Category Archives: VR

Train2Game News Michael Bay working on VR

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The Rogue InitiativeThe Rogue Initiative and Michael Bay have announced a partnership to develop original entertainment properties with a focus on virtual reality and interactive hardware.

The new collaboration will produce immersive, virtual adventures offering gritty, danger-close action coupled with Michael Bay’s signature style and storytelling that fans all over the world have come to expect from his blockbuster action films.

This is Bay’s first foray into interactive entertainment; he will direct and The Rogue Initiative will produce and develop original content in cinematic-style VR.

Pete Blumel, co-founder and CEO of The Rogue Initiative, said: “I’ve enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Mr. Bay and couldn’t be more excited to work with him and truly leverage his unique vision and incredible depth of experience to this amazing new medium. We’re all absolutely thrilled to be working with such a cinematic powerhouse in the field of action entertainment.”

Bay said: “I’ve known Pete for a long time, and he’s put together a great team. I’m excited about building new visual worlds for this innovative medium with them.”

Cathy Twigg, co-founder and Chief Production Officer of The Rogue Initiative, said: “We take a comprehensive approach in producing our IP for the entertainment landscape, specializing in film, television and interactive experiences with a focus on virtual reality. This enables The Rogue Initiative to align with our partners in expanding our IP to various other platforms and media. We’ll be bringing this approach to the properties we co-create with Mr. Bay as well.”

The Rogue Initiative officially launched earlier this year with several projects in development.

The company will seek further investment and strategic partnerships to develop its slate of upcoming cinematic, interactive VR, film and television projects for platforms and distribution channels, including Sony Playstation, Oculus, HTC Vive, Samsung GearVR, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, feature film, network and cable television.

Hrish Lotlikar, co-founder and CBDO of The Rogue Initiative, said: “We are producing entertainment properties for a global audience and continue to seek investors and partners internationally that would like to collaborate in developing and distributing our content.”

Michael Bay will join The Rogue Initiative as a strategic advisor, along with veteran film and television Producer Lynda Obst (whose credits include Interstellar, Contact, Sleepless in Seattle) as well as other recently added advisors, including Cliff Plumer (President, Jaunt Studios at Jaunt VR), Matthew Cohan (President, Bay Films), and Cody Simms (Executive Director, Disney/TechStars).

For more information about The Rogue Initiative and its collaboration with Michael Bay, please visit therogueinitiative.com.

Train2Game News Sony at E3

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SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA LLC LOGOAt its annual E3 press conference today, Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC (SIEA) debuted a line-up of premier content for PlayStation®4 (PS4™), including Days Gone (SIE Bend Studio), Spider-Man (Insomniac Games), LEGO® Star Wars™: The Force Awakens™ (TT Games and Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment), God of War (SIE Santa Monica Studio), DEATH STRANDING (Kojima Productions), FINAL FANTASY® XV (Square Enix), RESIDENT EVIL® 7 biohazard (Capcom Co.), and many more.

SIEA also announced the North American launch date of October for PlayStation®VR (PS VR), a virtual reality system that takes PS4 to the next level of immersion. Along with the launch date announcement, SIEA unveiled a breadth of unique PS VR experiences, including Farpoint (Impulse Gear), Star Wars™ Battlefront™: X-Wing VR Mission (Electronic Arts), and Batman™: Arkham VR (RockSteady and Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment).

“PlayStation’s heritage has been built around innovation and ground-breaking gaming experiences, and today’s reveals of new PS4 and PS VR content speaks to our continued commitment to this evolution of gaming,” said Shawn Layden, President of SIEA and Chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios. “From the reimagining of God of War to the brand new world of Days Gone, this E3 marks one of the best content line-ups in PlayStation history. With the launch of PS VR on the horizon, innovation also has never been stronger at PlayStation, as developers, from smaller independent teams to larger studios, have been able to quickly leverage the technology and create unique experiences that truly embody VR’s potential.”

PlayStation®4
PS4 continues to remain the fastest-selling console in PlayStation ® history with more than 40 million units sold worldwide, and new game announcements revealed on stage at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles demonstrated how PS4’s library will further expand with an unparalleled line-up of games. SIE’s Worldwide Studios (SIE WWS) unveiled three new ambitious games during the show – God of War, Spider-Man and Days Gone. Developed by Santa Monica Studio, God of War opened the show with a reveal showcasing a refreshed gameplay experience that continues the next chapter for iconic character, Kratos.
As part of the reveal, renowned musical artist Bear McCreary, composer for God of War, shared his score for the game while conducting an incredible live orchestra.

The debut of Spider-Man for PS4 introduced players for the first time to an authentic new Spider-Man story and universe being developed through a close collaboration between Insomniac Games, Marvel and San Mateo Studio. Additionally, Days Gone marks the long-awaited return of Bend Studio, who debuted a trailer highlighting a story about loss and regret set in a stunningly realistic high-desert of the Pacific Northwest, and closed the press conference with a live demonstration of emergent, open-world gameplay.

