3 Considerations When Adding VR to Your Entertainment Facility
What makes an indoor entertainment center successful has dramatically changed in recent years, shifting from standalone attraction centers with a main anchor attraction such as go-karts or putt putt golf to more encompassing centers that offer a little bit of everything.
We’ve seen a rise in high-tech, interactive experiences complementing traditional anchor attractions and redemption arcade machines as "social gaming" makes playing games a shared experience with friends and family. The adoption of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) gaming zones has accelerated this shift, setting new standards for immersive entertainment.
But incorporating VR into your facility isn't as simple as plugging in a headset and downloading a few games – at least not if you want it to be profitable and successful. It’s easy to get burned by flimsy hardware, low throughput and experiences that are just too cumbersome for staff to operate. With the right planning and knowledge, though, VR can be a big traffic driver – and ultimately, a big money-maker – to your location.
If you are considering adding VR to your attraction mix, here are three crucial considerations to take first.
How much space do you have? How much do you need for what you want to install?
When developing your FEC or amusement park floor plan, some operators think if they don’t have a lot of space to spare, there’s no way you can offer VR. Conversely, sometimes operators underestimate the amount of space needed for a particular VR attraction they bought on the show floor or from a brochure online. VR attractions come in all shapes and sizes these days and the key is to understand which is best for your location so you can properly plan.
If you have an extra 100-square-feet or so with no columns or support beams, a free roam VR arena might fit nicely and offer higher throughput than other systems. If you want to work VR into your main arcade area, you need something that fits in the same square footage as a redemption cabinet so a seated VR experience like a VR coaster may be a better option.
When vetting attractions, don’t neglect to ask your distributor how much square footage you will need and then budget in a few extra feet for walking, seating and spectating. Remember, VR is a “spectator sport” and if strategically placed, it can drive traffic to other areas of your venue while people stop to watch or wait to play.
2. Who is your target demo?
It’s tempting for many operators to cast a wide net, wanting to be everything to everyone. Just as it is important to understand who your target demographic is to inform other decisions within your business, it is equally important when selecting a VR attraction.
Not all VR is suited for all guests. Many manufacturers recommend players be 13 years or older for at-home, consumer VR equipment. Meta has recently lowered their age recommendation to 10 and older for the Oculus Quest, but beware using consumer equipment in a location-based entertainment space. While you may be able to save a few dollars on the frontend, it could come back to bite you in terms of how difficult it is to operate, how easily the equipment breaks and potentially even legal ramifications for violating a consumer product’s terms of use.
If your target demo skews younger, you might add something like the VR Playground from SPREE Interactive that allows large groups to play together or the SpongeBob SquarePants VR: Dynamic Duo that allows for just two at a time but requires little to no staffing. If you are targeting teens to adults, a Hero Zone VR Arena or a Zombieland VRsenal cabinet might be a better fit.
3. How will you manage capacity?
One of the biggest perceived challenges with VR attractions is low throughput, but most modern VR systems now offer higher capacities and faster throughputs on par with other popular attractions. If your guests do have to wait to play in VR, though, that’s not necessarily a bad thing and in fact, you should use it to your advantage. As we’ve seen with Disney parks and many other amusement chains, waiting should be part of the experience.
First, consider how you will move people through: will you have them take a number and come back? Will they queue up in a traditional line? Or will they just tap their card when they see headsets are available?
Next, think about what will be nearby the VR attraction that can entice people to drop a few more bucks while they wait. Maybe this means strategically placing your VR center near the food court. Maybe it means you have a card kiosk nearby with some low-stakes redemption machines.
Waiting to play should build up anticipation and excitement for the experience to come. Consider adding screens showing what the VR players are experiencing or opting for a VR attraction that has an open layout so spectators can see and hear the screams and laughter they incite.
Virtual Reality attractions can be a big draw in new guests and keep them coming back for years when executed properly. With a little planning and preparation on the operations side, you can ensure you successfully roll out a VR experience that will draw new guests in and keep them coming back for years to come.
Ready to find the VR attraction that’s best for your FEC business? Contact The Rabbit Hole today to get started with a free consultation.
