The application of XR into the attraction and amusement landscape is covered by industry specialist Kevin Williams. His latest Virtual Arena column provides two-part coverage of America’s largest amusement trade event, charting the leading immersive trends.
Image credit: KWP
It would be difficult to hide the shock that some in the media have had towards the explosion in interest for out-of-home amusement and entertainment, following the arduous global lockdown. Where some had written that the restaurant, cinema, and amusement industries would never survive – in the shadow of the global health crisis. But the customer has again proven popular media wrong – and has jumped at the ability to socialize and enjoy entertainment post calamity. Mirroring the 1918 pandemic, many observers now expect a “New Roaring ‘20’s” atmosphere to grip the market.
The American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA) and sister organizations held in Las Vegas during March, the 2022 Amusement Expo International (AEI), gathering all things amusement and entertainment to bask in the return to physical show events, but also the newfound excitement in the business – and one of the trends that was defined in this excitement was VR.
Virtual Reality
We have reported from the last London amusement trade event on developments seen there, and we can see that they have gathered pace since January with many new developments and trends in evidence on the Las Vegas show floor. The leading trend was the continuation in investment in “Self Service VR Kiosks” – these systems offer an amusement-like operator’s dynamic, but still embrace the interest in VR entertainment.
We had reported on the launch of the VRsenal ‘V2’ Standalone VR Kiosks previously. The game was shown for the first time for most US operators at AEI, supported by the latest game content, including Vader Immortal – Lightsaber Dojo (licensed from ILMxLab). And new titles Rhythmatic (developed by Blackwall Lab), and VR shooter Space Pirate Trainer (developed by I-Illusions, through Vertigo Games). The ‘V2’ uses a rugged HTC Vive headset in a special retractable harness mounted into the eye-catching kiosk.
Latest selection of titles on the V2. Image credit: KWP
Creative Works booth also showed a ‘V2’ platform, but this one was populated with content developed by VRstudios. The new ‘Fury’ platform was running the two-player basketball skill game Hoops Madness. The immersive hoops game had the player trying out their game in virtual reality, developed to support an extensive tournament element that will create league-based competition supported by online apps. This isthe first of a series of sports-based VR games aimed at creating thrilling competition from VRstudios.
Getting to grips with the Hoops Madness VR game. Image credit: KWP
A newcomer to the Western market that launched at AEI was VAR Live with their ‘VAR Box’ VR kiosk system. The company has had strong success with the system in the Asian market. The ‘VAR Box’ currently using an Oculus Rift headset (though the company is planning on rolling out a new headset soon). The player wielding a gun interface incorporating their controller, taking part in several shooting experiences. These games are linked to a dedicated tournament infrastructure, which has eSport support and looks to apply the same model in the West.
Shooting action with the VAR Box. Image credit: KWP
Also, on display in this category, exhibitor Benchmark Games International, working in partnership with BoxBlaster had developed ‘VR X-perience’ – a VR kiosk with a popular kid-based VR game called ‘Gold and Mace’, offering one of the first ticket-redemption VR pieces. We had already reported on the launch of the SEGA Amusements International (SAI), ‘VR Agent’ platform – the upright VR kiosk that incorporated the VR headset into the body of the players gun to create an immersive shooting experience that did not need cumbersome headbands, that was seen by the US trade at the show, for many for the first time.
We have also charted in the trade the explosion in “VR Ride Systems” – two-rider, motion seat machines such as the Virtual Rabbids (LAI Games), STORM (TRIOTECH), or King Kong of Skull Island (Raw Thrills), along with at AEI, Chinese examples from company 360action! using Deepoon E3 VR headsets. But the technology had gathered pace and a new entrant to this category was revealed to the amusement trade.
The VR ride experience from 360 action! Image credit: KWP
Creative Works on their crowded AEI booth showed SpongeBob VR a licensed property, developed in partnership with MajorMeg. The game has two players taking the rolls of SpongeBob and his best friend Patrick Star in a wacky racing game. The motion-base cabinet, using tethered HTC Vive headsets, has the driver using his body movements to steer their jalopy, while the player at the rear launches Krabby Patties at customers lining the course, to score points. Building on the VR ride experience, but with a strong game element to generate repeat play.
Fast two-player action on SpongeBob VR. Image credit: KWP
The ability to offer a unique physical element within the immersive experience differentiates Out-of-Home VR gaming from consumer applications, and AEI had examples of the latest “VR Motion-Platform” products. Barron Games represented the ‘Birdly’ flying VR experience from Somniacs. Players lay on the special motion platform, moving their arms to steer their flight through the virtual world. With experiences such as ‘Wingsuit’ and the virtual bird simulator ‘Cities WeR’.
The ability to totally immerse the player within the virtual world was given a new spin at the show with the launch of the production prototype of the EnterIdeas, gyro-motion ‘AT360’ platform. An enclosure single seat simulator that spins the player through a 360’ motion envelope, offering a thrilling ride experience. The company has developed the unusual DogeCoaster, a VR crypto meme-based ride. Just starting the process of placing the attraction at venues in the US.
Going for a spin in the AT360. Image credit: KWP
This concludes the first part of our coverage of the 2022 American Amusement trade extravaganza. The second part will follow shortly covering the other VR and MR trends making their mark on the scene.
The application of VR into the attraction and amusement landscape is covered by industry specialist Kevin Williams, in his latest Virtual Arena column – looking at the growth in the LBE landscape for eSport, and competitive VR attractions.
Much has been made about the opportunities of eSport within a virtual ecosystem, though from a consumer perspective, there has been more speculative investment regarding the opportunity. As seen with the acquisition by Meta of emerging eSports company BigBox VR (developers of POPULATION: ONE). While hunger exists from the player-base for VR eSports competition, only the Out-of-Home entertainment landscape has seen a serious adoption of actual mainstream prize based, virtual, competitive play. And this trend can be seen to be gaining momentum.
