Sandbox VR is an American virtual reality company that was established in 2016 by Steve Zhao. It currently operates from San Mateo, California, but was initially headquartered in Hong Kong.
Let’s find out where Sandbox VR is located.
Where is Sandbox VR Located?
Americas
- California
- Los Angeles Cerritos
- Los Angeles Woodland Hills
- San Diego Mission Valley
- SF Bay Area Emeryville
- SF Bay Area San Francisco
- SF Bay Area San Mateo
- SF Bay Area San Ramon
- Colorado
- Denver Lone Tree
- Georgia
- Atlanta
- Illinois
- Chicago Oakbrook
- Indiana
- Indianapolis
- Kansas
- Leawood (Coming Soon)
- Minnesota
- Eden Prairie
- Rosedale
- Missouri
- St. Louis
- Nevada
- Las Vegas
- New Jersey
- Paramus
- Ohio
- Cincinnati Liberty Township
- Cleveland Westlake
- Columbus Dublin
- Texas
- Dallas
- Fort Worth
- Austin
- San Antonio (COMING SOON)
- Utah
- Salt Lake City Murray (COMING SOON)
- Virginia Beach
- Washington
- Seattle Kirkland
- Canada
- Toronto
- Vancouver
- Montreal COMING SOON
Europe
- Alsfeld
- London
Asia
- Hong Kong
- Macau
- Shanghai
- Singapore
Sandbox VR
Sandbox VR is an American virtual reality (VR) startup that was established in 2016 by Steve Zhao. It currently operates from San Mateo, California, but was initially headquartered in Hong Kong.
Compared to other VR startups, Sandbox VR stands apart from others because of its focus on fully immersive, in-person, socially interactive, virtual reality environments. Instead of strapping into
There, the gamers are equipped with full-body motion capture devices, VR-ready backpacks, haptic vests, and other gaming-specific items that create a more realistic experience. They not only receive high-quality technology, but they can even give each other high fives, creating an unprecedented degree of immersion.
Essentially, Sandbox VR was created in the spirit of the Holodecki, a room made to simulate immersive 3D simulations.
High-Quality Ingredients: Hardware, Software, and Location
Sandbox VR has managed to combine three key elements into one product: unique technology, exclusive content, and an unmatched immersive environment. Let’s explore what makes Sandbox VR so special in each of these three categories.
Hardware
Most consumer VR experiences have been limited to just three pieces of equipment: a head-mounted display (HMD), two handheld controllers, and a processing unit, which could either be on a computer, smartphone or built into the HMD itself, like with Oculus Go.
Sandbox VR ups the ante with additional hardware that makes the experience more immersive.
Let’s go into some detail. Sandbox VR uses these components:
- Head-mounted display (HMD) systems use industry-standard VR headsets like the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift. This part of their technology isn’t proprietary.
- A backpack computer allows for free movement because players wear a laptop computer strapped to their back.
- Player tracking sensors: Players wear motion-capturing equipment on their hands, feet, head, etc., which uses both external motion-tracking technology and internal kinematic models to track player movement. This is one of our proprietary technologies.
- A haptic suit allows for even greater immersiveness by allowing players to feel things happening in the game. For example, if a zombie hits you, the suit might vibrate. This is another one of the company’s proprietary hardware items.
- Headset: Players wear headsets with built-in microphones in addition to their HMDs so that they can communicate with each other during gameplay. These headsets are usually made by Razer.
- Additional Peripherals: Depending on which game the player chooses, he/she may need additional peripherals, like props, to get an even better experience. Some games also include special features, like using a fan array to create a realistic effect.
Software
One of the things which set Sandbox VR apart from other companies is that all of its games and adventures are exclusively available through Sandbox VR. In short, you cannot access them elsewhere.
Currently, SandboxVR offers five experiences and adventure games:
- Deadwood City: A new addition as of summer 2020, Deadwood City is an action-packed zombie thriller set in a post-apocalyptic world where the dead rise from their graves and roam the streets looking for human flesh.
- Pirates! An awesome game for kids and adults alike. You’re tasked with finding a lost shipwreck full of gold.
- A futuristic game where players shoot robot enemies and alien invaders in the city of New Hong Kong
- Star Trek: Discovery is a new video game from CBS Interactive. It’s set in the Star Trek universe, and lets players use their phase pistols to shoot down enemy ships.
- Deadwood Manor: A horror, zombie shooter where players try to survive a haunted manor.
- UFL: An online sci-fi fighting video game where players become futuristic gladiatorial fighters and fight each other. It combines traditional sports with eSports.
On the whole, the VR arcades that Sandbox VR has to offer are similar to traditional arcade offerings: they’re short, mechanics-driven, team-based, and focused on pure and simple fun. But unlike most arcades, Sandbox VR doesn’t feel like a typical VR arcade because its offerings are better than the average.
Given the context, it’s worth pointing out that these titles were made for different purposes than the longer, narrative-based offerings available on PC VR headsets and the Oculus Quest, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad. They just weren’t meant for them.
Locations
Once people step into the Sandbox VR location at Disney Springs, they’ll find a fun, modern environment, friendly employees, and a space designed to be a great place for them to hang out before and/or after their visit to the park.
This integration of the physical world into the game makes the transition from the real world to the virtual one easier for the players.
It’s no wonder that players love it: Across the board, SandboxVR locations have been receiving fantastic reviews on websites like Yelp and TripAdvisor. In fact, one of their Hong Kong locations has been ranked as the sixth most popular attraction in the entire city on the site as of October 2020.
The Future of Sandbox VR
With Sandbox VR continuing to grow, one of the biggest challenges it faces will be creating and sourcing new and exciting content for its platform. While Sandbox VR creates its own content, working with additional gaming companies could help broaden its offering beyond what it is currently able to produce internally.
Furthermore, Sandbox VR hasn’t tapped into the European, South American (except Brazil), Oceania, and African markets, which could prove profitable. In the future, the company hopes that its locations will become as common as movie theaters.
It’s clear that the success of SandboxVR, along with most other companies in the XRP ecosystem, depends largely on the availability of skilled XR developers. This fact makes it an ideal time for anyone interested in developing their own XR applications to learn how to code them themselves.
If you want to learn more about building a career in the emerging XR industry, click through to our professional XR training courses.
Conclusion
We hope this article was helpful to you. Have you ever been to Sandbox VR? If so, please share your experiences with us.
Feel free to reach out to us in the comments below.