CAPE TOWN – China opened its first 5G virtual reality (VR) theme park in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The new theme park designed by VR entertainment company, Sky Limit Entertainment, is situated on a tourism street in the southern Chinese city of Liuzhou.
The cutting-edge technology that combines 5G and extended reality (XR), provides guests with a wide variety of XR experiences and a new way of exploring the Liuzhou culture.
“When you put on the AR glasses, you will be able to see Liuzhou’s culture come alive,” founder and CEO of Sky Limit Entertainment, Qi Xiao, said.
“We need technologies like 5G plus XR to introduce China’s culture to the world,” he said.
Visitors can enjoy simulation games and rides, player vs player games to parachute and ski simulators.
"Trying the ski simulator for the first time was quite an experience, as I've never tried skiing before," a visitor at the newly launched VR theme park, Wei Chunrong, said.
Meanwhile, VR Star Theme Park, located in Nanchang, previously led the way after opening its doors in 2019. Boasting three floors with more than 40 simulators, roller coasters, and high speed racing cars, it is heaven for VR fanatics.
In its bid to continuously develop and modernise the country, the Chinese government has invested in various industries that include virtual reality, and driving the sector by educating students and sponsoring conferences.
There have been several other virtual reality theme parks pop up outside of China such as Derren Brown's Ghost Train at Thorpe Park and Galactica at Alton Towers, both located in England; and Drop of Doom at Six Flags Great Adventure in the United States.
While these virtual reality experiences are of a smaller scale to the resorts, China has taken it a step further by creating an entire theme park dedicated to VR technology.
– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Naomi Mackay