One of the first VR attraction developers to embrace the opportunities of eSport empowerment of their platform was Virtuix. The company known for their ‘Omni Arena’ competitive VR enclosure system have successfully installed some 45 units across the USA. Virtuix reported that it has seen over 2-million plays on its hardware. The system gained popularity through its prize pay-out competition. The company revealed the launch of their ‘2022 Omni Arena esports series’ – that will be supported by a cash prize pool of $100,000 for FEC venues. This investment has placed the platform on the map as being one of the largest VR eSports competitions in the West.
Image credit: Virtuix
The popularity of the competitive nature of the game can be seen in the revenue it generates for operators. Virtuix revealed that some of its eSports teams have already played over 200-times on the ‘Omni Arena’. This is also supported by the watching audience that gathers to support the team and the building of a community supported on social media. Virtuix already paid out some $250,000 in eSports cash prizes. It would be easy to liken this popularity to that once witnessed in the bowling scene, but the physicality of VR eSports takes the competitive spirit to new levels of engagement.
One of the few VR videogame titles to have a strong competitive life in the consumer scene is the smash hit Tower Tag by VR Nerds. The games have been played across popular consumer VR platforms in tournament competitions but have also had a strong showing in location-based entertainment (LBE). In a relationship with Japanese amusement giant SEGA, VR Nerds licensed the game to be turned into a VR attraction platform, supported by VAL (Virtual Athletics League). And recently announced that the game would be coming to the West in an agreement that will see it placed onto the SPREE Interactive arena system. This free-roaming platform, allowing up to 10-players at a time to compete, using the standalone Pico VR headset. And will adapt a wholly eSports version of Tower Tag that will be available on the ‘SPREE Arena’ system.
The SPREE Arena in operation. Image credit: KWP
Another platform that applies eSports to their line-up is HOLOGATE. Famous for its successful ‘HOLOGATE Arena’ that has groups of up to four players, using tethered HTC Pro headsets, within a unique enclosure. The high levels of competition are supported by the inclusion of an extensive and customisable eSports tournament platform. The library of competition content on this platform also includes the Tower Tag property.
It is this level of competition, as well as an extensive library of titles that has cemented the popularity of the HOLOGATE platform with the operators and their virtual athletes. Many operators use the platforms tournament to construct their own team-based, venue competitions. This ability to create live events, offers a level of repeat visitation to the venue, along with the additional spend from the audience it generates to watch the compelling competition.
Developer Phenomena has created its own ‘VR Esports Arena’ – the whole system being packaged as a turnkey eSports solution for entertainment venue operators. Taking much of the guesswork out of running a free-roaming VR experience, and the requirements of prize tournament competition. Recently demonstrated at the Orlando IAAPA trade event in November 2021, the new version of the system offers a fully contained arena, with up to eight players (within a 32 x 20 ft., enclosure). The players are wearing the latest HTC VIVE Focus 3, standalone VR headsets. With audience supported by score displays. The developer offering one of three highly competitive VR experiences to compete within and looking to build an international tournament in support of the platform.
France saw a massive VR eSports competition take place during the Paris Game Week in 2019. Developer, EVA (Esports Virtual Arenas), installed a temporary 1,000-m2 arena that saw players using backpack PC’s, HP headsets and tracked weaponry, to take part in a major prize tournament competition. Building on this the company announced their first ‘VR Esport league’, attracting some 52 teams, competing for a $19,000 (€17,000 Euro) cash-prize. Having generated some 400,000 unique spectators on Twitch during the playoffs.
EVA has installed some nine rooms in venues, offering between eight and 12-player VR eSports arenas in France. Having signed licenses to open some 40 additional arenas for the end of 2022 in the country. They have developed several games themselves that plunge groups into tournament competitions. During a recent franchise expo in Paris, the company revealed its intention to have opened 225 arenas by 2025, expanding to Germany and the USA. Having seen first-hand the popularity of their eSports competition platform with their play-base.
Looking beyond the Western market, and we have seen eSports-based VR competition blossom on the Chinese entertainment scene. While the Chinese “VR Park” (the name given to VR arcades in the territory) has seen a continuing upheaval in business, the popularity of VR gaming is still alive and well. Competition plays a major part in defining the deployment of VR into this market – a market where many players will travel to venues to compete, be that the ubiquitous eSport cafes, or the explosion of new VR venues. Such as that operated by STEPVR, with over 130 ‘Future Battle’ stores, across 80 cities within China. These venues have groups of up to ten players competing in a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) experience. STEPVR has recently raised $15m (100-million-yuan) in funding towards international growth.
The territory was one of the first to embrace virtual competition, with the first VR eSports event, the ‘World Virtual Reality Arena 2015’, organized then by Battletimes Co., but this is still an embryonic market. More recently China has seen several major VR eSport tournaments streamed across popular social networks – such as this year with the ‘VR Esports International Championship in Beijing’. A point where we now see major social content providers, such as NetEase, showing interest to invest heavily in this emerging new business.
Returning to the West, and not just free-roaming VR is being employed in an eSports combination. VRstudios is a well-known developer of VR entertainment platforms, and recently launched a major new development, which looks to shake up the way VR amusement is played. Called Hoops Madness, the game experience has been revealed on the new ‘FURY’ unattended two-player kiosk – a self-service VR entertainment platform that incorporates a unique tethered HTC Vive Pro headset configuration, eye-catching LCD display, all in a ‘V’ shape design. But it is the game that drives the whole platform, with Hoops Madness representing a fast-paced basketball hoop’s shooting experience, testing the players’ skill. The game is the first in a line of ‘VRstudios Real-Sport Esports’ titles. The company offers operators guides to marketing and utilizing the ‘FURY’ and Hoops Madness as a platform for VR eSports events, competitions, and tournaments.
