Mario Kart VR arrives in the United States thanks to HTC and Bandai Namco

Mario Kart VR arrives in the United States. The virtual reality attraction is already underway in Japan and the UK, and now HTC and Bandai Namco are preparing for its US debut.

This VR Mario Kart immersive experience takes place next to Washington's new VR Zone Portal, located in Union Station. VR Zone Portal will feature a number of virtual reality games and experiences. But Mario Kart VR is the main attraction. Mario Kart is one of the best selling franchises of all time. And this is the first chance that American fans will have to play VR with official Nintendo characters.

"Bandai Namco is excited to be part of the innovative and state-of-the-art project that is the VR Zone Portal," said Steve Ignarski, Business Manager for Bandai Namco in the United States. "The launches in Japan and the UK have been successful, and we hope to do the same in Washington, DC Mario Kart VR is a long-awaited title and there is no doubt amazing and immersive game and outstanding equipment of HTC Vive. "

Bandai Namco Amusement manages the VR Zone portal as part of its arcade division. But he does it in partnership with HTC. This means that the experiments should all run on Vive material, which is one of the most popular consumer headphones. Bandai Namco also built Mario Kart VR.

VR as public attraction

VR Zone Portal is part of the growing trend towards virtual reality installations. Although you can get an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive for home use, most of the biggest buzz surrounding VR to date is related to its potential in theme parks.

The Void, a VR attractions company, has developed its own experiences with hardware and software that you can find in shopping malls and parks across the country. He has created multiplayer interactive adventures for Star wars and ghost hunters.

Bandai Namco and HTC participate in this action. And because Bandai Namco owns the arcade license for Mario Kart, it can also bring great renown properties to its park-like locations.

Mario Kart VR will run for six months at Union Station in Washington, DC. At this point, the VR Zone Portal will end and pass.