Sandbox VR partners to open venues in NYC

Sandbox VR operates 35 locations in the United States.

A growing virtual reality experience company is entering the Big Apple.

Sandbox VR has announced a franchise deal with investment firm JLG Ventures to open locations to New York City, starting in Manhattan.

The Sandbox VR venues will offer guests interactive experiences using the company’s patented motion-tracking system, which captures the movements of a player’s entire body, combined with high-quality haptics to provide players with realism and immersion that’s not possible with home VR or other location-based VR platforms, according to the company. The players' own bodies act as their game controllers.

“New York City has been one of the most requested locations for Sandbox VR since launching the company,” said Steve Zhao, CEO and founder of Sandbox VR. “We knew it would be crucial to find the right partners to bring our immersive virtual reality experiences to the five boroughs and we are thrilled to partner with JLG Ventures to do just that.”

All Sandbox VR experiences are developed by in-house AAA gaming studios in Hong Kong and Vancouver. The VR experiences are uniquely designed for groups to play as social experiences, with teams of up to six friends able to freely roam and explore virtual worlds together while relying on each other to succeed.

“This isn’t just another venue — it’s a crown jewel in immersive entertainment,” said Carolyne Chan, president of JLG Ventures. “New York sets the global standard for world-class experiences, and Sandbox VR Manhattan will stand at the forefront of this evolution. We’re thrilled to build on this momentum and deliver a new level of excitement and engagement to our guests.”

Sandbox VR operates in over 55 global locations, with 35 in the United States. Its locations welcome over 100,000 players monthly to experience immersive virtual reality experiences.