At the International Consumer VR Exhibition and Conference at the Vancouver Convention Centre on May 14, VRstudios will debut the first of several out-of-home multiplayer virtual reality games. Barking Irons is a multiplayer Western shooter that features wireless head-mounted displays that don’t rely on mobile phones or backpacks.

This game is one of several in development at VRcade, the gaming and entertainment division of Bellevue, Washington-based VRstudios. During the last month, VRstudios has signed worldwide agreements for its VR gaming technology with amusement theme park and arcade companies Meraas’ Hub Zero in Dubai, Simuline of Korea, and Denmark’s Smartlaunch.

Mary Jesse, chief strategy officer at VRstudios, will be speaking at the Consumer VR Show about “VR Family Fun and Entertainment.” She talks about what untethered gaming means for the entire virtual reality experience in this exclusive interview.

What role will the Consumer VR Show play for your company?

The International Consumer VR Conference and Expo will offer the public an opportunity to be educated on VR and also try systems like Oculus, Samsung Gear VR, HTC Vive, and VRcade.

VRstudios is a featured platform on the exhibit floor. We will have two full-motion multiplayer capture spaces operating. The CVR show is the first time players will have a chance to experience the new wireless and multiplayer capabilities offered only by VRstudios.

Can you talk about your VRcade technology for destination gaming?

Our VR technology does not require portable laptops. We have the only “true wireless” multiplayer system. In addition, the VRstudios system is based on a flexible, dynamic content model. No physical construction is required. The portable system can be set up in under an hour and content can be changed on a customer-by-customer basis if desired.

How big of an area can players navigate in the real world for this game, and how many players can join at once?

Barking Irons is designed for physical spaces up to 30ft x 30ft with two users moving across the entire area. Multiple spaces can be linked together (up to four capture volumes) for a max of eight players in the game together competing for the high score.

What kinds of environments, avatars and weapons will be available?

Players start in the desert outside of town, where they can test out their gun on destructible targets like bottles, barrels, and lanterns. Players see each other as cool, futuristic robot avatars and are equipped with a Western revolver with a sci-fi twist. When ready, the current sheriff of the town introduces the rules and loads the players into the center of a Wild West town. There are several variations of animatronic bandits that spawn throughout town and start shooting at the players. The player who is able to dodge incoming bullets and shoot the most bandits will be crowned the new sheriff.

What game engine technology are you using and how has that helped development?

We have a Unity SDK and Unreal SDK. We strongly believe in adhering to open and standard interfaces whenever possible to allow the VR and AR ecosystems to grow and thrive, yielding the best products and services for the end customers.

What separates this level of VR from what we’re seeing on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive today?

True immersion can only occur if you are free to move around in full-motion, potentially over very large areas. And full-motion over large spaces is only possible with an untethered system. Without full-motion, there will always be a conflict between your sense of motion and what your eyes are telling you.

There is also a strong social element with out-of-home VR. Barking Irons is the first example of a dual player experience where people can cooperate or compete instead of just going solo. The emphasis on multiplayer and throughput is one of the key features driving interest in our systems and our sales worldwide. Cultures outside the U.S. are particularly oriented toward a group experience.

We think Oculus, Vive and other VR/AR consumer products are great products, just aimed at a completely different market.

What role do you see these types of VR experiences playing at theme parks and other venues in the U.S.?

We are experiencing enormous demand and inbound requests for engagements from all over the globe. We will not only see increasing numbers of VR and immersive attractions in entertainment destinations, but we believe we are entering a new era of  “Arcade 2.0.”

How are Meraas’ Hub Zero in Dubai, Simuline of Korea, and Denmark’s Smartlaunch going to use this game?

We will offer Barking Irons (among many others under development) and releasing new titles on an ongoing basis to all of our customers worldwide to offer to their customers.

What’s the rollout plan for this game, and will U.S. gamers be able to play?

We have several likely venues in the U.S. and would expect people to be able to play this game in the second half of 2016 at multiple U.S. locations.

Does your technology allow for a location to seamlessly swap out Barking Irons for the next new game?

VRstudios solution allows for a one-button, effectively instantaneous, selection of games and experiences and a full-service offering for all our location-based, arcade, and family entertainment center customers.

The Void just announced a Ghostbusters VR game experience. Is Hollywood licensed content something you’re exploring with VRstudios?

We are in discussions with several major IP holders including studios, consumer brands, and AAA studios. VRstudios offers a fast-growing new distribution channel for content and a great opportunity to build brand equity and attract new customers for new and existing IP holders.

The old-fashioned arcades went out of business when the home consoles caught up. How do you see VR entertainment for out-of-home evolving to stay ahead of the home VR product?

VR for out-of-home will be most of the first exposure to VR gaming and entertainment. We see out-of-home as being uniquely social and able to provide experiences not available at home. We also see out-of-home as a powerful partner to in-home gaming VR and AR experiences.

How big a business do you see this out-of-home VR industry becoming?

VRstudios believes the out-of-home VR market has huge growth potential. New and existing amusement park and arcade companies are looking to VR, and VRstudios, to provide innovative new attractions and continue to grow an already healthy industry.

The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) reports that global theme park spending currently exceeds $40 billion per year. There are 6,287 Family Entertainment Centers (FECs) in the U.S. alone, generating more than $2 billion per year according to IBISWorld.

In addition to our focus on entertainment, VRstudios is providing business solutions to commercial enterprise customers worldwide, such as construction, architecture, engineering, and aerospace.