The ultimate virtual reality experience is coming to Leeds next month.
The multiplayer Hyper Reality Experience is being launched by Leeds-based Tick Tock Unlock, which has six sites in four cities.
It matches physical spaces to the VR environment plus multisensory effects to heighten the sense of immersion.
“Our Hyper Reality Experience centres will provide a new form of entertainment that is part video game, part virtual reality, part real-world, part theatrical production,” said Ali Khan, the former J.P. Morgan executive who developed the technology.
“This will be the first real taste of virtual reality for the British public in a gaming, live action environment and I am confident that Hyper Reality Experience will prove to be a leader and pioneer in virtual reality entertainment.
“Participants have to interact with objects which, in the real world are dummy props, but when viewing through VR headsets become, say, an elevator door, a laser gun or a fuel cell. Players might feel the heat from a virtual fire or the draft from a mineshaft so that it will be difficult to distinguish reality from virtual reality.
“Just like our successful Tick Tock Unlock sites, the games within our Hyper Reality Experience centres are designed for groups of friends, work colleagues and family members.
“We are hugely excited that our first UK centre will launch in Trinity Leeds next month, in the city where our company is headquartered and where we have enjoyed a huge amount of success with live action games.”
Andrew Cooper, chairman of Leeds International Festival and chief executive of LeedsBID, said: “We are delighted that Tick Tock Unlock’s new Hyper Reality Experience centre is launching on the first day of the Leeds International Festival, showcasing the city’s strength in leading the way in tech development.
“As a first for the UK, this will be an exciting and innovative attraction which LeedsBID is supporting by helping promote to local and national audiences as part of the city centre’s diverse entertainment offer.”