A Myrtle Beach entertainment venue is redefining the traditional arcade with its immersive virtual reality experiences, catering to all ages. Interactive Experience Unleashed (IEU), located at 7621 N. Kings Highway, offers a variety of reality-altering technologies designed to transport players into captivating virtual worlds.
Richard Thai, the manager at IEU, describes the venue as a unique gaming experience, powered by a blend of augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and virtual reality (VR). “Our technology allows players to step into a different reality, where the boundaries between the digital and physical worlds blur,” Thai explained.
Exploring the Realms of AR, VR, and MR
IEU’s offerings include a comprehensive suite of technologies:
- Augmented Reality (AR): This technology overlays computer-generated images onto real-world scenes, enhancing the viewer’s perception of their surroundings.
- Virtual Reality (VR): VR creates an entirely artificial environment, experienced through sensory stimuli such as sights and sounds, where the user’s actions influence the virtual world.
- Mixed Reality (MR): MR combines elements of both AR and VR, allowing real-world and digital objects to interact seamlessly.
The Vex Play area is a highlight, featuring Pico 4 VR headsets, which Thai likens to the “Ferrari” of VR headsets. Players can choose their game and experience MR in a shared play area.
“Four people can go in, or we often see one kid playing with two others they don’t know, but they all see each other in the game,” Thai said.
Games That Capture the Imagination
IEU offers a variety of engaging games. In “Granny’s Alien Invasion,” players become animated ‘grannies’ defending their fresh-baked cake from alien invaders using handheld vacuums. “Jump a Cheese” involves astronaut mice protecting their cheese planet from bugs, while “Buckshot Bonanza” offers a western cowboy adventure.
“You get to compete against each other, shoot against each other, zipline all around, and upgrade your guns with animal attachments,” Thai added.
Valo-Arena: A New Dimension of Play
The Valo-Arena brings AR technology akin to Xbox Kinect or Wii Sports. Players step onto a tiled floor displayed on a large screen, using their feet to interact with the game. “Ground Fall” challenges players with a virtual ‘floor-is-lava’ scenario, while another game immerses them in a bank heist with a ‘red-light, green-light’ objective.
Each game lasts about five to eight minutes, depending on the players’ skills. “Because we are a time-based system, it depends on how you want to use your time in each area,” Thai explained. “We always say the four-hour is more bang for your buck.”
The four-hour admission price recently dropped to $29.99, while one-hour play costs $18.99.
Beyond Gaming: A Full Entertainment Experience
In addition to high-tech video games, IEU offers a kids’ playground with ball pits, slides, and tunnels. A four-hour playground card costs $14.99 and includes grip socks required for play. The Firebird Cafe provides refreshments like pizza and hot dogs for players needing a break.
IEU also caters to celebrations with four party rooms, where employees can program avatars with birthday hats to mark the occasion in the virtual world. A standout feature is “The Curse of Calypso,” the world’s first MR and animatronics experience, guiding players through a pirate adventure with Blackbeard.
Looking Ahead: Future Plans and Innovations
IEU has ambitious plans for 2026, including annual membership deals, virtual reality golf, and additional party rooms. As the venue continues to expand, it aims to remain at the forefront of immersive entertainment, offering experiences that appeal to both casual gamers and tech enthusiasts alike.
This development follows a growing trend in entertainment venues incorporating advanced technologies to enhance user experiences. As AR, VR, and MR technologies continue to evolve, venues like IEU are poised to lead the way in innovative gaming and entertainment.
