWP
Oculus Attempts to Enter the Arena
The first series of standalone headsets started to make an appearance in 2018, and one of those which received a special amount of attention was the Oculus Quest. However, the interest in using this kind of hardware in location-based entertainment (LBE) has not been a priority for the manufacturer, until recently.
Oculus underlined a new commitment to LBE VR when, at 2018s Oculus Connect 5 (OC5) convention, the company invited the operator and developer, The VOID, to present an example of its “Hyper-reality” VR attraction (operating in some eleven sites). Running ‘Star Wars: Secret of the Empire’, the demonstration took OC5 delegates through a special enclosure that maps real objects with the virtual world, created in partnership with Lucasfilm’s ILMxLAB development studio.
The current chain of VOID locations is using a modified version of the, now discontinued, Oculus CV1 headset in its construction – developed under license. This is just one of a handful of such partnerships. However, in comparison to other VR headset developers, Oculus has been less active in establishing enterprise entertainment partnerships – previously seen as standoffish with regards to the explosion of interest in this application of the virtual hardware.
The same OC5 in San Jose revealed the Oculus Quest (evolving from the Santa Cruz prototype), as a new standalone platform. Separate of the PC offering, seeing the CV1 superseded by the Rift-S, the Quest offered a new cost-effective opportunity with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg promising it would run “Rift-quality experiences”. But it was the opportunity that it represented outside of the consumer market that interested a new group of developers.
During OC5, Oculus started to reposition its sights on a possible pivot to fully support the LBE VR scene. Running alongside The VOID popup installation at the Oculus event, was a demonstration of their Capability Concept Demonstrator (CCD), based on a previous popular CV1 game. ‘Dead and Buried Arena’ was a demonstration created by Oculus with support from the original videogame developers. The demonstration included a 371 square-metre arena, with two teams of three players each, wearing Oculus Quest. The demonstrations illustrated the prototype’s asymmetric “co-location” technology.
At the time of the demonstration, Oculus stated that it expected location-based entertainment (LBE) developers to benefit from the technology developed for the D&BA system. But, after the expenditure of such a complicated demonstration, all news of further investment in this direction ceased, and even the original D&BA team was disbanded internally. On the conference stage, the pivot was on par with the statement from Oculus’ head of experiences, telling the audience that the company now loved the idea of an audience being able to go to a destination and have an experience and to love that experience and continue that adventure at home.
The 2018 artist’s interpretation of how Oculus envisaged an LBE arena. Image credit: Oculus
Oculus Quest would go on to be launched in May of 2019, and by October of that year it was reported that sales had achieved some 500,000 units, but it soon became a very popular seller up to the Christmas period (deliveries in some areas pushed to late-February). The platform is proving to be one of the most successful for VR sales from the Facebook-owned company, since its partnership with Samsung with the Gear VR. But regarding an LBE initiative, none was forthcoming until the end of 2019.
It would not be until the Facebook Developer’s Conference (F8) 2019 that we would see a reversion in the approach to commercial entertainment, with a pivot in the approach for the ‘Oculus for Business Initiative’. This came with the introduction of a new program for the Oculus headset range, including the Quest – led internally by Facebook directly. Oculus for Business had been created as a division in 2017, focused on enterprise customers rather than entertainment.
Others’ Lead the Charge in Standalone
Though receiving very little coverage, major LBE VR deployment of the OculusQuest was undertaken in partnership with leading Japanese video game and amusement operation, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment. This came with the launch of their brand new MAZARIA facility in Sunshine City, Ikebukuro, Tokyo, during July 2019, when the latest investment by the corporation in a hybrid VR-amusement crossover was revealed.
This came in the form of ‘PAC-MAN Challenge VR’, a two-player experience which sees players using the Oculus Quest standalone headset to allow players to race around the iconic PAC-MAN play-space, collecting power pills and avoiding ghosts, all in 256 seconds. The title was started by the BANDAI NAMCO “Project-i-Can” team two-years ago, working in cooperation with Oculus, at that time developing the prototype Santa Cruz version that would evolve into Oculus Quest.
