MajorMega crafts room-sized VR system in Lancaster

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The owners of Lancaster-based design studio MajorMega have been testing their latest prototype for a new multi-sensory VR gaming platform — called Hyperdeck — that could be coming to a theme park near you.

MajorMega would like to launch the VR product by next summer. But its owners first hope to raise about $1 million from investors to build out their team and refine the beta version of the system. Bridgman and Hennessey have funded much of the early development themselves and are confident their technology will find a market.

“I know the market is thirsty for this kind of thing,” Hennessey said last week before a public unveiling in Lancaster of an early model of the firm’s room-sized VR module.

Over the last few years, VR technology has been going more mainstream with the release of consumer headsets that can be used with smartphones, businesses using VR for training simulations and 360-degree virtual experiences being created for fans of popular TV shows such as “The Walking Dead.”

Another Lancaster-based firm, Greenfish Labs, has undertaken a variety of VR video projects over the last two years, including putting a VR camera on the popemobile and following Pope Francis last year as part of World Youth Day.

MajorMega is looking to create a more interactive VR user experience with the Hyperdeck gaming platform, Hennessey said. “Consumers are demanding more immersive experiences.”

And at a time when people are quick to post about life experiences on social media, Bridgman believes the “fear of missing out” will drive younger consumers, especially millennials, to spend money on these new VR experiences.

“There are infinite worlds we can dream up,” he said.

MajorMega began in 2012 with a focus on developing interactive websites and digital marketing products for the entertainment industry, but began experimenting with VR over the last few years. Facebook’s $2 billion purchase of Oculus VR in 2014 was confirmation that VR was here to stay, the partners said.

The Oculus deal prompted them to switch gears about two years ago to focus solely on gaming and immersive VR experiences, a switch that led to the Hyperdeck project.

But it is not their first: Before developing the platform, the firm teamed up with Lancaster County-based Tait Towers to help create a VR simulator for National Geographic’s “Experience Mars” project.

How it works

The Hyperdeck will be an enclosed VR product. Users will enter a room-size module, don VR headsets and pay a per-minute fee to play games. Plans call for allowing users to reserve time slots for the experience, which would last about five minutes.

Costs are still being worked out, though it is likely the experience will cost at least $1 to $1.50 per minute. MajorMega is planning to enter into revenue-sharing agreements with operators. Venues would pay a small fee, perhaps no fee, to host the modules, encouraging more to take a chance on the new entertainment option.

Each unit would be capable of holding up to four players at a time, encouraging team play and providing different gaming perspectives for each player. The company intends to link Hyperdecks in multiple locations for larger group experiences, while additional screens may broadcast games to outside spectators.

For players, the gaming experience will be enhanced by a platform designed to move and vibrate in conjunction with the game, as well as a built-in wind system that will blow air on users. The developers also intend to pipe in smells and build in temperature controls. The goal is to make games feel as realistic as possible.

MajorMega is patterning itself on Triotech, a privately held Canadian company that makes interactive games and rides for resorts and amusement parks all over the world. Each of the company’s products reportedly range from a couple hundred thousand dollars to millions.

The Lancaster-based firm plans to market Hyperdeck to the same entertainment venues, as well as to casinos and shopping malls looking for new arcade attractions. MajorMega plans to start with two games. From there, the goal is to develop at least two new games each year

Bridgman said he is fine not being the first in the space. The partners believe there is plenty of opportunity in VR entertainment. Research groups have projected that the global VR gaming market could reach about $23 billion by 2020 and more than $45 billion by 2025.

And entertainment venues are always looking to stay fresh and invest in new products.

“There will always be a market for the Hyperdeck,” Bridgman said.

Experience needed

Before they get to a final product, Bridgman and Hennessey said they will need a lot more staff, both hardware and software teams. The firm currently has just one other full-time employee.

They believe that game development and design talent is out there, even in Central Pennsylvania, where the tech scene has been evolving. The region recently welcomed AOL co-founder Steve Case and his “Rise of the Rest” initiative, a national tour that aims to find entrepreneurs outside of traditional tech centers like Silicon Valley.

MajorMega believes buzz from the tour and the capital injected into Harrisburg, Lancaster and York will attract more tech talent to the region, which will help the VR industry.

“VR is on the cusp right now,” Bridgman said.

Sovanna Mam, CEO and executive producer at Greenfish Labs, agrees and sees MajorMega as the next big force in elevating the VR experience.

“VR is a wide-open ocean of opportunity,” he said. “I still think we haven’t see its full capabilities.”

However, he cautioned that it can be challenging to attract local tech investments.

The Hyperdeck and products like it come with hefty price tags. Potential investors need to experience them firsthand to grasp the potential, he said. “What they are doing is extremely innovative. It’s a matter of getting investors and the public to see it.”

Bridgman and Hennessey know that. They have opened up the test system for reserved demonstrations, hoping to reel in some investors. To date, more than 150 people have sampled the Hyperdeck.