Posted in: Games, Video Games | Tagged: Bandai Namco, ghost in the shell, Ghost in the Shell Arise: Stealth Hounds, Namco Bandai, VR Zone Shinjuku

Ghost In The Shell Has A VR Multiplayer Arcade Shooter In Tokyo

VR Zone Shinjuku, Bandai Namco's virtual reality arcade in Tokyo, is getting a four-on-four Ghost in the Shell team-based multiplayer shooter and we're pretty damn jealous that the shooter will only be available in Japan. At least for now.

Dubbed Ghost in the Shell Arise: Stealth Hounds, the game pretty much involves strapping a PC on the backs  of players and then outfits them with VR markers, VR googles and an arcade gun. Battles go down in a dedicated VR arena with each session lasting about thirty minutes. So it's VR laser tag, set in the world of Ghost in the Shell and I'm surprised as hell no one has done this sooner. That said, VR has really only just become something major publishers and developers are working with. So I suppose this is the earliest we could expect.

The game fee is 2,800 yen ($25) plus the 800 yen ($7) admission ticket. While Kotaku's report on the game calls this "not cheap," I beg to differ. I'm a huge fan of Halloween haunted houses, and have paid over $100 to have myself essentially kidnapped, and a $32 dollar ticket for a half-hour experience isn't something I'd call unreasonable. You may not realize it, but the average haunted house experience lasts anywhere from 20-30 minutes. It usually feels longer due to the time dilation effect of being scared for a continued period of time.

I'd happily shell out $32 to pay for a chance to shoot my friends in a dedicated multiplayer VR experience and I think most gamers would as well. Having a PC strapped to my back might make things a little more difficult than I'm used to, but I think I could manage for 30 minutes of VR insanity.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!