Sandbox VR, a San Francisco-based location-based virtual reality (LBVR) entertainment company, has officially announced the launch of its third German location in Osnabrück. The new facility, developed in partnership with franchisee Royal Casinos DGS GMBH, will open to the public on September 11, 2025, at Rheiner Landstraße 5 in Hasbergen. Bookings are now live, and early customers can access a 20% discount with the code “EARLYBIRD” through September 30.
This marks the third collaboration between Sandbox VR and Royal Casinos DGS GMBH, following the successful rollout of Sandbox VR locations in Hamburg in 2024 and Berlin in March 2025. The expansion underscores the growing demand for immersive, group-based entertainment in Germany and places Osnabrück squarely on the map of emerging digital leisure destinations.
Why is Sandbox VR betting on Osnabrück after Berlin and Hamburg in its Germany expansion roadmap?
According to Sandbox VR CEO Steve Zhao, Germany has proven to be a high-performing market for full-body virtual reality venues. Zhao expressed enthusiasm for the continued collaboration with Royal Casinos DGS GMBH, highlighting Osnabrück as a prime opportunity to bring the company’s immersive experiences to a broader audience.
From a demographic standpoint, Osnabrück offers a strategic blend of youthful population, tourism inflow, and a thriving local entertainment scene that’s ripe for disruption. By embedding the new location within the footprint of an existing casino space, Sandbox VR is also leveraging hybrid leisure experiences—a model that blends traditional formats like gaming and social events with cutting-edge VR technology.
Royal Casinos DGS GMBH executives Johannes Gill and Carina Buschmann, serving as CEO and COO respectively, stated that the choice of Osnabrück was informed by strong local demand and the unique potential to integrate immersive experiences within their broader entertainment offerings.
What makes Sandbox VR’s gaming experience different from other virtual reality or arcade venues?
Unlike conventional VR arcades or home-based headsets, Sandbox VR offers a full-body motion capture environment supported by advanced haptic suits and top-tier head-mounted displays (HMDs). The Osnabrück venue features two dedicated VR gaming rooms, each accommodating groups of up to six players. Guests are outfitted with haptic vests, wrist and ankle sensors, and VIVE Focus 3 headsets that offer superior tracking and next-level inside-out visuals.
This setup allows participants not just to see and hear one another but to physically interact within virtual environments that feel cinematically immersive. Players often describe the experience as being inside a video game or action movie, with heightened emotional responses that result from truly embodied play.
All guests receive post-session highlight videos that resemble cinematic trailers, creating personalized shareable content that captures the laughter, action, and jump-scare moments of the session.
What immersive VR titles are available at Sandbox VR’s Osnabrück venue—and what sets them apart?
The Osnabrück location will launch with access to nine proprietary experiences developed in-house by Sandbox VR’s game design team, which includes veterans from the mainstream video game industry. Each title is designed around cooperative gameplay and narrative-driven interaction.
Among the most anticipated titles is Rebel Moon: The Descent, a Netflix-licensed experience created in partnership with director Zack Snyder. Players descend through dystopian skyscrapers and subterranean settings while battling enemy troops and spacecraft in a storyline rooted in Snyder’s Rebel Moon cinematic universe. Equally gripping is Deadwood PHOBIA, the latest installment in Sandbox VR’s signature zombie series, which takes place inside a derelict medical facility filled with hallucinatory horrors that test both nerves and teamwork.
For those seeking competitive thrills, Squid Game Virtuals recreates the intensity of Netflix’s global phenomenon with a series of multiplayer challenges that are approachable yet pulse-pounding, designed to keep players coming back for rematches. Fantasy fans can dive into Seekers of the Shard: Dragonfire, which takes participants through ruined fortresses, haunted tombs, and a dragon’s lair in a quest-based adventure that blends exploration with high-stakes combat.