Two-players take on the ghosts in PAC-MAN Challenge VR. Image credit: MoguraVR
The second big development surrounding Oculus Quest’s usage in location-based entertainment (LBE), saw ILMxLAB announce a popup training arena based on the ‘Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series’ – in partnership with LBE developer Nomadic. The company announced it was opening at six Cinemark theatres, running ‘Lightsaber Dojo, A Star Wars Experience’ (closing in February). The ILMxLAB videogame is an arcade-style version of the consumer original, using Oculus Quest standalone headsets, players paid some $9.99 for a six-minute experience.
This the first of the main announcements of Oculus supporting the use of their standalone hardware with major IP franchises (ILMxLAB, LucasFilms’ immersive entertainment studio, has connections with the company already, having previously worked together with The VOID projects). Nomadic previously opened its free-roam venue concept under a partnership with Oculus.
Much rumoured, Oculus eventually lifted the veil on its full pivot to support the LBE VR scene. Building on the initial Oculus for Business division’s work, and under the new direction, it was revealed during F8 that new Oculus for Business bundles would be available, supported by the needed Terms of Service (ToS) and warranties for deployment in commercial entertainment and other enterprise applications. This would be supported by a software development kit (SDK) that would allow access to a suite of tools, and most importantly the ‘Co-Location’ platform used for multi-player connectivity – unable to be achieved on the consumer Oculus Quest.
At the beginning of this year, the promise of Oculus support for a standalone VR solution for enterprise was indefinitely put on hold. After the disbanding of the 2018 Capability Concept Demonstrator (CCD) team, Oculus had been attempting to create a workable ‘co-location’ solution on top of the standard SDK that addressed concerns from legal, over tracking accuracy that could lead to injury. Taking much longer than hoped and leading to still being stated as “Available Soon”, months after being promised.
Attempting to stem the floodgates, Oculus for Business went ahead and released an Enterprise User Agreement addendum for the Quest, permitting “Hospitality Entertainment” deployment. But sadly, much of what the LBE sector was waiting for was still prohibited, the addendum seemed more drafted for single-site VR arcades to use the Enterprise licensed Quest but forbidding use of Oculus co-location functionality.
New stipulations saw enterprise developers forced to create their own co-location firmware, and undertake appropriate liability coverage, all to placate the concern overshadowing corporate thinking. However, this “speedbump” has not deterred the entertainment sector from embracing the opportunity, even if they may be looking at alternative VR platforms to release on.
Independent Devs stake their claim
The corporation had initiated the Oculus ISV (Independent Software Vendors) Program to accelerate customer adoption of VR solutions built for Oculus enterprise products. The first of the developers selected by Oculus to support this program was the French location-based entertainment developer, Scale-1 Portal. Earlier in 2019, the company launched its ‘VOXEL ARENA’ platform, which saw networked Oculus Quest systems for four-player competition employed in the LBE VR market. The new system will be launched in March of 2020, with its first title being ‘PANIK’, offering a fun and challenging teamwork-based virtual experience.
Players competing in ‘PANIK’ at one of the first tests of the platform in September. Image credit: Scale-1 Portal
Another member of the Oculus ISV program is Chicken Waffle, an independent developer with a wide track record in content development and with videogames on many of the leading platforms. The company has also partnered with CenterTec, one of the established leaders of the deployment of the concept of VR arcades, with a successful location business that has also expanded into the educational side of the market, to become a community technology centre.
Working with Chicken Waffle, CenterTec has developed its own Oculus Quest powered mobile multi-user solution and has defined several titles that will offer a cost-effective platform. For operators looking at the investment needed to operate a sensible free-roaming offering, this platform will be backed up with the experience gained from operating educational content and will use many of the unique patents held by the operation. But unlike other developers, this system is cross-platform reliant and was seen supporting several of the standalone VR headsets at CES 2020.
Concerning the availability of a software and hardware solution for the VR arcade operators was one aspect under scrutiny with a question over the Oculus Quest availability for LBE deployment. One of the leading providers of commercially licensed VR game content, and venue management solutions, is Springboard VR – an operation with some 500 companies globally deploying their solution, utilising content from all the major consumer game studios, offering suitable VR content licensing through the platform. Most recently, Beat Games (Beat Saber) and VR Nerds (Tower Tag) added their successfully licensed content to this extensive library.
