It sounds like the plot of a movie you might have seen recently: You’ve traveled more than 11 light years aboard a spaceship. After entering cryogenic sleep for more than two centuries, you’re awakened to views of the cosmos and the final approach to a new world.
This is just the beginning of your adventure at AREA15’s new virtual-reality experience, Interstellar Arc. The custom-built venue that spans more than 20,000 square feet comes from the imagination and innovative work of Felix & Paul Studios, immersive entertainment pioneers that have collaborated with Cirque du Soleil, Jurassic World and Space Explorers: The ISS Experience.
“Exploration drives humanity forward,” Félix Lajeunesse, co-founder and chief creative officer of Felix & Paul Studios, said in a release. “Interstellar Arc imagines how intergenerational collaboration, and advancements in science and technology, will propel our future among the stars. Humanity is a young species in a young universe, and our journey into the cosmos is just beginning, creating an opportunity for us to imagine what that future will look like. Early participants have praised Interstellar Arc for its emotional depth, cinematic atmosphere, and shared sense of connection, while others highlighted its awe-inspiring scale and magnitude.”
You first step foot inside the HEXO Spaceport One and get a tutorial of how your VR headset works. Once the set is turned on, visuals and audio kick in, and you’re transported to a virtual world that feels so real you’ll need to get your bearings for a minute or two.
Next, you’ll take a seat on the tram and get whisked away to the spaceship, where your journey to the new world begins. After stepping off the ship, the world is then yours to explore, with furry little guides to help you along the way. Every step reveals the new human experience and new landscapes. Reach out and touch floating lanterns, stars, clouds and trees, or look above, below and to your sides and catch glimpses of the vast world around you.
“Interstellar Arc is the next evolution of entertainment,” said Lajeunesse. “You’re not passively watching the story of space travel, you’re actively experiencing it with all of your senses. Some of our early participants have described the experience as ‘visually beautiful and surreal.’ One even described the moment of waking from cryosleep as ‘a shockingly real and immersive experience,’ which is exactly the kind of emotional realism we set out to achieve.”
AREA15, 725.567.6700. area15.com
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