Congrats, you made it to the end of the countdown. Thanks for staying with me. If you see me at the show, don’t forget to grab me for an ussie!

The OG of Unattended VR is Back!

A decade ago, Ubisoft and D-BOX unveiled a new concept at IAAPA. A virtual reality coaster based on their whimsical Raving Rabbids franchise. It was a crude reference design, but it pointed towards something coming: small, affordable motion-simulation rides for FECs and Arcades. 

In 2017, LAI Games unveiled Virtual Rabbids: The Big Ride. I watched people experience it for several hours. But this photo captures the moment I knew it was going to be a huge hit. 

In the ride on the right sat two kids, maybe 10 or 12 years old. On the left is an older couple with silver hair. Both were smiling and laughing, clearly having a blast. This was going to change everything. 

Over the ensuing years, companies jumped on the bandwagon, introducing their own versions with incremental changes like hand-tracking to simulate interaction, better graphics, higher-end headsets… all the usual stuff. At each turn, LAI was there to provide upgrades and updates to keep their installed base current and earning. Rabbids became a platform that has earned for almost a decade, with no end in sight. 

In the last couple of years, we witnessed the predictable turn to rail mission turret shooters, essentially taking a transformational immersive technology back to the 1990s arcade game model. 

As much as I loved Godzilla as an experience, the gameplay reminded me of 1993’s Jurassic Park game from SEGA. And the fact that Raw Thrills is releasing Godzilla this year without VR tells you everything you need to know. VR was really just a gimmick. Sure, it generated great earnings, and the immersion as you’re flying around felt REAL.  But it didn’t move the art forward. Sorry, no VR Bobble for you. 

All that is about to change, because the OG of this genre is back with an entirely new take. And I am so excited. 

Ubisoft All-Stars introduces several NEW dynamics that will show the industry, once again, what is possible. 

1. Real Agency and Control: They’ve invented an adaptive haptic controller for driving and steering that is incredibly intuitive. It offers players a real sense of control and agency, something lacking in the last generation. When you need to drive, it locks into steering mode; when you need to shoot, it becomes a turret. And when it locks into place, when you need to hold on for dear life. 

2. Social Gameplay: Unlike the current generation, players see each other’s avatars in the game. And when you run into them, you both feel the impact. It leverages the power of telepresence that so many VR games lack. Players play together, and in an era where everyone talks about competitive socializing, Ubisoft All-Stars delivers in spades.

Those elements are now broadcast onto a 17-foot mega LED wall (in 4-player configuration) for everyone to see. One of the biggest challenges of VR is turning spectators into players, and Ubisoft All-Stars delivers a true spectacle that players won’t be able to ignore. 

Make sure to check out Ubisoft All-Stars from LAI Games at booths 231 and 431. And will LAI Games become the first company to receive TWO VR Bobbles? Only time will tell.