Perth-based virtual reality gaming startup Ready Team One VR looks to expansion

Virtual reality gaming startup Ready Team One is looking to secure funding for its expansion through an ongoing crowdfunding campaign.

The startup, which currently operates a centre in Perth’s Murray Street Mall and which is set to open further facilities in Townsville and the Italian city of Monza, is reported to be negotiating overseas licence agreements in the USA and Oman along with new locations in Australia.

To drive this expansion, it has ignored traditional routes to secure investment and is instead seeking to raise about $600,000 through Birchal, an online equity crowdfunding platform.

Aiming to transform gaming by turning virtual reality into a fully immersive social experience, the company, founded in 2018 by James Tang, Chris Cheng and Scott Whiteley, equips participants with a VR headset and full-body tracking and pitted against each other in a room the size of a tennis court. 

Games on offer are also developed in-house, with the majority of titles being action shooters like TR: Apocalypse, Tactical Response and First Contact that require participants to take down enemies like zombies, opposing combat teams or aliens.

Cheng told Business News Australia “we need to find partners that are probably a bit more knowledgeable about the local area either through licensing or joint ventures.

“If we if end up hitting our maximum target, that's when we were looking at opening a company-owned Ready Team One international flagship (location) in Australia.

According to Tang, the average age of customers is 30, with group sizes typically ranging from four to 10 people.

He adds “we've attracted a lot of families and corporate team-building events. Sometimes they come in groups of 30 and they're looking for like a fun activity that's a bit different, but very high tech and something that they can do together.”

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Images: Ready Team One game play (top) and Ready Team One co-founders Scott Whiteley, Chris Cheng and James Tang (below). Credit: Ready Team One.