DIVR Labs, a leading designer of virtual worlds and free-roam 4D VR arenas, has revealed the first self-service free-roam VR attraction in the world, the InstaVR Arena.
The compact, plug-and-play VR solution has been created to reduce operational costs while optimising revenue per square metre, in a new business model for family entertainment centres (FECs), shopping malls, airports, cruise ships, and other high-footfall locations.
Independent operation
A key feature of the innovative InstaVR Arena is its entirely independent operation. The system does not require on-site staff, thanks to its easy-to-use self-service kiosk, integrated automated onboarding process, and VR headset drawers with automated opening.
Majaland Prague, the largest indoor amusement park in Czechia, recently adopted the system. COO, Miroslav Ducháč, says: “With InstaVR Arena, we’ve unlocked a new revenue stream without increasing our staffing needs.”
The 30 square metre (323 square foot) attraction is ready to operate just hours after installation. A typical venue can expect a payback period of just 7 to 11 months with 20 plays per day.
Founded in 2019, DIVR Labs originally operated a large-scale free-roam VR arena in a repurposed basement in Prague. This practical experience revealed the realities of running a VR venue, with tight margins, high staffing requirements, and complicated operations.
Jakub Imrich, CEO of DIVR Labs, says: “We’ve been in the trenches. We knew there had to be a better way. So we built InstaVR Arena—not as tech show-offs, but as operators who needed a better tool.”
Since its initial launch, DIVR Labs has operated large-scale free-roam venues in London, installed pop-ups in Dubai, Stockholm, and Yokohama, and attracted more than 250,000 visitors to their experiences. Its real-world expertise is integrated into each component of the InstaVR Arena’s design.
By operators, for operators
Hardware is only one aspect of InstaVR Arena. The company’s in-house development team creates unique games that deliver quick, high-throughput, replayable sessions. All content is built from the ground up and designed especially for location-based play.
Six original games are already available, and the system also supports third-party game integrations. The attraction can be enjoyed by groups with one to four players, aged seven and over.
InstaVR Arena marks the next generation in VR location-based entertainment. Created not in a lab, but in the real world of running VR attractions, the solution is now available to help other operators scale without increasing staffing.
“If you’ve ever run a VR attraction, you know the pain points,” says Ondřej Bach, executive producer at DIVR Labs. “We built InstaVR Arena to solve them—so you can focus on guest experience and growth, not managing tech or payroll.”
Recently, DIVR Labs announced the opening of its newest VR arena at Yokohama World Porters, a popular shopping mall in Yokohama, Japan. With an innovative take on VR entertainment, the DIVR Immersive Arena offers upgraded 4D effects and exciting, original games in PC quality.
