Podcast Intro

In 2017, IMAX tried to bring virtual reality to theaters, and failed. But the story didn’t end there.

In this episode, Bob Cooney explores what went wrong with IMAX VR, why its brand extension never made sense, and how a new generation of large-scale, story-driven VR experiences is succeeding where IMAX stumbled. From Horizon of Khufu and Titanic to the upcoming Black Mirror immersive experience, Bob connects the dots between IMAX’s documentary roots and today’s free-roam VR storytelling boom.

He also breaks down the numbers, the business models, and the opportunity for movie theaters sitting on underperforming auditoriums to transform them into profitable immersive venues.

Show Notes (for podcast platforms)

Topics Covered:

• How IMAX VR began and why it failed to align with IMAX’s core storytelling brand.

• The historical evolution of IMAX: from museum documentaries to blockbuster format.

• Why early VR gaming arcades couldn’t make money (low throughput, high labor, poor fit).

• The rise of “large-scale free-roam storytelling VR” , and why it works.

• Case studies:

  • Horizon of Khufu (Excurio) - the $25M immersive expedition that proved the model.

  • Univrse + Banijay’s upcoming Black Mirror VR - mainstream storytelling in LBE.

  • Wevr, Small Creative, and others bridging art, education, and entertainment.

• How 2,500 sq ft theaters can host 50+ guests profitably.

• The movie theater opportunity: converting 5,000 underperforming auditoriums into VR experiences.

• Real-world examples:

  • Sphere’s $15M pre-sales for Wizard of Oz.

  • Cosm’s immersive screenings of The Matrix and Willy Wonka.

  • IMAX generating 20% of opening-weekend box office on just 1% of global screens.

• Why collaboration among VR studios is essential, and how LEXRA aims to unite them.

Key Takeaway:
The future of immersive entertainment lies between cinema and gaming. Story-driven, free-roam VR - what Bob calls “walk-through theaters” - can do for this decade what IMAX did for the 2000s: redefine how audiences experience stories.

Connect & Continue the Conversation:

• Join the discussion at ⁠LEXRA⁠

• • Check out the latest in LBE VR/XR at ⁠the VR Collective⁠
  • Get news about the newest innovations and products straight to your inbox via the ⁠INSIDE VR newsletter⁠
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In this episode, Bob Cooney dives into NRG’s latest report, Gen Alpha Saves the Box Office, and what it reveals about the future of entertainment. Gen Alpha - the generation shaped by the pandemic - is craving real connection, immersive group experiences, and shared cultural events.

Bob breaks down 13 key insights from the study and connects them to opportunities for VR operators, immersive creators, and theater owners. From fandom-driven events to cross-generational storytelling and the rise of walk-through theaters, this episode explores how we can meet Gen Alpha’s demand for experiences that are interactive, immersive, and social.

Show Notes

Topics Covered:

• Why Gen Alpha craves connection after growing up isolated during the pandemic.

• The “third place” concept. How games and social VR worlds like Gorilla Tag have become Gen Alpha’s hangouts.

• The comeback of in-person group activities and local social experiences.

• How the new generation’s preferred movie length challenges the myth of short attention spans.

• Why shared, two-hour experiences feel worth the friction of getting out of the house.

• The power of fandom and opening weekends. Why young audiences crave cultural events, not just movies.

• The opportunity for VR arcades to create their own launch moments for new titles.

• Multi-sensory engagement—sound, scent, and motion as tools for emotional impact.

• “Cross-Gen Connectors”: content that bridges generations, like Mario Bros., Spider-Man, and the upcoming Terminator VR game from Hero Zone.

• How 54% of Gen Alpha want VR or 3D experiences in theaters, and 41% want hybrid game-movie experiences.

• The rise of walk-through theaters—VR experiences that blend storytelling and light interactivity.

• The big takeaway: the future of entertainment is interactive, immersive, and social—and it’s up to operators to turn VR into culturally relevant shared events.

