Sandbox VR officially launches Star Trek: Discovery - Away Mission

Sandbox VR has officially launched its latest virtual reality experience in its locations around the globe. Star Trek: Discovery - Away Mission is a free-roam VR experience that uses real-time motion capture and VR technology to allow teams of players to participate in an immersive adventure together.

Star Trek: Discovery - Away Mission is directed by Michael Hampden, lead designer on Assassin's Creed: Rogue and critically-acclaimed VR title Blood & Truth. In the experience, players participate as a U.S.S. Discovery crew member on an away mission led by Sylvia Tilly, voiced by Mary Wiseman. Together, teams will conduct tricorder scans, fire phasers, transport to new planets, and - of course - seek out new civilizations.

In a statement, Sandbox VR CEO and founder Steve Zhao said of the experience, “We want fans to know that this isn't like any virtual reality you may have experienced or heard about before...this is something bigger and better. [...] It's not a game, it's not a movie, it's not traditional VR, it's a full body experience that completely transforms you, where you become the experience itself.”

You can play Star Trek: Discovery - Away Mission for yourself now, at Sandbox VR’s locations in Hong Kong, the San Francisco Bay area, and Los Angeles, with more locations coming soon. It’s not clear how much the experience will set you back; when I tried booking a session at sandboxvr.com, there were plenty of sessions available, but no price indicated without completing the booking process. Various reports around the web indicate a price tag between $35 and $48 per person.