Star Wars™: Secrets of the Empire takes place between Episodes 3 and 4 and is a first-of-its-kind location based multi-sensory experience. Under the orders of the rebellion, teams of four guests must work together to infiltrate an Imperial base disguised as stormtroopers where they’ll navigate through to steal critical intelligence with help from familiar Star Wars characters along the way. The VOID transports guests deep into the Star Wars universe where they can walk freely untethered, see, touch and interact with the environment. Through The VOID’s proprietary gear, including head mounted displays, backtop™ computers, and haptic vests, participants feel the turbulence of the skiff below their feet, withstand the impact of blaster bolts, and smell the smoke as they approach the planet Mustafar. By mapping the virtual world over physical stages, it creates an immersive experience that engages all the senses and transports guests to a galaxy far, far away.

The VOID set to develop a new category of entertainment and change the perception of VR from an isolated activity into a dynamic and social experience. ILMxLAB is Lucasfilm’s Immersive Entertainment division which combines compelling storytelling, technological innovation and world-class production to create truly impactful immersive experiences. Together, The VOID and ILMxLAB created Star WarsTM: Secrets of the Empire, a socially interactive, breathtaking experience that blends physical and virtual worlds together.

As a part of Lucasfilm, ILMxLAB was able to bring the authentic story to life hand-in-hand with The VOID and key contributors: the Lucasfilm Story Group, writer David S. Goyer, and The VOID’s Tracy Hickman for story; and key Star Wars talent like Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, and Sam Witwer. The VOID and ILMxLAB worked collaboratively to bring the right story to the hyper-reality platform; with smell, heat, and touch, the story focused on Mustafar and leaned into a known and popular trope – infiltrating an Imperial base disguised as a stormtrooper. The planet Mustafar was creatively compelling to showcase hyper-reality and the perfect backdrop to take advantage of triggering all senses and inspiring exploration and discovery.

Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire from concept to development to its first public appearance took less than a year. Launched over six locations from December 2017 through April 2018, the marketing campaign focused on consumer advocacy. Launch activity focused on paid search, social ads and a local media blitz in each location along with highly targeted and strategic OOH component In addition, Diego Luna supported by announcing his part via his Twitter account. Premiere events were held in Anaheim, London and Las Vegas complete with appearances by David S. Goyer, Sam Witwer, and stormtroopers, exclusive media previews and inviting Star Wars fans to bring initial buzz