Slaying dragons, going on UFO trips and communicating with aliens are just some of the virtual fantasy (VR) activities planned by a theme park that is being constructed in Guiyang in Guizhou Province.
The animation unit of Oriental Times Media Corp. is behind the massive theme park project, which includes a budget of 10 billion yuan ($1.52 billion). The theme park, which is named East Valley of Science and Fantasy, will sit on the 1.3-square-kilometer land in the heart of Guizhou Province.
Shuimu Animation Co. Ltd., which serves as the animation unit of Oriental Times, said that the park aims to give a virtual reality experience to people. It seeks to give a more realistic sensation to VR players than what they are already feeling with video games.
The theme park is set to feature the first VR roller coaster in the country. The site will also include 13 pavilions dedicated to an educational immersion and explorative experience of various UFOs for kids.
Talking about the ability to "interact with the environment," Shuimu Animation's chairman Shi Xiangdong said that the staff will hand out VR helmets and other devices to the guests as they enter the VR park.
The theme park is expected to welcome its first guests in October.
"Most of that total area, however, will be devoted to VR moviemaking, with a cutting-edge media research and development center at its core," said a representative from Oriental Times.
The huge project, seen as "ambitious" by several analysts, is one of the efforts of the biggest companies in China to dive into the flourishing VR market. China Technology News reported that other companies such as Shanda Group, Baidu Inc. and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. have plans to venture on the VR market.
Shanda Group, a major gaming company, reveals its plans to build its own VR theme park with the U.S.-based The Void LLC as its partner.