In the final observation, it is obvious that the ability to offer a real cash prize incentive to competition has driven much of the interest from the player base. As seen with the explosion of eSports in its more conventional flat-screen incarnation. But one of the benefits that the Out-of-Home version of the competition shares with the considerable investment in eSports, is the large audience live events. Many entertainment venue operators benefit from the audience that is drawn to see the competition on their platforms. The next move is that of streaming these events. The big ‘DOTA’, ‘Counter-Strike’, and ‘League of Legends’ championships, not only draw large live event attendance but generate immense audiences through their streamed broadcasts. The ‘League of Legends World Championships’ in 2020 saw at its peak, some 46 million concurrent viewers, while Global audiences for eSport were calculated at some 475 million in 2021.
We can expect to witness new entrants throw their hat into the ring towards competing in the commercial entertainment application of VR eSports. We have already seen Las Vegas casino chains install massive eSports arenas within their premises and have also seen the inclusion of VR within their layout. We will also start to see the establishment of eSports betting, and with the greater prize opportunities, we can expect major licensing deals for the lucrative sponsorship and coverage. Global revenue in 2021 from competitive gaming is projected to hit over $1 billion.
VR eSports is an attractive medium, and seems to be growing in popularity, but is it ready now for primetime in the West?
Investment in Out-of-Home entertainment development continues, and in his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams collects the latest investments, partnerships, and acquisition news, shaping the landscape of the location-based immersive entertainment business.
The recent movements in investment being made into location-based entertainment (LBE) developers and operators cannot be ignored. Even if most Western venues are in lockdown currently, numerous institutions and investors are banking on the post-COVID #Springback hitting the social entertainment market as the pent-up need for fun hits the streets. Many investors positioning themselves to capture this expected windfall.
The SPREE Arena in operation. Image credit: KWP
One such development was German developer SPREE Interactive, VRFocus recently reporting the successful securing of a multimillion-euro investment from strategic investors. Along with announcing that they had launched a V2 of their ‘SPREE Arena’ using the Valve Lighthouse tracking platform for easier operation and pricing. All this and a far-reaching partnership with Pico Interactive to deploy their ‘Pico Neo 2’ headset (powered by the Qualcomm XR chipset), integrated on the ‘SPREE Arena’ platform.
It is this level of investment on the future of LBE that marks the recent slew of announcements emanating from an industry that only a few months ago, some parties were keen to write off. The investment and development community has seen the need to establish a strong position in the opportunity that the social entertainment business will offer the post-lockdown audience.
Regarding that social entertainment mix trying to be developed, competitive eSports and tournament play are crucial elements, and we are seeing the development of a new cross-over between in-home and out-of-home players. One of the aspects of the SPREE Interactive announcement was their partnership with game developer VR Nerds to release an exclusive version of their smash VR competitive blaster Tower Tag. As previously reported, Tower Tag has been deployed in LBE venues in Japan through a previous affiliation with amusement factory SEGA. Having also been launched as a consumer title, the new SPREE release of the videogame will offer a dedicated eSports element for competition, with a leaderboard shared between the home and venue players.
Other LBE developers have looked at the need for a dedicated cross-over between the home players, and the future facility tournament competitions. VRstudios has revealed its new VRstudio Sports line, with the release of their VR basketball experience Hoops Madness. The eight-player game has been specially developed to offer an intense competition element, that is supported by a dedicated eSports competition component and leaderboard. But the company has also expanded the competition element by supporting an innovative business model that links the consumer to the venue. Consumer VR players hone their skills to try-out at the facility tournaments.
The investment in using standalone headsets as an alternative to the tethered and backpack PC’s continued, with news of a new partnership from Asia entering the Western LBE scene. Vietnamese based Holomia announced the launch of an update to the game MissionX – VR Laser Tag. A frenetic multiplayer VR arena platform offering 3 game modes, such as capture the flag and deathmatch, across a series of unique maps. The system can accommodate up to 10 players, with the developer running 8 headsets in a game at one time as part of their tournament competition.
MissionX – VR Laser Tag. Image credit: Holomia
The developers have the game running on the Oculus Quest 2, with the developer currently using SideQuest to provide a download, offering commercial use license for VR arcades. The use of SideQuest hoping to negate the need to abide by the Oculus for Business restrictions on commercial entertainment usage, of this kind. But in a move to break into the Western market the company is working to release their platform in partnership with SynthesisVR – developers of a VR facility management and content distribution platform.
Speaking of VR arcade content delivery and support, and one of the largest of these operations had an announcement of their own. SpringboardVR, the leading VR venue management and distribution platform currently, serving some 500 venues with over 400 pieces of VR content; revealed that they had been acquired by Vertigo Games, famous for their multi-platform VR development and publishing with VR titles such as Arizona Sunshine.
Vertigo Games was recently acquired themselves by Koch Media GmbH Austria (a subsidiary of Embracer Group AB), and this latest move was part of the operation consolidating its position in the commercial VR entertainment landscape. Recently we reported on the work that the Vertigo Arcade LBE division of the company had achieved with their new game ‘Ghost Patrol’. In acquiring SpringboardVR, they now represent the leading providers of venue content. As well as managing the revenue operation and royalty transaction of these facilities and games.
It was announced that following the acquisition of SpringboardVR, emerging from this move is a brand new operation called ArborXR – developed as content providers to deploy enterprise VR at scale. This follows on from our report from the London education conference, BETT, in 2020 where we reported on development by the team on VR educational content in partnership with HP on their platform.
The investment into commercial (enterprise) development as eagerly attacked by many new start-ups. Where the home entertainment scene seems to be constantly incubating this immersive technology, the need for a more inclusive business model sees growing investment.
We expect to cover in the next part if this report, another series of major acquisitions and partnerships in the coming days.
The second and final part of his report observing the current immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus. In his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams concludes his overview of the Free-Roaming VR sector in LBE, and looks at the key developments, and the next phase of investment as the market re-emerges.
Continuing the coverage of the impact that free-roaming out-of-home entertainment is having on the re-emerging market, we see that major IP and a continuation of business are driving the sector. While many tried to paint the post-COVID LBE VR market as doomed – the reality is that the market has started to re-emerge from lockdown and are seeing a return of their audience, while the operators that have survived the loss of business now look to the investment towards the next phase of establishing their prospects.
