Virtual Reality Impresses at VR World in NYC by Robin Gorman Newman


My son, 15, is a lover of everything virtual reality, so we couldn’t resist a visit to VR World in NYC during his recent school break, and we were joined by another mom and her excited virtual reality fan son.

In a word….this place rocks!  Not only for the kids who had a blast and were entertained for hours — around 6 hours (not kidding) — but my friend and I had an opportunity to relax, when we weren’t partaking in a VR experience ourselves.

This venue is a great destination for kids and adults.  There is a bar and tables/chairs where you may eat/drink (which takes on an evening entertainment lounge vibe), plus cushy chairs, and a wide variety of VR stations (over 50)  to choose from.  The friendly staff was very helpful and highly attentive to participants, as some experiences were more challenging than others.  At present, VR World occupies three levels, but I was told they will be moving to a larger space.  And, I can see why that might be a good option, as there was a steady stream of participants during our time there, and it wasn’t even a weekend, so I can only imagine the crowds then.

Since they opened their doors in June 2017, they have now reached 1 million VR experiences played by visitors, but who’s counting?!

According to the latest Future Source Consulting VR Tracker Report, consumers are expected to spend $299 million on location-based VR entertainment in 2018 alone. The industry will be generating $809 million in worldwide revenue by 2022.

VR World’s constantly growing library from the most popular publishers and newest innovators in VR includes experiences from Survios, Vertigo, and Google, films from studios including MK2 and Baobab, and unique simulators from Moveo, D-Box, and Icaros.   They are redefining entertainment through merging culture and cutting edge technology, turning the best of virtual and augmented reality into an immersive recreation delivering lasting memories.

A trip to VR World, 4 East 34th Street, open 7 days/week, will no doubt be memorable, and score points with your kids.  If they (and/or you) love virtual reality or are curious about it, this is an absolute must do in NYC.

And, VR World proudly offers a S.T.E.A.M. program…Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Art Literacy, in an effort to support traditional STEM methods. Students learn immersively about disciplines including natural history, astronomy, math, physics, art and design. VR World, a NYC Department of Education Approved Vendor, offers programs that appeal to students from grade school through college, and custom designed lectures/curated content is offered in partnership with leading engineers, educators and gamers.  Students are engaged through interaction rather than traditional passive learning.  The S.T.E.A.M. programs hits the NY State Education Standards in all S.T.E.A.M. categories. Group visits may be arranged, and they host corporate events, private parties and birthday celebrations.

Visit www.vrworldnyc.com.

 

 

Note: Our visit was hosted by VR World, but our opinions are our own.