'Star Trek: Discovery' VR Experience Coming To Select Cities This Fall
Sandbox VR, a company that offers full body virtual reality experiences, has announced that it will be launching a Star Trek Discovery VR experience this fall called Star Trek: Discovery – Away Mission. Similar to what we've seen from companies like The Void, Sandbox VR is blending virtual reality technology with tactile physicality, immersing participants in a way that goes beyond simply donning a headset and operating a hand-held controller. Check out the trailer for the new Star Trek Discovery VR experience below.
Star Trek: Discovery – Away Mission Trailer
I'd never heard of Sandbox VR until right now, but the San Francisco-based start-up partnered with CBS Interactive to bring this experience to life. Here's the description from the official website:
Built in partnership with CBS Interactive, Star Trek: Discovery Away Mission fully immerses you in the world of Star Trek like never before. You and your friends will join the crew aboard the U.S.S. Discovery. In your role as Starfleet officers, you'll have the chance to stand on a transporter pad with your own two feet and get beamed to your Away Mission. Guiding you on your mission is Starfleet officer Sylvia Tilly (voiced by Mary Wiseman). As an Away Team, you will investigate a mysterious distress signal originating from an unexplored alien world. Using iconic Starfleet equipment like the phaser and tricorder, it is up to your crew to work together to solve the mystery and survive the perils along the way. Coming soon to a Sandbox VR location near you!
Another reason why I've never heard of this company? Currently, the only Sandbox VR location in the entire United States is in San Francisco. But the official site claims that locations in L.A., New York, San Diego, Austin, Chicago, and Dallas are "coming soon." There are also locations already in place in Hong Kong, Jakarta, Singapore, and Macau. And while The Void has built its brand identity by placing physical objects in a large space for players to interact with, Sandbox VR experiences have thus far taken place in a smaller, mostly empty, single-room volume with the trade-off of players being able to see themselves in full motion capture (and give each other high fives if they want).
But according to Variety, this experience won't be just a typical shoot-'em-up: in true Star Trek fashion, the game will "focus more on collective problem solving" while also including some combat scenarios. The experience lasts around 30 minutes (the website says it costs $48 per person in San Fran), and up to six friends can play at once – assuming, of course, that you and your friends can actually find a Sandbox VR location near you.