Battle arena – Image credit: KWP
The Re-emergence of the Free-Roam Business
Establishing a full suite of VR entertainment experiences for the various needs of the entertainment venue business has been a constant challenge for many corporations. One of those that has established an important place in the market is VRstudios. Along with the company’s enclosure and free-standing VR platforms (‘ATOM’), they have also defined backpack VR arena experiences with their ‘FLEX’ VR game arena platform. Supporting from four to eight players in either small 25’x25’ to big 40’x40’ arenas, using their Attraction Management Platform (AMP) to integrate the hardware support working with the HTC Vive headset and HP backpacks.
The company before the pandemic had installed the first ‘FLEX Arena’ system in partnership with entertainment chain Dave & Buster’s demonstrating the value of adding a new attraction and revenue source to otherwise underutilized space. This level of flexibility opening the opportunity to venues of all scale to include a free-roaming arena in their offering. As with all their range, ‘FLEX’ is supported by the company’s overarching Attraction Management Platform (AMP) that handles content and operation of their systems – and also supports the VR sports competitive element of their platform, bringing an eSports capability to the ‘ATOM’ and ‘FLEX’, and free-roaming experiences, in general.
Nomadic VR – the company had initially wanted to develop their own videogame content, but after an initial process, reverted to a partnership to license a version of the popular zombie shooter from Vertigo Arcade (‘Arizona Sunshine: Contagion Z’). But soon the reality of what they offered impacted the plans of the operation. Long before the pandemic, Nomadic had closed its Orlando flagship venue (only open some eleven months) and plans for Las Vegas and Los Angeles sites were shelved. But the company has built on the valuable lessons it has learned from operating in the sector and during 2019 partnered on a major installation creating a pay-to-play LBE VR experience, Vader Immortal: Lightsaber Dojo, based on the consumer VR experience (Star Wars Lightsaber Dojo). In September it was announced that following this initial test, Nomadic and ILMxLabs would be partnering to make Lightsaber Dojo more efficient for family entertainment centres and arcades to operate in a tethered upright amusement version.
Backlight – known for their innovative VR escape game and arena-scale attraction has not been dormant during the lockdown period and are part of the new opening news. The Las Vegas-based AREA15 venue labelled as a 200,000-sq.,ft., “experiential art, retail and entertainment complex”, will be the flagship location for a brand new platform from Backlight – a 6,000sq.,ft., space that will have two groups of six play. The ‘OZ Experience’, pop-up LBE VR installation that will utilize backpack PC’s and offer a compelling attraction to support the eclectic mix of partners for this experimental entertainment venue. But Backlight has also been working on other projects launching this year based on their VR escape gaming and new innovative experience platforms. The company looking at rolling out their new innovative platform for wider deployment, most recently for their groundbreaking free-roaming experience Toyland: Crazy Monkey – combining a unique D-BOX motion seat system, married into the free-roaming experience, players take on hordes of toy enemies as they are shrunk into toyland.
The motion seat part of the unique Toyland experience. Image credit: YMAGIS
While others are re-assessing their LBE VR aspirations, other new incumbents are entering the water and applying much of the lessons learned from theme park style attraction presentation. One of the veteran attraction manufacturers isMack Ride (part of Mark International) and they have over recent years established a media-based interest. Launched in September YULLBE – Full Body Tracking Free-Roaming VR Experience, developed by new division MackNeXT in cooperation with VR Coaster and Mack Rides. Working in calibration with motion tracking specialists Vicon, the YULLBE attraction offers two unique arena-scale experiences which can accommodate up to 32 users – what could be called an “Attraction-scale Platform.” The first being a fully tracked, backpack PC experience presented through the Pimax 4K VR headsets (customised for the attraction). But this is not a one-off installation, YULLBE is part of a roll-out of a chain of LBE VR centres across Europe.
YULLBE players don Pimax and PC backs. Image credit: MackNeXT
The European developer DIVR Labs has proven to be a strong developer of free-roaming VR experiences, most notable for their installation at the Hamleys Toy Store in Prague in the Czech Republic. The operation reconfigured the basement of the toy store to turn it into the Golem VR attraction. An arena-scale immersive experience that was based on the 15th Century Prague folk law, where Rabbi Löw created a creature known as a Golem. The attraction employing backpack PC’s, Oculus Rift CV1 headsets and the use of Ultraleap hand tracking – players in groups of four traversing the virtually created cityscape, the environment employing physical as well as virtual effects with great results.
Building on this success and the DIVR team started to roll out several experiences at new locations but were impacted by the lockdown of business with the global situation. Now re-emerging from this lockdown and the company reveals its first new installations at the Premium Outlet Prague Airport called Meet the Dinosaurs. The free-roaming time-travelling dinosaur experience transporting groups of four players back 80 million years, in an area of 150 square meters (players using backpack PC’s and HP Reverb headsets). Quickly following on from this, and the third DIVR location opened in the UAE.
One of the European developers that has grown a strong following in the LBE VR, is Swiss-based TrueVRSystems. Having been one of the first to develop an effective free-roaming platform incorporating multi-player and physical effect immersion – the operation has gone on to license its platform across numerous sites. During last year, the company announced plans to expand the level of capacity of their virtual worlds, accommodating 10-player simulations. This was the fifth VR arena-scale experience created by the company, supporting the OptiTrack system, and running on Oculus Rift CV1 headsets – with the use of the StrikerVR weapon system. At the time leading up to lockdown, the operation had content licensed across some 13 venues, with plans for new US and EU venues.
A crowded landscape of free-roaming developers and one of the early developers is VEX Solutions – with a suite of different VR applications, the company has their VEX Adventure turnkey platform, offering 6m x 6m virtual arena for players for up to four PC backpack wearing players, using HTC Vive headsets, including the use of haptic vests. The VEX platform offers physical effects (heat, olfactory and vibration) within the arena to enhance the virtual experience – offering some six available games, on average offering 40-minutes of play from developers such as ECLIPSE and Backlight Studios.
