Organisers for the London London Future of Immersive Leisure (FOIL) have confirmed a bumper speaker line-up for the 2018 edition of the show, comprising executives of leading Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality companies, including several already engaged in the operation of attractions featuring VR.
Predicting a highly informative event, FOIL Organiser Kevin Williams of KWP explains: “We’ve designed a well-rounded agenda aimed at de-mystifying VR and AR for the uninitiated, but also with content to engage the experienced practitioner.
“VR and AR are appealing to an increasingly sophisticated and demanding out-of-home leisure audience and FOIL’s timing is perfect for ACOS attendees wishing to gain an insight into this exciting and dynamic market, as well as other professionals from the wider international leisure sector,” explained Kevin.
FOIL will take place at the iconic Olympia London on Thursday 4th October, alongside the Autumn Coin-Op Show. The show is specifically targeted at leisure operators, and is aimed at facilitating an understanding of the business opportunities for immersive technologies and also its constraints.
Three key areas will be addressed at FOIL 2018:
Trends in location-based VR and AR
Kevin Williams of KWP and Inowize’s Razvan Vornicu will provide an overview of key trends and segments in location-based VR, including the rise of arena-scale VR, and the technology’s appearance in leisure facilities such as bowling and trampoline parks. Also addressed will be the emergence of hybrid entertainment centres, integrating VR with other attractions such as laser tag and escape games. Razvan Vornicu will also review trends in content in VR/AR arcades and location-based entertainment.
New directions in VR and AR Arcades and location-based entertainment centres
This extended session has four main parts and will provide the audience with an overview of where the industry is currently profitably leveraging immersive technologies, along with some exciting glimpses into the not-too-distant future:
- Leveraging New Synergies Between VR and Escape Games
Ali Khan, founder of Tick Tock Unlock, DNA VR’s Alexander Tsyurupa and Jean-Luc Gignoux of Virtual Room will explore the opportunity for the new breed of hybrid escape games employing VR. The session will examine operating strategies for exploiting this phenomenon.
- Laser Tag and VR – The Next Big Smash in Hybrid Entertainment Centres?
Once considered as at opposite ends of the location-based entertainment spectrum, laser tag and VR games have greater synergies than might be imagined at first glance. Speaker Colin Parnell of Laser VR and Kevin Williams will examine the best ways to integrate these forms in hybrid entertainment centres.
- Hybrid Drone / Augmented Reality Games – Ready for Take-off?
A forward looking presentation by Drone Interactive CEO Vincent Rigau, highlighting the implications and potential for immersive drone games and attractions marrying drones and augmented reality
- Exploiting The Social Factor in VR/AR Arcades and Leisure Based Entertainment
A new breed of VR arcades, lounges and entertainment centres are emphasising the social factor in their facilities through the use of multiplayer games, competitions and tournaments. Oli Lane of The VR Concept and The Dream Corporation’s Chris Adams will explore the most promising opportunities for social VR in arcades, lounges, pubs and other leisure facilities.
Next generation VR/AR Rides and attractions
Simon Reveley of Figment Productions, Frontgrid’s Matt Wells, Martin Higginson of Immotion and a representative from VR Coaster will lead a session assessing the rapidly changing landscape for VR/AR rides and attractions in parks and other leisure facilities. In particular they will focus on opportunities arising from expanded content, platforms and business models.
Thanks to the exciting developments in VR and AR technologies, today’s operator can secure their share of the highly elusive and competitive out-of-home leisure spend.