Just days after announcing a new feature for passengers aboard The Wheel at Orlando’s ICON Park that sees riders shooting infrared guns at targets below, park officials have decided to pause the offering, according to WFTV.
What’s Happening:
- Just after the official announcement of a new way to experience The Wheel at ICON Park, park officials are pausing the availability of the new Bullseye Blast game.
- The game, developed exclusively for ICON Park by Creative Amusements, LLC and Steradian Technologies officially debuted just days ago, and allowed players to ascend in the giant ferris wheel where players scan the rooftops of ICON Park to find 50 strategically pre-selected targets with varying degrees of difficulty. To get the highest score possible, players needed to hit as many of these as possible with their laser blaster during the 18-minute ride. Each of the custom-made blasters has a scope on it, allowing the players to view an infrared beam and assist them when aiming at the targets. The score is displayed on the side of the blaster and targets flash off and on to confirm a hit.
- Once the offering was officially announced, there was immediate outcry from the community and elsewhere in the world, comparing the game to recent tragic events in the country and even locally.
- Comments included frustration with how culturally tone-deaf the game is, several hypothetical “Who approved this?” replies, and even numerous thoughts that the announcement came from a parody account similar to The Onion.
- The vocal response on many forums is what led to the decision to pause the offering, with ICON park officials saying that even though the game was “thoroughly tested and well received by guests during a process spanning many months,” they will now “pursue a new design that will deliver the same level of customized fun for guests, in a way that the entire community can embrace.”
- Park officials also point out the game’s similarity to other attractions in the industry without mentioning names, though commenters were quick to point out those typically take place in fantasy or cartoony dark-ride environments that don’t feature passengers shooting targets installed on an actual city landscape.
- ICON Park has not revealed any new opening dates or any further information.
What They’re Saying:
- Statement from ICON Park Officials: “Following recent, well-received innovations from The Wheel at ICON Park, which provide customized experiences for guests, allowing them to play their own music playlist or listen to Orlando’s history story, the Bullseye Blast game satisfied guests who enjoy gaming, arcades and virtual reality. From capsules, guests use a toy infrared device to compete and hit round, colorful targets on rooftops. The experience was thoroughly tested and well received by guests during a process spanning many months.
Some non-guests and community members expressed that they considered the toy shooting device used to be insensitive. The attractions industry has many similar games which use similar shooting devices, so that is what we were limited to when exploring the game. However, we believe that a device can and should be designed which does not offend anyone in the community. We look forward to leading this new innovation.
During the design process we will pause the current version of the game. Just like all electronic games are improved over time, we will pursue a new design that will deliver the same level of customized fun for guests, in a way that the entire community can embrace.”