Referenced Report:👉 Gen Alpha Saves the Box Office

Connect & Continue the Conversation:

• Join the discussion at LEXRA

• • Check out the latest in LBE VR/XR at the VR Collective
  • Get news about the newest innovations and products straight to your inbox via the INSIDE VR newsletter

• 
  

Summary:
In this special session, Bob Cooney gathers operators, marketers, and innovators to reflect on the challenges facing the location-based VR and immersive entertainment industry, and how to solve them together. Drawing on the Two Loops Model of Change, Bob frames the conversation around moving from the old system of traditional attractions to a new system powered by XR. The panel explores marketing best practices, building community through esports, revenue per square foot benchmarks, and how user-generated content can drive growth.

You’ll hear how operators are experimenting with local leagues, how marketers think about differentiation and brand, why reviews and authenticity matter more than polished ads, and why industry-wide standards are essential to scaling. Social media strategist Jacob closes the session with a case study showing how a single authentic video generated 25 million views and half a million shares for Zero Latency.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why the immersive entertainment industry is at a tipping point, and how communities of practice can accelerate adoption.

• Insights from operators on integrating esports into VR venues and the challenges of standardization.

• Marketing takeaways: the importance of brand differentiation, user-generated content, and online reviews.

• Why tracking revenue per square foot is critical for operators, and how few do it today.

• The role of schools and local communities in building sustainable esports programs.

• A behind-the-scenes breakdown of a viral Zero Latency video that generated 500,000 shares and 30,000+ new followers.

• How authenticity in content creation beats polished campaigns, and why younger creators often outperform agencies.

Featured Guests:

• Jacob Giacobbi – Founder, CrowdSpecs, social media strategist for LBE.

• Katie Burke – Creative Director & GM, Pelagius VR.

• Salem Thyne – Operator, E-Sports Virtual Arenas.

• Andre Lawless – Founder, Lawless Marketing.

• • Bob Cooney – Host, facilitator, and XR strategist.

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  Links & Resources:

• • Find products and news about LBE XR: ⁠https://thevrcollective.com/⁠
  • Join LEXRA & the VR Collective community: ⁠https://www.lexra.org/ ⁠m

• • Replay Magazine: https://www.replaymag.com

  • Follow Bob’s blog: www.bobcooney.com/blog

Summary:
Bob Cooney brings together pioneers of immersive technology to explore the concept of the downloadable theme park, an evolution in location-based VR where experiences can be changed at the push of a button. This conversation dives into the opportunities, challenges, and transformational potential of VR and mixed reality in entertainment and beyond.

From wingsuit flight simulators to massive free-roam facilities, the panelists share how scalable virtual attractions could replace costly physical infrastructure, unlocking new business models for operators worldwide. They also tackle the role of standards, distribution bottlenecks, and how shared experiences in VR can create deeper human connection and even personal transformation.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why the future of attractions may be software-driven, not hardware-locked.

• James Jensen’s story of Jump, a VR wingsuit flight experience that blends fear, presence, and transformation.

• How Brent Bushnell’s “DreamPark” project brings mixed reality into real-world spaces, turning city parks into giant game arenas.

• Salem Thyne’s vision for converting massive esports facilities into scalable VR entertainment hubs.

• The business case: throughput, revenue per square foot, and why VR can deliver 5x the experience at a fraction of the cost.

• How the shift from atoms to bits could redefine theme parks, escape rooms, and family entertainment centers.

• Why standards in operations, distribution, and content delivery are critical to scaling this new ecosystem.

• How VR’s transformational power goes beyond fun—to education, training, therapy, and even real estate.

Featured Guests:

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• James Jensen – Co-founder of The Void and creator of Jump by Limitless Flight.

• Brent Bushnell – Co-founder of Two Bit Circus and innovator behind Dream Park mixed reality.

• • Salem Thyne – Pioneered the U.S. launch of EVA (Esports Virtual Arenas), exploring large-scale free-roam VR operations.
  • Bob Cooney – Host, industry strategist, and XR thought leader.

