“I didn’t think it would feel this real.” I hear this sentence from first-time visitors almost daily. It usually comes right after the first round, when the headset comes off and the smile remains.
What still surprises me after eight years: we’ve had full-body VR with 4D effects since the start. Yet every week people stand in the arena for the first time and are thrilled by their first experience. The technology has matured since our launch in 2018. The effect the first time has stayed the same.
From the Couch to the Arena
Classic gaming means controller in hand and screen in front of your face. Virtual reality in Basel works differently. The whole team moves freely (depending on the game) across 100 or 200 square meters. No cables, no fixed spot. If you duck, you really duck. If you run, you run.
Add to that 4D effects: wind, heat, and scent. The brain perceives the virtual world as real. That’s exactly where the difference lies between a game on the screen and a VR experience in Basel.
“Did we actually ride an elevator? That felt so real!” is a sentence our team hears often. “Yes, you did!” we say with a smile on our faces.
For Beginners and Advanced Players
First-time visitors start well with Diamond Skull. An adventure the group solves together, no prior knowledge needed. Those who want more take High Voltage. A VR escape room in Basel centered around Nikola Tesla that requires brains and teamwork.
The Genzone VR play area is more relaxed. Agility games like Lava Floor, Zombie Shooter, and Laser Tag for everyone who just wants to let loose.
Central at Basel SBB Station
A point first-time visitors mention again and again: the location. The gaming center Basel is located directly at Basel SBB station. Get off and stand in the virtual world within minutes, right in the city center.
Whether with friends, as a family, or as a team: virtual reality in Basel is not a game for home. It’s an experience you share.
Curious how that feels?
https://fusionarena.ch/basel/
About the Author
Ronny Tobler is co-founder and CEO of Fusion Arena, Switzerland’s largest VR entertainment provider with locations in Zurich, Bern, St. Gallen, and Basel. Previously, he worked at Microsoft for 16 years. His company Pandally Solutions is a full-service IT provider for SMEs, and as Co-CEO of Refense, he develops virtual reality training solutions for police and military. He has facilitated hundreds of team events and writes here about what he has observed.
