Dave & Buster’s fans are in for a brand-new dimension as the entertainment giant pushes virtual reality out in its many stores with the planned June 14 release of the new Jurassic World VR Experience.
VRstudios, a turnkey VR solutions provider focusing on multiplayer content and a main partner in this D&B venture, will provide its proprietary VRcade Attractions Management Platform (AMP) for the collaboration. AMP will operate and manage new, multiplayer VR attractions coming to D&B, allowing for a cloud-based, centralized system that will work in over 110 locations. The companies say this makes it the largest deployment of commercial multiplayer VR anywhere.
The AMP deployment is the result of a larger project between VRstudios and Dave & Buster’s. Working together from the inception of the new VR attraction project, VRstudios was entrusted to manage the sourcing and integration of all the key components of the attraction including the proprietary simulator, VR hardware, motion control software, content and management platform. In addition, the two companies plan to continue to work together to produce additional content experiences for the custom system.
VRstudios’ AMP lets local operators (in this case, D&B GMs) run an attraction’s motion controls, monitor its status and keep tabs on queues with an automated text message system, as well as perform extensive login tracking and employee management functions. It also allows for content from top providers like Hewlett-Packard, HTC, Universal Studios and The Virtual Reality Company to be seamlessly integrated into the VR attraction.
“We are honored to be a trusted partner to Dave & Buster’s,” said Kevin Vitale, VRstudios’ CEO. “Their new attraction is a breakthrough for extending commercial availability of true multiplayer virtual reality to locations around the country.” “We’ve been very thoughtful and particular about how we introduce VR attractions to our stores, and it was critical that we engage with a trusted partner and technology leader in commercial VR systems,” said D&B’s Kevin Bachus, SVP Entertainment & Games Strategy. “We have a longstanding relationship with VRstudios. They are a pioneer of multiplayer VR attractions for location-based entertainment, and we’ve capitalized on that experience for both their enterprise technology and managing the large-scale integration of our unique attraction.”
The Jurassic World VR Experience will debut just about a week prior to the release of the next installment in the movie franchise, and gives fans a chance to walk with (and run away from!) their favorite dinosaurs (check the photo above for a peek into the gameplay.) Be sure to check it out yourself at your local D&B this month and look for an extensive article on VRstudios in RePlay’s July issue discussing this latest collaboration and more (including a “truly athletic,” full-motion, multiplayer game called PowerPlay.)