The Archertype

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The Archertype

The Archertype is a Manchester based events company running Archery Tag sessions for birthdays, stag/hen do's, corporate team building & private bookings.

We also offer a Gameshow Experience - 'Outplayed the Gameshow' for family friendly fun! The Archertype was born out of a desire to bring the same enjoyment and excitement that other countries enjoy playing Archery Tag to the fun loving people of Manchester! Archery Tag (Combat Archery) is a sport similar to dodgeball in which participants shoot one another using bow and arrows with large foam tips which are non-lethal. Players are eliminated when they are hit by an arrow. Players can ‘respawn’ (come back into the game) if targets are knocked out by their teammate or if a teammate catches an arrow fired by a member of the opposing team before it touches the ground similarly to the rules in dodgeball. The game’s rules closely resemble dodgeball in which there will be arrows laid out in the centre of the arena. On commencement, players will rush to collect arrows from the safety zone before firing them at players on the opposing field. FAQ
How do I book? Simply send us a message for a rate for your party' booking or pop along to one of our sessions at our pop-up events! Is there an age restriction? The recommended age is 10 and above. Those who are 16 and under must be supervised by a parent/guardian. Only individuals who are 18 years of age are able to sign the waiver. (Please note all participants playing Archery Tag will have to sign a waiver prior to playing)

How long is one game? Each game generally lasts between 1- 4 minutes, your facilitator will work with you to play a variety of game modes to full enjoy The Archetype experience! What clothing and footwear should I wear? Please wear comfortable clothing and suitable footwear to run in. Our events are all indoor unless stated otherwise as this means the British Weather won't prevent us playing! What equipment do I need? All equipment is provided by The Archertype. This includes bows, arrows, facemarks, armguards and bibs. Can I play with my own group or will it be mixed? You can make a private booking for up to 20 people, of your own friends (or enemies!). Alternatively you can pop along to an open session in our pop-up events, participants often become fast friends when dodging arrows!

18/09/2026

Visiting all the way from Northampton for our Combat Archery experience! So grateful for all of our customers who choose us to host their birthdays/activities and stags! 🥹

01/09/2026

Grateful for this write up my MEN , Liv Clarke and thankyou to our customers who have found us and had a brilliant time together!

A hidden Manchester attraction tucked away in an industrial area has managed to secure 441 five-star reviews out of 445 on Tripadvisor 🤩

Former account manager Tim Wan launched The Archertype in 2017 after discovering combat archery online.

He initially rented temporary spaces to run test sessions before securing a 4,000-square-foot indoor arena in Ardwick.

The venue combines elements of dodgeball and archery, using specialized bows and arrows fitted with giant marshmallow-shaped foam tips 🏹

Players take part in short, fast-paced four-to-five-minute games that require constant jumping, ducking, and dodging.

Tim believes the indoor arena is the only permanent venue of its kind in the entire UK.

Despite holding a near-perfect score on review sites, the owner admits the business faces ongoing pressures away from the game floor.

"We love what we do, but it’s got to make sense to do it. In the hospitality industry there’s businesses closing every week.

"The hardest thing is rising rent costs, electricity and gas bills, all that stuff has gone up like crazy. Lockdown was incredibly hard but we managed to survive that.

"What people don’t realise is that the years that followed were difficult too - people were unsure about going out so recovery was a little slow."

Tim also says he’s keen to reach more people as his customers always say it’s “the best thing they’ve ever done” but few people have heard of them.

Open play sessions run on the first or last Sunday of every month, with group booking prices starting from £26 per person.

The Archertype is definitely worth a look now rainier days are ahead! 🌧️

14/08/2026

Wait… you can actually book this in Manchester?! 👀

Introducing Blaster Battles at The Archertype 🔫

Think Nerf… but upgraded. Kids, teens or adults can all play together!

We’ve built a private battle experience using premium NERF Rival blasters, foam rounds, bunkers, objectives and a referee-led game format.

No random teams with strangers.
No wandering around a giant open field.
Just your group vs your mates, battling it out in our dedicated arena.

Perfect for birthdays, stags, hens, family days, group activities and team building in Manchester.

And yes… it’s considerably more competitive than you remember Nerf being. 😈

📍 Manchester
🔫 Premium NERF Rival blasters
🏟️ Private group bookings
👥 Your group. Your battle. Your Party!
🎯 Multiple game modes
🛡️ Fully hosted & refereed

15/07/2026

POV: You finally get to be the gameshow contestant!🚨

Welcome to Outplayed the Gameshow in Manchester, the ultimate live gameshow experience!

🎲 75 minutes.
🧠 3 epic rounds (Trivia, Challenges, Friendly Fortunes).
🏆 1 Champion Team.

Perfect for families, mates, birthdays and work social nights out. Gather a team of 2-10 players and let the chaotic competition begin!

Book your session at:
www.thearchertype.co.uk/booknow

12/01/2026

It’s our founders birthday today! 🎉To celebrate Tim we are offering 30% off the next ten bookings booked through our website. Simply use the code: ‘TIM30’ at checkout to redeem.

P.S Tim is not 30 🥲
Bookings can be redeemed against private groups for Combat Archery, Outplayed the Gameshow and Open Play Sessions. First come , first serve! Only the first ten bookings booked will receive 30% off!

28/11/2025

What customers say after playing Outplayed The Gameshow! Thankful for all our wonderful customers for playing and engaging in a Gameshow with us! We promise that you’ll have a lot of fun and live out your TV Gameshow dream!

05/09/2025

Loved having Jenny and her family come play with us at Outplayed the Gameshow!

28/08/2025

Hi, I’m Tim, and I started The Archertype here in Manchester because I absolutely love bringing people together. There’s nothing better than hosting an event, seeing the joy on people’s faces, and knowing we’ve helped create memories they’ll talk about long after the day is over.

At The Archertype, we run experiences that are fun, competitive, and always full of laughter.

Why We Do It

At the heart of it, we just want people to have the best time. For us, that means plenty of laughter, a bit of healthy competition, and time well spent together with friends, family, or colleagues. Whether it’s running around the arena in combat archery or buzzing in for a trivia round in Outplayed, our goal is the same: unforgettable fun.

So if you’re looking for something different for your next party, celebration, or just a great day out – come and play with us at The Archertype. We’d love to host you.

– Tim & The Archertype Team

P.S If you want a tailored birthday experience/ unique celebration, get in touch and I’d love to work with you on creating it! We’ve done Who wants to be a Triviaonaire/ Survivor /Running Man & Team Building Games! Email me personally at [email protected] and we’ll make your event amazing!

27/06/2025

Want to play combat archery but can't get a big enough group? Or just want to play with some other players? Join our Open play sessions! Open play sessions can be booked here:

https://www.thearchertype.co.uk/booknow/

Sunday 29th June 11am
Sunday 3rd August 11am
Sunday 31st August 11am

We're offering 25% discount to repeat players (You kind people who have liked our page!) - use code OPEN25 for 25% off on open play combat archery sessions ONLY.

Reasons to book to with usDedicated arena to play combat archery inOver 16 different game modes to play keeps our sessions fresh, exciting and competitive!Thorough instruction and training so that all players can engage and play to their full potential! Practice range for players to get up to spe...

12/10/2024

Sometimes you come second (third) … thanks for being good sports and entertaining Max’s Angles! Swipe to see Max being sad 🥺

Address

Unit 10a, 37/49 Devonshire Street North
Manchester
M126JR

Telephone

+441616700632

Website

http://www.thearchertype.co.uk/

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