Links & Resources:

• • Find products and news about LBE XR: https://thevrcollective.com/
  • Join LEXRA & the VR Collective community: https://www.lexra.org/

• • Learn more about Jump: https://limitlessflight.com

  • Explore Two Bit Circus: https://twobitcircus.com

  • Follow Bob Cooney’s blog: www.bobcooney.com/blog

    
    

Show Notes:
In this closing keynote from the 2025 VR Arcade and Attractions Summit, Brent Bushnell shares 20 years of building public entertainment with candor and optimism. This talk guides us through a tour through prototypes, venues, shutdowns, pivots, and the birth of DreamPark.

What’s inside:

• From early interactive art and story rooms to Two Bit Circus, and why permanent venues beat temporary installs.

• How a split between nonprofit and for-profit unlocked school programs, STEAM curricula, and upcycled makerspaces.

• Lessons from failed experiments, including 360 video, phones as controllers, and complex robot bartenders.

• Covid realities, landlord dynamics, a SPAC that collapsed, and why great investors matter.

• DreamPark mixed reality in city parks, guests navigating real spaces safely, and a practical kit for operators.

• Pricing tests, revenue models, and the case for hour-long experiences that justify a trip across town.

Brent closes with a simple theme: keep building, learn fast, and get up one more time than you fall.

In this episode of Inside VR: Real Operators. Real Money. Virtual Reality, Bob Cooney is joined by Fabian Springer and Emanuel Ulbing from The Reality Escape, a fast-growing VR escape room network and marketing agency. They share how they turned their passion for escape rooms into a thriving multi-location business built on exceptional customer experience, a strong brand identity, and smart, data-driven marketing.

From using fresh popcorn to evoke nostalgia, to creating detailed customer personas and executing AB-tested ad campaigns, Fabian and Emanuel reveal the strategies that drive their five-star reviews, high repeat business, and rapid expansion. This episode is packed with actionable insights for VR operators, escape room owners, and anyone looking to scale an experience-based business.

Time Stamps

0:00 – Introduction and origin story of The Reality Escape
0:41 – Early passion for escape rooms and the leap into VR
1:09 – First experiences with VR and discovering VR CAVE
2:18 – Advantages of VR escape rooms over physical builds
3:21 – Overcoming customer hesitation to try VR
4:04 – Replay value and unique experiences in VR
5:03 – The biggest challenge: getting customers in the first time
5:19 – Business growth path: exponential expansion
6:03 – The role of five-star Google reviews in attracting new players
6:52 – VIP-level customer care and creating memorable moments
8:10 – Scaling passion and customer experience through franchising
8:30 – First impressions: posters, popcorn, and game recommendations
9:57 – Creating emotional connections through game themes
11:14 – Extending playtime and adding surprise bonuses
12:00 – The intentional role of popcorn in brand experience
13:00 – Mapping the customer journey and understanding personas
15:50 – Two key customer personas: tourists and locals
17:20 – Tailoring marketing messages to each audience
18:11 – Google Ads and AB testing to refine campaigns
18:53 – Centralizing marketing across locations
19:36 – Advice for single-location operators starting with marketing
20:48 – Go-to tools for ad testing and tracking results
21:59 – Measuring success at each funnel stage
25:27 – Balancing marketing with business operations
26:23 – Applying the 80/20 rule to focus marketing efforts
27:39 – Percentage of sales from paid digital vs other channels
28:33 – Why Instagram beats TikTok for their audience
29:30 – SEO strategy: when and how to invest in it
33:28 – Building a brand beyond logo and name
34:52 – Using cultural references to connect with customers
36:02 – Designing experiences to evoke emotion at every touchpoint
37:27 – Launching a marketing agency to help other escape rooms
39:09 – How much to spend on marketing: 10–25% of revenue
40:47 – Considering lifetime customer value in ad spend
42:10 – Differentiating spend on locals vs tourists
44:58 – Scaling ad budgets and benchmarking ROAS
46:08 – Franchising and expanding services internationally
47:23 – Where to learn more and connect with Fabian & Emanuel
48:15 – Final thoughts and closing

In this episode, Bob Cooney talks with Parinitaa Rajgarhia, the driving force behind Zero Latency in India. From stumbling across her first VR experience while on a family trip to launching the country’s first large-scale free-roam VR arena in Mumbai, Parinitaa shares her entrepreneurial journey, market insights, and lessons learned.

