An immersive virtual reality arcade called Otherworld has opened in London. Located within a converted railway arch, the attraction houses immersion rooms with experiences and games.
The entertainment space features 14 virtual reality (VR) immersion rooms, as well as a bar serving craft beers and a poke kitchen.
Architecture studio Red Deer designed the space for Otherworld’s owners the Dream Corporation. The neon interiors draw on the work of light artist James Turrell (via Dezeen).
“We wanted to create an immersive space suited to a wider demographic than those normally associated with the stereotypical carpeted games arcade from the 1980s,” said Red Deer founding director, Lucas Che Tizard.
Virtual reality gaming with the Dream Corporation
“By keeping the space minimal it made the lighting and soft hue fades the focal point of the project and gave it a feeling of a futuristic environment.”
Otherworld’s 14 immersion rooms feature VR and sensory effects, including heat, wind, rumble and scent, which respond to the individual experience.
Visitors can choose from 16 different experiences and games, where they wear state-of-the-art VIVE headsets.
The experiences include fighting in a zombie apocalypse, blowing up robots as a space pirate, climbing Mount Everest in ‘Everest VR’, and exploring the world in ‘Google Earth VR’.
Sensory effects and VR in immersion rooms
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Games include ‘Fruit Ninja’, ‘Beat Saber’, ‘Superhot’ and ‘Job Simulator’, while ‘Virtual Rick-ality’ allows guests to take part in an interactive episode of Rick and Morty.
According to the website, the immersion rooms are a portal to another dimension, with Otherworld inviting guests to “step inside and leave it all behind”.
Speaking earlier this year, the Dream Foundation co-founder and CEO, Chris Adams, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Imbiba and our angel investors.
“Building on our sell-out 2017 pilot, we have developed unique, multi-sensory technology which immerses you more deeply into virtual worlds than anything else on the market today.
Fight in a zombie apocalypse or blow up robots
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“This new investment will accelerate our growth across the UK and beyond.”
In similar news, Esqapes Immersive Relaxation recently opened its VR massage experience in LA, while the Museum of Future Experiences, a virtual reality pop-up museum, has opened in NY.
Meanwhile, Sandbox VR has teamed up with CBS Interactive on a new Star Trek VR experience, called Star Trek: Discovery Away Mission.
Images: Red Deer
