Groundfall: The most played game in ValoArena!

(Originally published on August 24, 2023. Updated on April 24, 2026 with the latest Groundfall gameplay data from ValoArena installations around the world)

Remember the childhood excitement of playing "Floor is Lava" with your friends?

At Valo Motion, we took this timeless game to the next level with Groundfall, an exciting mixed-reality adventure that immerses you in action like never before. Originally launched in the summer of 2022, Groundfall is just one of the many fun, social games available in ValoArena, the revolutionary mixed-reality playground available in 4-player and 6-player models. powered by our cutting-edge motion tracking system.

Since then, players have jumped, dodged, and laughed their way through nearly 2.5 million Groundfall games on ValoArena installations around the world (as of April 2026)

Groundfall is a classic game reimagined

The concept is simple but thrilling: as the floor beneath your feet crumbles, you must quickly move to safe tiles to avoid falling into the lava. With each round, the challenge becomes slightly more difficult, ensuring that players of all ages (target age group: 6+) and skill levels remain engaged and entertained. Each game lasts between 2-3 minutes, allowing up to 110 players per hour on average (in open access) to join in on the fun, with up to 6 players playing at one time.

ValoArena's proprietary ValoVision motion tracking software captures your every movement, seamlessly translating it into the game world. This technology allows players to interact with virtual objects in real-time, providing a complete interactive experience. Take, for example, the virtual floor of Groundfall: it creates the illusion that players are genuinely falling when the ground beneath them crumbles if they don't move quickly enough to a safe platform. What's more, screens positioned on both sides inside the arena allow you to follow the action without the need for a dedicated VR or AR headset.

From the lead developer himself,

"In our early development stages for ValoArena, we experimented with various prototypes for a lava-themed game. For example, one prototype generated a random path from one end of the play area to the other, and the idea was that players had to walk from the start to the end of the path without falling. After several prototypes, inspiration struck from a completely unrelated one.  We instantly noticed how fun it was to try to quickly jump onto the new path or otherwise, you would fall. There was a constant fun tension in this gameplay cycle. We decided we have to still explore this mechanic before the initial launch of the product and now in hindsight that turned out to be a great decision.”
- Lauri Lehtonen, Lead Game Developer at Valo Motion

To Lauri, Groundfall has always felt magical. He reckons that the game's elements clicked together almost effortlessly, and that is what makes it a perfect fit for the ValoArena. 

‍A FUN FACT: The path generation mechanic of the original path walking prototype is still one of the levels of Groundfall! Read more such behind-the-scenes stories about the game development of Groundfall for ValoArena

Still the most played game in ValoArena

Since its launch, Groundfall has captivated players worldwide, quickly rising to be the most popular game in ValoArena. As of April 15, 2026, an impressive 43.3% of all gameplay hours at ValoArena have been dedicated to this thrilling survival adventure. To put that in perspective, that's an astounding 95,223 hours, almost equivalent to nearly 11 years of non-stop gameplay packed into about 3.5 years since ValoArena launched!

Groundfall is a strong performer in pay-to-play venues

Groundfall also performs strongly in pay-to-play venues, where each game needs to earn its next player. Across all the venues running ValoArena in pay-to-play business model, Groundfall has been played 540,499 times, accounting for 52.8% of all paid ValoArena sessions.

Back in 2023, Groundfall made up 46% of paid ValoArena games. Now as of April 2026, its share has grown to 52.8%, showing that players still choose the mixed-reality lava floor when other games are waiting in the same venue.

DID YOU KNOW: ValoArena is an anchor attraction in over 100 venues around the world 🌎

Groundfall is loved across continents

The data from our cloud shows that the love for Groundfall has no borders. In 2023, Hi-Fly in Hilden, Germany led the Groundfall leaderboard. In the 2026 data, SuperPark Vantaa in Finland takes the top spot with 103,341 Groundfall games, followed by Stacja Grawitacja Warszawa in Poland and Hi-Fly Hilden in Germany.

Groundfall's fan base has grown far beyond one country. Germany still leads with 826,166 Groundfall games, making up 33.2% of all Groundfall sessions on ValoArena. The United States is now a strong second market with 15.2%.

The top 10 countries now span Europe, North America, South America, and Asia. That global spread matters because it shows Groundfall works across different venue types, player cultures, and business models.

Share the joy

The fun does not stop when the game ends.

Players around the world have sent 404,887 videos of Groundfall gameplay sessions on ValoArena, making up 49.4% of all ValoArena videos shared. That shows how naturally Groundfall turns active play into a moment players want to keep, send, and show to their loved ones.

Across 13 tracked TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit posts, Groundfall videos have gathered more than 200 million views, over 15 million likes and upvotes, more than 1 million saves on TikTok alone, and around 40,000 comments.

Whether it is the thrill of open-access venues or the pull of pay-to-play arcades, Groundfall has exceeded our expectations and become the ultimate survival game for ValoArena.

ValoArena's flexibility makes this possible. Operators can adapt it to open-access, pay-to-play, and reservation-based business models while delivering the kind of full-body fun players come back for.

Read more: How user-generated content drives revenue for your venue

Fast-paced adventure for all ages 

Designed for active indoor amusement parks, FECs, and other leisure and hospitality locations, ValoArena is an incredibly versatile and user-friendly gaming platform.

It requires no attendant, wearables, wires, or controllers. Players simply step into the arena, choose from seven different games and 20+ levels, select their mode, and start playing.

From there, they can compete together in a mixed-reality space (physical and virtual), while spectators watch and cheer them on.

ValoArena is an exceptional addition to any leisure facility, offering an interactive experience for players aged 6 to 99. With its high throughput and no staff requirements, this attraction helps keep operational costs low.

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"With Groundfall, we've hit a sweet spot in crafting active, enjoyable experiences for groups. It's designed for those moments with family and friends where fun takes center stage, and I'm pleased it aligns so well with our vision of empowering people through the power of play. Seeing players return again and again to play Groundfall, as well as the success of ValoArena, is evidence that our development has been on the right track from the start. These pioneering products truly reflect our values of active movement, curiosity, teamwork, and being serious about fun."
- Raine Kajastila, CEO, Valo Motion

From pioneers in digital attractions 

Since 2016, Valo Motion has been transforming analog structures like trampolines and climbing walls into digital attractions that delight both amusement park owners and players.

Today, Valo Motion products are operated at over 1,000 venues worldwide, with more than 300,000 plays every day in over 80 countries. It is clear that our commitment to fun, ease of use, and quality resonates with players and operators around the globe.

Don't miss out on the excitement of Groundfall and the other amazing games in ValoArena including ToyWatch Island (ages 4+), Runway Zero (ages 6+), Astro Blade (ages 8+), Photobomb (ages 6+), Operation Money Grab (ages 8+) and Party Box (ages 8+).

Experience the unique joy of movement that Valo Motion has been delivering since 2016. Play, move, and have serious fun with us.

Read also: ValoArena is now available in 4-player and 6-player models, so operators can choose the capacity and footprint that fits their venue.