
Take yourself back to 2021, when everyone was watching a South Korean show about players competing in a series of deadly children’s games for the chance to win a cash prize. Squid Game would go on to become the most-watched series of all time – with over 265 million views on Netflix – and with a reality competition based on the series dropping back in November, Squid Game: The Challenge, its popularity isn’t dropping off.
Soon you might be able to play your very own version of Squid Game in Bristol. The “world’s most advanced virtual reality experience” is set to open at Cabot Circus. Sandbox VR transports teams of up to six players to exclusively designed interactive worlds. Using Hollywood-approved motion capture cameras, 3D precision full-body trackers, custom hardware and haptic feedback suits – to enhance touch, vibration, and motion senses – you’ll soon forget you are still in Bristol.
It’ll open on the first floor above Urban Outfitters, which has remained empty since 2021. With locations across America, Europe and Asia, this will be only the third UK site, after London and Birmingham. Alongside some ground-breaking gameplay, we might also see Sandbox VR’s much-loved robotic bartender Toni turn up too – the UK’s first robotic bartender can make up to 80 drinks an hour, from cocktails to pints.

There’s no official word on when Sandbox VR will open in Bristol, but Sandbox VR recently launched a brand new Squid Game-inspired virtual reality experience at its other locations. Games like ‘Red Light, Green Light,’ and ‘Cross the Glass Bridge’ were faithfully recreated. Alongside some surprising new twists too, Squid Game Virtuals is the ultimate way for you to immerse yourself into the world of the hit series.
Using groundbreaking full-body VR, Sandbox VR employs a patented motion-tracking system that captures players’ movements in real-time. Combining this with a high-quality haptic system is a complete immersion that’s impossible with home VR. With your bodies acting as game controllers, all you have to do is step into the virtual world and the action unfolding. No wonder the likes of Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, and Will Smith are supporters.
“Inspired by Star Trek’s Holodeck, our exclusive worlds let you feel like you’re living inside a game or movie, and are built by EA, Sony, and Ubisoft veterans,” says Sandbox VR’s website. “Thanks to Hollywood motion capture cameras, 3D precision body trackers, custom hardware, and haptic suits, you get a feeling of transformation you can’t get anywhere else.”