Zero Latency

Key stats

• Gaming centers in 25 different countries with new locations opening every one to two weeks
• 85 locations around the world—and growing

Overview

In the realm of immersive entertainment, where virtual reality reigns supreme, Zero Latency stands tall as a leader. With its groundbreaking, free-roam VR systems, Zero Latency catapults players into awe-inspiring virtual worlds, fueling their sense of adventure through a variety of interactive missions, epic battles, and captivating games.

Since its establishment in 2013, Zero Latency has captivated players around the globe, beckoning a new generation of gamers. With an unwavering commitment to crafting unforgettable experiences, Zero Latency boldly stands at the forefront, shaping the future of gaming and entertainment with limitless potential.

Limits can occur, however, when gaming connectivity lacks reliability, security, and visibility. To ensure the most seamless, enjoyable gaming experiences for players, Zero Latency partners with Cisco—enabling new, immersive, and accessible VR gaming experiences.

Challenge

Zero Latency’s vision for superior VR gaming demanded a world where players could move freely and interact naturally, unburdened by cumbersome equipment while also ensuring lag-free connection. In the past, players had to wear 13-pound backpacks that stored individual computers, detracting from the immersive experience. Zero Latency’s Chief Technology Officer, Scott Vandonkelaar, noted that players “felt the literal weight of the backpacks, which reminded them that the space wasn’t real.”

As Zero Latency’s global footprint expanded at an exhilarating pace, they also needed a network infrastructure capable of effortlessly handling the colossal amounts of data required for seamless game play across multiple locations. Reliable, secure connection is essential for gaming and for the growth of Zero Latency. As Vandonkelaar notes, “If Wi-Fi is down, so is the business.”

Simplicity is key for us. It’s important to get the technology out of the way and make the experience engaging for the customers.

Scott Vandonkelaar

Chief Technology Officer, Zero Latency

Solution

To overcome the challenges of cumbersome equipment, limited connectivity, and network scalability, Zero Latency partnered with Cisco to revolutionize their VR gaming experience. Building on previous success with cloud-managed operations of the Cisco Meraki dashboard, Zero Latency upgraded to Cisco Catalyst 9166 Wi-Fi 6E access points. They configured and deployed these access points seamlessly with Meraki dashboard management.

Wi-Fi 6E provides 1200 MHz of clean spectrum for minimal interference, along with faster throughput and lower latency, making it incredibly well suited for VR environments. This means that Zero Latency can provide a more stable and reliable connection for their players, free from the disruptions that can hinder the immersive experience.

With faster throughput and lower latency, Wi-Fi 6E enhances the overall performance of Zero Latency’s VR gaming system. The increased data transfer speeds enable the seamless transmission of large amounts of data required for real-time remote rendering and interaction in virtual worlds. This translates to smooth and fluid game play, where players can move, react, and engage with their surroundings without noticeable lag or delay.

One of the key advantages of the Meraki dashboard is its centralized management and monitoring capabilities. The dashboard provides Zero Latency with a single interface to configure, monitor, and troubleshoot their entire network infrastructure, including the Wi-Fi access points. This level of visibility and control allows Zero Latency to proactively address any potential issues that may arise and ensures the highest level of performance and reliability for their players.

Results

The ease of use and maintainability of Cisco and Meraki equipment is critical for our operators.

Scott Vandonkelaar

Chief Technology Officer, Zero Latency
By embracing the innovative capabilities of Wi-Fi 6E, Zero Latency eliminated the need for backpacks altogether. With the new solution, the computers were relocated to a centralized closet and all rendering was performed remotely over Wi-Fi through the headsets. This breakthrough eliminated the literal weight on the players’ backs and created a more authentic and immersive gaming environment.

“One of the key benefits of the new technology is the ability to give more people access to our experiences,” says Vandonkelaar. “By getting rid of the heavy backpacks and extra equipment, we can now expand to a broader audience, including younger individuals and those with accessibility issues. All you need is to be able to put the headset on, and that level of accessibility is crucial to us. We’re building more experiences to enable even more people to explore these virtual spaces.”

Today, Zero Latency proudly operates 85 locations in 25 countries, establishing new gaming centers every one to two weeks. The intuitive Meraki dashboard streamlines the deployment process, empowering Zero Latency to conquer new locations with ease. By equipping operators with comprehensive kits and remote management capabilities, Zero Latency eliminated deployment complexities and bid farewell to on-site technicians.

The cloud-managed Meraki dashboard delivers on Zero Latency’s need for flexibility and simplicity, allowing them to establish multiple locations quickly without straining their headquarters’ operations.

The ongoing partnership between Zero Latency and Cisco is a testament to a shared commitment to selecting technology that evolves alongside their needs. As Zero Latency continues to expand and redefine the VR entertainment landscape, their unwavering collaboration with Cisco remains the cornerstone of their mission to deliver extraordinary player experiences.