The virtual reality (VR) world, especially in attractions, has gained massive popularity in recent years and is on the cusp of accelerated growth.
Whether you are opening a new VR attraction from the ground up or looking to implement VR into your existing venue, here are several factors to consider, and steps to take, to help you in your implementation.
Step 1: Select the hardware
At the top of the list, let’s consider the hardware you’ll need to power your VR attraction.
The technology continues to improve to make headsets lightweight, user-friendly, easy to clean, and easy to maintain. But do you need tethered or untethered? Do they need to be noise-canceling? What type of battery life will you need?
To help you find the best hardware, look at the best XR headsets for location-based entertainment for 2023 and beyond.
Step 2: Create your games OR search for a partner to provide the games
Unless you create the content yourself, you’ll need a partner to provide you with the games, challenges, and experiences your guests will partake in.
Depending on your physical space and the best fit for your target audience, you need to determine who can provide the exact experience you want to deliver.
To help you find the best options, check out the best location-based VR for entertainment venues.
Step 3: Find venue management software that enables you to run your attraction
After you’ve sorted out your attraction, you’ll need to organize which venue management system you want to use to run your business.
All-in-one, cloud-based systems are most popular as operators save money and find it most efficient to commission only one provider for all of their venue management needs.
Being cloud-based also means that you can work from anywhere in the world and that any updates you want to make to the system can be made from one device and automatically synced to all other business devices in real-time.
FAQ’s about starting a VR business
Is a VR attraction profitable?
After two years of operation, a virtual reality room can bring operators around $320,000 to $ 540,000 in profits.
There are many reasons for this, one of which being that VR often provides more flexibility than a fabricated buildout.
For example, a laser tag arena requires many manufacturing, design, and safety specifications, and making changes or enhancements requires a complete renovation.
Conversely, you can create laser tag in a VR arena and adjust as you see fit. A VR laser tag arena can often accommodate 18-20 players in a 2,400 square foot space, and you can switch out the arena with a push of a button. Flexibility like this can lead to higher engagement and repeat visitation, as the experience can be entirely different each time the guest visits.
Why is VR becoming less expensive to purchase?
With the cost of hardware and tracking technology improving, VR is becoming increasingly less expensive to implement than physical buildouts.
Naturally, the capital expenditure will vary based on the location, type of financing, and the granular details of the implementation. However, VR is highly customizable and can fit many budgets nowadays.
VR is the ultimate immersive experience
Thanks to the continual advancement of VR technology, combined with applications in nearly every industry across the globe, VR is here to stay, and it will become a critical part of almost every sector of the attractions industry.
As you begin your journey in opening your VR experience, ROLLER can help ease the burden of getting guests in your doors through booking, processing payments, the arrival process, and helping you generate feedback that allows you to grow. Click here to schedule a demo today.
