Around the World in XR - GSMA’s Virtual Balloon Ride at MWC 2025
Extended Reality
5 minutes read
At MWC 2025, the GSMA invited attendees to experience the event in a whole new way- through a fully immersive virtual hot air balloon ride, powered by HTC VIVE technology. This creative demo provided a virtual journey across iconic MWC locations around the world, offering visitors the opportunity to explore key event destinations in a unique and engaging way.
A Virtual Adventure Across MWC Cities
Drawing inspiration from Around the World in 80 Days, the experience took attendees on a virtual hot air balloon ride, visiting landmark cities where MWC events have been held, such as Shanghai, Las Vegas, and Kigali. Participants stepped into a physical balloon basket, entered virtual reality using VIVE Focus Vision, and navigated through these locations, collecting digital trophies along the way.
The immersive format allowed visitors to engage with MWC from a fresh perspective, demonstrating how XR can turn storytelling into an experience. By combining travel, gamification, and immersive tech, GSMA created a memorable and playful way for people to interact and learn.
VIVE Focus Vision: Powering the VR Experience
Central to this experience was VIVE Focus Vision, our all-new hybrid PCVR headset. VIVE Focus Vision is built for high turnover, multi-user settings like location-based experiences, making it the perfect headset for this demo at a busy conference like MWC. Its lightweight design and high-resolution display ensured that participants enjoyed a seamless, high-quality VR experience as they traveled across the globe.
Watch the full video with GSMA from MWC 2025: https://youtu.be/9ZoqHydIpqI