The lineup also includes science-fiction action in Amber Sky 2088, where players take on the role of heroic androids defending Earth from alien invaders aboard a colossal space elevator. Meanwhile, adrenaline-seekers can compete in UFL: Unbound Fighting League, a futuristic gladiator arena where duels push both reflexes and endurance to the limit. Nautical fantasy arrives through Curse of Davy Jones, in which crews battle supernatural sea creatures while hunting for legendary treasure. Rounding out the catalog are the zombie-infested thrill rides Deadwood Valley and Deadwood Mansion, both designed to immerse squads in intense survival scenarios that demand cooperation and strategy.
Each game emphasizes team-based strategy, emotional engagement, and replayability, with multiple pathways, roles, and endings. Together, they provide Sandbox VR Osnabrück with one of the most diverse and cinematic immersive portfolios available in Europe.
How is Sandbox VR’s franchise model driving its global expansion and what role do partners play?
Sandbox VR’s rapid growth is powered by a franchise-driven model that combines centralized game development and technology innovation with localized operational partnerships. In Germany, Royal Casinos DGS GMBH has emerged as a leading partner, with the Osnabrück launch marking their third location in under two years.
This decentralized yet tightly integrated model allows Sandbox VR to scale into regional markets without diluting its technology edge or brand consistency. While the core experiences remain uniform, each franchisee adapts the venue design, marketing campaigns, and operational workflows to local preferences and regulatory requirements.
Globally, Sandbox VR operates more than 60 locations and sees over 117,000 players per month. Its franchising momentum is backed by a $37 million funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz and supported by the Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, Gobi Partners, and Craft Ventures. Celebrity investors include Kevin Durant, Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, and Will Smith, reflecting strong crossover appeal with both entertainment and tech audiences.
How are institutional and celebrity investors supporting Sandbox VR’s expansion into new entertainment hubs?
The strategic backing from venture capital and celebrity stakeholders has provided Sandbox VR with the financial and brand capital needed to expand aggressively in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific markets. The company was recently named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2024 and ranked 129th on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private firms in America.
Celebrity involvement—particularly from pop culture icons—has played a vital role in increasing the company’s visibility among younger consumers, helping convert one-time users into brand evangelists. Meanwhile, venture capital firms have emphasized the importance of Sandbox VR’s software moat and exclusive gaming IP, positioning it as a platform company rather than just an LBVR provider.
In the context of Osnabrück, this institutional credibility helps reassure local partners and customers that the product offering is backed by a sustainable, global roadmap.
What can guests expect from the Sandbox VR experience in Osnabrück and how is it priced?
Sandbox VR’s Osnabrück location spans 2,120 square feet and is situated within an existing casino property, creating a seamless transition between classic gaming formats and immersive VR. Early visitors can use the code “EARLYBIRD” to get 20% off their bookings until September 30—a move aimed at building local traction and encouraging word-of-mouth referrals.
Each session lasts around 30 to 45 minutes and includes a brief onboarding tutorial. Pricing remains competitive with high-end entertainment options, and group bookings are encouraged. The brand actively promotes its venues for birthdays, team-building events, and social gatherings.
With personalized highlight reels and cinematic-level immersion, the Sandbox VR experience offers more than just gameplay—it delivers a shared adventure that blends storytelling, physical engagement, and social bonding.
What is the long-term outlook for full-body VR experiences like Sandbox VR in Europe’s mid-tier cities?
Analysts tracking the LBVR segment view Sandbox VR’s expansion into Osnabrück as a bellwether for broader adoption in Europe’s Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. While metropolitan areas like Berlin and Hamburg were natural starting points, sustained interest in smaller urban markets could signal a maturing audience for immersive, out-of-home entertainment.
With consumers increasingly seeking experiences over goods, especially post-pandemic, Sandbox VR is well-positioned to tap into a growing appetite for high-impact group activities. If Osnabrück proves successful, it could pave the way for further rollouts across Germany and continental Europe, possibly triggering interest from mall operators, event venues, and even hospitality chains looking to differentiate their offerings.
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