In Virtual Reality News
What’s the story?
Sandbox VR will open its 100th location, and its first in New York City, on October 23 at 777 7th Avenue in Times Square, a 10,324-square-foot location-based VR venue.
Why it matters
Sandbox VR’s 100th location adds to a business the company said welcomes more than 150,000 guests each month and has sold more than 6 million tickets worldwide.
The bigger picture
Sandbox VR continues to expand its global footprint, with partner JLG Ventures planning more New York City locations, showing there is an appetite for out-of-home immersive experiences.
October 17, 2026 – Sandbox VR, a provider of location-based virtual reality (VR) experiences, has this week announced that it will open its first New York City location on October 23 at 777 7th Avenue in Times Square. The new 10,324-square-foot venue also marks the company’s 100th location.
Sandbox VR’s proprietary full-body platform combines VR headsets, motion tracking and haptic feedback for full-body immersive experience, with content developed by an in-house studio. The company said it welcomes more than 150,000 guests each month and has sold more than 6 million tickets worldwide.
Siting within walking distance of Broadway’s Theatre District, Rockefeller Center, and Radio City Music Hall, the venue will include six private VR rooms where groups of up to six guests can suit up to see and physically interact with one another inside the virtual world. After each experience, guests also receive personalized highlight videos.
Guests can choose from 12 full-body VR experiences, led by the recently released Deadwood Origins, the fourth installment in the company’s Deadwood zombie series. Sandbox VR stated that the first three Deadwood titles have sold more than 2.66 million tickets and generated more than USD $140 million in sales. The lineup also includes Stranger Things: Catalyst and Squid Game Virtuals, developed in collaboration with Netflix; Age of Dinosaurs, created in collaboration with the Natural History Museum, London; and Sandbox VR originals such as Seekers of the Shard: Dragonfire. The company added that players do not require previous gaming or VR experience.
“Reaching our 100th location as we prepare to open in Times Square shows how far Sandbox VR has come and where we want to go next,” said Steve Zhao, founder and CEO of Sandbox VR. “Introducing our experience to New York City for the first time is a major moment for us, and we’re fortunate to have Jason, Carolyne, and their team help make this opening possible.”
Carolyne Chan, co-owner of JLG Ventures, a company that invests in, operates, and partners with hospitality and entertainment brands, said: “Times Square is where the world comes together, so it is the perfect home for the most social VR experience in the world. We welcome families, friends, and teams who want to step out of everyday life and into an adventure together. October 23 can’t come soon enough. And this is just the beginning; we plan to open more locations across New York City.”
For more information on Sandbox VR and its location-based VR experiences, please visit the company’s website.
Image credit: Sandbox VR
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About the author
Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix, where he has spent years immersed in the XR ecosystem, tracking its evolution from early prototypes to the technologies shaping the future of human experience. While primarily covering the latest AR and VR news, his interests extend to the wider world of human augmentation, from AI and robotics to haptics, wearables, and brain–computer interfaces.