Canadian creative technology experts Hololabs Studio will be unveiling an exciting new mixed-reality attraction format at IAAPA Expo Europe in London this week, which looks set to define the next generation of LBE virtual reality

Abyss MR is a brand-new mixed-reality concept, developed from Abyss: Vault, Hololabs Studio’s original science-fiction VR experience, combining free-roam VR and physical sets to create an experience that will perfectly balance full 360-degree immersion, venue capacity and physical footprint.

Beginning in a physical submarine set, visitors don their VR headset. In this first space, virtual reality looks to complement the surrounding physical environment, in which guests are invited to interact with props and controls, by adding details such as rising steam and circling sharks. Moving into the next room, guests are plunged into a fully immersive free-roam digital world, no longer restricted by physical real-world boundaries. Through spatial and sound design, players can traverse ladders and interact with each other as they descend into the seemingly infinite ocean abyss. The experience culminates in a spectacular cinematic finale, whereby guests are seated in preparation for their exit and headset removal.

The experience has been designed to tackle a common problem of traditional LBE VR: navigating the intersection of a small guest footprint, immersion, interactivity and capacity. Abyss MR looks to mitigate the loss of any of these qualities by providing a player experience that still allows maximum free-roam within the confines of a limited physical space, whilst simultaneously allowing for a large throughflow of visitors at one time.

Brett Gaylor, VP Creative at Hololabs Studio, says: “Abyss MR is a revolutionary next step for LBE mixed reality. While it provides a thrilling visitor experience through cutting-edge VR technology and combines it with physical sets and interaction for a fully immersive mixed-reality experience, we also designed it to be a more lucrative VR offering for venues and IPs.

“This is a scalable experience, engineered to deliver higher revenue per square metre and a higher return on investment, no matter the size of the experience. A lot of brands and IPs are still hesitant to adopt VR or mixed reality because of the technology involved and associated costs, but this model is one which can deliver almost theme park-sized throughflow in a retail-sized space.”

Abyss MR comes from the creative minds of Hololabs Studio. Made up of former game developers with over 15 years’ experience in theme park projects, visual design and projections, software engineering and science-fiction LBE, their previous innovative MR work includes the acclaimed Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge at Universal Studios Japan and Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge at Universal Studios Hollywood and Orlando, which won them THEA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Technical Innovation in 2022. This latest project is the culmination of this work across these sectors and disciplines, combining the shared experience of LBE VR with the latest in game technology.

Hololabs Studio will be exhibiting the first mixed-reality room of the Abyss MR experience at IAAPA Expo Europe in London from 22-24 September 2026, for what it hopes will be the first project as part of its UK expansion amidst an already impressive portfolio of global projects and collaborations. The group are inviting IP owners, venues and potential partners to trial the Abyss VRexperience and find out more about how Hololabs Studio can both bring Abyss MR to locations across the globe, as well as its potential in developing high-footfall LBE VR with brand-new IPs no matter the scale or capacity.

Hololabs Studio will be exhibiting Abyss MR at IAAPA Expo Europe from 22-24 September 2026 at booth N4515.

For more information, visit https://hololabs.org/

To book an appointment for the experience, visit https://go.hololabs.org/iaapa