[The short description below of a presence-evoking immersive media attraction now in New York is from TimeOut; an October 2025 Metro UK review of the attraction when it was in London provides additional context and includes a 2:08 minute video and this assessment:

“The virtual journey is possibly the closest yet to imagining what Rome was really like thousands of years ago. And it feels almost too real as you’re standing at the edge of the balcony in the Colosseum, contemplating whether you should jump off to see what happens. It’s fantastically life-like.”

Excerpts from another review from BroadwayWorld follow below. For a spoiler-filled description, see the review in Immersive Rumours, which concludes with this:

“With impressive technology, a huge scale, and some really engaging content, Colosseum: The Legendary Arena is up there with some of the best VR we’ve ever experienced. Striking a balance between entertainment and education, it’s a wonderful experience for families, those interested in Ancient Rome, and those keen to try out VR for the first time and discover what all the fuss is about.”

–Matthew]

Walk inside the Colosseum of ancient Rome at this new super-realistic VR experience

Step into ancient Rome without leaving Manhattan

By Laura Ratliff
January 21 2026

You don’t need a time machine or a transatlantic flight to step inside ancient Rome’s most infamous arena. Starting on February 3, a new immersive virtual reality experience at Eclipso NYC promises to drop visitors right into the heart of the Roman Empire: the Colosseum, circa 2,000 years ago.

Called “Colosseum: The Legendary Arena,” the experience is a free-roaming VR production that lets guests walk through the arena rather than passively watch it. After a short onboarding, you’ll put on a headset and physically move through a meticulously recreated version of ancient Rome—including markets, city streets and, finally, the Colosseum itself.

Developed in collaboration with the Paris-based immersive studio Small Creative, the experience was created under the guidance of a scientific advisory committee led by the French School of Rome, so, while the whole ordeal may feel cinematic, it is actually rooted in history rather than fantasy. Archaeologists and historians were involved from the earliest stages, reviewing scripts and narrative details to ensure the setting felt accurate. The result feels like a walk through living history rather than a gladiator video game.

“This experience isn’t just a look back at ancient Rome—it’s a chance to step inside its beating heart,” said Antoine Lieutaud, founder and CEO of Eclipso Entertainment, in an official statement. “’Colosseum: The Legendary Arena’ places visitors on a stage where power, ambition and sacrifice unfolded before an empire, allowing audiences to feel the energy of the crowd, the weight of a gladiator’s choices and the grandeur of Rome itself—making history feel alive, emotional and unforgettable.”

Over roughly 30 minutes in VR (plus about 15 minutes of prep), visitors will encounter daily life in ancient Rome and the spectacle of the arena, including appearances by historical figures like famous gladiator Flamma. You’ll hear the crowd and move through hidden corridors beneath the stands.

Eclipso previously made waves with “Titanic: Echoes from the Past,” and Colosseum follows the same model; it’s culturally focused and visually ambitious, appealing to both families and adults. The experience is recommended for ages 8 and up, making it surprisingly school-trip-friendly for something that involves gladiators.

“Colosseum: The Legendary Arena” opens February 3 at Eclipso NYC, located at 555 West 57th Street. Tickets start at $31. If you’ve ever wanted to stand in the Colosseum at its peak (without the crowds, heat and moral complexity of ancient combat), this might be the closest you’ll get.

—

[From BroadwayWorld]

Review: COLOSSEUM: THE LEGENDARY ARENA, Eclipso

VR is the star as Eclipso take us back to ancient Rome

By Franco Milazzo
Oct. 24, 2025

[snip]

The experience itself is incredibly comfortable as things go. There’s no longer a need for a backpack these days and I can personally testify that bulky specs wearers won’t need to remove their goggles to have a good time. The setup is stupidly simple: find your numbered spot in the starting area, have the technician slip on the headset, adjust if necessary for focus and then you’re good to go. Up to 14 people can be accommodated at a time though smaller numbers are recommended so everyone can walk around in comfort.

Not that bumping into other people is that much of an issue. The VR comes with two very cool environmental features which help with that. The first is the ability to see your hands and fingers as you move them around … The second is being able to see those standing close by. Rather than seeing others in classy Chanel outfits (as was the case in Blanca Li’s brilliant dance-themed Le Bal de Paris), they appear as white silhouettes, giving the whole experience more of a team vibe. 

[snip]

Colosseum: The Legendary Arena is more than just fancy technology. It is certainly a leap forward from what can be found elsewhere, though: Layered Reality (the team behind the infamous Elvis Evolution) incorporated short VR episodes into their flagship show, the highly successful The War Of The Worlds, as well as their recently-closed The Gunpowder Plot. There is plenty of drama here even if it doesn’t quite have the storytelling power of, say, ZU-UK’s sublime Within Touching Distance or the engagement levels of the acid house-themed In Pursuit Of Repetitive Beats (where participants could activate screens and pick up and pass virtual items to each other).

The USP here is the attention to detail and the stunning visuals: the historical immersion is as deep as it gets in London, there are some genuinely jaw-dropping spectacles and these kinds of experiences could do for history classes what David Attenborough has done for nature documentaries.