The advent of VR is one that is continuing to develop year after year. Headsets alone have gone from clunky bits of kit connected to a computer by a dozen cables to just a slightly big pair of goggles.
While the idea of forking out hundreds for a home headset is enough to put anyone off, there’s a much better, more expansive and more social way to try virtual reality. Step up, MeetspaceVR featuring Zero Latency.
Even for anyone who thinks they know VR, think again. After visiting ourselves and expecting to be stood in one spot turning our heads and waving our arms in the air, we weren’t prepared for the truly impressive set-up Meetspace have going on in Manchester.
Free-roam VR
Unlike virtual reality experiences you may have tried before, thanks to fully-fledged scenarios from developers Zero Latency, MeetspaceVR delivers a number of thrilling digital situations across two free-roam arenas that are larger than a tennis court.
That’s right, groups of up to eight of you can navigate a digitally reimagined space in their North3 warehouse unit near Trafford Park, living out scenarios such as a zombie apocalypse, traversing an alien landscape or fighting mythical creatures in a medieval fantasy world.
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This is much more than a game and you certainly don’t need to be a gamer to enjoy it. Who knew you could visit space from the comfort of a Manchester postcode?
Top-of-the-range tech and team
We played all of the above, utilising everything from a VR rifle (basically a high-tech Laser Quest gun) to individual handheld controllers that allow you to move fingers and thumbs independently, and it genuinely blew our minds.
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Credit: Supplied (MeetspaceVR)
Rather than being stood in one place, at MeetspaceVR your body becomes the controller and the entire experience turns what can often be a very anti-social pastime into a team effort, providing full communications in your headset and, of course, a scoreboard for those who love to keep it competitive.
That goes for the staff too. Throughout your sessions which can run anywhere between half an hour to 45 minutes at a time, not only do they make sure to monitor all of the start-of-the-art tech bringing these scenarios to life, but they also keep you updated on your objectives via your radio comms.
Because they’re always on the ball to make sure everything’s running smoothly, the entire thing feels really intuitive and don’t worry, you never have to worry about bumping into walls or each other — there a virtual markers for all that stuff.
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Credit: Supplied
Digital arcade, virtual escape rooms and more
As well as familiar titles like Far Cry (based around third game), you can also do VR escape rooms and even just play mini arcade games like practising your basketball skills while you’re waiting in the lobby.
One of their many mottos is “off-sites done right” and we can see why. We’re already looking for our next opportunity to go on a works do and kill our co-workers in VR. Everybody needs to vent from time to time and this way you can do some team-building at the same time.
To think they transformed what was previously nothing more than a big empty warehouse into a fully-fledged virtual reality arena complete with briefing areas and areas to just chill out and play some console classics after you’re knackered from running around is quite something.
You can even drink while you’re there guys. You can only imagine the kind of carnage people can get up to when shooting zombies and having a pint.
Better still, MeetspaceVR is the only place where you can play theexclusive Zero Latency games catalogue in the UK, including Far Cry VR, Sol Raiders, Outbreak Origins and many more. You’ll love to feel the freedom of their gameplay.
Located upstairs in North3 Stretford (M32 0TB) next to Trafford Park and just a five-minute drive from the Trafford Centre, or 25 minutes from the city centre, you don’t have to travel far at all to be transported to an entirely different world thanks to the power of virtual reality.
Free-roam VR sessions start from just £24.95 per person and you can see all their various other packages on their website.
They even have gift cards that will make for a perfect Christmas or birthday gift, including their current Black Friday Offer, offering you 30% off until 28 November and also registering you as a Black Card member which grants you a 20% discount off all future bookings.
Get yourselves down there, folks. We promise it won’t disappoint. This place is only going to keep getting bigger and we can’t wait to see what they have in store.
Featured Image — MeetspaceVR featuring Zero Latency (Supplied)
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A new festive light maze is heading to Cheshire for the first time this December
Thomas Melia
A brand new attraction is making its way to Cheshire for the first time ever this December with the hopes to get us all into the festive spirit.
Just outside of Manchester, titled‘Spectrum: A World of Illumination’, this spectacular never-seen-before trail is lighting up Cheshire with a month-long residency in Knutsford.
