Metro Atlanta Gets Its First Virtual Reality Arcades
Atlanta Business Chronicle
Video game arcades may be saved from extinction by the advent of virtual reality, and one newly-formed Atlanta company is looking to get in on the gameplay.
According to this week’s Atlanta Business Chronicle, iSimu VR in April opened a 2,700-square foot virtual reality arcade in Duluth, one of the first in metro Atlanta. The arcade features 12, 80-square-foot stations each complete with a high-end computer, earphones and an HTC Vive headset. Each station (multiple players can alternate at each station) costs $19.99 for a 30-minutes.
Previously, video game arcades provided users the only opportunity to play a variety of games. But the introduction of home consoles, allowed players to play a variety of games at a much more affordable price point in the convenience of their own homes.
“VR has brought back the same issues where hardware is expensive again because you have to have a really fast computer to run it and an HTC Vive or Oculus [Rift] if you want a high-quality VR experience,” said iSimu VR co-founder Vien Ha. “Space is another issue because it’s a requirement for room-scale VR (real-life motion reflected in the virtual reality environment). You have to have space without any obstructions and space is a very expensive thing with populations increasing and most people living in cities.”
Other VR arcades are planned around Atlanta, including Revery: VR Bar on Monroe Drive in Midtown.
Phil Hudson covers music, sports and finance for Atlanta Business Chronicle.
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