Hero Zone, creators of immersive VR experiences, has shared details of its collaboration with NaVRtar, an innovative immersive entertainment retail venue in West London, UK.
The attraction opened in Dickens Yard, a shopping and leisure destination, in 2019. It also has a partner franchise location in Amsterdam.
Nik Parmar, director and co-founder of NaVRtar, explains: “NaVRtar was the first in the UK to offer a virtual reality experience with a bar, which was one key thing that we saw as a gap in the market.
“A lot of VR companies were just focused on activities and we saw that there’s an opportunity for the entertainment market. People aren’t just going to clubs, they want to do activities AND they want to go to a bar. So, we thought of the idea of taking an amazing activity like VR and combined it with a bar.”
Social experiences
NaVRtar originally provided a 30-minute wired VR experience for individual players, in a 10 by 10 foot area. This was followed by longer sessions in a 2,000 square foot free roam arena powered by Lightning VR in Amsterdam, a supplier of warehouse-scale free-roam VR for up to six players. The venue provided three options: a visual experience, a game, and the popular plank-walking VR title.
However, visitors’ tendency to fall over and take their time caused logistical complications. The NaVRtar crew quickly realised that its free-roam VR arena was the most popular attraction, and offered significant potential.
Parmar says: “People really enjoyed the free roaming VR because playing together is the key thing. It is all good playing at separate times, but people want to be doing it together, living the experiences at the same time.”
“I looked at various VR providers and Hero Zone was our clear favorite,” adds Parmar. The team trialled Hero Zone at a Zero Latency franchise location. “We just really enjoyed Hero Zone, to be honest. We played five Hero Zone games and they were quite easy to get into and to understand and those are really appealing factors for us.”
NaVRtar installed Hero Zone In August 2023. In addition, the venue added a pool table and three lanes of 501 Fun’s augmented reality darts, replacing the previous tethered VR.
The attraction also serves a wide range of beverages, including beer, cider, wine, soft drinks, and themed mixed cocktails, which further boost its appeal as an enjoyable adult night-out venue. It also provides basic snacks like crisps and nuts and collaborates with nearby restaurants for pub food such as burgers and pizza.
60-minute free-roam VR package
NaVRtar offers the only 60-minute free-roam VR experience in the UK. In this model, guests will spend 30 minutes in the Hero Zone-powered NaVRtar multiplayer VR minigame area and another 30 minutes in the large main arena. The venue charges £28 (about $35) per person for a combined 60-minute free-roam VR experience.
Parmar says: “We’re in London and most places you go to, it takes an average 30 to 45 minutes to get there. People don’t want to travel here, spend 45 minutes getting here, doing half an hour experience, then spending 45 minutes to get back. I think that going up to 60 minutes, making it more of an experience definitely helps make NaVRtar a premium destination.”
The venues’ most popular Hero Zone games have been incorporated into the 60-minute free-roam VR package, and are changed approximately every six months to keep the offer fresh.
Parmer shares the current game selection: “We do Arrowsong and the cooking game, Cook’d Up. We all played that and thought it was a really good game.
“We were like, this is just so different. With Cook’d Up some people come in and all they’re doing is squirting each other with ketchup, having fun. Even though none of them are actually completing the game, they’re just having fun just having a food fight.
Efficient, reliable solution
Prior to Hero Zone, NaVRtar required two staff members to host its tethered VR on busy weekends. Now, the venue requires one person, reducing operational costs.
In addition to its operational efficiency, the team praises the design of Hero Zone. Its theming is engaging for visitors, whilst its compact footprint of six by six metres and open design work well in the space. “The Hero Zone arena is really well made, it’s well designed and well thought out,” Parmar says.
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In addition, Hero Zone includes a unique Hangout area where guests are entertained while their friends get hooked up. “I think The Hangout is actually, really effective in the whole experience,” adds Parmar. “People enjoy the experience, especially when you’re changing games. Hero Zone’s Hangout just keeps it immersive throughout the whole time and people probably feel like they’re actually spending more time in VR.”
Parmar concludes: “I’d recommend Hero Zone because it has low running monthly costs. It’s a very reliable system and customers love it. And it’s very reliable, which is what you need when we’re dealing with such complex systems.”
Last month, Hero Zone shared details of its collaboration with The Broken Controller VR Experience in California, US. This 4,000-square-foot attraction aims to “to redefine the boundaries of gaming and entertainment through the immersive power of VR and AR”.
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