Other featured titles from SIE WWS included highly-anticipated titles Horizon Zero Dawn, Detroit : Become Human, and The Last Guardian. SIEA also announced that The Last Guardian will launch on October 25, 2016. Also, in partnership with SIE, celebrated game creator Hideo Kojima took to the stage to announce his new PS4 exclusive title, DEATH STRANDING. DEATH STRANDING will be produced, written, directed and designed by Hideo Kojima himself, and will star actor Norman Reedus.

In addition to the wealth of content coming from SIE’s WWS, partnerships with the industry’s leading developers and publishers will further solidify PS4 as the best place to play for gamers. At the press conference, SIEA announced it has worked with Activision to bring back one of PlayStation’s fan favorite characters, Crash Bandicoot. Coming to PS4 first this October, Crash appears in Skylanders® Imaginators, the latest game from one of the most beloved franchises. Additionally, in 2017, fans can play Crash 1, Crash 2, and Crash Warped, fully remastered for PS4 by Activision and Vicarious Visions. SIE will also continue its partnership with Activision on Call of Duty®: Infinite Warfare, ensuring once again that PlayStation is home to one of the world’s biggest franchises. PlayStation 4 gamers will be the first to play all downloadable map packs from Infinite Warfare, and those who pre-purchase select editions of the game for PS4 will be the first to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered’s campaign 30 days prior to launch on November 4.

Additional featured partner titles shown during the conference include LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard, and FINAL FANTASY XV. PS4 owners will be the first to play the demo for the highly-anticipated LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and the demo for RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard will be made available first to PlayStation®Plus members. Additionally, it was announced that RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard will be fully compatible with PS VR.

PlayStation®VR
When PS VR launches on October 13, 2016 in North America, it brings with it the opportunity for virtual reality to reach the mainstream, as all 40 million PS4s in gamers’ homes are PS VR-capable. From some of the biggest franchises in gaming to brand new titles created exclusively for PS VR, a wide breadth of unique experiences will await gamers when PS VR launches. During the conference, SIEA unveiled new PS VR experiences, including Farpoint, Star Wars Battlefront: X-Wing VR Mission, and Batman: Arkham VR. From developer Impulse Gear and SIE’s San Mateo Studio comes Farpoint, an unnerving VR space adventure that will set a new standard for immersive VR.

Batman: Arkham VR is from the critically-acclaimed Rocksteady Studios and is the first virtual reality Batman experience that will allow fans to experience Gotham City through the eyes of the World’s Greatest Detective in an all new Arkham mystery.

Star Wars Battlefront: X-Wing VR Mission will immerse players in one of the most dreamt about Star Wars™ fantasies – piloting an X-wing in the far reaches of space. This all-new mission will be exclusive to PS VR this holiday, and is free*** for owners of Star Wars Battlefront.

PlayStation VR titles will range from $9.99 to $59.99. Additionally, PlayStation Move controllers will be available as a two-pack bundle for $99.99 (MSRP).

Pre-purchase Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Digital Deluxe, Digital Legacy, Legacy, or Legacy Pro editions on PS4, and get access to the Modern Warfare Remastered campaign on 10-05-2016 on PS4. Offer available on PSN and at participating retailers only.

Train2game News Global VR Gaming Challenge

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Steel Media, publisher of Pocket Gamer, is delighted to reveal the launch of a brand new VR competition created in association with DeePoon, the leading VR company in China.

The Global VR Gaming Challenge is a new initiative setup to identify the best new VR games development talent and concepts, from UK, Europe, and the rest of the world, and help bring them to the world’s biggest VR market, China.

The challenge will include a total of $35,000 worth of cash prizes up for grabs for the winners, alongside VR hardware for all longlisted teams, and an expenses paid trip to ChinaJoy, Asia’s biggest game show in Shanghai in July, for the developers that are shortlisted.

This competition is open to all Independent developers, providing their game / concept is suitable for mobile VR, and will be unreleased prior to 28th July 2016. A full detailed set of rules can be found at the following link.

In order to enter, developers must submit a one page description of their game / concept, alongside any artwork and video assets available via the Global VR Gaming Challenge website.

After an initial entry period, expert judges from the industry will create a longlist of nominees in June who’ll then be provided DeePoon hardware and a month to hone their games before a final judging session on 15th July creates a shortlist of developers who’ll all be invited to ChinaJoy (flights and accommodation paid) to pitch at the final in Shanghai.

Those interested can also find a full breakdown of the competition’s timeline at the following link.

Through this competition Steel Media and DeePoon collectively hope to not only help the development of brand new VR concepts, but also in deepening the ties between China, Europe, and the rest of the world within the video game industry.