VR World®, North America's largest immersive mixed reality experience center, today announces the grand opening of its new flagship location in the heart of Manhattan. The three-floor, 12,000 square-foot hotspot in Midtown Manhattan follows the massive success and international recognition of its first location, which opened in 2017, inviting urban explorers and traveling visitors to discover dozens of immersive art, music, film and gaming mixed reality activations, all under one roof.
In its flagship location, VR World aims to create the social entertainment experience of the future—a place where visitors are transported to another realm and socialize with friends and coworkers through specialty cocktails, interactive media installations, and mixed reality fun. Located at 8 E 34th Street, the venue showcases a wide range of experiences that transcend typical entertainment outings. VR World's visitors can team up to escape from Egyptian pyramid, survive the zombie apocalypse, explore the Orion Nebula, challenge friends on the racetrack, or create a digital masterpiece.
"Whether an art fan, a compassionate film goer, a gamer or just someone looking to have a good time, VR World sets you on a rollercoaster of emotions melding seemingly incompatible genres and subjects into one never-ending adventure," says Leo Tsimmer, CEO of VR World, "We are building the future of entertainment, humanizing technology in ways that bring us closer together in real time and space."
Designed by Mark Foster Gage of the award-winning MFGA Architects, the space features a 30-foot tall futuristic, abstract sculpture whose giant projection—created by design studio The Endless Co.—transforms the venue's center staircase into an ever-changing object of fractal landscapes, iridescent deep-sea fauna and melting ice blocks. This sculpture, aptly named Hypercube, comes with sophisticated software allowing digital artists to showcase their creations.
Beyond games and art, the space will feature a custom sinuous bar and lounge serving as a nightlife destination for the discerning 21+ crowd in search of new experiences augmented by cutting edge tech and craft cocktails. Also included will be regular nightlife programming, DJ sets, and club events. The main and basement club levels will be lined with popular VR content and activations, along with a full bar, while a mezzanine offers lounge seating for more intimate socializing over mixed reality film, art and interactive installations.
As a cornerstone of the company's vision, the flagship location is designed as a template for expansion to other major urban markets over the next year. Setting the tone as a pioneer in the mixed reality entertainment industry, VR World will continue its popular educational program for students and will be hosting industry panels that move beyond the routine conversations around VR to creative meetups and cultural events that bring together some of the most exciting voices across the NYC arts, tech and entertainment communities. VR World fills the gap between commercial VR headset use and its full range of creative capabilities.
VR World is located 8 E 34th Street. Admission for two-hours is $44 and an all-day pass $64, available on the website or at the door. To learn more, please visit vrworldnyc.com or follow us on social media at @vrworldnyc.
ABOUT VR WORLD®Founded in 2017, VR World is an entertainment technology company operating VR World NYC - America's largest mixed reality entertainment venue. Showcasing the best of AR/VR as a powerful storytelling and social medium, VR World pioneers a new way to engage with art, film and gaming in mixed reality. The company's experiential retail format merges culture with cutting edge tech, redefining location-based entertainment, where thousands of consumers play, drink, date and explore weekly.
