AStation, a pioneer in mixed reality entertainment, has brought its proprietary Enterverse platform to Ripley’s Venture Realm, a new outdoor mixed reality experience at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.
Introduced in June, it invites visitors to encounter a different kind of wildlife, as dinosaurs, pterodactyls and prehistoric environments appear alongside the attraction’s living animal collection.
The collaboration brings large-scale digital creatures into the physical environment around the aquarium, allowing guests to explore a prehistoric world while remaining aware of the real people, architecture and landscape surrounding them.
AStation uses proprietary technology and Apple Vision Pro
Image courtesy of AStation
Participants use Apple Vision Pro headsets and move freely through the outdoor space without controllers, cables or a conventional enclosed VR arena.
Multiple guests can share the same digitally augmented environment, encountering life-sized creatures and atmospheric effects integrated into the venue around them.
Adding a new layer to experiences
Unlike traditional VR, which separates users from their surroundings, Enterverse uses spatial sensing and location-aware technology to layer digital content directly onto an existing site.
Guests can still see one another and navigate the physical environment, while the platform adds interactive characters, environments, and narrative sequences.
This makes the technology particularly relevant for established visitor attractions seeking to introduce new digital experiences without replacing the qualities that make the original venue distinctive.
At Ripley’s Aquarium, the mixed reality content complements the wider attraction rather than creating an entirely separate, self-contained environment.
“Ripley’s has always been about the unbelievable made real,” says Chris Chen, CEO of AStation.
“Their brand is built on wonder, on the unexpected, on experiences that stop people in their tracks. This partnership puts powerful outdoor mixed reality technology inside one of the most beloved attraction brands on the planet—it’s the perfect match.”
AStation's stories seem infinite because they are not confined to a room
Image courtesy of AStation
AStation says the Enterverse platform has been designed for adaptation across different destinations and operating environments.
Because the content is digitally layered onto an existing physical space, the system can potentially be configured for aquariums, theme parks, zoos, heritage attractions, resorts and urban entertainment districts without requiring the construction of a conventional ride building.
This portability is central to AStation’s international strategy. The company is now advancing global licensing for Enterverse, positioning the platform as a flexible product that can bring large-scale outdoor mixed reality experiences to destinations around the world.
Content, characters and storylines can be adapted to the identity of each site, allowing operators to introduce new seasonal or IP-led experiences while continuing to use their existing infrastructure.
A North American first
For attractions, this also creates opportunities to refresh underused outdoor areas, extend dwell time and introduce repeatable digital content without permanently altering the physical environment.
The same space can support different narratives over time, making the platform relevant to both long-term installations and limited-duration programming.
AStations' Kelven Tan demonstrates the power of mixed reality adventures to Ripley's Jim Pattison Jr - Nov 2025
Image courtesy of AStation
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is home to thousands of marine animals, with experiences including an underwater shark tunnel, stingray encounters and its popular penguin programme.
Venture Realm broadens this offer through a digital layer that introduces an entirely different world while preserving the visibility of the real environment.
“AStation’s Enterverse technology is far beyond anything we’ve seen in the attractions industry,” says Pablo Chavez, regional operations manager at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! World Entertainment.
“At this time, Ripley’s is the only place it can be experienced in North America.”
The Gatlinburg launch represents an important international milestone for AStation, which has previously operated mixed reality adventure venues in Asia.
It also serves as a demonstration of how the platform can travel: rather than asking destinations to build around the technology, Enterverse is designed to respond to the venue already there.
By turning the physical site itself into the stage, AStation’s model allows real and imagined environments to coexist, and gives attractions a potentially scalable way to introduce new worlds across different markets.
