Hello. This is Realworld, a playable content platform. Immersive experiences are becoming a global trend. This is likely because there's growing demand for immersive experiences rather than just ordinary ones. In an era where we need to become even more special to satisfy consumers, are you struggling to find cases to study and learn from? That's why we've brought you various immersive case studies today.
In particular, we'd like you to pay attention as we introduce some hot new immersive cases themed around trains.
Zombies on a high-speed train traveling at 285 km/h? 'Zombie Shinkansen'
On Saturday, October 19, 2024, at 5:18 PM, a Shinkansen carrying passengers departs from Tokyo Station. The train is quiet during the initial part of the journey, but this peace is shattered by one passenger's scream. Suddenly, one passenger bites another, and soon the infected passenger turns into a zombie, spreading the infection to other passengers as the Shinkansen train quickly becomes complete chaos.
Now, you might ask if this sounds like some movie plot? Yes, you're right. This 'Zombie Shinkansen' event was reportedly inspired by the movie 'Train to Busan,' and the zombie attack in an inescapable train would feel even more thrilling than in the movies. One foreign passenger expressed in an interview that 'watching what was happening right before my eyes made me feel like I was inside a movie.'
'Zombie Shinkansen' was planned by 'JR Tokai Tours,' which operates Shinkansen-based travel products, and produced by 'Kowagarase-tai,' a company specializing in horror events. For this event, they rented an entire car of the Shinkansen's 16th car and recruited passengers. During the 2 hours and 20 minutes journey from Tokyo Station to Shin-Osaka Station, about 20 zombies provided passengers with an unforgettable experience through more than 10 different programs including not only horror elements but also dancing, magic, and musical performances.
However, the pricing was higher than expected, with basic seats at 33,000 yen (about 300,000 won) per adult and premium seats allowing photo opportunities with zombies at 50,000 yen (about 450,000 won). Nevertheless, all seats were sold out. This case demonstrates that there's more demand for new experiences than expected and shows the potential for growth into a new market.
Watching the Zombie Shinkansen event, I think 'this is possible because it's Japan,' but on the other hand, I feel a bit regretful that such an event wasn't implemented first in Korea, the country of the movie 'Train to Busan.'
Travel back to the Wild West in a time machine! 'Royal Railway - Utopia Station'
There are also cases that give you the experience of boarding a real train, even though it doesn't actually move. At 'Royal Railway - Utopia Station,' operated by the multinational cruise company 'Royal Caribbean Cruises,' passengers experience what feels like traveling back to the Wild West in a time machine.
This program provides various immersive experiences even before boarding the train. Through retro-style train tickets, seat guidance using split-flap displays, and steam effects when the train departs, passengers can feel as if they've actually arrived at a train station. Inside the train, LED screens display Western landscapes through the windows, and they've paid great attention to details like train noise and vibration effects.
When it comes to immersive experiences, you can't leave out the passionate performances of the cast. A conductor appears to read telegrams, turning passengers into a sea of laughter, and an engineer shows up to announce the train's next stop. The Yates trio of bandits, whose faces appeared on wanted posters at the platform before boarding, also get on the train to put on quite a show.
Royal Caribbean plans to introduce a new theme called 'Silk Routes' following 'Royal Railway - Utopia Station,' with the concept of Marco Polo returning from the East. This program is installed on the cruise ship 'Utopia of the Seas,' so currently only cruise ship customers can use it, but it would be great if it could be experienced in more diverse locations.
As you can see from the various cases we've introduced today, the realm of immersive experiences is gradually expanding. You can have movie-like experiences with zombies appearing on a moving train, or dine on a Wild West train as if you've traveled through time. Going forward, Realworld will continue to introduce various immersive cases as a leader in the experience industry. Thank you.