Manchester’s gaming scene continues to get bigger and bigger every year and now one of the UK’s biggest VR arcades is coming to the city centre too.
Starting out in 2017 as London’s first and largest virtual reality arena, DNA VR are now making their way to Manchester with their latest location and it promises to be next-level (gaming puns are unavoidable with this stuff, leave us alone).
Promising some of the best and most immersive ‘alternative’ activities you’ll find anywhere in 0161, DNA VR’s arcade is packed out with an impressive library of games, over 100 virtual arcade challenges and even virtual escape rooms.
From surviving a zombie apocalypse to visiting the Great Pyramids, exploring the depths of the ocean, fighting off dragons or defending the Earth from an intergalactic disaster, there’s a wide range of genres on offer at DNA VR Manchester. We sincerely want to bring our arachnophobic friends along for this:
With the capacity to host up to 16 various virtual sessions (19 people) all at one time, each offering true escapism and unparalleled immersion, this place is sure to become a go-to for works dos, birthday parties, family days out and more.
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It doesn’t have to be a group event either, visitors can experience this place either solo or as part of a team, with virtual reality modes on offer across 70 different games, each providing hours of gameplay in a truly unique entertainment experience.
But it doesn’t stop there: you can even enjoy a free-roam arcade, offering explorative experiences, more escape rooms and horror game modes for up to four players, such as Hospital Of Horror, Space Station Tiberia and Depths Of Osiris.
Credit: DNA VR
Now, on the subject of horror, those requiring a little dutch courage can also enjoy a tipple both before and after the game if you need to decompress from fighting off a horde of monsters, as DNA VR Manchester will be fully equipped with a minibar, serving an array of drinks in their futuristic foyer.
You had us at tipple.
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Many famous faces have already come through doors down south — everyone from Idris Elba, KSI and Chris Hemsworth — and this place is sure to fill up from the second launch day hits. Speaking of…
DNA VR Manchester’s grand opening is taking place on Wednesday next week (22 March) and the best part is, even for those looking to try it from out of town, the new venue is right in the city centre and just a 15-minute walk away from Piccadilly Station.
With two Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards to their name in just a few years of being open and regular crowds piling into their Camden, Hammersmith and Battersea sites, it’s clear these lot know what they’re doing and we can’t wait for DNA’s VR Masters to repeat their winning formula up north.
Situated in the Core building on Brown St, M2 1DH, you can book your first-ever DNA VR experience HERE. Vouchers for Christmas bookings are already available and you can even use the discount code MANCHESTER10 for 10% off your first visit. Say no more.
‘Breathtaking’ new 360° immersive dinosaurs exhibition to open in Manchester later this year
Emily Sergeant
A ‘breathtaking’ new immersive dinosaurs exhibition is set to open in Manchester later this year.
Fresh off the back of announcing its programme of events for the upcoming autumn-winter season last week, Factory International has now revealed that another new Lightroom experience will be arriving later this year, and it’s one any budding paleontologist will want to keep an eye on.
Prehistoric Planet: Discovering Dinosaurs blends iconic moments from Apple TV’s Emmy nominated Prehistoric Planet with never-before seen content.
It’s set to take audiences back in time to experience dinosaurs closer than ever before.
Narrated by critically acclaimed actor, Damian Lewis, the new 360° immersive experience is a celebration of our natural world told through captivating storytelling, breathtaking visuals, and groundbreaking technology, with visitors will be transported back in time, 66 million years ago, to experience dinosaurs up close.
Damian Lewis guides audiences through the fascinating role dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures have played in shaping our world – from Ammonites and Mosasaurs, to the Tyrannosaurus rex.
Lightroom’s state-of-the-art 360 projections will allow viewers to see these majestic animals at an awe-inspiring scale and travel alongside them through volcanoes, soaring skies and the deep sea.
As escapist as it is educational, audiences will not only experience some of the most beloved scenes from seasons one and two of Apple TV’s Prehistoric Planet, but they will also be immersed in exclusive extended CGI sequences and bespoke illustrations that bring the show to life in entirely new ways.
And to make it even better, the experience is set to an original score by multi-Academy Award winner Hans Zimmer, alongside Anže Rozman, and Kara Talve for Bleeding Fingers Music.
Prehistoric Planet: Discovering Dinosaurs opens at Aviva Studios, and tickets go on public sale tomorrow (Friday 26 June).
Featured Image – Supplied
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Prestigious Edinburgh TV Festival to move to Manchester for first time in 50 years
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester will become the new host city for the TV Festival from 2027 onwards it was announced today.
For the first time in five decades, following an extensive consultation and competitive bidding process – which was launched in 2025 – the prestigious festival is set to move from its home in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh to our region from 2027 onwards, beating out other major northern cities like Newcastle in the process.
As part of a UK-wide strategic review into the event’s long-term future, the Festival’s board of directors say the review was undertaken in order to ‘examine how the TV Festival could continue to grow’ amid increasing challenges around accessibility, affordability, and sustainability across the television industry.
Greater Manchester‘s ‘successful and comprehensive’ bid included commitments around affordability, infrastructure, industry partnership, and long-term growth potential.
Plans include holding the Festival in locations in the newly developed St. John’s creative and cultural district.
“Greater Manchester presented a vision for the Festival that combined genuine creative ambition and future-facing energy with practical accessibility and affordability for delegates,” commented Campbell Glennie, who is the CEO of the TV Festival and The TV Foundation.
“This means we can radically reduce the costs associated with attending the Festival as well as the cost of passes.
“The city reflects the expanding ambition of the UK television industry, while still offering the scale, connectivity and unique cultural identity needed for an event of this significance – it gives us the strongest platform to grow the Festival’s reach and impact in the years ahead.”
Cllr Bev Craig, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council, said being chosen as TV Festival hosts is ‘brilliant news’ for Greater Manchester, adding: “It speaks to the growth, success and strength of our screen sector in the city region and the strong partnerships and talent we have here.”
The final Edinburgh edition of the TV Festival will take place this August, and dates and further details for the TV Festival in 2027 will be shared later this year.
Danny Jones -
16th March 2023 
