Swords, you’d probably expect. But VR? Probably less so.
Yet that was but one of the attractions that HBO and Sky laid on at their Game of Thrones exhibition that was resident at The O2 in London for a wee bit. I was lucky enough (and quick enough I guess) to snag a ticket for the exhibition so I thought I’d share the experience with you folks.
If you’ve been to The O2 before, there’s no escaping the Sky Studios at the entrance to ‘The Tent of London’. Immediately before you on your entrance, the area regularly features cool interactive tidbits like trying your hand at being a newsreader. I tried that once a good few years ago, that’s probably where I first got a taste for making amazing gaming videos! (hint hint. Like that link?)
Anyways, back to the exhibition. As it was set up to promote the fifth season, amongst the recognisable gear were some props and costumes relating to events in the later shows. I’ll keep schtum on what these actually are, in the hope that those who know and have watched most of the episodes, will know.
Like the look of that? Grand! I’ve got one more for you to feast your eyes on:
Interactivity was also key to the overall experience. You could film yourself getting burned by a dragon and you could also pose to have yourself turned into a White Walker. Sadly, I slightly messed up my moment of fame and the video looks like I was completely blasé about incoming fire! I’ll have to work on those acting skills a little bit I think.
The penultimate, attraction was one of the headline grabbers for the exhibition. Using Oculus Rift VR headsets (DK1, if you’re curious), visitors were able to take a lift to the top of The Wall and enjoy the amazing view of the North from up high. In a pretty cool twist, they fitted fans and floor plates that jolted at certain moments, giving the whole experience a sensory makeover that was pretty awesome.
It was a shame that it only lasted about a minute and a half! Here’s what the cubicle looks like:
The final attraction in the exhibition was one that I might have enjoyed a little bit too much. The Iron Throne made the trip to London and it was primed and ready for yours truly to lay claim to it, if only for a little while.
I don’t know what happened during those moments, maybe power got to my head a little bit. I’m not sure. At the very least, it might have given me a temporary boost to the photogenic perk!
As I was in the final slot for the day, the merch stand had unfortunately closed by the time I left the exhibition. Fortunately, HBO have laid on the exact same goodies that were available at the exhibition over at the HBO online shop. You can check it out here if you fancy letting your friends/family know which house you swore fealty to.
As for me, it’s all about House Stark.
