LAI Games has started location testing Ubisoft All-Star Blast VR, a new virtual-reality arcade shooter featuring characters from Ubisoft’s game worlds. The prototype arrives as arcade VR enters a more cautious phase after the excitement of its second major boom.
LAI previously helped establish the modern arcade VR category with Virtual Rabbids in 2017. This new project represents another collaboration with Ubisoft, although its final form—and even its commercial release—remains uncertain.
Prototype notice: The machine discussed here has only been seen during a beta location test. Its hardware, software and presentation may change substantially before production, or the game may not be released if testing does not meet expectations.
From rumour to location test
For several months, reports had circulated about LAI developing a new VR shooting attraction. Details were scarce, and there was some uncertainty about whether the project might instead be connected to Cyberpunk 2077: Turf Wars.
The speculation was confirmed when Outerlimitsgameplay on Instagram spotted the cabinet on test. The account is currently private, but Jdevy provided a glimpse of the machine. The project marks LAI’s return to Ubisoft after the success of Virtual Rabbids, a title that helped push arcade VR beyond the earlier arena-style format.
The name appears to draw loosely from Ubisoft All-Star Blast, a mobile game built around a Ubisoft-themed, Bomberman-like premise. Players moved through maze layouts, placing bombs while controlling characters such as Rayman, Sam Fisher and the Rabbids. However, the mobile release was widely viewed as an unpolished imitation rather than a strong new direction.
What Ubisoft All-Star VR appears to be
Despite the shared branding, the arcade attraction seems to use the Ubisoft crossover idea for an entirely different experience: a VR gun game. Based on the available image, it may be positioned as a competitor to Raw Thrills’ Godzilla Kaiju Wars VR.
What the prototype reveals
The cabinet’s mounted weapon strongly suggests a conventional first-person shooting format. A direct VR conversion of the mobile bomb-laying game would be an unlikely fit for this hardware, so the shooter interpretation appears more plausible.
One possible structure would let players select a Ubisoft franchise before entering a short shooting mission set in that world. That approach could provide fans with a new Splinter Cell experience while they continue to wait for the remake announced by Ubisoft in 2021. At this stage, however, that remains an informed possibility rather than confirmed gameplay information.
The large curved display is another notable feature. Curved screens have appeared in arcade concepts before, including Sega’s Showdown, but the format did not gain broad momentum at the time. The imagery visible here looks like purpose-built game content rather than simple browser-game graphics.
A Windows activation message is also visible on the screen, an issue previously noticed on Cyberpunk 2077: Turf Wars during its appearance at Amusement Expo.
The cabinet carries a “patent pending” sticker, though it is not clear which element is covered by that claim. The motion platform looks relatively compact, although the viewing angle may be misleading. The headsets appear similar in size and shape to DPVR units, but the hardware has not been confirmed.
Fixtures mounted beside the gun may be speakers. They could potentially be fans, although their apparent direction does not suggest focused airflow. They are unlikely to be additional controls, but the single available view does not provide enough evidence to identify them with certainty.
Could it reach production?
Everything shown so far could change if the location test produces enough interest for mass production. If development continues successfully, the game might appear around IAAPA 2025 in November, although no release has been confirmed.
Virtual Rabbids was first seen on test during the summer of 2017, reached locations late that year and became the most successful arcade VR game to that point. Its performance influenced later VR projects across the amusement industry.
Arcade VR no longer has the same momentum it once enjoyed, but titles such as Godzilla Kaiju Wars and VR Agent demonstrate that the format can still find an audience. For operators assessing new attractions, the eventual test results—not the prototype’s early appearance—will be the important measure.
For broader industry coverage, visit the RETROCADE Arcade Blog. Readers comparing cabinet formats can also explore racing arcades, upright arcade machines and the Arcade Machine Buying Guide.
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