Our ready-made solutions are proven across dozens of countries and billions of game sessions.
If you genuinely have an eye for design (and we mean genuinely, like friends have told you your whole life that you should be an interior designer) then sure, go for it. Some of our partners have created spaces even cooler than our originals, and we celebrate that.
But if you're thinking "how hard can it be?" — please, don't reinvent the wheel. Either use our franchise materials or work with a real professional. Just know that hiring a designer will cost you way more than our ready-made solutions. And even then, there's no guarantee it will actually work.
It's no surprise that families take one look and keep walking. When your space looks dark and scary, families don't even bother checking if you have games for them. They just walk past.
But here's the truth: you're literally shooting yourself in the foot and scaring away your most valuable customers. If you want to make real money in this business, you need families. You need birthday parties. You need parents looking for somewhere special to take their kids.
Yes, BATTLE START makes horror games and shooters too. We've got zombies, monsters, adrenaline-pumping missions. But that's just one slice of the pie.
The family wins every single time. More people, bigger groups, happier to pay, and they come back for every birthday, every holiday, every "let's do something fun" moment.
If you focus only on the "brutal" crowd, you cap your own growth. And if you're not in a tourist location with endless new faces walking through the door? You're in trouble.
Know your target audience. And focusing only on hardcore gamers is almost always the wrong answer.
Mistake #3: Mixing Alcohol With Family Entertainment
Some franchise owners look at VR and think "oh, this is like darts or pool, let's add a bar." They imagine adults drinking and playing.
Here's what actually happens: First, you might run into legal trouble. In many places, mixing VR attractions with alcohol isn't allowed, especially when kids are around. Second, and more importantly — drunk people and free-roam VR games do not mix. Loss of coordination. Poor judgment. Higher risk of injury. If someone gets hurt because they were drinking before playing, that's on you. And third? Families notice. Parents don't want to bring their kids to a place that feels like a bar. They want somewhere safe, somewhere welcoming.
Mistake #4: Letting Kids Play Scary Games
This one should be obvious, but here we are.
A 6-year-old begs to play the zombie game. The parents say "oh, she'll be fine." You let her in. Ten minutes later, she's screaming, crying, panicking. She runs somewhere, maybe trips, maybe crashes into something.
Guess who gets blamed? You. Not the parents who insisted. Not the kid who begged. You. Because you're a professional. You're supposed to know better.
Even in mixed groups, even when everyone pressures you — hold the line. Offer an alternative from our massive library. There's always something else to play. Protect your reputation as a safe, responsible place. One bad incident can undo months of good reviews.
Mistake #5: Delegating Too Soon
Here's a dangerous myth: "I bought a VR franchise, so now the business runs itself."
Your staff will never care about your business as much as you do. That's not an insult to them — it's just reality. It's your dream, your investment, your future. You have to live and breathe it until it's strong enough to stand on its own.
Think about what people actually do. They take photos and videos. They post on social media. They tell their friends "you have to see this place." If your space isn't photogenic, if it doesn't spark joy, you're losing free marketing every single day.
Different countries have different traditions. Maybe in your culture, people celebrate birthdays at pizza places. Maybe they do parties at cinemas. Maybe they rent outdoor spaces. Figure out what's normal in your city, and then find a way to do it better.
But the interior isn't the only place where owners try to cut corners.
Saving on staff. If you hire just one person, you'll quickly run into problems. Who works when they're sick? Who covers weekends? Who manages the rush hours? Even with a small venue, you need reliable coverage. If you can't afford a full team yet, then you step in. You work the desk. You manage the bookings. You clean the VR headsets. Your business needs you, especially in the beginning.
Saving on motivation. Your staff will never care about your business as much as you do. That's not their job. Their job is to do their work well. Your job is to give them a reason to care. Motivate them. Train them. Treat them right. We recommend reading "Customers for Life" by Carl Sewell and Paul B. Brown. It's the playbook for turning one-time visitors into lifetime customers.
One more thing: if your venue creates moments people want to show off, they'll keep coming back. Don't skimp on the stuff that makes people say "wow."
You should be telling your city about your VR business the moment you sign the lease. Maybe even earlier. The smartest partners in our network start building buzz months in advance. They partner with local bloggers. They run early bird specials. They tease the opening on social media. They get people excited before the paint is even dry.
Why? Because when you open, you want to be busy immediately. You want momentum. You want people talking.