Another backpack PC VR arena developer and operator is MASSVR – the company had established in Chicago their unique interpretation of the multiple player experience. Long before Fortnite was a thing, the company had installed an 8,000 square feet VR arena in a converted department store floor plan. This Westfield, Skokie location would be joined by a dedicated facility in Bloomington, IL – offering one of the largest mass playing experiences with some 16-players simultaneously. The game experiences are PvP style with teams battling through environments to capture the flag – but in a unique immersive element, the games incorporate virtual jetpacks and zip-lines, as well as an assortment of weaponry. The company with its emergence from lockdown announced the addition of its VR Champions high-action active game experience with a group of eight players in a “head-to-head” competition.
Players ready for the MASSVR experience. Image credit: MASSVR
One of the start-ups that gained some coverage was BiggerInside – the company showed a free-roaming concept back in 2019 at the IAAPA Europe event and went on to roll out their concept called Protocol 223. It uses the Microsoft MR tracking system, with HP Reverb headset and HP-Z-VR backpack PC – the system had the additional element of full body and hand tracking through extensive “eXosuit” fully body tracking, favouring a softer style of play away from players brandishing weapons. The four-player game arena also included physical maze wall elements to marry the physical and virtual worlds together and created a unique PvP style of experience.
The VR arcade scene has striven to broaden its appeal, looking for the latest innovation to keep relevant. The ability to offer a turn-key arena-scale offering to the widest audience has seen the free-roaming genre added to the libraries of content providers. One of the established facility management and content providers to hundreds of VR arcades is Synthesis VR, and in August the company partnered with Secret Location, to launch a free-roaming, multiplayer version of their previous popular content, releasing Blasters of the Universe: Infinity Forever. This attraction takes the original wave-based shooter and brings it to the world of arena-scale.
As previously reported other developers have started to offer free-roaming plug and play solutions for operators wanting to add this level of entertainment to their facility. As we covered in the first of our venue visits after lockdown, the escape room scene has embraced VR – and we had seen that Vertigo Arcades, along with an arena-scale version of their popular Arizona Sunshine, had released the brand new title Ghost Patrol VR, also for four players and also as a simple turn-key VR arcade addition. Vertigo Arcades had worked closely with Nomadic on a unique version of their popular title, creating Arizona Sunshine: Contagion Z as an exclusive version only for their LBE venues. Charting the major movements in the LBE sector of late, and just as we went to the wire news came from the Dutch game’s parent. It was announced that Vertigo Games Holding had had 100-per-cent of their shares acquired by Koch Media GmbH Austria – a wholly-owned subsidiary of Embracer Group AB, (more commonly known as THQ Nordic), for $59.3m.
Other major developments continue to underpin the more positive nature of this sphere of immersive tech following the upheaval. SPREE Interactive – despite COVID-19, major venue openings have been taking place. In August SPREE Interactive in partnership with Pixomondo (Hollywood FX house) and broadcaster giant ProSieben launched Mission to Mars attraction at Forum Schwanthalerhöhe, Germany. An example of a pop-up retail unit installation for an immersive 10-player free-roaming VR experience. ProSieben’s popular Galileo television program is recreated immersively with a 15-minute VR experience, having guests take on an adventure to investigate humanity’s possible survival on the red planet. The attraction employing Pico standalone VR headsets and SPREE’s unique architecture that alleviated the need for backpack PC’s. Opened in August as the European LBE VR scene re-emerged from lockdown, an extremely popular attraction with audiences seeing over 60-per-cent capacity which has led the mall owner HBB to expend the attraction until the end of November.
Players get ready to visit the Red Planet. Image credit: SPREE Interactive
Hyperverse – had heavily promoted their interpretation of what was needed, with their “full-immersion free-roam VR park” concept. The company had achieved initial success with installations as part of existing entertainment venues in Moscow, Chelyabinsk, New York, and Samara, the operation had initially raised some $1.5m in investment. Their hopes of being a turn-key solution was difficult as the water became crowded with more start-ups entering the free-roaming arena. Offering three free-roaming experience for between two and six players over 25-minutes, at venues such as Moscow’s ArenaScape.
While most arena-scale investment has been for LBE VR as seen in these reports, there are new applications for free-roaming experiences being developed for the arts. It was revealed recently that in London, The Royal Opera House (ROH) has been developing the first “hyper-reality opera” in partnership with Figment Productions (known for their work in theme parks and attractions). The free-roaming VR experience will place the user in the heart of an original operatic, artistic creation (inspired by the freeing of Ariel from The Tempest). The arena-scale application incorporating 4D effects married to the immersive experience, is called Current, Rising. It is scheduled to open later this year in the Linbury Theatre, part of the Opera House in Covent Garden, London. In what has been described as “historic stagecraft and cutting-edge technology”.
The Road Ahead
One of the key aspects of the latest phase of development in LBE VR has been the adoption of free-roaming applications. What industry specialist KWP has dubbed “Phase Five” of the latest adoption of VR into the commercial entertainment landscape, where vast cumbersome and technologically complicated free-roam arenas were deployed. In many cases employing camera-based mapping and tracking of objects in a complicated ballet usually referred to as SLAM (Simultaneous Localization Mapping). With advancements in technology and the simplification of the process the ability to track multiple users within an arena has been achieved, and the cost reductions are being applied towards creating cost-effective solutions.
The new generation of FAM (Flexible Arena Mapping) platforms will drive the investment in more free-roaming installations. No matter the consumer VR scene hopes to encroach on the experiences achievable with free-roaming, such as with “Co-Location” – the unique entertainment offering from this installation in a commercial setting, is still highly compelling, and unbeatable.
In his coverage of the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his first part of his latest Virtual Arena column, Kevin Williams reports from the exclusive IAAPA trade show on the emerging categories defining the market of ”VR Based Attractions”, “Standalone VR Arcade” including motion rides and kiosks, and even the concept of “VR Water Attractions”.
