The Void: The World's First Virtual Reality Theme Park

Virtual Reality is just a stone's throw away thanks to many companies and products, such as Sony, Oculus Rift, SteamVR, and more. VR focuses on the goal of dumping users into an immersive, memorable experience. Many of us, even non-gamers, are interested in the technology and what it's capable of.

Now then, arcades are making quiet comeback. This is evident with the introduction of the Street Fighter V demo arcades at Six Flags, the blossoming of new arcades, and the flourishing of well-known "barcades" such as Dave and Buster's.

With both sling-shotting into the modern times, it's no surprise that someone has combined VR with arcades. Back in May, a Utah-based company has jumped the gun on virtual reality innovation by working on a 'virtual reality theme park,' complete with props like foam noodles. Within this arcade, players can explore worlds of their choosing with friends (or solo) and immerse themselves in various activities like battling feisty enemies or flying planes. Dubbed The Void, the arcade utilizes the Rapture HMD headset, which promises experiences greater than home market VR headsets and bears the following specs:

• Dual High-Density Curved OLED Displays (1080P per-eye beginning resolution)
• Quantum Dots (nearly doubling perceived resolution & color range)
• Custom Optics (our own proprietary lens-in-lens design)
• High-Quality THX Headphones (featuring in-game binaural sound design)
• Super-Gain Inline Microphones (for in-game communications)
• Proprietary Global & Head Tracking Sensors (running at 120Hz providing sub-millimeter accuracy)

Of course, the technology will constantly be improved to provide the most immersive experience possible. Frames per second is not mentioned in the specifics, but if to guess, games will be running at least at 60 FPS. Oh, was it mentioned that there will also be custom motion simulators with two-person capacity, full-interaction, and 360 degree motion over three axis rotations (roll, pitch, yaw) as well as life? If not, then yeah, you'll feel like you're flying in a spaceship or controlling a mech, or taking part in actual dogfights.

Here's the vision of The Void for those curious:
 

"We live in an age where endless entertainment options exist at our fingertips, yet we still have a real need to get out of the house and share new experiences with our friends and family. At THE VOID, you will walk into new dimensions and experience worlds without limits. From fighting intergalactic wars on alien planets, to casting spells in the darkest of dungeons, THE VOID presents the Future of Entertainment. Only limited by imagination, our advanced Virtual-Reality technologies allow you to see, move, and feel our digital worlds in a completely immersive and realistic way. Our Virtual Entertainment Centers (VECs) are coming to major cities throughout North and South America, Asia, Europe, and Australia. More than watching a movie or playing a game ... in THE VOID you will live an adventure."

Utah, especially Pleasant Grove, just suddenly became tempting to visit--at least, until The Void appears in other major cities. In the most recent blog update (June 29) on the official site, creators stated that there will be no long lines at The Void. To quote their solution:
 

"A few people have posted worries about waiting in line forever to go through THE VOID. We have great news for you! Your visit to THE VOID will be like going to an IMAX theater; great equipment, top of the line experience, and best of all, you reserve your date and time before hand. Coming to visit us will be just as easy as buying a movie ticket online. We look forward to seeing you soon!"

Honestly, this is an exciting opportunity, because this is very similar to Sword Art Online, except for in an actual physical space... and without any headsets connecting with your nervous system. If you're curious about pricing, though, it could be a little while longer before the company reveals the answer. However, it is probably safe to admit that the experience is doubted to be cheap.