Unis Ultra Moto VR and the Reimagined Arcade
Constraint drives innovation. A recent Harvard Business Review story covers 145 empirical studies that show individuals, teams, and organizations all benefit from constraints. The current pandemic has constrained more aspects of our businesses and lives than we can count. But it’s also leading to an unprecedented spike in innovation across manufacturers, suppliers, and operators.
One of the companies that have taken the opportunity of COVID (yes, I called it an opportunity) is UNIS. They’re reimagining the arcade game. They started with VR when they launched their Ultra Moto VR arcade game at IAAPA a year ago at IAAPA in Orlando. It was one of the games that generated real buzz on the floor.
Recognizing that not every operator was sold on VR yet, and that some consumers might find it uncomfortable playing a high-speed racing game in a headset, they created a product where VR was optional for the player. Riders could don the headset for a fully immersive experience or use the large LCD screen to play in a more traditional way.
Leaning into a curve on Ultra Moto VR and looking over your shoulder to see where the other racers are is the perfect use case for virtual reality in an arcade game. It was priced right, and within a few months after the show, I was hearing it was earning really well.
Now UNIS is reimaging the entire arcade. They have a new concept called Elite Park, which combines mobile technology and arcade games into a cost-effective turnkey arcade concept. Part of that reimagining is implementing more physical motion into games. One of the great things about virtual reality is the player becomes the controller, where full-body movement makes the experience not only more immersive, but healthier.
UNIS is stepping into the burgeoning “exergaming” market, combining physical movement with arcade gamification. Exergaming is not right for every location, but if you’ve got trampolines, a ninja course, rock walls, zip lines, laser tag or other games that involve physical skills, it’s something to consider.
About half of trampoline parks operate arcade games. When I surveyed owners, most seem to recognize that traditional arcade and redemption games can undermine the brand pillars of a trampoline park. (For more info read this on picking the right VR attraction for your location.). When parents decide to take their kids to a trampoline or adventure park, they’re expecting healthy, active entertainment. The forthcoming product line from UNIS fits this expectation perfectly, in a cost-effective package.
The products haven’t been released yet so I have yet to play them. But I am excited about the concept and love the fact we are seeing factories push the envelope so operators can step into new markets to create new revenue streams. UNIS is offering a sneak peek during a virtual product showcase next week.
Check out the Unis virtual product showcase. You can register for free at this link.
UNIS is also sponsoring the FREE ShowUp Virtual Orlando Social Crawl during the week IAAPA would have been held in Orlando. It’s an opportunity for us to come together and talk, laugh, drink, play, and reconnect after a bitch of a year.
ShowUp is also hosting a new social convention and trade show on February 1-3, 2021. ShowUp is bringing together hundreds of FEC, entertainment industry, and technology experts for you to meet with to gain insights into how to move our industry forward. ShowUp creates the space for conversation and small group meetings so you can collaborate with other operators to find solutions to our industry’s most pressing issues. Get more info and register at www.showup.events.