SEGA has yet to bring any of its official IP’s to consumer virtual reality (VR) headsets – the Hatsune Miku series is licensed – and this could be because of its focus on location-based VR. 2017 saw SEGA launch two VR gaming arenas in Japan – one in conjunction with Zero Latency – and today the company has announced the expansion of its Tokyo Joypolis amusement park with the addition of VR-Nerds’ Tower Tag.

Tower Tag is a multiplayer PvP first-person shooter (FPS), where up to four players fight it out on giant towers. Designed in a esports style to be competitive for experienced VR users yet comfortable for novices, the videogame offers two types of locomotion depending on what you need to do. Each player has a 3m x 3m area to walk around in, enabling them to easily walk around each tower platform. Should they wish to swap towers they can fire a laser rope then winch themselves across, all using the same button on the gun controller.

Similar to Capture the Flag gameplay modes, players can work in teams to capture towers or go on the offensive and take out their opponents. Developed by VR-Nerds GmbH, a Hamburg, Germany-based company specialising in VR applications and videogames, Tower Tag has been designed exclusively for arcades and amusement parks

Showcased to media for the first time on 7th February 2018, Tower Tag is now publicly open from today, allowing visitors to engage in intense and futuristic laser battles.

In the future, CA SEGA Joypolis will develop it to various facilities through collaboration with DARTSLIVE Co., but hasn’t yet confirmed if this will be outside of Asian markets.

VR arcades have proven to be popular not only in Japan but around the world, with new ones continually appearing. As the industry takes off, VRFocus will keep you updated.