Here’s something to make you feel old: Pong, one of the earliest video games was released in November of 1972 by Atari. The incredibly simple table tennis game was basically nothing more than a few lines of varying length and a bouncing square. But it did make an impact. Atari got attention again just eight years later creating the very first virtual reality game. The vector game Battlezone featured a viewfinder where the player could imagine that they were playing in a tank. It too was pretty simple.
Since then, so much has changed. Today, there is a fairly new industry re-inventing the arcade parlor using the power of VR.
If you think that video games are just for kids, you will be surprised to learn about some of the newest entertainment venues in the country cater mostly to adults with group gaming. Add a restaurant and a bar, and you have your next night out all planned. Here are three new places that not only change perceived notions, but how we socialize as well.
Mirra
Mirra has been a passion project of Sam Wang’s for four years. His new concept venue is sort of a nightclub for gamers. It offers what he calls “tech-immersed social entertainment experiences”. Guests order drinks, play a few games, cheer each other on and then talk about the games over dinner.
Located in Bellevue, Washington, Mirra’s grand opening will be held on August 31, 2024. Wang has already had a few “test runs” and the response is pretty positive. It is the first of what he hopes to become the next big thing in entertainment.
“We’re bridging reality with fantasy at Mirra for players and spectators alike,” says Wang. “We want to bring Mirra to the Bellevue community to create a fun, social space where people of all ages can spend quality time with friends and family while enjoying exciting games and activities.”
Mirra is located on the third floor of Lincoln Square South across from Cinemark Reserve (itself a reimaging of the modern movie theater). The space is elegant and sleek, but not pretentious. The glowing neon signage located in the entrance reminds guests to “Lose Yourself”, basically giving permission to really get into the game.
The 10,708-square-foot space is surrounded with 8k LED displays video screens projecting tranquil images like a tropical forest, a sunset at the beach or a cool waterfall. It is designed to be family-friendly by day and adult-oriented by night. After creating their own avatars, groups of four or eight are then ushered to their own private bay along the game show floor. They will compete against three other teams playing four of six randomly selected games during the experience. Each game gets set up quickly and the games are super-easy to learn too.
The games include: Hyper Rhythm (where one moves their body to avoid oncoming obstacles), Jackpot In Pairs (a memory contest to find matching cards), Treasure Dash (a race through an ancient temple where one looks for treasure while avoiding a dragon), Laser Room (where one explores a mysterious laboratory without tripping a laser), Bubble Boom (a life-size bubble-popping game) and Hockey Smash (putting players on a giant air hockey table).
Each game takes about 10 minutes to play. Real-time game action is projected on a large screen for spectators to enjoy too.
For the restaurant, the food is inspired by street food found around the world. The bulk of the menu are “shareable” items such as Mediterranean lamb skewers, potstickers, crispy tofu bowl, Shakshuka flatbread pizza, birria quesadilla, buttermilk fried chicken sliders and hamburger sliders. The menu offers vegetarian, gluten free, nut/seed allergy and vegan friendly options.
In addition, the full bar offers hand-crafted cocktails such as cask-aged old-fashioned, fresh Thai basil gimlet, along with some creative cocktail/mocktail options.
F1 Arcade
Using an RFactor2 racing simulation platform created by Motorsport Games and led by Jon Gardner, the people of Boston are discovering F1 Arcade, the world’s first Formula One experiential hospitality brand. They are boasting of being Boston’s most unique bar. Having opened this past April, this is the company’s first U.S. location (the first two opened in London and Birmingham) but already the company is announcing a major U.S. expansion launching new venues in major cities across the country.
F1 Arcade uses full-motion racing simulators to present “all the excitement, drama, and glamor of Formula 1”. Here you can assemble your pit crew, grab a cocktail, and take the wheel of an F1 simulator. Racers, start your engines!
Guests are given the option of racing as a team (four or more people) or going head-to-head while “driving” around the world’s most iconic tracks. According to them, team racing is the most exhilarating way to experience the F1 Arcade. Guest can cheer on their fellow teammates while eating and drinking during the whole one-hour session.
For the head-to-head option, guest can race up to three other players to see who will win the top spot on the podium. These sessions run 30 minutes in length which include a briefing and three back-to-back races with quick breaks in-between.
Like Mirra, F1 Arcade also features a cocktail bar which includes an impressive list of vintage Champagne cocktails and internationally inspired classic cocktails such as the Slipstreamer (made with Reposado tequila, spiced hibiscus, lime, champagne and infused with gold dust) as well as wines and craft beers. For those designated drivers when your group hits the real road afterward, they have a variety of non-alcoholic cocktails too.
The second F1 Arcade location is poised to open in Washington D.C. within the Union Market District on October 13, 2024. Next year, the company plans to open a new location at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and Philadelphia followed by an additional 30 other locations to open throughout the country within the next five years.
Sandbox VR
While Sandbox VR doesn’t feature a restaurant or bar, the large chains has won Fast Company’s Most Innovative Award in 2024. Then again, they got a little head start. Steve Zhao came up the concept of Sandbox back in 2016 in Hong Kong. His team of six brought the idea to the states in 2018 with San Francisco becoming home to their first U.S. location. Today, there are over 50 Sandbox VR locations around the world. Some of the locations found in the U.S. include Seattle, Austin, Atlanta, Dallas and Las Vegas.
Zhao says that he was inspired by the Holodeck featured in many of the Star Trek TV series. (In fact, one of the games guests can play is based on Star Trek Discovery.) But while the current technology isn’t as advanced as we’ve seen on the TV screen, it’s pretty darn close. And probably scarier.
“It’s the closest thing to the “holodeck” that exists,” say Sandbox. “We combine motion capture with the latest in VR hardware to create the best VR experience on the planet. It’s very different from VR experiences you might have tried at home or at other places. That makes it a real challenge to explain. The only way to truly understand it is to try it for yourself.”
Like Mirra, Sandbox makes their own games/adventures with veterans of EA, Sony and Ubisoft. Imagine stepping out of the real world and entering in a fictional one that feels every bit as real. Their newest game is Squid Game Virtuals. Their other games include such titles as Seekers of the Shard, Deadwood Valley, Amber Sky 2088, UFL (Unbound Fighting League) and the family-friendly, Curse of Davy Jones.
Each experience takes about 30 minutes to play with up to five other friends. This is in addition to the 10 minutes of gearing up and a complete virtual tutorial and another 10 minutes to de-gear and relive your experience as a movie trailer including cinematic video highlights with your team as the stars.
They say that not everyone will grow up to become an astronaut, but with all of these new VR opportunities, imagine the possibilities!
Main Image: Mirra (Jeffrey Totey)
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