However, many have also shown interest in more technologically-advanced forms of immersive entertainment, such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. Innovators in these spaces are using these exciting new technologies to provide gamers with immersive entertainment experiences like no other.
One such innovator in the VR field is Another World VR, a leading VR gaming company with over 1 million players and 150 partners in 25 countries. According to the company’s website, their team aims to “make VR games accessible to people of all ages across the globe.”
The evolution of VR technology
According to Another World founder Vasily Petrenko, VR started as a “deception.” Although this might seem like a harsh condemnation of early virtual reality technology, it is only a reflection of the fact that VR once involved little more than simply putting on a headset and being “immersed” in a world visually without the movement to go along with it. The result was often a feeling of dizziness and disorientation, as the mind thought the body was moving even though it was remaining stationary.
Instead of these simpler experiences, Another World VR specializes in what is known as “limitless VR.” In this approach to virtual reality, users roam freely around a physical space, and the virtual world reacts to their movements in the real world. Due to the fact that users are legitimately moving, the undesirable after-effects are largely avoided. Another World VR’s physical space designed for limitless VR is known as the “Arena,” and the company has partnered with several locations — such as shopping centers, family entertainment centers, bowling alleys, and more — to implement Arenas into their operations.
One advantage of this approach to immersive entertainment is that it requires minimal set-up. For these locations with large open spaces, it can take as few as 2-3 days for the installation and optimization processes. This ensures that destinations for high-end immersive entertainment can take advantage of the booming demand for these gaming experiences.
Companies like Another World VR are leading the charge of making VR experiences longer and more complex. Early VR experiences lasted only a few minutes, and ultimately, were not worth the hassle that the consequences would cause. Now, the VR games that Another World creates are as long as 30 minutes. The team has found this length hits the sweet spot — long enough to be satisfying, but not too long as to leave players feeling overly tired from the frequent movement.
Immersing gamers in a virtual reality world
To date, Another World has developed seven VR games for its Arena, which vary in genre and are suitable for both experienced VR gamers and novices — “Kernel: Confrontation”, “Ghost Mansion,” “Colony: Code Red,” “Shooter VR Arena,” “Safe Night,” “Island Assault,” and “Space Battle.” Ranging from playful to action-packed or even scary, Another World VR’s offerings have something to appeal to everyone.
Part of why VR is such an exciting technology is that it offers creators the possibility to create any environment — real or fictional — and immerse the user completely in it. In a recent interview with Authority Magazine, Petrenko described the first demo the company created: “You could walk on top of a mountain, enter a portal, and find yourself in a volcano crater,” he says. “At the end of the demo, you take a gun and shoot a zombie that suddenly jumps out around the corner.” And this was just an experiment — the team at Another World exploring what they could do with the technology.
While Another World is primarily focused on the entertainment industry, there are numerous other applications for VR that could prove beneficial. Petrenko cites education and training as particularly exciting potential use cases that could range from more immersive videos to full-on interactive projects. “You can not only view but also interact with the content,” Petrenko explains. “Students can arrange the planets in the right order, mix chemical ingredients, and see the result of their experiments.”
In a way, these applications of VR technology are a form of gamification. In providing students with ways to interact with the content, they can benefit from the added benefits of retention associated with gamification. By creating VR experiences and games that offer an educational aspect, VR companies can merge entertainment and learning with the latest in technology.
It is becoming increasingly clear that virtual reality is not just the future of immersive entertainment but also entertainment as a whole. And with the many cross-industry applications that virtual reality entertainment has among education, training, and more, it’s clear that this technology is here to stay. With that in mind, it would be wise to keep an eye on innovators in the space, like Another World VR, who hope to take virtual reality to the next level.
