Being Virtual | Deep Dive with Alex Rossol

Show Notes

How do you scale a niche VR platform to hundreds of locations, and keep every new game fresh, replayable, and profitable?

In this episode of Being Virtual: Deep Dive, Bob Cooney sits down with Alex Rossol, co-founder of vrCAVE, the company behind the most widely deployed VR escape room system in the world. They cover everything from early backpack-based rigs to today's headset-agnostic platform, and dig into what it takes to build long-form, comfortable, and emotionally satisfying immersive content at scale.

Highlights:

• The surprising origin of vrCAVE’s first haunted house MVP

• Why vrCAVE doubled down on narrative escape rooms (and abandoned replayable arcade shooters)

• The secret to evenly distributed game popularity across a 9+ title catalog

• Standalone vs. PC VR: what works best, and why they still support both

• The real reasons motion sickness still happens—and how vrCAVE avoids it

• Exclusive territories, quality-first development, and advice for operators

Whether you're building VR content, buying games, or running an LBE, this is your behind-the-scenes look at what smart growth and intentional product design looks like in the immersive entertainment space.

Plus: tips on pricing, storytelling, team size, haptics, player comfort, and the future of mixed reality.

Guest: Alex Rossol, co-founder of vrCAVE
Key Moments

00:00 – Welcome & IntroductionBob introduces Alex Rossol and sets up the conversation around scaling VR escape rooms.

01:00 – How vrCAVE StartedAlex shares the origin story, from early headsets to their first haunted house MVP.

05:30 – Why They Committed to Escape RoomsWhy vrCAVE pivoted from short arcade shooters to narrative puzzle experiences.

08:10 – Replayability vs. One-Shot DesignThe business challenge of replayable content and lessons from their Laser Bots game.

09:45 – Balancing Operator and Player FeedbackHow they gather actionable feedback from both sides of the market.

12:00 – The Power of Software-Defined DurationHow operators tailor experiences to 15, 30, or 60 minutes using vrCAVE’s flexibility.

13:15 – Designing for ComfortHow motion sickness happens—and how vrCAVE avoids it to support longer gameplay.

17:00 – Why All Their Games Perform WellHow they’ve avoided the “80/20 rule” with a strong, evenly played catalog.

20:30 – Offering Exclusive TerritoriesWhy vrCAVE guarantees exclusivity and what it means for operator trust and growth.

25:00 – PC VR vs. Standalone HeadsetsWhat they’ve learned from supporting both hardware types—and why they still do.

29:10 – Headset ComparisonPros and cons of Meta Quest, HTC Focus, and Pico from an operator's perspective.

33:00 – The Google/HTC Deal and XR PlatformsAlex’s take on where XR infrastructure is heading and why openness matters.

35:10 – What’s Next for vrCAVEAsymmetric gameplay, MR, IP opportunities, and thinking beyond escape rooms.

38:10 – 5 Reasons VR Escape Rooms Beat Physical OnesLower build-out cost, no resets, flexible space, scalable content, and retention.

40:45 – Biggest Lesson as a Founder“Everything takes twice as long and costs twice as much.”

42:15 – Storytelling vs. SerializationWhy they haven’t built sequels—and the friction they’re trying to avoid.

44:00 – Alien Invasion Launch + Future PlansTheir latest escape room is live—and the next one is already in the works.