Starting with a Virtual Reality Arcade

In this blog, we will cover the following topics:

• Different VR setups.
• The right choice for VR hardware.
• The various types of VR software.
• Practical tips for running a VR Arcade.

When you hear Virtual Reality, you might think of someone simply putting on a VR headset and starting to play a game. But did you know there are many different ways to let someone play? In general, a VR setup involves one of the following two configurations:

Standing/seated: a standing or seated setup is also known as a VR Cubicle, because the player typically stands in their own play area. A VR Cubicle is one of the most chosen setups when you look at a successful Virtual Reality Arcade. The advantage of a cubicle is that you can offer a wide range of Virtual games. Practically any game can be played in a VR Cubicle, from an extensive zombie shooter to experiencing the first moon landing. The disadvantage of a VR Cubicle is that the player is limited in their space, and therefore cannot move around freely as with a free-roam setup.

Tip: check out this video to see how a VR Cubicle can be set up.

Free movement (free-roam): with a free-roam setup, players can walk freely in a space. Here, the player is no longer tied to a cable, but usually uses a wireless standalone VR headset, such as the Oculus Quest 2 or Pico Neo 2. With this VR headset, you can choose a game where players can see each other on the playing field, such as in the game Cops vs. Robbers. The advantage of a free-roam setup is that players can play together in the same space. The disadvantage of a free-roam setup is that the range of games is much more limited than with a VR Cubicle.

Tip: check out this video to see an example of a free-roam space.

The choice of a VR headset is (partly) determinant for the direction your Virtual Reality Arcade will take. With the previously mentioned VR setups in this blog, you can already guide the choice for the right VR headset.

Broadly speaking, we recommend the following VR headsets for the following applications:

• If you want a VR Cubicle with good tracking: HTC VIVE Pro or VIVE Pro 2.
• If you want a Racing Simulator or other (static, where the player does not have to move much) setup: HP Reverb G2.
• If you want a free-roam setup: Oculus Quest 2, Pico Neo 2 or HTC VIVE Focus 3.

Advantages of the HTC VIVE Pro (2): the HTC VIVE Pro (2) is a business-use VR headset that uses external tracking sensors. Because of the external sensors, the tracking is accurate to the centimeter. For this reason, you can use the HTC VIVE Pro very well in a VR Cubicle, where the player has all the space to move wildly around. In addition, HTC has a VIVE Warranty Service that allows you to use the HTC VIVE Pro without any problems in a business and/or commercial environment.

Advantages of the HP Reverb G2: the HP Reverb G2 currently offers the highest image resolution of all VR headsets on the market (excluding professional VR headsets, such as the Varjo VR-3). The Reverb G2 uses built-in inside-out tracking cameras, which means the tracking is done from the headset itself. Therefore, it is not necessary to set up external sensors, as with the HTC VIVE Pro 2. However, the disadvantage of inside-out tracking cameras is that the tracking is less accurate. For this reason, the HP Reverb G2 is less suitable for use in a VR Cubicle.

Advantages of the Oculus Quest 2: the Oculus Quest 2 is a standalone VR headset. This means there are no cables and no computer needed to drive the headset. However, it is recommended in a VR Arcade environment to have (at least) 1 server laptop or PC. You use this PC to start a game.

If you are going to use a PC-controlled VR headset, such as the HTC VIVE Pro 2 or HP Reverb G2, in your Virtual Reality Arcade, it is important that it meets the recommended system requirements of the VR headset. Because you want to give people a 'high-end' gaming experience, it is recommended to set up a good PC with a powerful graphics card and processor in your arcade. Therefore, always choose at least a computer with an RTX 3070 video card and an Intel Core i7 processor.

We offer a number of pre-configured computers so you are guaranteed to have the right PC for your arcade! Check out our page VR Certified Computers to see all PCs.

Now that you have been able to make a choice for the right VR hardware, such as the VR headset and computer, you can delve further into the software. When you want to offer a game in a commercial environment, you always need to have the rights to do so. So it's not as simple as buying a game once and then offering it to your customers.

Most VR Arcades use an external software party for this reason. This party ensures that the licenses are covered, and often also have the added benefit of having a 'Software Management System'. This allows you to easily control a VR headset from a central place, such as on a laptop or a tablet. This prevents you from having to turn a game on or off per headset.

The three most used 'all-in-one' VR Arcade Software Management Systems at the moment are:

• SpringboardVR: SpringboardVR is currently the most comprehensive VR software management platform available. This software is used worldwide by arcades and has the biggest advantage that it has a huge range of VR games. In addition, there is a lot of possibilities in the field of custom interfaces and various forms of data analysis to make the experience for players as pleasant as possible. A disadvantage of SpringboardVR is that it is a relatively expensive subscription, and in some cases, you don't need to use the full potential of the platform (for example, with a relatively small VR Arcade startup).
• Synthesis VR is a premium facility management and content license platform for VR Entertainment venues worldwide. With more than 400 locations worldwide, Synthesis VR is your one-stop solution for all your VR content licenses, including games, educational content, and corporate training. In addition to licensing content, Synthesis VR is the complete management platform to operate your location in a seamless and efficient way with advanced features such as memberships, gift cards, NFC support, Waiver, an online booking platform, and much more.
• Viveport Arcade: Viveport Arcade is the VR Arcade software system from HTC VIVE. In terms of offer, the system is comparable to Synthesis VR, however, you can only use Viveport Arcade when you have an HTC VIVE headset.

