Virtual reality will thrill visitors to mainland China’s most popular theme parks under a groundbreaking $30 million joint venture announced today between SPACES Inc. and Songcheng Performance Development Co. Ltd., one of the world’s biggest theme park operators.

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Virtual reality will thrill visitors to some of China's most popular theme parks under a joint-ventu ...

Virtual reality will thrill visitors to some of China's most popular theme parks under a joint-venture agreement announced today between VR company SPACES Inc. and Hangzhou, China-based Songcheng Performance Development Co. Ltd. Songcheng is one of the top 10 theme-park operators in the world, with nearly 24 million visitors a year to its parks. Among Songcheng's offerings are elaborate stage shows that, on their own, attract 7 million people annually. (Photo: Business Wire)

Utilizing creative tools and technology SPACES is developing specifically for theme parks, the joint venture will bring unprecedented virtual reality and mixed reality attractions to Songcheng’s theme parks – which drew nearly 23 million parkgoers in 2015, according to Themed Entertainment Association data.

“VR and MxR will be incorporated into existing shows and rides in ways that have never been possible, with thousands of people able to experience VR simultaneously,” said SPACES CEO Shiraz Akmal. “Showcasing the transformative nature of virtual reality on such a wide scale will also help the entire VR industry grow at an increasingly faster pace.”

SPACES will also work with Songcheng to bring its massively popular live-streaming video site 6Rooms (6.cn) – which has more than 33 million unique users every month – to VR and MxR platforms.

Cathy Zhang, CEO of Songcheng, added: “Virtual reality and mixed reality can revolutionize almost every interaction our guests have in our theme parks and on 6Rooms. This joint venture opens the door to a new and exciting future that is limited only by the imagination.”

In Songcheng’s theme parks, VR and MxR elements will be added to existing attractions, including elaborate, epic stage shows that on their own attract more than 7 million people annually. Songcheng-SPACES also plans to build unique, standalone virtual reality attractions and parks throughout China.

For Songcheng’s 6Rooms, SPACES will create VR experiences that further enhance China’s largest online platform for performing arts. 6Rooms users create and watch more than 50,000 live broadcast hours each day.

SPACES also will provide technology, develop creative concepts, produce and publish VR and MxR experiences, and furnish tech-support services, while Songcheng will operate and promote the VR and MxR attractions. SPACES will also license the underlying software to Songcheng.

Under the agreement, the joint venture will be based in Hangzhou, China, and co-managed by SPACES from its headquarters in Los Angeles.

In addition to its joint venture with Songcheng, SPACES has raised $3 million in seed funding from investors led by Comcast Ventures and including Boost VC; Canyon Creek Capital; Colopl VR Fund; GREE Inc.; Kai Huang; The Venture Reality Fund; the Sinovation Fund; and Youku Global Media Fund and CRCM VC.

SPACES will be meeting with brands and VR/MxR development partners during the upcoming E3 in Los Angeles.

About SPACES
SPACES enables the world’s leading companies and brands to bring anything to anyone, anywhere through fully dimensional experiences that allow users to completely interact in virtual and mixed reality. SPACES, named for the base unit of virtual reality, brings together a talented team with a wide-ranging background in films, television, video games and theme parks.

About Songcheng
Songcheng Performance Development Co. Ltd. (SZ: 300144) is the first company in the performing arts industry in China to go public and is a global Top 10 theme park group. It has also enjoyed the title of “Top 30 Culture Enterprises in China” for seven continuous years. Songcheng Performance has the core competency of “performing arts” and earns its strong reputation with its brand names “Songcheng” and “The Romantic Show.” With businesses in leisure/tourism, live entertainment and online entertainment, Songcheng is one of the largest online and offline performing arts companies in the world.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Artwork and images related to the agreement between SPACES and Songcheng can be found here.