Springboard VR announced during last July its LBE + Education Solution for the platform, offering a device management kit for the Oculus Quest, allowing access for LBE, training and educational content, and for operators to run the system in location-based entertainment venues. This includes the content that had been appropriately licensed with a subscription model for commercial usage. The company is supplying a beta landing page – which at this point has not been updated. Springboard VR is working to support the Oculus Quest and currently supports VR hardware from Pico, HP, and HTC.
The marketing campaign for the beta program for interested supporters. Image credit: Springboard VR
Fennec Labs, an augmented and virtual reality development studio with specialisation in VR arcade content, had a big hand in developing the Springboard VR management platform. The company has been privately working on its own standalone VR platform, having undertaken a detailed evaluation of the current crop of headset options, evaluating Oculus Quest and Pico Neo 2 platforms for their PvP title called ‘RE: COIL’ – offering a new multi-player arena-scale LBE VR experience (the project is not tied to the Oculus API). With the launch in early-2020, the company proposes a basic licensing model for operators to get their hands on this title initially but are intending a complete turnkey model in the future.
SynthesisVR – the developer of one of the most advanced software solutions and management programs for operators of VR arcades and LBE VR venues, has established its own considerable library of the latest commercially licensed VR game content. SynthesisVR revealed its entry into LBE standalone support, having developed a version of its premium platform to support the Oculus Quest, HTC Vive Focus Plus, and Pico, as well as other upcoming Android-based headsets. This agnostic approach will offer VR arcade operators the ability to manage multiple devices, launching content simultaneously across them, and with tools for time management and payment collection (all licensed for commercial deployment).
Studio I-Illusions recently teased us with footage of Space Pirate Arena, in what has been described as a multiplayer “hall-scale” VR game, based on the Oculus Quest, for deployment in commercial locations. It is at an early (beta) stage of development but has seen serious interest from VR arcade operators based on its IP – this is a serious addition to the ranks of content looking at this opportunity.
Sequence from the teaser video of the beta version of ‘Space Pirate Arena’
UK-based developer Make Real, with a background in immersive networked technology solutions for enterprise and Out-of-Home Entertainment, is another entrant working towards releasing its own Oculus Quest LBE experience. The company is working on a four-player networked VR videogame within a shared “co-location” space, whilst a “theatre-scale” AR audience, powered by 5G, mixes the realities scale. Building on a collaborative puzzle solving narrative, the title has been developed in support of the Oculus for Business LBE initiative and is expected to go live in mid-2020, for operators to franchise.
The concluding part of this feature on the Standalone LBE scene follows shortly.
Manufacturers are also looking to incorporate dedicated self-disinfection systems to their hardware, similar to that seen with VR LEO USA’s platform (covered in the previous part) – as well as emulating the work that CleanBox Technology has been developing with their UV-C disinfection stations for VR deployment in enterprise. Companies also like VR Cover have supplied specialist versions of their system for use on most VR amusement platforms.
Concerning the London area, the deployment of Location-Based Entertainment (LBE) VR facilities across the international market has continued to gain mentum. And Just down the road from the major gaming exhibition, the UK capital welcomed its latest slew of new VR venues hoping to drive the sector.
The appearance of true competition in the Standalone VR scene continued during CES’20 with Pico revealing its new VR models called the Pico Neo 2 and the Pico Neo 2 Eye. These systems have been developed primarily for Enterprise deployment, building on what has previously been achieved (as mentioned above with such partnerships with SPREE Interactive). The Neo 2 series boasting a more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset – a 4K display resolution, but also the support of Wi-Fi 5 connectivity offering wireless PC tethering. A serious competitor to the Quest, and from a company that had already established an LBE VR presence.
Another example was from 
It is this innovation, and a need to support what has already proven a highly anticipated phase of the Enterprise entertainment landscape, moving from just VR to a full “XR” opportunity. We will now see several other major collaborations from major players, expected to be revealed in the coming months, developers that will champion this latest phase of the new Out-of-Home XR entertainment arena. Watch this space for the latest and most in-depth coverage.
The same OC5 in San Jose 
Much rumoured, Oculus eventually lifted the veil on its full pivot to support the LBE VR scene. Building on the initial 
