With Ubisoft All-Star VR, the creators of Virtual Rabbids prove they still rule the realm they built

When LAI Games and Ubisoft first unleashed Virtual Rabbids: The Big Ride at IAAPA 2017, they created an entire category. The motion simulator wasn’t merely fun for everyone; it proved to the world that unattended VR was possible and insanely profitable. 

Image Above: The first time I saw the finished product at IAAPA 2015. Note the nanas on the left and the kids on the right. Both loved it. I knew right then LAI was onto something big.

Image Above: Prototype on test at Dave and Busters: Credit LAI Games. Final cabinet design changed.

Now 8 years later, that same machine is still one of the highest-earning pieces in arcades worldwide, a feat few games — VR or otherwise — can claim. And while other companies followed their lead, Virtual Rabbids still sets the standard for the Arcade VR segment. 

With the global debut of Ubisoft All-Star VR at IAAPA Expo 2025, LAI and Ubisoft are ready to remind the industry why they’ve long been regarded as titans of innovation. 

While others have made minor iterations to the category, LAI has doubled down on innovation. Ubisoft All-Star VR builds on everything that made Virtual Rabbids a phenomenon — humor, accessibility, and high throughput — and layers in major technological and experiential leaps forward. 

• In its ultimate 4-player configuration, a massive 17-foot curved LED video wall looks like it came straight out of an NFL stadium. I’ve written a lot about how to make VR games into attractions, and LAI nails it with this iteration.
• They’ve invented an adaptive driving and steering haptic controller system, powered by D-BOX motion, giving players a real sense of control and agency. This innovative controller guides the player through mechanistic mode changes based on what’s happening in the game.. When they need to drive, the internal mechanism switches to steering-wheel mode. When they need to shoot, it transforms into a gun turret. And during the times when it becomes a ride, it locks in place, letting them know to hold on and enjoy. Players get to drive, fly, and shoot —what arcade games are supposed to be.
• And for the first time in an arcade VR simulator, four-player shared gameplay, where participants see each other’s avatars in real time, creating the first social gameplay in an Arcade VR simulator.

Four Players. Infinite Replay.

For the first time in an arcade simulator, up to four players compete in real time, seeing each other’s avatars on screen — fan favorites like Assassin’s Creed’s Ezio and Eivor, Splinter Cell’s Sam Fisher, and even the Just Dance Panda. Each session unfolds across three replayable immersive environments, where players battle Little Vaas, a cheeky villain inspired by the infamous Far Cry madman. He’s cute and annoying, kind of like your baby sister. 

Ubisoft All Stars is an arcade centerpiece, a true attraction that warrants placement in a prime position in any arcade. It’s a cinematic multiplayer event designed to draw crowds, spark laughter, and keep guests lined up for the next round.

Ubisoft + LAI: A Decade in the Making

Ubisoft and D-BOX first appeared at IAAPA in 2015 with a reference design for Rabbids. It was little more than a gaming chair mounted to a motion base with an HTC VIVE headset. I remember trying it and wondering where it was all going to go. Two years later, LAI Games brought a fully fleshed-out blockbuster to market. Operators were typically skeptical that a VR attraction could run without an attendant. But when earnings reports started coming in and influencers like Frank “The Crank” Seninsky began recommending it in his newsletter, Rabbids became one of the biggest arcade hits of the decade. 

Ten years after they started, their ongoing collaboration combining Ubisoft’s world-building expertise with LAI’s deep understanding of operator needs is what gives this release such credibility with the market. 

For operators, Ubisoft All-Star VR represents a rare combination: well-known characters, innovative design, and a proven track record of ROI longevity. As the VR arcade market that LAI created matures, All-Star VR stands as proof that LAI Games remains the standard by which others measure success — a true titan if there ever was one.

If you’re going to IAAPA in Orlando, check out Ubisoft All-Star VR at the LAI Games booths 231 and 431.