The Park Playground, a unique VR franchise, has announced that it will open a second UK venue in June. The new immersive virtual reality entertainment venue in Birmingham will be the firm’s 13th venue worldwide. The Park Playground has seen a year of record growth and the new site is part of an ongoing expansion programme.
This new facility is the second of three planned company-owned facilities in the United Kingdom, in addition to franchised locations. Each location provides one-of-a-kind and competitive VR experiences for those aged 7 and up.
The location-based entertainment (LBE) immersive experiences provider has reached an important milestone with the opening of its Birmingham location, as it continues to increase its revenue and visitor numbers.
International expansion
Since its inception in 2018, The Park Playground has grown from strength to strength and in 2022 had doubled its topline revenue. The Park Playground also saw a huge increase in visitors in the first quarter of this year, hosting more than 20,000 people at its facilities around the world, which was more than double the previous quarters.
With 13 owned and franchised locations across four countries – most recently entering the APAC market for the first time in Brisbane, Australia – the firm continues to expand its presence and set the standard for inclusive location-based entertainment experiences.
Peter Vindevogel, CEO of The Park Playground, says: “Our substantial investment in the UK market reflects the thriving interest in virtual reality technology and the increasing demand for engaging social experiences beyond the confines of home entertainment.
“This opening reflects one of our main goals to connect people of all ages with the incredible possibilities of VR from experiencing the future of entertainment to providing an opportunity to explore the emerging world of the Metaverse. As we approach doubling our revenue once again this year, our new venue in Birmingham’s vibrant Brindleyplace, is the perfect addition to our expanding UK portfolio.”
NanoClash Focus comes to Birmingham
The Birmingham location will feature an exciting assortment of interactive and competitive immersive experiences, including the new NanoClash Focus, which is entirely mobile and free-roaming. NanoClash Focus, created in collaboration with HTC and Triangle Factory, is a first-of-its-kind eSports-inspired VR battle game that allows two different teams to participate on two separate fields at the same time.
The Park Playground’s exploration of the application of artificial intelligence (AI) was sparked by this experience, as they had used the technology in the development phase to simplify their processes.
Thomas Roozen, head of business development at The Park Playground, says: “We’re committed to creating immersive experiences that appeal to all groups of people, of all ages. Often, location-based entertainment VR is a person’s first introduction to virtual reality, so this is something we take into consideration from the very early stages when developing games. Whether you’re a corporate team, a group of friends or looking for family entertainment, The Park has fun and interactive experiences appropriate for all.”
The Park Playground launched NanoClash Focus earlier this year. The groundbreaking VR experience is the most recent latest LBE VR game from the brand and builds on their experience in this market.
