Escape Reality at Infinite Loop

Nebraska’s newest arcade takes a spin on the traditional means of gameplay. Infinite Loop, the state’s largest virtual reality arcade, features nine 100 square–foot virtual reality bays that can be shared by up to 4 people. These bays are rented by the hour, each furnished with a 55-inch 4k TV, a couch and, of course, a VR gaming system. Infinite Loop is located on 9825 Giles Road in LaVista. 

Jeremiah Maddock, the owner of Infinite Loop, had the desire to open the new-age gaming arcade in LaVista after receiving assistance from the Nebraska Business Development Center. Maddock worked as an internet technology manager at First Data for 15 years, where he utilized his personal computer to take games to corporate parties and other company events. 

“I took a leap of faith and quit my job and opened this place… I think it’s (Virtual Reality) a booming industry and it’s moving this way.” Virtual reality has grown immensely in the past few years. According to the IDC, worldwide spending on virtual reality reached 17.8 billion dollars last year alone.  

Infinite Loop’s virtual reality bays are all equipped with the HTC Vive, one of the first virtual reality systems to capture the public’s attention. The release of the Vive captured the potential that virtual reality has in gaming.  

The HTC Vive is a critically acclaimed virtual reality system which uses a headset to immerse users in a computer-generated experience that takes places within an incredibly realistic simulated world. Movement is controlled by two hand–held remotes.  

The HTC Vive uses boxes called Lighthouses. These boxes are installed in the corners of the bay that then fill the area with infrared light. The HTC headset and controllers have sensors that receive this light to determine where in the room the user is, thus tracking the user to match the user’s real life movement to the game in real time. 

To obtain one of these systems is extremely costly. The starting price for the HTC Vive is 499 dollars, however, Infinite Loop lets you enter the world of VR for $35 per hour (plus tax).  

Before being submerged in gameplay, Infinite Loop requires all players to sign a release of liability waiver, as VR can make some users experience symptoms such as nausea and headaches as they adjust to the simulated reality. To aid, the arcade recommends that users start with “beginner” games; “Job Simulator” and “The Lab” are two of the most popular “starting out” titles. 

Infinite Loop offers 50 different games to choose from, including 20 multiplayer options that can be played between bays. The gaming library includes genres ranging from exploration games like “Trickster” and “Batman: Arkham VR,” to first person shooters including “Operation Warcade” and “Front Defense,” to horror titles like “Emily Wants to Play” and “Escape Bloody Mary.”  

Infinite Loop is opened 5 days of the week. It’s normal operating hours are 2-10 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 2- 11 p.m. on Fridays, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. on Saturdays, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Sundays and closed Mondays and Tuesdays.