https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jx2YWzxvbs
Bandai Namco has announced they’ll be opening a virtual reality center in Tokyo.
The new area will be known as “VR Zone: Project i Can,” and it will be located in Tokyo Plaza for a short time from April 15th of this year till sometime in October. Featured above, you can view the announcement video for the new center.
Reaching nearly 5,870 square-feet, the new attraction will serve as a hub for Bandai Namco to research fan feedback for their virtual reality endeavors. You’ll have to book an appointment to try out one of their demos, however – with signups kicking off on April 8th.
As for the demos involved – they run the gamut of themes, including:
- Fear of Heights Show: Rescue a cat on top of a narrow piece of wood, 200m above the ground.
- Ski Rodeo: A ski experience that lets you race through snowy mountains.
- Real Drive: A “realistic” simulation of driving a sports car, on a racing circuit.
- Escape Ward Omega: Set in a giant abandoned hospital, this horror experience will question how far VR horror can go.
- Train Meister: You get to control a Yamanote Line train, as a conductor.
- Argyle Shift: You get to join a girl in the cockpit of a massive robot, only to enter mecha battles.
Sadly, it seems like Bandai Namco’s excellent-looking Summer Lesson won’t be making the cut (perhaps because they appear to be using HTC Vive headsets, while Summer Lesson supports PlayStation VR).
Bandai Namco is looking into putting VR kiosks in both regular stores and amusement-focused stores. You can find the VR Zone’s official website here.
