UAEs Family Entertainment Zones Need Time For VR

The definition of entertainment, leisure and amusement is changing or has changed drastically from what it used to be. The element of transformation seen in family entertainment zones within malls and at mega theme parks is beyond imagination.

Soon theme park enthusiasts, strapped with VR (virtual reality) paraphernalia, will enter worlds that were literally impossible to recreate. Why is this transformation happening, and how will it impact family entertainment zones?

As the world moves towards eCommerce marketplaces, footfalls within malls are likely to recede unless there is a huge sales push or bargains. There is a serious need for highly creative entertainment hubs to attract regular visits and therefore increase footfalls within the wider retail developments.

This is as important as the food courts, casual dining concepts and cinemas, all worthy service anchors. Everyone is looking at avenues away from their smartphones — at least for an hour or two — and search for interesting concepts.

As it stands, the future of FEC’s in the UAE looks promising. There are many mall projects and existing ones are undergoing complete makeovers. The New-Age malls are shaping up to be social and leisure hubs rather than just mere shopping destinations.

The worry then would be the future of existing FECs. They need to evolve with the changing habits of the demographic and evolve as socially engaging entertainment destinations. As customers shift towards a newer FECs, the ones that don’t evolve will perish. This will not impact only the FECs but also the retail destination.

The millennials and Gen Z are constantly looking for newer forms of engagement ... ideas that work today go out of fashion in no time, unless they are continually evolving and involve multi-player challenges. So, the need to evolve and engage the present-day player with the right content is paramount. If not, your customer is looking for pastures elsewhere.

Manufacturers and operators will have to make a strong case for players to indulge in out-of-home entertainment offerings.

VR and associated concepts of augmented reality have gone beyond just the headset. With the utilisation of haptic feedback suits and laser aiming controllers, improved tracking and themed interactive ambience in the middle of a physical location, a user can have a fully immersive experience.

VR has been widely spoken about as the next big thing. Dubai now has a full-fledged VR park and we will surely see several VR attractions within FECs. These concepts will bring in another level of family engagement.

Technology can create virtually anything within the gaming world and transport your mind to a new reality. We are also in the midst of unveiling the industry’s first operator-free VR attraction at the Dubai Entertainment Amusement and Leisure show 2018.

However, VR is not yet ready to be deployed as mainstream into FEC and location based entertainment (LBE) markets. The technology is evolving. While software and content is improving, not all VR attractions cater to the operational requirements of the LBE and FEC markets.

Operators too are cautious on investing in VR technologies just yet as costs are high and technology change is rampant. It is just not the technology they are after.

Operational costs, staffing attraction capacity, and ability to engage multiple players for head-to-head competitive gaming are factors that need to be addressed before VR becomes mainstream. Whilst some technologies are terrific with the right frame rates and resolution, others are basic, nauseous and simply not ready to be deployed.

On the other hand, we have seen much more increased engagement and immersion in traditional arcade games/attractions and with social interaction too. These traditional units continue to dictate real estate space within any leisure concept.

VR definitely has made an impact on the minds of the consumers and could grow up to be a $45 billion market globally in the next five to seven years. However, we think arcade games and simulators will still remain the main draw for some more years in our markets.

— The writer is Managing Director at Amusement Services International.