Running every day in December besides Christmas Day, plus a few extra dates in November, the spectacular display will be inviting guests along for 30 out of 31 days in the yuletide month.
The immersive maze will feature moving giant candy canes, overhead Christmas-inspired installations like a laser show, and tunnels of light.
Visitors are encouraged to get stuck in with hidden objects and handles and buttons which lead to secret rooms and festive treasures to be found and explored throughout the attraction.
You can even create a Christmas carol medley of your own and sing to your heart’s content with a section of the trail featuring sound tubes.
There’s a mostly open top too, so you can look up into the night sky as you explore the maze.
There’s not only a feast for your eyes but also for your Santa bellies too as a selection ofhand-picked food vendors will be supplying tons of festive goodies to warm your soul.
A new festive light maze is heading to Cheshire for the first time this December. Credit: Supplied
Spectrum: A World of Illumination caters to everyone offering spaces for guide dogs, quieter time slots for those wanting a calmer experience and accessibility all-round where possible.
This is expected to be one of the best Christmas activities of the year, designed by specialists Access Events, who have some impressive feats behind them.
The multi award winning company has had involvement and created some of the most impressive light features to date including the Weather Project at the Tate, the e-Sports arena build, and turning the Berlin TV Tower into a football.
They’re so certain this event will do well there’s already news and information about a 2025 event between Access Events and Royal Cheshire Show Grounds.
Tickets for ‘Spectrum: A World of Illumination’ are already on sale and those of you who are eager to start planning your Christmas calendar can get tickets from Eventbrite.
MTV is hosting a week-long venue takeover with some exciting artists to celebrate the EMAs coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
In case you haven’t heard, the MTV EMAs (European Music Awards) is coming to Manchester later this year, and to mark the massive occasion, they’re hosting a huge week-long takeover at some of the city’s best venues.
This may be a first for Manchester but this isn’t the only time the award ceremony has come to the UK, with London, Liverpool, Glasgow and Belfast all having hosted it before, and with the world-leading Co-op Live now attracting endless global artists, the state-of-the-art venue was a no-brainer.
However, they’re no muppets, these MTV lot: they know that Manchester has one of if not the best music scenes on the planet and has some of the most influential venues to back it up, so they’ve decided to partner with several of them for a celebratory gig takeover.
Running from 5-9 November (Tuesday to Saturday), MTV Music Week will host a series of live music nights at some of the city’s best concert spots and nightlife destinations.
Showcasing both rising and well-established artists from Manchester and beyond, MTV‘s annual Music Week for the 2024 EMAs isn’t just sponsoring a few extra shows ahead of the awards do, they’ll also bespotlighting homegrown artists, hosting unforgettable performances as well as industry workshops.
With the likes of Rebellion, Band on the Wall and Soup Kitchen, as well as Depot Mayfield and Aviva Studios – home to The Warehouse Project and Factory International, respectively – all taking part, this is effectively a week-long tour of some Manc’s most magical music venues.
Acts that we’re excited to see include homegrown indie and alternative lads, Larkins; fast-rising electronic cult favourite, salute, as well as drum and bass duo Piri and Tommy, just to name a few.
Better still, with sub-brands like MTV Push Live, Club MTV and YO! MTV Raps hosting several of these stages, you can rest assured that there’s plenty of variety when it comes to genres.
Alongside MTV Music Week and the 2024 MTV EMAs, Paramount’s Creators House is also heading to Manchester that same week.
As part of their ‘Content for Change’ event series, this company-wide, social impact-led initiative will take place across between 7-9 November, with a packed slate of programming and networking opportunities aimed at Manchester’s creative community.
Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said of the event series: “Our music scene in Manchester is the stuff of legend and we’re known the world over for our brilliant musicians and iconic venues.
“Music Week will be a great showcase for our city and the stage is set for an incredible Manchester music takeover. A boost for the industry, our economy, and fantastic opportunities for some of our best homegrown artists as well as unforgettable performances for audiences to enjoy.”
The EMAs land on 10 November but before then, you can grab tickets for any of the 10 exciting events happening over MTV Music Week Manchester 2024 HERE. Catch you there!
Danny Jones -
11th November 2022 
