Not content with achieving the distinction of hosting the largest VR theatre in the Gulf region, on 17th of October, Samsung and Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) also set a new Guinness World Record for the most people to ride a VR roller coaster in an hour.
With 461 participants, the record breaking activation was part of GITEX Technology Week, the largest and most influential technology event in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, held at Dubai World Trade Centre. The achievement set a brand new Guinness World Record for ‘Most Participants on a VR Roller Coaster’. To achieve the record,17 rounds of the Samsung 4D Gear VR Ride Rush experience were completed in an hour in the dedicated VR Theatre, which comprised 32 4D motion chairs arranged in eight rows.
“Dubai is the land of several superlative achievements. Keeping with that, we decided to offer visitors the best experiential technology available and to hallmark our appearance at GITEX Technology Week with something truly extraordinary. As an immersive sensory technology, virtual reality is transforming the way we experience entertainment and consumers got to experience it at a never-before scale while making history. The achievement of this new Guinness World Record reaffirms our leadership in virtual reality, achieved through our collaboration with Oculus,” said C. Purushothaman, Head of Marketing (Smartphones & Tablets), IT & Mobile Division at Samsung Gulf Electronics.
“We are delighted to have been part of the Guinness world record and look forward to achieving more such milestones that supports Dubai’s success as a global events hub. The Emirate has always been at the forefront of adopting the latest technology, so I can confidently say that VR technology will see a considerable uptake over the coming years, ensuring its fixture in subsequent editions of GITEX Technology Week.” added Trixie LohMirmand, Senior Vice-President, Exhibitions and Events Management, DWTC.
With the Gear VR at a price point of AED 399, Samsung has made the technology more accessible and affordable than ever before. It is compatible with the Galaxy S7, S7 edge, Note5, S6 edge+ and S6 edge. IDC reports that the Middle East and Africa (MEA) augmented and virtual reality market will grow strongly over the next five years, posting annual growth rates of more than 100% across the 2016–2020 period. The MEA market is expected to expand from $181.59 million this year to $6 billion in 2020.