While the consumer virtual reality (VR) community attempts to regroup towards a workable business model, there is one industry that has seen an explosion of VR investment and innovation (in many cases using the same consumer VR hardware). The evolution of the Commercial Entertainment (Enterprise) market is at an adverse to that seen in the consumer VR arena.
The best illustration of this was seen in November this year, when the largest theme park, water park, amusement and leisure entertainment convention took place in Orlando, Florida. The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) held at the vast Orange County Convention Center (OCC), covered some 580,000 net square feet of exhibit space accommodating some 1,140 exhibitors from across the Globe, and attracting some 42,600 international attractions professionals.
IAAPA Expo 2019. Image Credit: KWP
This was the leading convention to illustrate the valuable revenue generation that VR is offering an industry, (against the speculation of possible future profits seen in consumer). A show littered with products that are installed and are generating revenue. This vast convention is impossible to simply encapsulate, but the key categories shaping the Location-Based Entertainment (LBE) scene, are now highlighted in this two-part feature.
The first of these categories to observe is ”VR Based Attractions” – the use of VR technology in the immersive entertainment attraction sector. While consumer VR has attempted to find a mainstream home the application – in the other sector VR is excelling. The IAAPA 2019 convention allowed the key developments to promote their success. Dreamcraft is one of those corporations that has taken the consumer VR platform and applied it to commercial entertainment with the ‘DreamSet’ – a two-part VR headset system based on the HTC Vive that offer a solution to effective “Onboarding” (the allowing of simple loading and unloading operation on large throughput rides).
In successfully creating a VR system based on the available consumer VR hardware that can be reliable for Out-of-Home entertainment – and interest has grown in deploying this approach. It was revealed that Dave & Busters’ had signed up to utilize a special version of the system (including headphones). This major entertainment centre operator has worked on a number of VR systems for their audience, D&B working in partnership with VRstudios – who announced the new VR attraction ‘Terminator: Guardian of Fate’ installed on some 140 of their four-player VR motion simulator attractions at D&B locations. VRstudios also had their own VR enclosure system (‘VRcade Dual Atom’) on display at the show – this category of system will be covered in more detail in the second part of this report.
The DreamSet headset conversion to HTC Vive. Image Credit: KWPThe VRstudios Dual Atom promoting its accessibility. Image Credit: KWP
One of the pioneers of this technology in large throughput attractions is VR Coasters who has recently installed their “Roam & Ride” VR system for Eurosat Coastiality. At IAAPA the company was promoting their continued work and cooperation with SPREE Interactive. At a press event, Italian bumper car manufacturer I.E Park (who also working in cooperation with VR Coaster and SPREE) revealed that they will be representing the ‘VR Bumper Car’ platform to other entertainment venues. The development of free-roaming VR in this market and SPREE’s development of such platforms will be covered in the second part of this report.
Another major amusement attraction developer, DOF Robotics has already achieved success with their award-winning ‘Hurricane 360 VR’ attraction, employing Oculus Go mobile VR headsets and an extreme 360’ motion platform. The company used the IAAPA 2019 event to launch their brand-new VR attraction ‘Defender’ – a four-player highly themed motion platform, with players sited in the cab of the simulated vehicle using force-feedback machinegun blasting at aliens attacking their virtual convoy.
Extreme motion platform partnered with VR was a common deployment on the show floor at this year’s IAAPA – one of the veterans of these kinds of motion platforms, Maxflight – showed their 360-degree motion two axes ‘FS3000’ two-seat flight simulators, configured to run the Oculus Rift CV1 headsets, offering an immersive flight simulator experience with extreme motion.
Beyond the big attractions, a surprise category for this technology was “VR Water Attractions” – last year saw the first deployment of VR water flume experiences using new waterproof headsets. This year VORTEX Aquatic Structures International and Ballast VR presented the latest application of VR water attractions Ballast VR having already installed their ‘VRSlide’ – waterslide VR experience at several European sites and building on this and their waterproof VR hardware exhibited at the Outside Exhibit space where they had set up a swimming pool allowing attendees to done swimming costume and try for themselves the new system. The ‘DIVR’ is a free-floating experience while the ‘DIVR+’ incorporates handles to grip and a unique water jet system to simulate movement, creating unique and compelling experiences.
Going for a swim with Ballast VR. Image Credit: KWP
The ability to have a simple plug-n-play VR solution for deployment in entertainment venues has seen the establishment of the “Standalone VR Arcade” category. One of the aspects of the new investment into LBE VR was that of self-service (automatic) VR experiences – systems that do not need an attendant and are self-serviced.
Examples of this categories growth in popularity was seen from VRsenal who presented their previously launched ‘Virtual Arcade Cabinet’ – a “Self-Service VR kiosks” that runs a amusement version of the ‘Beat Saber’ videogame experience – incorporating a special headset and controller wired retraction system for simple ease of operation allowing the system to be automatic to run. This game licensed from developer Beat Games, who were in the news after being acquired by Facebook, the owner of Oculus.
Another self-service VR game kiosk was presented from VR LEO USA, with their ‘LEO’ platform developed in partnership with Shanghai Lions Intelligent Technology. The kiosk also employs a retention system for the Acer VR headset incorporating a unique feature of cleaning the headset when retracted using Ultraviolet light, in the top structure. While another Chinese invested system on the show floor was ‘VR Magic Box’ from Steki Amusement Equipment (Owatch). Their kiosk also comprising 3Glasses S2 headset retention system and a large touch screen display. It is expected that these turn-key automatic kiosks will continue to be a popular element of VR deployment.
Self-service kiosk by VR Leo USA at IAAPA 2019. Image credit: KWPSelf-service kiosk by VRsenal at IAAPA 2019. Image credit: KWP
One of the leaders of the “VR Self Service” platform approach was amusement developer LAI Games, who have seen great success with their ‘Virtual Rabbids: The Big Ride’ – the two-seat motion VR experience using HTC Vive’s was developed in partnership with Ubisoft. It also needs to be remembered that Ubisoft is also instrumental in the LBE VR escape room business (more on this in later reports). The ‘Virtual Rabbids’ system has proved a major success with over 500 units already installed across the market.
