Disney has commissioned the virtual reality experts at The Void to create a new experience for Star Wars fans visiting the company’s holiday resorts in Florida and California. Secrets of the Empire will offer visitors the opportunity to step into a galaxy far, far away like never before.
Lucasfilm, ILMxLAB, and The Void are all contributing to the project, to ensure that it is both entirely faithful to the franchise, and truly cutting edge in its use of VR technology. Once the headset goes on, everything you see, hear, touch, and even smell will be plucked straight from the Star Wars universe, according to Engadget.
Secrets of the Empire is the first experience that The Void is creating for Disney, having announced its induction into the company’s Accelerator mentorship program in a blog post published in July. Of course, the group has plenty of experience working to translate major franchises into exciting virtual reality experiences.
The Void is perhaps best known for Ghostbusters: Dimension, a VR experience that let visitors to Madame Tussauds New York fulfill their dreams of strapping on a proton pack and bustin’ some ghosts. The company’s edge over other outfits producing VR experiences is the fact that its tech allows multiple users to share the same virtual space.
That looks set to be a big component of Secrets of the Empire. An official announcement on The Void’s website confirmed that the experience will allow participants to interact with their friends, family, and Star Wars characters alike as they explore the virtual world untethered.
“At ILMxLAB, we want people to step inside the worlds of our stories,” said Vicki Dobbs Beck, the executive at the helm of Industrial Light & Magic’s innovation lab. “Through our collaboration with The Void, we can make this happen as guests become active participants in an unfolding Star Wars adventure.”
The Void is set to open gaming sites at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, and Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, where visitors will be able to experience Secrets of the Empire for themselves. The attraction is expected to make its debut this holiday season.