You can also choose to take games directly from a developer. For example, there are developers who specifically focus on VR Escape Room games, or games that you can play with multiple players at the same time. A few examples are:

• Ubisoft Escape Rooms: Ubisoft is of course a well-known party within the gaming world. But they have now also developed some really cool games for VR! These are specific VR Escape Room games that can be played in a commercial environment.
• ARVI VR Lab: ARVI VR is a combination of a developer who makes his own games, and a software management system. They offer a wide range of virtual reality escape room games, each with its own theme.ARVI VR is very user-friendly, and we highly recommend it for users who are just starting with a VR Arcade.
• Vertigo Arcades: Vertigo Games is known for the mega-hit 'Arizona Sunshine'. The zombie shooter is seen by many users as the ultimate virtual reality multiplayer game. And when you want to offer this game through Vertigo Arcades, you immediately get a clear system with which you can have players start in the same world at the same time!

When setting up and running a VR Arcade, there are a lot of things to consider that you might not initially think of. We are therefore happy to give you some useful tips in advance so that you do not encounter problems in the future!

Tip #1: Choose a theme: For many users, virtual reality is still something new. People have often heard of it, but have never actually worn a VR headset. It therefore has a futuristic and technological feel. You can use this perfectly when setting up your VR Arcade! Make sure that when customers come in for the first time, they enter a miraculous, futuristic world! You can, for example, make the room quite dark, and work with different colored LED lights. Or design the room in a very industrial style so that people feel like they are in a steampunk environment.

In the 360-degree image below, you can take a look inside a VR Arcade. This arcade (Futuruum) has designed its environment with the previously discussed VR Cubicles. Each Cube has its own light, giving players the feeling that they are truly in their own world.

Tip #2: Give players space: The last thing you want to happen is for a player to hit the wall with their controller (or run into it themselves). Therefore, always ensure that a player has enough playing field around them to move freely. For a VR Cubicle, we recommend creating a cubicle of at least 2.5 x 2.5 meters, and for a free-roam area, you can keep a space of about 8 x 8 meters (depending on the number of players).

With a VR Cubicle, you use 'dividers' to keep the different cubicles apart. Make sure these are always matte/non-reflective materials, so you don't run into tracking problems. Do not use glass walls for this. You could use curtains for this. These have the added advantage that you can easily open and close them, thereby creating a more hybrid environment.

Tip #3: Neatly tidy up all cables: This may seem obvious, but you still see it happening in many Arcades: the cables of the headset, computer, TV, and sensors are still sloppily lying around. To make your VR Arcade look professional, it is highly recommended to neatly tidy up these cables. In some cases, you may need a cable for something (for example, when you need to update a wireless HTC VIVE headset), so you don't have to hide the cables behind a separate wall so that no one can ever get to it. But when you neatly store the HDMI cables of the TV screen, all computer cables, and your headset cable, it creates a much more tidy and professional atmosphere within the play area.

Tip #4: Make sure staff is 100% familiar with the games: Ensure that the staff you have walking around in the VR Arcade are enthusiastic about virtual reality and fully familiar with the games you offer. When a player has questions about a game, or can't figure something out, one of the employees should be able to walk the players through it. If the operator can't do this? Then the experience of the players also becomes a lot less, because the game, in his experience, is much less fun than thought (and hoped).

When staff is familiar with the different types of VR games, you can take their input into account in the games you are going to offer in your Arcade. If one of the operators is a fan of a game like Synth Riders, for example? There's a good chance your upcoming audience will enjoy it too!

Tip #5: Make it as simple as possible for the user: The last thing you want to happen in your VR Arcade is for a player to experience problems starting a game, and thus lose valuable playing time. This reduces the customer experience. Therefore, always make sure the startup process of games is as simple as possible. In some cases, it is also advisable to offer a very limited selection of VR games, so that (especially new players) do not get 'choice stress' when they have to choose from a long list of games.

For example, you can offer a number of action games, escape room games, and children's games. This way, a player can choose a genre, instead of choosing a game themselves. And because your employees are fully aware of the games, they can give good input on which games are the most fun!

Tip #6: Also entertain players who are not currently engaged with VR: Especially when you receive groups such as children's parties or company outings, you will see that not everyone is a fan of VR. Some people can get sick from it, or maybe they just don't like gaming in general. Therefore, also ensure that there is something else fun to do in your VR space. This can be as simple as putting a game of tic-tac-toe on the waiting table, but of course, you can also expand to placing a pool or ping pong table in your space.

Tip #7: Also take a look at other VR Arcades: Perhaps the best tip we can give you: be inspired by other VR Arcades! Visit an Arcade and see what they do well, or not so well. They may have chosen a completely different type of design than you initially had in mind, and you can make a nice combination of the two. Or look at the way they handle their rates. Take other VR Arcades as an example for inspiration, but beware of copying them. Always keep your own identity in mind. This sets you apart from the hundreds of other arcades in the world!

Curious about VR Arcades located in the Netherlands and surrounding areas? Then take a look at the following arcades, or look at ourVR Arcade overview. for a complete list.