Virtual reality has yet to become a mainstream platform, but with the emergence of VR Gaming nights at bars such as the Boston Pool Loft in Liverpool it looks increasingly like the gaming industry is moving towards this futuristic format. In addition to this, the choice for gamers seems to grow and grow as the months go by, with multi-player options and live streaming now available from both console and iGaming providers. Techradar believes 2017 will be a huge year for VR games such as Arktika and Space Pirate Trainer, which is one of the games available at the Boston Pool Loft’s VR night.
This year, the Boston Pool Loft has decided to move with the times and get ahead of the game when it comes to VR usage. Although only $6.1 billion of revenue was generated in the VR market in 2016, many people believe that a shift to the platform is on the horizon, and developers are scrambling to create content for headsets like the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive. At the BPL, customers can turn up every Monday night between 7 and 10pm and get a taste of the new hardware for themselves for free. The night is run by VR-Here, who have a full VR experience centre in Liverpool on Paul Road. Some of the games include a zombie shoot ’em up, and players get ten minutes to enjoy a fully immersive experience.
Nights like this are going to help spread the word about VR of course, but the main source of promotion is likely to be done by the online casino industry. This sector is well known for moving forwards with technology, with slot games being a prime example of a genre of game that has evolved massively over the years. Since the 90s, Liverpool pub-goers will have been familiar with the flashing lights of the fruit machines found in every tavern across the land. But after the advent of the online casino these games have become even more advanced. Slots online nowadays are incredibly complex, with games like Jurassic Park featuring advanced parallax scrolling effects, multiple reels and paylines, as well as engaging side games. The developers of that game, Microgaming, have begun work on VR casino offerings, while there are also VR slot games in the pipeline from companies like NetEnt who created Gonzo’s Quest VR.
VR looks set to succeed by offering multiplayer experiences rather than games that can only be played by one person. Console games like Call of Duty have been immensely successful due to the fact that they have provided a platform for socialising. This should also follow on from the format that online casinos have set with their live-streaming offerings where players can interact with a dealer. Perhaps in years to come, players will be able to walk around virtual casinos and socialise with one another, but this seems a long way off at the moment. This is what MMORPGs like Guild Wars and World of Warcraft will certainly be aiming for, however.
With all the software and infrastructure in place it seems remiss not to mention the pièce de résistance, the fact that VR gamers now have a place to meet up, hang out, and have a beer or a cocktail. Bringing VR to traditional social situations, such as the bars in Liverpool, will help people to realise its potential. Hardcore gamers seeking the latest products will need no convincing, but VR game nights like this can serve to bring others in from the cold. Who would have believed corporate events would embrace VR nights as they have? Better still, who would have imagined VR-gaming hen nights? Gamers no longer have to be locked away online or on a console alone. VR gaming nights could be a thing of the future.