THE XPR CONVENTION CENTER

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Context:

When XPR Labs first dove into virtual reality, one thing was clear — in the booming VR ecosystem, XPR would need to stand out quickly. To debut in immersive technology, a groundbreaking idea was proposed — XPR would host an HR conference entirely in a VR convention center, complete with exhibitors, keynotes, and live events. Furthermore, it would be more than just a conference — it would be the biggest conference of its kind ever held in VR.

Challenge:

JobCon 2021 would address a pressing issue — in a mid-pandemic world, recruiters needed not only to continue hiring, but to increase recruitment rates and new hire quality. Since in-person hiring events were no longer an option due to COVID restrictions, virtual events would quickly become the default. Additionally, JobCon 2021 would seek to fill an emerging need for young, tech-proficient workers, who were in high demand, using VR as a method to draw them in.

Solution:

To host the conference, a skyscraping virtual convention center was developed — the XPR Center. Some floors would be dedicated to exhibitions, featuring exhibitors, event spaces and live entertainment. A massive lobby would deal with the huge influx of attendees, while a grand auditorium could host top-notch keynotes. A virtual wellness center would enable fitness events, seminars, and other education. After completion, the XPR Center was immediately the largest conference center in its class, dwarfing other VR event spaces.

Results:

During JobCon 2021, events and attendance ran 24/7, with both virtual attendance and constant livestreaming. The final attendance exceeded all estimates — over 64,000 people joined the convention, breaking a world record for VR conferences. Before JobCon 2021, many companies were skeptical of the metaverse, and worried that immersive events would prove too costly. The risk that XPR took on this event paid off, and showed the world that immersive technology and virtual events can create incredible results.

Ultimately, the XPR Center and JobCon 2021 became XPR Labs’ foundation — and the trajectory of innovation has been accelerating ever since.