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Sandbox VR funding, valuation and investors
Location-based multiplayer VR experiences in proprietary motion-capture arenas.
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Funding, valuation & investors
Answer-first snapshotLatest funding
Series B
$37M · November 2021
Latest known valuation
Not publicly disclosed
Total disclosed equity funding
$105M
Excludes debt, grants, acquisitions, secondaries, and IPO proceeds.
Current status
private
series b · San Francisco, California
Overview
Sandbox VR operates location-based virtual reality entertainment venues where groups play full-body multiplayer games in tracked arena spaces. Founded in 2016 in Hong Kong and headquartered in San Francisco, the company combines proprietary hardware, motion capture, and original game content for birthday parties, corporate events, and consumer outings. a16z led a $68M Series A in 2019 and a $37M Series B in 2021 as the company expanded globally.
Why Sandbox VR is interesting
Sandbox VR builds 'Holodeck' social games in retail locations — a16z led both the $68M Series A and $37M Series B as location entertainment scaled post-Oculus.
Product & use cases
Sandbox VR venues offer 30–45 minute multiplayer VR sessions in free-roam arenas with haptic vests, tracked weapons, and original IP like Amber Sky 2088 and Deadwood Mansion.
- Group entertainment and birthday parties
- Corporate team-building events
- Location-based VR franchise expansion
- Original VR game content licensing
Key facts
- Series B (Nov 2021): $37M led by a16z with Craft Ventures — TechCrunch
- Series A (Jan 2019): $68M led by a16z with Floodgate — TechCrunch
- Operates LBVR venues in US, UK, and Asia
- Proprietary games and full-body motion capture arenas
Funding history (newest first)
Series B
2021-11 $37MInvestors in our directory
Funds linked from Sandbox VR's profile — open a fund page for stage focus and related deal articles.
Competitive landscape
Edge: Full-body free-roam arenas with proprietary content — higher immersion than seated VR arcades, differentiated from home headsets.
Location-based VR is capital-intensive with high fixed costs per venue. Sandbox VR survived where The VOID failed by controlling content and expanding methodically. Home Quest adoption is a headwind but social group experiences remain differentiated.
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Zero Latency VR direct
Global location-based VR franchise competitor.
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The VOID (historical) direct
Disney-partnered LBVR pioneer; filed bankruptcy 2020, cautionary tale for sector.
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Home VR (Meta Quest) alternative
Consumer headsets reduce need for out-of-home VR for some use cases.
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Escape rooms / axe throwing adjacent
Compete for group outing wallet share.
Notable stories
- a16z led both major rounds — rare double-lead on a location entertainment play, betting social VR could survive the home-headset wave.
- Sandbox VR expanded globally after Series B while competitor The VOID collapsed, validating operator-controlled content models.
Industries
FAQs about Sandbox VR
Practical answers founders, operators, and investors typically search for.
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