The Park Playground offers premium, immersive, and social experiences. It is based on the idea that when people go out, they want to enjoy unique attractions they cannot experience at home. The rapidly growing entertainment chain launched in 2018 and has since expanded to 13 cities in four countries with over 50 playing fields. With an ever-expanding content library, it will offer over 15 VR titles by 2025.
It was established to revolutionise leisure activities, and over time, it has grown in scope and services offered. It is renowned for its creative approach to entertainment, especially when it comes to incorporating cutting-edge innovations like VR into its experiences. As an innovator in the entertainment sector, The Park Playground has made a name for itself by prioritising guests’ enjoyment and crafting innovative experiences that blend technology with human connection.
The Park Playground offers a range of different VR experiences with several titles to choose from. This allows it to cater to a wide demographic, not just gamers. Guests are immersed in new worlds thanks to state-of-the-art VR headsets. Meanwhile, their controllers enable them to interact and get stuck into the action.
In conversation with CEO Peter Vindevogel, we delve into the company’s growth, its expansion into the UK market, and what makes a truly successful VR experience.
Social interaction is key
At the heart of The Park Playground’s philosophy is a commitment to creating experiences that prioritise human interaction over technological novelty. Vindevogel emphasises the importance of fostering connections and meaningful interactions in all aspects of the company’s operations:
“I think passion and a focus on the customer experience are crucial in the company. People are the core of what we do, so we place customers at the core of our operations. We are all about creating entertainment for visitors of all ages and interests and creating unforgettable experiences rather than how great technology is.
“That’s also what drives the success of the concept. Those people who love the technology can buy glasses and do VR at home. But it’s a very individual experience. Here, we use technology to create this unique social experience that brings people together.”
The Park Playground adapts to trends
As the entertainment industry continues to evolve, The Park Playground remains agile, adapting to changing trends and consumer preferences. Vindevogel notes a shift towards multidisciplinary entertainment venues, where patrons seek diverse experiences under one roof. The company is exploring ways to integrate VR seamlessly into these venues, making immersive experiences more accessible to a broader audience.
“We have seen an acceleration all over the world of entertainment-driven experiences that have become much more accessible than before. A whole range of big thrill entertainment concepts is getting integrated into everyday entertainment venues now. Before, you needed to go to a theme park for that big-thrill experience.
“Many people seek social entertainment experiences, concepts and venues that integrate fun attractions with quality food and drink. Many of the big thrill experiences are becoming integrated into these venues where you can spend your Saturday evening and drink with your friends. For instance, the F1 Arcade experience – five years ago, you would only find that in a theme park. But now, these things get increasingly integrated into our everyday entertainment options as customer demand has significantly increased.”
Accessible VR
One of the key drivers behind this, he explains, is continued technological advancements:
“The technology has become, on the one hand, so strong, and on the other hand, so simple that it becomes much easier to integrate it into concepts. VR also has the advantage of being the most immersive form of entertainment. I don’t know anyone who has not been blown away by a good VR concept. In addition, if you design it well, it will trigger repeat visits because it can be different every time. You can personalise it 100%.”
That increasing demand for shared experiences was one of the reasons why The Park Playground decided to expand beyond simply running its own venues:
“We wanted to build almost like a VR-in-a-box concept that existing venues could licence and then integrate into their environment because we see a growing need. Our solution is ideal for this rising demand. It is something you can install, for example, in a meeting room or a room you use for other purposes without that room being lost. A VR venue doesn’t require much space and can allow for flexible use of venues. So, if an operator has a meeting space or party room, they can install our VR solution there. But they can still use the room for those purposes, too.”
The Park Playground pushes the boundaries
By offering VR licences to external venues, the company aims to democratise access to immersive experiences and reach new audiences:
“VR technology is now mature. People may have tried it five years ago, and it was either too complex or didn’t work how they wanted it to. Now, those issues are fixed, so it can effectively be rolled out to wider audiences. We opened a co-branded venue at Center Parcs Park Hochsauerland last year to provide family-first VR experiences, for example. We were able to deliver a fully functioning VR venue in a matter of weeks. This can continue to be operated by Center Parcs’ staff without the need for extensive training.”
Newer titles make full use of emerging technology. For example, in Don’t Scream, a haunted VR escape room experience, guests must try their best not to scream, as the audio is tracked, and points are deducted for doing so. Meanwhile, The Break-in features customised AI-generated artwork in a fully interactive heist-themed adventure. Players must collaborate to solve riddles and find missing artwork.
