Events - ACTIVATE: A successful inauguration in Val d'Europe marks the beginning of a new era of immersive entertainment

By Mulder, Serris,Imagi Park , 14 october 2025

On October 14, 2025, Val d'Europe was transformed into a futuristic arena to host the press inauguration of the very first ACTIVATE center in France. Located in the heart of the Imagi Park leisure complex, already famous for its fun experiences such as Speed Park, Fort Boyard Aventures, and KOJUMP, this new 1,000 m² space promises to redefine the way the public thinks about group games. Launched in 2019 in Winnipeg, Canada, the ACTIVATE concept has taken the international scene by storm, before landing in Europe with this first French location. Its strength lies in merging the worlds of video games, sport, and strategy into a fully interactive experience that can be replayed endlessly.

During the opening night, guests were able to explore twelve state-of-the-art themed rooms with evocative names such as Hide, Control, Laser, Mega Grid, and Strike. Each room houses several games with ten levels of difficulty that can be combined at will, allowing each player to chart their own course according to their desires and skill level. In teams of two to five people, participants have one hour to challenge time and themselves in an electrifying atmosphere where the walls, floors, and lights react live to their actions. This advanced interactivity is based on ultra-sensitive sensors, digital screens, and smart projectors, orchestrating a sensory ballet worthy of the greatest technological innovations of the moment. This blend of physical agility, strategy, and cooperation makes ACTIVATE a hybrid playground where humans once again become the center of the digital experience.

This concept, born from the imagination of Canadian entrepreneurs passionate about the frontier between sports and video games, has been a resounding success in North America before expanding to the United Kingdom and Dubai. In just a few years, ACTIVATE has opened nearly sixty centers around the world, attracting more than a million followers on social media and generating millions of views on TikTok and Instagram. Its expansion in Europe is based on a strategic partnership between the brand and the Hadrena group, a local entertainment giant and holder of the master franchise for France, Spain, Portugal, and Benelux. This alliance plans to open around thirty sites over six years, positioning ACTIVATE as a major player in European interactive leisure.

The opening of the Val d'Europe center is not just a simple step, but a declaration of intent. According to Sarah Lion, CEO of Activate Games France, "with Activate, we are bringing a new generation of indoor leisure activities to France, at the crossroads of sport, gaming, and technology. Unique and infinitely replayable, Activate redefines the immersive entertainment experience. We are convinced that this concept will appeal to millions of players across Europe." Her words perfectly convey the vision of a forward-looking project: to create spaces where performance meets pleasure, and where technology does not erase human connection but reinforces it. The experience is based on a personal profile system that allows each player to record their scores and evaluate their progress from one session to the next, a nod to the logic of modern video games, but transposed into the real world.

The first visitors to Val d'Europe, including journalists, influencers, and curious onlookers, praised the quality of the installation and the technological precision of the experience. Some compared the atmosphere of the rooms to a physical version of a futuristic video game, while others described it as the perfect mix between an escape game and a connected gym. The feeling of immersion is so strong that you forget the outside world: each space reacts to light, sound, and movement with impressive fluidity. This fluidity gives ACTIVATE a rare advantage in a sector saturated with virtual offerings that are often too screen-centric. Here, everything happens through the body, energy, and group synergy.

The Val d'Europe location, within the Imagi Park complex, is the ideal choice for a first French establishment. The venue already attracts a diverse audience, from families to interactive thrill seekers, and offers an environment conducive to discovery. With a single price of €25 for one hour of play and accessibility from age 6, ACTIVATE is aimed at both families and companies looking for original team-building activities. The site operates by reservation, Tuesday through Sunday, and adapts its hours during school terms and holidays to accommodate as many visitors as possible.

Beyond a simple commercial launch, this inauguration symbolizes a generation's desire to restore meaning to collective play. In a world where virtual interactions often dominate, ACTIVATE reminds us that technology can also be a driver of movement, laughter, and sharing. The goal is clear: to put the human experience back at the center of digital entertainment. This is not just a marketing success, it is a promise of lasting transformation in the way we have fun, learn, and cooperate.

While the evening of October 14 was an undeniable success, it is only a taste of what the ACTIVATE network has in store for Europe. New openings are already being considered, buoyed by the momentum of this first French location. With its technological innovation, community spirit, and desire to explore the limits of what is possible, ACTIVATE is establishing itself as a pioneering experience. The future of immersive gaming may have just been activated in Val d'Europe—and it promises to be as captivating as it is collective.
Practical information:

Information and reservations: 
Address: Imagi Park – 1 rue de l'Hymne A La Joie – 77700 Serris
Duration: 1 hour
Price: €25 per person (single price)
Number of players: 2 to 5 players per team. For more than 5 players, it is possible to create several teams.
Outside school holidays: Monday (closed), Tuesday (4pm-10pm), Wednesday (1pm-10pm), Thursday (4pm-10pm), Friday (4pm-11pm), Saturday (11am-11pm), Sunday (11am-8pm)
School holidays: Monday to Thursday (11am-10pm), Friday and Saturday (11am-11pm), Sunday (11am-8pm)

Photos: Copyright Jules Despret

(Source: press release)