Inverness gets new virtual reality gaming experience at Inshes
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A NEW virtual reality arcade has opened in Inverness offering gamers the chance to take a pot shot at pirates, aliens, zombies and more in a fully immersive experience.
Inverness VR (virtual reality) Experiences in Inshes opened earlier this year.
It is run by John Watts (43) who has invested thousands of pounds in cutting- edge technology.
It includes guns which recoil when shot and haptic suits that make the user feel if they have been hit or touched.
Also on offer at the development is omnidirectional treadmills and virtual reality escape rooms – something unique to his business in the Highlands.
Mr Watts said: “I wouldn’t describe myself as a big gamer. More interested in technology.
“I grew up with movies like The Lawnmower Man and stuff like that.
“The idea of VR back then was science fiction – a childhood dream.
“So being able to do it and actually share experiences like that is a lot of fun.
“The idea was to bring something to the Highlands that no one has ever done before.”
Mr Watts said he originally planned to open in May 2020 with a full-scale arcade.
But that plan, like many other start-ups, was scuppered by the pandemic.
He said: “Thankfully by that point I had all the equipment.
“My feeling is that if you’re going to do something like this you’ve got to make it way better than anything else out there.
“My background is in sales and marketing.
“But you get to a certain point and think ‘life’s too short’ and if you can spend your time doing something you love it’s a much better way of life.”
Mr Watts has secured a deal with game developer Ubisoft to licence a number of escape games that are usually only found in theme parks.
These involve partners or teams working together to find a way out of different scenarios.
He said: “I am the only place north of Glasgow that has these.
“They are absolutely stunning. It’s just a next level VR experience.
“You play in groups of two or four and everything you do, you have to do together. It’s all about you working as a team.
“They are just brilliant.
“I’ve been into VR since it’s inception and I was blown away.”
Inverness VR Experiences is open seven days a week.