Players can also enjoy NanoClash Focus, a first-of-its-kind fully mobile futuristic VR battle of epic proportions. Vindevogel cites this new title as an example of a game that has transcended geographical boundaries, bringing players together in shared experiences. The democratisation of VR has led to the rise of social gaming. Now, players from around the world can connect and compete in virtual environments.
“It is our job to continuously push the boundaries of what is possible in VR. So, with every new experience we create, we push those boundaries. With NanoClash Focus, which we launched last year, you have two teams playing against each other. That new title was built so that you could also play it at two separate destinations. I could play it in one location, with someone in a different country, and we would be in the same virtual world.”
VR experiences for a wide audience
The company is also working on new, creative ways to tailor pre-existing VR experiences to evolving guest expectations while still staying true to its core values and mission. This focus can be seen in The Park Playground’s new VR tournament format. The customisable offering is ideal for team-building events and large groups.
Up to 48 players divided into teams of four to eight can compete in the tournament, which currently offers NanoClash Focus. During a four-hour period, each team plays two three-round games, and the top-performing teams square off in a thrilling final.
“The Park VR Tournament is an exciting example of how we’re harnessing our immersive VR experiences in new and creative ways to push the boundaries of what’s possible,” says Vindevogel. “NanoClash’s cross-pollinated LBVR and gaming format was a perfect fit for this tournament. It helps us create engaging social entertainment that maximises group interactivity.
“NanoClash considers that not everybody wants to shoot or is good at shooting, for example. It requires a combination of different skills and ways of thinking. So, everyone can play a role in bringing their team to victory.”
This makes it ideal for team building. The Park VR Tournament reaches beyond the average VR gamer, complementing the business’s current group VR experience packages and drawing in guests of all demographics and experience levels.
Continued innovation
Innovation drives The Park Playground’s success. The company constantly explores new technologies and approaches to enhance its offerings and reach different groups of visitors. Vindevogel mentions the integration of AI into customer-facing experiences as an example of this commitment to innovation.
“We can use AI in a few different ways. Firstly, it has applications in developing our experiences. It can streamline the workflows for things like graphic design whilst retaining high-quality output. Secondly, we’ve also integrated it into the customer-facing side of our latest experience, The Break-in. At the start of the experience, we ask the visitors some questions. Then we use AI to personalise the artwork they see in the experience based on their answers. That means that visitors get a different experience every time. “
“There is one other interesting development that we’re looking at. It’s not mature yet, so you won’t see it in our venues in the coming months, but it’s a fascinating evolution in VR called markerless motion tracking. At the moment, you need to hold the controllers or put trackers at your feet to have a full avatar. But this new technology will work based on cameras and replace all that. The camera scans you in the field, creates those avatars, and feeds them to your VR experience. This would make the experience much freer than holding a tracker or controller.”
The Park Playground continues to expand
Blooloop last spoke to Vindevogel in 2022, as The Park Playground was about to make its UK debut with a new location in Leeds. It has since opened a second venue in Birmingham, with plans for more in the country. It continues to grow rapidly across Europe, boasting a strong footprint in Belgium, The Netherlands, and Germany.
With a remarkable growth rate of around 50% annually, the company now also offers its VR experiences through The Park VR System to existing entertainment businesses and as separate licenses to other venues that want to expand their offering. For example, guests at Center Parcs in Hochsauerland or Winterberg in Germany can enjoy The Park Playground’s VR experiences.
In June 2024, The Park, in partnership with three investors, will open its first franchise venue in Porto. The new location includes three free-roam fields that will deliver The Park’s entire library of original IPs for guests of all ages and interests, future-proofing entertainment options for generations to come.
Now, The Park Playground has plans to expand into new markets across Western Europe and the APAC region. New locations are set to open in the second half of this year. Vindevogel also teases that the firm is working on a new experience:
“I can’t give details yet, but it will be very cool. Our focus now is bringing this experience to the next level. Many entertainment players understand that VR has become accessible and that it’s delivering a very high ROI, and you feel that in the market. The company’s focus, at least in the coming two years, will be on continuing to make that experience the best it can be, as well as making it as easy as possible for the operators.”
As the company looks towards the future, it remains committed to creating immersive experiences that bring people together and leave a lasting impression.
