Get Your Full-Body Game On: Rittenhouse’s First Immersive Entertainment Experience, Sandbox VR, Opens Up On Walnut Street
The state-of-the-art experiential brand slides into the long-vacant space above luxury mattress brand Saatva at 1712 Walnut Street.
In a neighborhood where retail is rapidly evolving toward experiential offerings, with establishments like Jordan World of Flight and Saatva already leading the way, Rittenhouse just welcome its first immersive virtual reality venue: Sandbox VR.
Sandbox VR offers an experience unlike anything currently available in Philly—a full-body virtual reality adventure. Visitors don high-end VR headsets, haptic vests, and motion-tracking technology to become completely immersed in digital worlds alongside friends and family.
The game is a full-body virtual reality experience that starts from the moment guests walk through the door. After checking in, participants are equipped with limb trackers that work with our motion capture cameras, haptic feedback vests that allow them to feel everything via vibration, and top-of-the-line VIVE Focus 3 headsets by HTC.
Unlike home VR systems, Sandbox VR creates what they call “holodeck-level immersion,” allowing participants to physically interact with both their environment and each other within expansive virtual spaces. This technology enables what truly sets Sandbox VR apart—deep social interaction within virtual worlds.
Their latest release, “Squid Game Virtuals,” exemplifies this social focus. Groups visit iconic locations inspired by the Netflix series, playing familiar games like ‘Red Light, Green Light’ and ‘Cross the Glass Bridge’ – all feel good excursions, right?
The company has invested heavily in content development, collaborating with Hollywood studios and video game developers to create exclusive experiences with production values rivaling major film releases. Their internal studio has developed proprietary titles like “Deadwood Valley,” “Amber Sky 2088,” and the popular “Star Trek: Discovery” experience created in partnership with CBS Interactive (NOTE: Rittenhouse doesn’t have that yet, but they said they’ll rotate games).
Each adventure lasts approximately 30 minutes, with the total experience taking about an hour including gear setup and a post-game highlight video session. These sessions feature slow-motion replays and highlight reels that participants can share on social media. The Rittenhouse location features multiple private game rooms, and is designed to accommodate everything from casual friend gatherings to corporate team-building events, birthday parties, and special occasions.
While many VR companies have struggled to find sustainable business models, Sandbox VR has demonstrated that location-based VR can be commercially viable at scale. The company secured $37 million in Series B funding in 2021, led by investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Alibaba, and celebrities like Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, and Will Smith—a vote of confidence that has proven well-founded as the company continues its expansion. Fun fact: Rittenhouse is their 60th location!
Sandbox VR is part of a broader, national trend of offering experiences that are unique, and can’t be 100% recreated at home.
The company now operates over 30 locations worldwide, with ambitious plans to reach 40 by the end of 2025. This aggressive growth strategy has placed Sandbox VR at the forefront of what industry experts are calling the “experiential economy,” where consumers increasingly value memorable experiences over material possessions.
The Rittenhouse Sandbox VR is open everyday at 10a (!!) to 10p Sunday through Thursday, and 10a to 11p on Friday and Saturdays.
