Shopping malls in China are being turned into real-life battle royale arenas

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Shopping malls in China are being transformed into huge, interactive battle royale arenas. Players use augmented reality (AR) technology to experience games like PUBG and Peacekeeper Elite in a real-world setting.

These events are happening at night or during slower times in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Qingdao.

Sessions are accommodating between 40 and 60 players at a time and lasting around 90 minutes.

How the games actually work

I read this amazing thing – apparently, in China, they’re taking battle royale games to a whole new level! Players wear AR headsets and sensors, and there’s an app that turns a real shopping mall into the game map. So you’re actually running around the mall, playing the game in real life! It’s like the game mechanics are built right into the physical space.

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This means players will battle in teams, avoid deadly poison gas, and fight within a constantly shrinking play area – all set inside the actual hallways and rooms of the building.

Participants are reportedly running more than 5 kilometers per session as a result.

Why malls?

Shopping malls, with their big, open spaces and different floors, are well-suited for creating game environments similar to the large maps found in popular online battle royale games, especially when the malls are not crowded.

From the beginning, players get specific team roles and goals to achieve, creating a competitive experience that feels true to the original games.

This isn’t the first time someone has tried to recreate a battle royale in real life. Back in 2019, YouTuber MrBeast organized an airsoft battle royale with a $200,000 prize and popular creators, and it became one of the most-viewed events of its kind.

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2026-04-25 19:18