An interactive group gaming specialist has announced plans to expand its entertainment offering through a new self-service operating model.
The new Plug & Play format by Immersive Gamebox is designed to bring the company’s multiplayer gaming experiences into existing leisure, retail, entertainment and travel venues. It provides operators with an attraction that requires relatively little space and no dedicated staff. The business has outlined a route to 100 locations by the end of 2027, including its existing estate, as it looks to expand its international presence.
The announcement was made at IAAPA Expo, where Immersive Gamebox is also showcasing its growing portfolio of entertainment partnerships and upcoming licensed gaming experiences.
The Plug & Play model is designed to make it easier for Immersive Gamebox to establish its attractions within existing businesses, converting underused space into an additional entertainment offering.
Each installation requires approximately 130 square feet and operates without dedicated staff. The format combines walk-up gaming with pre-booked sessions, with the company aiming for installations to become operational within days.
Immersive Gamebox estimates a target payback period of approximately one year for the model, providing prospective venue partners with a relatively compact entertainment proposition.
The company intends to support the expansion through its portfolio of internationally recognised entertainment properties and an established digital marketing operation. This is designed to attract customers specifically to partner venues, rather than relying entirely on visitors already using the host attraction.
The model builds on an existing arrangement with Hollywood Bowl, Europe’s largest bowling operator, where Immersive Gamebox opened its first Plug & Play concession earlier in 2026.
According to the company, the initial installation has demonstrated the format’s ability to generate pre-booked visits directly to a partner venue, creating additional footfall rather than simply serving customers already present.
The next concession location is scheduled to open at Altitude Trampoline Park in Kissimmee, Florida, a franchise operating trampoline parks across the United States.
Immersive Gamebox also recently opened its first US franchise location in Seattle, with the business reporting a growing number of franchise and concession partnerships internationally.
Additional investment from Harlan Capital Partners
The expansion is being supported by further investment from Harlan Capital Partners, reflecting continued financial backing for Immersive Gamebox as it develops the Plug & Play format and its content portfolio.
The company has not disclosed the value of the additional investment, but says the funding will help accelerate the rollout of the new operating model and support the development of further interactive games.
Lisa Paton, CEO of Immersive Gamebox, said: “We’ve built an incredible foundation for Immersive Gamebox, with more than three million players, a growing international footprint and partnerships that bring some of the world’s best-known entertainment brands into our Gameboxes.
“Plug & Play gives us another way to build on that momentum, making it easier to bring our experiences into more venues and introduce them to new audiences. The additional investment from Harlan Capital Partners will help us accelerate the rollout of this new format and develop an exciting pipeline of games.”
The company’s stated ambition is to reach 100 locations by the end of 2027, counting its existing venues as part of that total. Its current international estate comprises 37 locations.
Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters joins gaming portfolio
Alongside its plans for physical expansion, Immersive Gamebox is continuing to develop its range of interactive experiences through partnerships with major entertainment brands.
One of its upcoming releases will be a new experience inspired by Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters, scheduled to launch in January 2027.
The addition will join an existing collection of licensed games based on entertainment properties including Squid Game, Floor Is Lava, Angry Birds, Batman and PAW Patrol.
These partnerships form a central part of the company’s proposition, allowing players to interact with familiar films, television programmes and entertainment franchises in a group gaming environment.
The Gameboxes use 3D motion tracking, projection mapping and touch-sensitive walls to turn players’ movements into the controls for the games. This allows groups to participate in shared interactive experiences without requiring traditional handheld controllers or virtual reality headsets.
The technology is designed around multiplayer participation, with players physically moving and interacting with the projected environments rather than simply watching a screen.
More than three million players across 37 locations
Immersive Gamebox says more than three million people have now experienced its games across 37 venues worldwide.
The company also reports receiving more than 70,000 five-star reviews, which it cites as evidence of customer engagement and repeat visits.
Its expansion strategy combines the introduction of new entertainment properties with a more flexible approach to bringing the technology into existing leisure businesses.
By offering a smaller, self-service installation that can operate within a partner’s existing premises, the Plug & Play format provides another route for the company to expand beyond dedicated Immersive Gamebox locations.
The additional investment from Harlan Capital Partners will support this approach, alongside the development of new games based on internationally recognised entertainment brands.
With its planned January 2027 launch for KPop Demon Hunters and a target of 100 locations by the end of next year, Immersive Gamebox is now looking to build on its existing international estate through a combination of franchise partnerships, concessions and licensed interactive entertainment.
