The lasers were coming for us, and we had to dash across the room without touching them. Sweat gathered at our temples, and an electronic voice from above commanded us to dodge the beams. It was like being at a tech-fueled rave or in a video game from the future.
In reality, we were at the mall. Stonestown Galleria just opened up Activate, the first California outpost of a 40-location chain, and the newest interactive game venue in San Francisco’s most thriving retail center. Joining Round 1 Arcade, Immersive Gamebox, and the escape room Escapology, Activate takes up 8,000 square feet on the top floor of the mall right next Regal Cinema. While the former Westfield mall downtown has emptied of most tenants to become little more than a glorified ghost kitchen, Stonestown is living its best life — in large part due to diversification. It’s as much a gaming and dining destination as a shopping one these days.
When The Standard visited Activate Thursday night, its second day of business, the venue was running a promo event that let people game for an hour free of charge. Kids as young as 6 and adults in their 70s were outfitted with electronic wristbands that unlock the doors to each game room…