Virtual reality, real-life connections

Virtual-reality experiences tend to be solitary and isolating. Even the gear—which requires, at the very least, the wearing of a large headset—discourages physical interactions. 



Sandbox VR has changed all of that. The San Francisco–based company builds and operates multi-room locations that offer socially immersive experiences—involving up to six players per room—that utilize an impressive array of proprietary technologies (including high-resolution headsets, full-body motion capture, and haptic-feedback gear). Stories and situations, created by Sandbox, put groups of players in virtual worlds, transporting them to eye-popping fantastical lands—or even in the middle of a fan-favorite TV show (where they must choose to compete as friends or enemies). The company currently operates more than 40 locations around the world and is expanding rapidly. 







“What makes Sandbox unique is that we’re providing highly immersive experiences while bringing people together and removing any barriers to human interaction,” Sandbox founder and CEO Steve Zhao says. “It’s not unusual for players to hold hands and tap each other’s shoulders—interactions that couldn’t happen in VR before we started.”



Sandbox VR’s remarkable advancements in enriching the VR experience makes it a natural choice for inclusion on Fast Company ’s list of the world’s Most Innovative Companies for 2024.



NEW GAMING EXPERIENCES



In 2023, Sandbox released two new experiences that doubled down on its mission to provide group-oriented gaming. In Seekers of the Shard: Dragonfire , teams of players navigate their way through magic castles, ruined fortresses, underground rivers, and haunted tombs—all the while, battling hosts of nefarious adversaries. The story features a branching narrative path that requires players to make collaborative decisions. And because branching storylines means alternate outcomes, players can revisit the world of Dragonfire for a set of new adventures.



Squid Game Virtuals , meanwhile, resulted from Sandbox’s collaboration with Netflix. Building on the chilling dystopian world presented in the streamer’s massively popular Squid Game series, this experience lets players compete (with or against each other) in a series of mini-games. Sandbox VR’s AAA in-house studio worked in close collaboration with teams from Netflix to better capture the tension of the deadly competitions, but in a more fun and approachable way. Zhao is already thinking about VR experiences he’ll build from the (recently announced) second season of the Netflix show: “People who love the IP will come play at Sandbox again.”



A LIGHTER LOAD



At other location-based VR storefronts, players are outfitted with clunky backpacks, bulky computer hardware, and “all-in-one” headsets embedded with chips of limited processing power. This experience creates a ceiling to graphics quality.



Last year, the company erased those limitations—and the heavy baggage—by installing advanced wireless technology. Sandbox VR locations house a supercomputer that enables much richer experiences. High-volume data streams directly into player headsets, providing high-production visuals (and audio) while giving them the freedom to run, jump, and interact with teammates. 



Zhao says the wireless technology is helping to widen customer demographics, allowing younger kids—who might be too small to wear backpacks—to participate. “We’re getting more families coming to Sandbox,” he says. It’s one more way the company he built is fulfilling his mission to bring people together through gaming.