Chuck E. Cheese locations testing Oculus Rift VR experience

Family entertainment chain Chuck E. Cheese has brought in the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset for a six week test run at locations across three US markets.

The hardware will be used for Chuck E. Cheese’s Virtual Ticket Blaster Experience,” an arcade-style game where players grab flying tickets which can then be exchanged for prizes.

"Kids today have unprecedented access to game consoles and tablets," president of CEC Entertainment Roger Cardinale said.

"Our challenge is to deliver an experience not available at home, and there is no doubt virtual reality does just that. Oculus Rift technology is the next frontier in the gaming industry, and we’re thrilled to be able to say it’s part of the Chuck E. Cheese’s lineup."

The VR experience will be available for the next month and a half in various locations throughout Orlando, Dallas and San Diego markets, and was developed in collaboration with Dallas-based studio Reel FX.

"We believe that virtual reality eventually will be as popular as our handheld devices," Reel FX founder and executive creative director Dale Carman added.

"It’s a game-changer, and we’re investing incredible time and talent into developing content for the Oculus Rift."