Virtual Reality Arcade Coming to MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
Just as VR has changed the face of gaming, as technology advances and larger investments become commonplace, the virtual reality arcade is finding itself evolving as well. Location based “arenas”, large, obstacle free places that allow teams of players to interact together in a virtual environment, are beginning to pop up throughout the US. And while there’s a buzz building about Disneyland’s yet to be released Star Wars experience, it’s quite possible that the most recent arena, created by Zero Latency and located at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, brings with it perhaps the most hype to date. If you are happen to be in Vegas and want to know the best things to do. Check out our friend Jen's blog here.
While they have 20 arenas operating around the world, its newest eight player location brings not only the brand of MGM on to Zero Latency’s side, but a global destination like Vegas as it continues to market its burgeoning business.
With a plan to open 100 arenas by 2019, and other competitors like IMAX VR and The Void nipping at their heels, Zero Latency is betting big on Vegas, hoping that the tourists visiting the Strip will not only stop in for a chance to experience their virtual reality offerings, but then, perhaps more importantly return home to tell their friends. Combined with adding an e-sports component to their arenas in an effort to expand their audience, Zero Latency is clearly working hard to push out their brand. But whether Zero Latency succeeds or fails in its bid for VR arena supremacy, what’s clear is that these larger scale operations may very well be the future of communal gaming.
Although the library of arena games doesn’t yet compare to single player VR experiences, what has been seen, even at more traditional Virtual Reality arcades, is that the kind of feeling that users experience when sharing virtual gaming with other players is a rush that’s hard to replicate. Considering that arenas like Zero Latency use backpack systems connected to headsets rather than hardwire the user to a computer and therefore a specific area, this freedom of movement allows gamers greater immersion within the world and its content, all in all adding up to a more engaging experience.
Added to new experiences, including a soon to be released zombie game, the combination of extreme action and the ability to not only see the other players as virtual avatars, but to stay in constant communication with them, is going to lead to an intense experience that’s going to be hard for competitors to match.
One of the hard truths about Vegas is that the house always wins. Considering that MGM considers Zero Latency a bet worth taking, perhaps it’s time others start to pay more attention.