This two-seat, self-service platform has proven a popular approach and other developers are throwing their hats into the ring. Launched at IAAPA this year was a new system from media attraction and amusement company TRIOTECH with their new ‘Storm’ two-seat motion system offering a roller coaster adventure in the canyons and caves, but adding the new element of interactivity, with the use of a Ultraleap tracking system on the HTC Vive Pro headsets – tracking guests hands as they collect coloured balls during the ride.
Riders enjoying Virtual Rabbids: The Big Ride. Image credit: KWPTriotech’s new Storm platform at IAAPA 2019. Image credit: KWP
Another amusement manufacturer, Universal Space (UNIS) showed its VR amusement system with an attendant free approach called ‘Ultra Moto VR’ – a ride-on street racing motorcycle experience with its own motion platform employing the 3Glasses headset. This is the latest VR arcade machine from the UNIS (also developed by IGS), the company launching last year their car racer ‘Overtake VR’.
Motion racing simulators married to VR has grown exponentially in this sector and a number of the latest offerings were seen at the Orlando show, Talon Simulations launched their ‘Talon Vortex’ –a turnkey amusement focused VR cabinet, using their ‘Atomic A3’ dynamic motion platform, the system running at the show the ‘Assetto Corsa’ VR racing title, developed by Kunos Simulazioni.
Ultra Moto VR by UNIS. Image credit: KWPThe new Talon Vortex simulator. Image credit: KWP
And talking about racing content – IAAPA 2019 showed a considerable number of racing releases for eSport and tournament activities for Race Room deployment. Leading provider CXC Simulations showed their ‘Motion Pro II’ in a six-networked race setup supporting tournament installation. While another big announcement saw a major theme park media attraction developer Brogent Technologies pivoting to the launch of racing and flying simulator attractions. More than just a Pay-to-Play entertainment but offering eSports revenue, with an audience as well as a player experience – the future will see if this tournament activity will be driving future LBE VR investment.
Intense competition on the Motion Pro II. Image credit: KWPBrogent’s new motion simulator. Image credit: KWP
This is a good point to pause, while in the second part of this feature we will look at the other categories that were promoted during this years IAAPA trade convention including the launch of new VR enclosure systems and the growth in Arena-Scale VR experiences. The next issue follows shortly.
It’s movie tie-in time again. Earlier this week VRFocus reported on Sony Pictures Virtual Reality (SPVR) and The VOID revealing Jumanji: Reverse the Curse to coincide with the theatrical release of Jumanji: The Next Level. Today, it’s the turn of the Terminator franchise, with Terminator: Guardian of Fate now available at multiple Dave & Buster’s locations.
The entertainment venue has once again teamed up with virtual reality (VR) specialist VRstudios to bring this action-packed interactive experience to fans across North America. Created in collaboration with Strange Reptile – the same studio which helped build Dave & Buster’s other VR offerings Star Trek: Dark Remnant and Men in Black: Galactic Getaway – thrusts you into a treacherous rescue mission alongside Sarah Connor (still voiced by Linda Hamilton).
Once again a Terminator has arrived to annihilate a target who will prove invaluable to the future of the Resistance, so it’s up to you, Connor and her team to stop it at all costs. You’ll need to outrun and outwit the mechanical assassin to ensure the target and her work escape safely. Players are assigned random avatars and have access to a variety of weapons through a series of upgrades within the videogame.
While it is linked to the recently released Terminator: Dark Fate movie, the VR experience has been designed to keep guests coming back for more. Another chapter will be released soon adding multiple endings, subtle differences in gameplay and other surprises.
“We have really created something very special with Terminator: Guardian of Fate. This is an all-out adrenaline-fueled interactive experience that is a roller coaster of intensity,” said Chanel Summers, VRstudios’ Vice President of Creative Development. “The Terminator is the ultimate movie monster and just when players think they have destroyed it, it comes back! The action is so relentless that you will barely have time to catch your breath!”
Terminator: Guardian of Fate takes around 5 minutes with pricing varying between $5 USD and $7 depending on the location, of which 130 will have the VR experience. If you happen to live in the UK then check out Godzilla VR in London. As Dave & Buster’s continues to invest in new VR content, VRFocus will let you know.
This sees the start of several events dedicated to the massively popular Halo franchise on Xbox. Called Halo: Outpost Discovery, the travelling live event experience will be heading to various US cities and as part of it VRstudios has created a free-roaming virtual reality (VR) multiplayer called Training Grounds.
Halo Training Grounds is an arena style competitive experience where two teams of three fight it out as Spartan drones. Using VRstudios’ untethered backpack VR system which utilises HTC Vive Pro headsets, the gameplay has been “engineered to challenge various disciplines such as squad-integrated coordination strategies, spatial awareness in the battlefield, and real-time weapon tactics improvisation,” states the studio. Essentially a VR version of laser tag, which Halo: Outpost Discovery does also feature in Combat Deck (not VR).
“It was our aim to enable players to get that “awe” experience as soon they put on their VR headsets and actually feel what’s it like to be immersed in the Halo universe and then battle it out against their friends in a fast-paced and action-packed competitive combat experience,” said Chanel Summers, VRstudios’ Vice President of Creative Development. “Casual and hardcore fans alike will immediately recognize some of the most iconic elements in the Halo universe, including Spartan characters, Covenant Plasma Pistols, and the classic Halo environment, Valhalla. The result is an immersive, high-energy VR experience that puts players and fans inside of the Halo universe like never before.”
While it’s not the full Halo VR videogame VRFocus would love to see, Halo Training Grounds certainly looks a lot better than 2017s rather dismal Halo: Recruit for Windows Mixed Reality headsets.
Halo: Outpost Discovery also features plenty of other stuff for Halo fans to enjoy, such as the Hall of History with UNSC weapons, life-sized sculptures, an iconic to-scale Warthog vehicle and more. Or how about the Pelican Training simulation, or Covenant Escape, an escape-room-style experience.
