Everything you need to know About Virtual Reality Games for events
1 . Introduction
Our everyday realities, encumbered with routines, expectations, familiar pathways and thoroughly pre-planned vacays, can often seem limiting. Thus, there is an innate human inclination towards fantasies, towards the exploration of alternate realities, multiple existences, parallel universes, and so forth. In this endeavour, Virtual Reality is a mighty companion, a technological achievement that can help us transcend our physical existence, even if for a brief period, and knock at the door to a different world. Virtual Reality Games represent a fusion of cutting-edge technologies, creating immersive digital experiences. These games transport users into simulated environments with the help of VR headsets, controllers and other devices for a heightened sense of presence and involvement. The rapid evolution of VR games has been marked by incredible advancements in graphics, processing power, and immersive technologies. What was once a niche experience has now become far more accessible and democratized, thanks to the widespread availability of VR hardware and the sprouting of event technology suppliers providing rental services.2. Decoding Virtual Reality and event gamification
Virtual Reality has found elaborate usages across fields, assisting planning, visualizing and execution. VR hardware includes headsets through which users dive into the exploration of virtual worlds, while sophisticated software generates realistic simulations that engage multiple senses. The crux of VR lies in its ability to create visually rich and immersive environments that completely soak in its users attention. It is this attribute in particular that becomes the strength of designing event gamification strategies with the help of Virtual Reality, as the result is a powerful combatant of fleeting attention spans and stands out against a plethora of competing attractions for visitors’ interests in expansive events such as exhibitions and trade shows.
Gamification, irrespective of the official purpose of an occasion, helps make it more inviting and appealing for a diverse crowd. It injects and element of fun and contributes to making the overall atmosphere lively and conducive to interpersonal interaction and networking. By introducing interactive games for events as part of the experiential marketing methodology, you can boost the audience’s morale, turn mundane tasks into joyful, teambuilding activities, and create an enduring impression. Plugged with VR, such games provide an added element of novelty and thrill. Advances in graphics technology, coupled with the increased processing power of modern devices, have resulted in VR games with stunning visual fidelity. Additionally, immersive technologies such as haptic feedback and spatial audio enhance the sense of presence, making the experience immediate and more lifelike. More recent elements, such as the infusion of Artificial Intelligence into these games builds another layer of dynamism. AI algorithms can adapt gameplay based on user interactions, providing personalized experiences. This integration enhances the engagement factor and opens avenues for more sophisticated and refined simulations.
3. Useful applications of Virtual Reality Games
Embarking on a virtual journey that transcends reality, organizers utliizing VR are reshaping the landscape of entertainment, education, and beyond with this transformative force. Versatile and given to seamless adaptations for particular situations, these games have uses far ahead of mere play as passtime. From creating unparalleled experiences in events and exhibitions to inculcating awareness and practical knowledge safely, the applications of VR games are as diverse as they are impactful.- For corporate training: Be it at a dedicated corporate event such as Family Day or other annual company celebrations, or even as part of regular workspace culture, VR has become an important means of training and simulation. Employees are far more receptive to gamified environments, and can practice and hone their skills in safe and controlled spaces.
- In team building: Multiplayer VR setups allow team members to interact within a shared virtual space, fostering communication and teamwork. These collaborative experiences translate into strengthened bonds and improved collaborative efforts within the workplace. For brands, they help foster a community feeling among their audiences.
- For BTL marketing: Below the line marketing strategies have been making events bigger and better for years. BTL campaigns are designed to invoke a powerful brand presence. Brands are leveraging these games as a masterful tool for activations and marketing. Immersive brand experiences, virtual product demonstrations, and interactive storytelling through VR captivate audiences in ways traditional methods cannot. The memorable nature of these unique, personalized experiences contributes to stronger brand recall.
- Infotainment purposes: VR lends itself quite excellently to educational purposes, helping the audience visualize content and retain information better. By combining fun and learning, it also leverages the emotional involvement of the viewers. Attendees can delve into virtual exhibits, explore complex data visualizations, or participate in immersive presentations. VR brings a new dimension to knowledge transfer, making information more digestible and engaging.
4. How do VR Games impact events?
VR and motion gaming hold particular significance in the events landscape due to their capacity to elevate attendee experiences. Whether it’s a corporate gathering, a conference, or a brand activation, VR games offer a unique and interactive dimension that captivates and leaves a lasting memory of the day in participants’ minds. They primarily help:- Set the tone for the event: By gamifying segments of your event, you can restate the general ambiance of the occasion and make people feel more comfortable. VR Games function not as mere accessories to fill up breaks, but become the very medium of socializing and breaking the ice, lending warmth and cheer to the gathering.
- Focal booth attraction: A VR Booth arrangement sets apart your station from the get-go. While your products and services might be more explicitly marketed to a specific section of consumers, gamification helps diversify interest groups. It helps you expand your reach, particularly in highly competitive setups, and allows you to collect leads from varied sources.
- Redefine engagement: VR is a multisensory experience that serves to allow for imaginations to take flight. Participant interaction also provides valuable insights into audience preferences and in measuring the event’s overall success.
- Amplify social sharing: Creating an out-of-the-box virtual world experience elicits distinct responses, often manifested through social media posts. This garners more digital traction for the relevant event hashtags and greater visibility to the event and consequently, your brand, even long after the event’s been wrapped up.
- Memories of a lifetime: These games are tremendously enjoyable, and help contribute towards an overall positive event recall, ensuring that this impact lasts for long after.
