How mobile entertainment is opening new opportunities beyond the traditional arena
Working in sales across Europe means I get to see many different entertainment concepts and, more importantly, many different ideas about how laser tag can be used. Most conversations start with a location. How much space is available? How many players? What kind of arena can we build?
But sometimes the conversation starts somewhere else.
That was the case when I first spoke with Pol in Spain. From the beginning, he wasn’t looking to open a traditional laser tag arena. He wanted something flexible that he could transport, set up in different locations and bring directly to the customer.
We had many conversations, shared examples and discussed different possibilities before eventually meeting in Barcelona. I liked the idea because it was simple: instead of asking people to come to laser tag, why not bring laser tag to them?
For Pol, the idea came quite early. Opening a permanent arena would have meant competing with paintball, escape rooms, virtual reality and other established attractions. It would also have meant rent, maintenance, staff and all the other fixed costs that come with running a venue.
Going mobile gave him another option.
“The portable laser tag solution removed the heavy fixed costs and, best of all, it let us expand our offer across a much wider territory instead of being tied to a single location.”
And that is really the basis of the business today.
Mobility is obviously important when your business travels to the customer. Pol keeps the equipment organised and standardised so the complete setup can be transported by van. The laser tag system travels together with small inflatable obstacles, lighting, awards and everything else needed for the event.
Before an event, the available space is discussed with the customer. Around 100 m² is normally enough. If the event takes place during the day, an indoor or darkened space is preferable so the lighting and laser effects can really be seen.
It means that a school, sports hall, event venue or festival can become a laser tag arena for a few hours - and afterwards everything simply moves on to the next location.
I was also interested to know whether the reality matched Pol’s expectations when he started. So far, he’s satisfied. The equipment has held up well and the concept works.
But one of the biggest lessons had nothing to do with the equipment.
“Our biggest challenge hasn’t been the product itself, but getting people to discover it and understand our way of working.”
Because the concept is still new to many customers, part of the job is simply showing people what mobile laser tag actually looks like and what can be done with it. Looking back, Pol says this is something he would have focused on even earlier.
I think that’s an interesting lesson. Sometimes the challenge with a new idea isn’t making it work. It’s getting people to understand the idea in the first place.
Another thing that surprised me was the variety of events where the concept is being used. Pol has already worked with weddings, schools, summer camps, offices, neighbourhood events and town and village festivals.
The feedback has been very positive, and people often want to play again. Schools and summer camps work particularly well, and local festivals have also created regular demand.
And this is probably one of the biggest advantages of being mobile. You aren’t dependent on one location. You can go to the places where the players already are.
One of Pol’s more recent experiences is also interesting from a business point of view. His team has started adding smaller games and activities for people who are waiting for their laser tag session.
It sounds like a small addition, but it is working.
“We’re invoicing more and our clients are even happier.”
For someone thinking about starting a similar business, Pol’s advice is to first look carefully at the local market and understand whether this kind of mobile concept fits the potential customers. But after that, his advice is simple: take the leap.
And don’t necessarily think only about laser tag. Adding other games and activities can turn one mobile attraction into a much bigger experience. That’s also something Pol would like to develop further in the future.
For me, this is perhaps the most interesting part of the story. It started with the idea of making laser tag mobile. But once you start thinking that way, there are many more possibilities.
Of course, traditional laser tag arenas aren’t going anywhere. A permanent arena can create an atmosphere and level of immersion that is difficult to reproduce in a temporary location.
But it doesn’t have to be the only way.
What Pol is doing in Spain is a good example of how the same technology can be used with a completely different business model: lower fixed costs, different locations, different customers, and the freedom to take the experience wherever there is demand.
After all the conversations we had and finally seeing the idea develop in practice, I think the concept can be summed up quite simply.
Sometimes the customer comes to the attraction. And sometimes the attraction comes to the customer.
Check out more about Pols operations here https://lasertagevents.com/