The event will be heading to the following cities over the next couple of months:
July 5-7 – Orlando, Florida
July 19-21 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
August 2-4 – Chicago, Illinois
August 16-18 – Houston, Texas
August 30-September 1 – Anaheim, California
Further information including ticket purchases can be found on the official website. For any further updates, keep reading VRFocus.
Location-based entertainment (LBE) operator Dave & Buster’s has been steadily growing its virtual reality (VR) offerings over the past year or so. This week that endeavour has ramped up somewhat with the company expanding its ties with VRstudios by announcing several exclusive VR experiences for guests to enjoy.
The first is Men in Black: Galactic Getaway, based on the popular movie franchise. An exclusive experience for Dave & Buster’s proprietary multiplayer VR simulator, the wacky adventure is set in New York and London with players pressed into service as “accidental” MIB agents. Their job is to chase down and apprehend a crew of alien criminals who have stolen deadly jars of glowing green goo and insect parts before they escape the planet.
With different endings, randomized player characters; seven different randomly assigned weapons, and dialogue that responds real-time to your performance, Men in Black: Galactic Getaway aims to keep players coming back to discover more.
“We are extremely proud of our latest game’s incredibly rich and deep experience that will keep players coming back for more,” said Chanel Summers, VRstudios’ Vice President of Creative Development in a statement. “We have combined the classic elements of Men in Black with some all-new story elements, weapons and characters, plus gags galore, including a surprise finale that not only evokes the charm of Men in Black but also will definitely put a smile on your face!”
Additionally, Dave & Buster’s will also be rolling out VRcade PowerPlay and Barking Irons Gunslingeras part of its VRcade Arena experiences. In a free-roaming environment, guests will be able to enjoy athletic esport VRcade PowerPlay, competing in a series of matches best described as a combination of Laser Tag and Dodge Ball. The second title, Barking Irons Gunslinger, is set in the Wild West where players can face off against one another in an old-school shootout.
Men in Black: Galactic Getaway is playable at 125 Dave & Buster’s locations across North America now, while VRcade PowerPlay and Barking Irons Gunslinger are being offered first for a limited time at the Dave & Buster’s location in Tampa, Florida. VRFocus will continue its coverage of VRstudios, reporting back with the latest updates.
Star Trek makes a great basis for multiplayer VR—Star Trek: Bridge Crew proved that much when it launched for consumers back in 2017. If you’ve got a Dave & Buster’s nearby, starting today you’ll be able to jump into an all new take on Star Trek multiplayer madness with Star Trek: Dark Remnant, a Dave & Buster’s exclusive.
In Star Trek: Dark Remnant, you step aboard the U.S.S. Galileo, an advanced stellar research vessel accompanying the Enterprise on a routine mission to evacuate a stellar observatory located in the middle of the Klingon Neutral Zone.
Of course, as with all things Star Trek, the mission is everything but ‘routine’, as a neutron star collapses that leaves the Enterprise incapacitated, forcing you and your team to run interference as the Klingon ships roll in. Users will be able to control Galileo’s phasers, deflector shields, and sensors. Let’s just say the Gene Roddenberry days of ‘diplomacy first’ are taking a backseat here.
Image courtesy VRStudios
The experience was created by VRStudios, a company building location-based VR attractions, and Strange Reptile, a Salt Lake City-based indie game studio made up of veterans from The VOID, EA, Disney, Ubisoft, and Microsoft. Important to note: the location-based game is unrelated to Star Trek: Bridge Crew, a separate creation from Ubisoft’s Red Storm Entertainment.
In a bid to keep users coming back for more, Star Trek: Dark Remnant is also said to include “several completely different endings combined with other elements of variability, including subtle differences in gameplay, randomized player characters, and dialogue that responds real-time to your performance,” VRStudios says in a press statement.
This isn’t Dave & Buster’s first VR rodeo. Star Trek: Dark Remnant uses Dave & Buster’s proprietary multiplayer VR motion platform, the very same that was first used in the franchise’s timed exclusive Jurassic World VR Expedition.
It’s uncertain which branches are hosting Star Trek: Dark Remnant, so make sure to check your local Dave & Buster’s first to before you pop on your communicator badges and strap on your Vulcan ears.
Dave & Busters locations now offer three VR attractions including Star Trek and Jurassic World.
The newest attraction — Star Trek: Dark Remnant –puts visitors on a rescue mission with the Enterprise “at the edge of Klingon space.” Jurassic World is an on-rails motion platform experience similar to Star Tours. It is more interactive, though, as players are able to tag dinosaurs using a single Vive controller. We haven’t tried Star Trek yet, but it appears to be the same general concept.
Star Trek: Dark Remnant comes from Washington state-based VRstudios with development partner Strange Reptile. VRstudios runs the management platfrom used by Dave & Busters to operate its VR attractions at 122 locations. Each visitor pays around $5 per ticket to experience one of the attractions. Dragonfrost opened late last year as a fantasy experience letting guests climb aboard a virtual dragon.
According to VRstudios, in Star Trek:
“Players will encounter awe-inspiring vistas from their stations on a special research-observatory style bridge and will have a front row seat for dynamic and thrilling flybys of both the Enterprise and a Klingon Battlecruiser. The action will be controlled through a sleek and special virtual interaction device that enables players to control the Galileo’s phasers, deflector shields, and sensors.”
Star Trek: Dark Remnant puts you in control of the U.S.S. Galileo, Starfleet’s latest and most advanced stellar research vessel, accompanying the U.S.S. Enterprise on a routine mission to evacuate a stellar observatory located in the middle of the Klingon Neutral Zone and learn more about the decaying neutron star it orbits. When the neutron star collapses prematurely it leaves the Enterprise incapacitated. It’s now up to YOU to protect her from stellar debris – and the unwelcome arrival of a Klingon ship out for vengeance.
The attraction is said to offer different endings and “subtle differences in gameplay, randomized player characters, and dialogue that responds real-time to your performance.” That should add some replayability to the experience.
“You might even observe the fate of a poor redshirt ensign!”