- Lead generation: Virtual Reality makes for excellent use in lead generation games, helping in the automation of the process and allowing for audiences to be easily forthcoming with their details.
5. Popular VR Games for every occasion
You are likely familiar with VR Games of the Star Wars and Resident Evil franchises, which have been a rage globally. The sheer variety that this gaming market offers speaks of its incredible demand. Below, we have rounded up a list of super fun VR Games that can be rented out for corporate and social events, ranging from exhibitions to anniversaries:- Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes: An absolutely hilarious party game that is excellently suited for those working on a tighter budget, this one can be played with only a single headset. It is an impactful team building activity that calls for the active involvement of a bunch of attendees who have to help the player wearing the VR headset diffuse the bomb.
- VR Golf Simulator: Virtual Reality has brought many outdoor sports into much modest venues, such is its magic! Mini Golf is perhaps the most popular of these setups and is a relaxed gaming activity that can be enjoyed by anyone. It strikes the perfect balance by providing adequate gamified interaction, while staying off disrupting the overall flow of the event by becoming too noisy or haphazard. There are several other VR sport simulations you can rent at GoKapture, such as Cricket and Football.
- VR Escape Rooms: For those loving more intricate gameplays, solving puzzles and mysteries, an escape room is an ideal setup. Moreover, this can be played in teams and fosters collaboration to succeed in the mission. A virtual escape room can help you skip the hassle of designing an actual one, is logistically feasible, and can be accommodated into any kind of event space.
- The Playroom VR: This multiplayer arrangement offered by PlayStation is an incredible option for small gatherings such as birthday parties. You may stumble upon a mice-infested kitchen that needs some thorough cleaning up or a giant green monster on your quest. Like a physical playroom with several choices of games, this virtual arcade also allows upto five players to take their pick.
- VR Paintball: Reduce the risks of injury and a colossal mess, and double the amount of fun! Virtual paintball is a superb solution to cater to a sizeable crowd, as you can involve multiple players on each team, as the game permits. It provides a gripping experience, as the participants run, hide and shield themselves from attack, while engaging in offensives themselves.
- VR Roller Coaster: Avoid queasy stomachs and vertigo while binging in on the fun of a fantastical roller coaster ride with this virtual simulation of it. Cut out the risks, keep the thrill.
- VR Fruit Ninja: Easily one of the most popular Virtual Reality Games across all age groups, Fruit Ninja remains an undisputed king of entertainment. Set out for an adventure of stashing fruit and avoiding exploding bombs, and see where you land.
- Tabletop Simulator VR: A complete package of the most beloved card games and board games, this one is a solid investment to ensure that your entertainment for every guest is sorted. No elaborate rules to explain and with a fantastical UI, this one certainly takes the cake for variety experience with VR. You can play poker or chess, whatever the crowd demands!
- Panoptic: This is another stunningly absorbing game that will have your guests out of breath. It is also cost-effective, as only one person playing the giant Overseer needs to don the headset. The other participants in the game control miniature creatures called Challengers, who have to hide from the giant. This exciting VR hide & seek experience unites the crowd at the event to take home a memory of a lifetime with them.
- VR Boxing: Designed as either a single or two-player setup, VR Boxing never fails to garner tremendous applause. Complete with not only the boxing ring but also referees, live commentary and even a virtual audience to cheer and applaud, this entails an immersive experience that engages multiple senses.
6. Some tips to bear in mind when going the VR way
Event planners can leverage VR games to create branded environments that align with the theme of the event. Whether it’s a virtual trade show booth or a branded gaming zone, these custom VR spaces enhance the overall event experience and contribute to brand memorability. However, it is essential to keep in mind a few things when opting for this enhancement for your D-Day:- The game should be chosen keeping the audience in mind so that not a lot of time is wasted in a repetitive exercise of explaining the rules and playing instructions. Opt for ones with an intuitive gameplay, and instruct batches of participants at once to brief them with the guide.
- Arrange for experts to man the virtual reality booth who are not only technologically skilled, but are also able to aptly communicate the rules of the game to the players, and perceive situations where they might get stuck. The point of VR rentals is to guarantee seamless enjoyment, and not to frustrate the participants with internal complexities.
- Whenever you decide to opt for interactive games to procure interest and engagement, ensure that wins and losses aren’t all the activity entails. While rankings and prize distributions are surely a strong motivation, they can only be so many. Focus on providing an unmatched experience that connects people and gives them memories to cherish.
- Play time of the game should be proportional to the number of attendees at the event. Escape rooms may take upto an hour to finish the challenge, and thus, might not be suitable for most corporate events. Single-player booths must not exceed a few minutes, while multi-player setups should last long enough to adequately invigorate the onlookers.
- Provided the organizer budget allows, opt for multiplayer setups to create a lively and cheerful ambiance and encourage word-of-mouth marketing as visitors would be motivated to share in the experience with their friends. Playing on different sides, a competitive spirit serves to only spur people further and fuels the excitement. In team-playing games, you can encourage collaboration and inculcate a sense of community, as in a workspace.
- A dedicated game zone may also be created by renting out several one-on-one engagement games to prioritize storytelling and a personalized experience for each participant.
- At larger events, such as fests and exhibitions with diverse groups of attendees, make sure that your choice of VR Game is age-appropriate. Avoid games that are too chaotic or violent, and opt for more family-friendly options such as Fruit Ninja.