Chuck E. Cheese tests out Oculus game
Pizza arcade chain marks VR headset's first steps into location-based entertainment market
The Oculus Rift hasn't officially been released yet, but the VR headset is already receiving its first consumer-facing applications. Chuck E. Cheese has announced that it is using the Rift in a Virtual Ticket Blaster Experience, trying out the tech at birthday parties booked at 29 Dallas, San Diego, and Orlando locations over a span of six weeks.
The Virtual Ticket Blaster offers a VR twist on a familiar setup where a person stands in an enclosed booth as wind blows up a flurry of redemption tickets for them to desperately grab at for a set amount of time. Using the same booth and an Oculus Rift with 360-degree head tracking, players attempt to lineup crosshairs with virtual tickets in the booth. The system registers how many tickets were collected and players will be able to redeem them at the merchandise counter.
"Kids today have unprecedented access to game consoles and tablets," said CEC Entertainment president Roger Cardinale. "Our challenge is to deliver an experience not available at home, and there is no doubt virtual reality does just that. Oculus Rift technology is the next frontier in the gaming industry, and we're thrilled to be able to say it's part of the Chuck E. Cheese's lineup."