They discuss:

• How she evaluated the business opportunity for VR in India and set her pricing strategy
• The role of sampling in building trust and upselling customers to longer experiences
• Why premium VR works in developing markets and how to position it
• Marketing strategies that deliver results in a market with low initial awareness of VR
• The importance of personal engagement in sales and the cultural factors that influence booking behavior
• Overcoming gender biases as a woman leading a tech entertainment business in India

Whether you’re an operator, investor, or just fascinated by how immersive attractions succeed in emerging markets, this conversation offers a candid look at what it takes to launch and grow a premium VR brand.

🎧 Listen now to hear how Parinitaa has not only sustained but expanded Zero Latency’s presence, and why she believes the Indian market is just getting started.

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Parinitaa’s first encounter with VR and decision to bring it to India
• 02:07 – Launching Zero Latency Mumbai with young kids and no gaming background
• 03:15 – Pricing strategy and competitive analysis in an untested market
• 07:44 – Surpassing projections in the first month and lessons from the pandemic
• 11:19 – Who pays for premium VR in India and how the market has evolved
• 14:26 – Pricing for the Indian market vs. the West and introducing 15-minute “sampler” sessions
• 16:24 – How short experiences build trust and upsell to 45- and 60-minute sessions
• 20:20 – Marketing spend, customer acquisition, and the importance of education
• 26:21 – Expansion to Hyderabad and budgeting for launch marketing
• 29:12 – Why Instagram and WhatsApp drive 80% of bookings
• 33:19 – The cultural and operational reasons 60% of bookings happen over the phone
• 49:01 – Breaking gender barriers as a woman leading a VR business in India
• 50:55 – The motivation to challenge stereotypes and build a lasting brand

In this episode of Inside VR: Real Operators. Real Money. Virtual Reality, Bob Cooney sits down with Maarten Peelen, owner of Zero Latency locations in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and soon Utrecht. Maarten shares his journey from experiencing free-roam VR for the first time in 2019 to building one of the fastest-growing VR arcade networks in the Netherlands.

They dive into everything from raising capital and finding the right location, to creating an experience that attracts non-gamers, leveraging influencer marketing, and designing venues that can run with minimal staff. Packed with practical insights for aspiring VR operators, this conversation is a masterclass in scaling a location-based entertainment business.

Time Stamps

0:00 – Welcome and introduction to Maarten Peelen
0:25 – First encounter with free-roam VR and launching in Rotterdam
1:12 – The importance of passion and excitement when starting a business
2:16 – Maarten’s background as a project manager and early entrepreneurial ventures
4:10 – Raising capital: investor challenges, family investment, and lessons learned
7:22 – Discovering Zero Latency and choosing the right platform
9:17 – Favorite Zero Latency and VR experiences
12:04 – Why walking is critical to immersion in VR
14:10 – Social bonding inside VR and helping nervous players through experiences
18:36 – Venue design for social spaces and post-game connection
19:37 – Biggest challenges: finding venues, permits, and location strategy
21:44 – Running dedicated Zero Latency venues: benefits and limitations
23:04 – Booking rates and designing for one-person operation
24:47 – Open sightlines, public visibility, and building curiosity
25:39 – Attracting non-gamers by marketing VR as a social experience
27:10 – Balancing rent vs. marketing spend for prime locations
29:03 – Price point, customer experience, and driving word-of-mouth marketing
31:12 – Capturing and sharing customer photos and videos
32:11 – Leveraging influencers organically and through partnerships
33:46 – Misconceptions about running a VR arcade
35:26 – Marketing the experience, not the game
37:01 – The role of sound, atmosphere, and design in immersive experiences
40:01 – Why fear works in VR: suspense, horror, and the unknown
41:53 – Far Cry as a scenic, non-horror alternative
42:30 – VR as the “downloadable theme park”
43:18 – Upcoming openings and future growth plans
44:07 – Closing thoughts and acknowledgements