Les Cinémas Pathé Gaumont and BANDAI NAMCO Amusement Europe celebrated the recent opening of the largest EMEA VR Zone Portal so far with several social media influencers in Marseille, France.
To officially mark the launch of the new location at the now fully operational Europacorp La Joliette, Marseille, leading French chain Pathé Gaumont Cinemas hosted a VIP evening showcasing the virtual reality experiences created by BANDAI NAMCO Amusement in its VR Zone Portal, the only example of its kind in the country.
A VR Zone Portal is the smaller of the two VR options BNAE offers, requiring 130sq.m of space and a minimum of three VR titles, whereas the larger VR Zone variant needs over 1,000sq.m and offers six different experiences.
Among the attending public were special guests and French social media influencers Oiseau Tyson and Bengous, as well as six-time Super Mario Kart world champion Florent “Neo” Lecoanet.
Despite eventually claiming first-place at least twice during the evening, e-sports athlete Lecoanet only managed third in his first attempt at Mario Kart VR. "It is extremely immersive; even more than I thought,” he said. “When flying in the hang-glider, we have wind that blows in our face, we must grab objects in the air and drive at the same time. It is different compared to the original game but it’s really great!"
The VR version of the hugely popular IP is designed to balance gameplay and keep things competitive, offering those lagging behind the chance to slow their opponents using the now classic Mario Kart weaponry of banana skins, green shells and hammers as Snapchat Star and Marseille personality Bengous discovered.
“It was intense,” he said, “I was first until the end and suddenly Princess Peach arrived, she had me, I finished second.”
“Sensors allow you to catch things and send them to others…the sensation is not the same as when you play on a console at home. It's crazy to put myself directly in the skin of a character. You're really in a kart with 360-degree vision and frankly, it's the best. I would want the same machine at home except that it would be a bit expensive!”
The benefits of location-based activities like those at VR Zone Portal that Bengous describes are the result of the investment BANDAI NAMCO Amusement has made into such technology, creating a full haptic experience that remains affordable for consumers.
Oiseau Tyson, another local Snapchat celebrity said of the experience, “It was fire, I never thought the virtual game would be so well done. I don’t know virtual games, I just discovered them here. I'm not too into games but honestly, I think I could become addicted!”
VR Zone Portal Marseille has opened to “record earnings” according to BNAE and offers four titles: Mario Kart VR, Hospital Escape Terror, Argyle Shift and The Big Fear of Heights Experience.
“The resounding success of the Pathé Gaumont Cinemas VR event demonstrates the keen and growing interest France has in virtual technologies and marks the beginning of our journey in the country,” said Matt Bradley, VR project manager for BNAE. “Expect the release of many more innovative experiences and VR Zone Portal openings in the future.”
Image: Florent Lecoanet, the six-time Super Mario Kart World Champion at BNAE’s event in Marseille
