VR game licences

Due to the enormous growth and development of Virtual Reality in recent years, there has also been a significant increase in the Virtual Reality entertainment industry. More and more VR arcades are offering various types of VR experiences to their customers. This is not surprising, as VR is becoming increasingly accessible to the masses, and arcades can start small. After all, you only need a VR headset (and possibly a computer) to let someone play. There are even a number of free (demo) games that showcase the qualities of VR content well, making entering the VR market a good move. However, you cannot use all VR content for free. If you want to offer Virtual Reality in a commercial environment - that is, an environment where you plan to make money - you need to have a game-licentie.

A few years ago, there was hardly any mention of a game licence; you simply bought a game and could offer it. However, game developers are now much more direct, meaning you, as a VR arcade, need to delve into the licences. Fortunately, there are now many tools to make licences easier and more manageable. In this article, you will read everything about applying for, using, and purchasing game licences.

The most commonly used VR platforms are SteamVR, VivePort, and Oculus Home. In the game-bibliotheek, you can find a lot of games, often at reasonable prices. You can buy these games, but you cannot share them with other people. Therefore, you will receive a notification on all platforms that you are not allowed to distribute the game. If you do, this can result in a ban of your arcade account or - perhaps even worse - a permanent ban from the platform. This way, it is no longer possible to use the games, and that is, of course, the last thing you want as a VR arcade. Therefore, always check first whether it is possible to obtain a commercial licence for a game before making it available to the masses.

Fortunately, there are also ways to use the games in a VR arcade or other commercial environment. You have the following options:

• Directly via the game developer/publisher;
• Via a licence platform.

Perhaps the easiest and most straightforward way is to apply for a licence directly from the developer. Through the game platform on which the game is offered, it is often quite possible to get in touch with a developer. This way, you can ask the developer how they offer their games to other arcades. The way this is done varies per game and per developer. Some games require a one-time purchase, others ask for payment per minute. It is therefore entirely dependent on the developer and the game which licensing method they can offer you.

Once you have made contact with a VR game developer, you can discuss the agreement you want to make with each other. After all, you want to be able to offer the game in your VR arcade, and the developer wants to be compensated for their work. The most appreciated way to reach an agreement between user and developer is to draw up a licence agreement in advance. This is a legal document in which you make a proposal to the developer to use the game. After signing this document, you get certain rights to use the VR game in exchange for a certain amount that you pay to the developer.

Some examples of well-known developers in the VR arcade market are:

• Vertigo Games (Arizona Sunshine Arcade);
• Tower Tag;
• Ubisoft (Assassin's Creed Escape Rooms);

An arcade software management system is essentially an overarching platform of licensed VR games. Game developers are affiliated with the platform, and when you make an agreement with the platform, you automatically have the developer's permission to use the game. There are also various options for this platform, but we will explain the most commonly used game licence platforms here for you.

SpringboardVR is a game licence platform specifically made for Virtual Reality arcades. The core-business of SpringboardVR is providing the game licences, but there are also many other useful functionalities that SpringboardVR can offer your arcade. For example, SpringboardVR offers the ability to manage multiple VR stations from a central point, gives you insights and analyses of your played VR games, in-game software to provide users with a tutorial of the controllers and headset, and they offer a handy tool to implement a booking system in your arcade.

The game licences of SpringboardVR are arranged via the Springboard-market place. On this licence market, content creators and developers are directly connected with VR arcade operators, making it much easier to get in touch with each other. You no longer need to negotiate or come up with a legal document yourself, but everything is already arranged and established in advance. After taking out a subscription with SpringboardVR, you pay a fixed amount per month, and deductions are automatically made. The amount you have to pay per game varies (often per minute), but it averages out to 0.07 per minute.

Synthesis VR essentially offers the same possibilities as Springboard VR. With Synthesis VR, you also use the management system, allowing you to easily control all VR-stations from a central computer. Synthesis VR is mainly characterised by its ease of use. While Springboard VR has a lot of functionalities for various handy solutions, Synthesis VR offers a relatively simple interface where you can easily choose between games. Synthesis VR offers the option to pay per minute or to pay a fixed price for all games.

Viveport Arcade offers two payment methods: pay-as-you-go and a monthly subscription form. The advantage of pay-as-you go is that you only spend the amount on VR games that are played. In this way, you buy 'points' that you can spend per VR game. This is a good solution for starting and/or smaller VR arcades, as you do not have to make a large monthly expenditure in this way.

It is also possible to pay monthly with Viveport Arcade. You take out a monthly subscription with which you can play a number of games. The subscription price is the same every month. This form of payment is therefore a good licence agreement if you have a large VR arcade or attract many visitors with some certainty. You can also combine the above methods: pay-as-you-go to test a game, and then take out a monthly subscription when you notice it is successful.

ARVI VR Labs started as a game developer specifically for VR Escape Room games but has now grown into a full-fledged game platform suitable for VR arcades. On the ARVI VR Labs platform, you can now find many VR games, ranging from an escape room game to a multiplayer shooter. And the biggest advantage of ARVI VR Labs is that, in addition to the games that are suitable for a VR arcade, the entire launch-platform is also set up for VR arcades. For example, you can control multiple computers and VR headsets from one central location (such as a laptop or tablet). This is ideal for the operator in the room, so they do not have to be physically present with every player but can simply monitor from a distance.

Want to know more about ARVI VR Labs? Read our blog VR Escape Room Games for VR Arcades & Amusement Halls through.