Bandai Namco To Open Pop-Up VR Arcade In Japan To Collect Consumer Data

TOKYO -- Bandai Namco Entertainment reportedly will open what seems to be a pop-up virtual reality arcade in Japan. Called VR Zone: Project i Can, the facility will be located Tokyo Plaza in Diver City, Odaiba Island, and operate from April 15 to mid-October.

According to information provided, the 5,870-sq.ft. entertainment center, which will host players by appointment only, will function as a VR research center providing Bandai Namco feedback from users to pursue future efforts in virtual reality.

The company has released the names of six virtual reality games featured in the facility. They are:

Fear of Heights Show -- Players walk a plank high above ground to rescue a cat
Ski Rodeo -- A fast-paced ski-themed adventure
Real Drive -- A sports car-themed driving experience
Escape Ward Omega -- A horror-based virtual reality game set in an abandoned hospital
Train Master -- Players play conductor on a realistic railroad
Argyle Shift -- Players control a giant robot to do battle

Whether the extended pop-up research center will become a model for future VR arcades remains to be seen, but it does represent an ambitious move into the emerging entertainment technology.