Events like VRLA Spring Expo are helping to shape the universe of VR for the dreamers of the future.

“If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.” -Carl Sagan

In a world where both tech industry insiders and consumers seem to flip flop on VR as both the next big thing and just a fad, VRLA is a place that solidifies what VR is to me.  VR is growth, VR is creative freedom, VR is the future. One can simply look at the growth of VRLA and see that the team behind this event will not just leave this new industry to chance but rather push it forward to the promises of the Sci-Fi novels that shaped our visions.

Look at the growth of #vrla2017 @vrlosangeles That small #redbox was the first. #vr #growth. pic.twitter.com/Imz5b13uu4

— CatsAndVR (@CatsAndVR) April 15, 2017

I started CatsAndVR.com last year in order to throw myself full force into the VR ecosystem. During the VRLA Summer Expo last year I was actually able to use my VR experience to get a job in VR. For me the VRLA events are a bit different than VR events in the Bay Area as there is a more dream like quality in presentation and outlook. For me VRLA is a refresher to remind me why exactly I want to be involved in this industry.

For me one of the best thing about VRLA events are the people and I recenlty got to chat with one of my favorite in the industry, Jonathan Krusell. Last year Jonathan helped me skip the line to check out Mindshow and this year I returned the favor and made sure I checked out some great stuff on Daydream from L.A. Devs.

"Whats amazing about VRLA and VR in L.A. is that there are so many amazing developers here in town. There are so many folks coming from different mediums converging in VR bringing their strengths and experiences."- Jonathan Krusell, Google Daydream

Cofounder of VRLA Cosmo Scharf killed it with his opening VRLA remarks showcasing an almost Steve Jobs level of charm in telling the tale of why VR is important to him. 

Wow @cosmoscharf dropping knowledge #VRLA2017 Dystopia @vrlosangeles #world view shift. #TaxMarch #vr pic.twitter.com/QvSzosF5x1

— CatsAndVR (@CatsAndVR) April 15, 2017

The VRLA Saturday keynote by Justin Roiland of Squanchtendo and Rick And Morty fame was also riveting and added to the unique charm of the VRLA events not found elsewhere. 

VRLA showcases that the future of VR is bright and its events like these as well as groups such as VRLA and Upload provide the pickaxes and shovels for the true seekers of VR Gold.

The Future Of VR is bright!

Of course I can't do VRLA post without a dash of Mindshow. Check a little Mindshow sketch I did at VRLA

CatsAndVR.com/blog

Dungeons & Dragons-themed Dungeon Chess is out now for Oculus Rift and coming soon on Samsung Gear VR.

Virtual reality developer Experiment 7 announced that Dungeon Chess is out now for Oculus Rift and will come soon on Samsung Gear VR. 

Dungeon Chess, a Dungeons & Dragons-themed animated chess game, is the first title developed by Experiment 7 in its partnership with Wizards of the Coast.

From fire-breathing dragons to death ray-blasting beholder rooks and beyond, Dungeon Chess players command a lineup of iconic D&D creatures as they engage in classic chess matches against custom AI opponents, VR users from around the globe or their real-world friends. Each game is played in stunning and customizable rooms, like the Forgotten Realm’s legendary Yawning Portal Tavern or the Warm Study, where players compete in front of a crackling fire.  

“As huge D&D fans ourselves, it was a dream come true to be able to work on Dungeon Chess," said Co-founder and Creative Director of Experiment 7, Geoffrey Zatkin. "We've created what we believe is a killer VR game worthy of D&D enthusiasts, chess fans and the VR community’s attention. We can’t wait to do the same for our next VR project with Wizards of the Coast.”

“Combining the power of storytelling in Dungeons & Dragons with virtual reality is really fascinating, and we're excited to take this first step with Experiment 7 and Dungeon Chess,” said Nathan Stewart, Brand Director for D&D. “As with all of our partners, we've been working closely with their development team to make sure the beholders, dragons and mindflayers are all distinctly D&D-flavored and we think that hard work paid off. I can't wait to see the Yawning Portal come to life in virtual reality!”

CatsAndVR.com

Happy 420! The Rick And Morty VR game is out I am celebrating by NOT writing about it...check out this Justin Roiland/Squanchtendo Keynote.

Today is the launch of the brand spanking new Rick And Morty VR game and I wont be getting high and playing it today since I am on a work trip for my day job http://store.steampowered.com/app/469610/

Everyone should go out and buy this game and support this excellent work of Owlchemy Labs (Job Simulator).

Since I can't play the game and really write about it cause I did not get review copy I will give you some highlights from Justin Roiland's VRLA Squanchtendo Keynote. I escaped to a Starbucks long enough to write this.

 Happy 420 everyone...smoke weed erryday and stuff. Check out some highlights of Justin's excellent VRLA keynote where he talks about the state of VR, the future of VR,and some of the exclusive games coming from Squanchtendo including Miyamote's Toes.

If you are a UE4 developer Squanchtendo wants you.

Actual 3D model of a Squchtendo Fan.

CatsAndVR.com/blog

Check out Herocade, a $15 bundle of 9 VR games for the Playstation VR.

Lucid Sight, Inc. has released a budget  9-in-1 collection VR collection of games for the PSVR.

Race on the mean streets of LA, pilot through exotic alien worlds, hunt prehistoric beasts, defend against alien invaders, solve whimsical puzzles, save civilians from zombie hoards, survive a paranormal experience, escape from a treacherous labyrinth, train for the turkey apocalypse, and solve the mystery of your past as Player One in HeroCade!

HeroCade includes two award-winning titles available for the first time on Playstation: Dreadhalls (Proto Awards’ Best Sound Design) and Sisters (Sundance 2016's New Frontier Selection).

Featured Games

• PolyRunner 

• Space Bit Attack!

• Gumi no Yume

• Z-Strike

• Turkey Hunt

• 405 Road Rage

• Jurassic Survival (HeroCade exclusive)

• Dreadhalls (Proto Awards’ Best Sound Design)

• Sisters (Sundance 2016's New Frontier Selection)

CatsAndVR.com/blog

Subdream Studios launches its debut VR title, Mega Overload.

Subdream Studios, launched its debut VR title, Mega Overload. Bringing the best of retro arcade action to Virtual Reality, Mega Overload enables players to blast their way through the Mega Bots in an endless wave shooter. Each player wields dual blasters and shoots a variety of mischievous MegaBots, each with unique attacks, defenses, and flight patterns, in their quest to the top of the leaderboard.

Throughout the course of the game, players can choose a safe and steady playstyle or aggressively spend lives to upgrade their weapons for a bot blasting bonanza.

Mega Overload also features an online co-op mode, doubling the guns and doubling the fun. Players stand side by side and take out the troublemaking robots together. Each player still retains an individual score, so bragging rights will remain intact. Two player mode is perfect for VR arcades, where friends can play side by side in an exciting quest for bot domination.

“Mega Overload is a game that every player will immediately enjoy, and enjoy even more when playing with their friends online,” said Jikhan Jung, CEO of Subdream Studios. “Our goal is to create engaging social VR gaming experiences based on Mega Overload's intuitive cooperative action game style.”

Mega Overload includes exciting features such as:

● Shoot down endless waves of enemy robots!

● Collect power-ups and upgrade your weapons!

● Team up with a partner in online co-op!

● Recreates the challenging difficulty of classic arcade games!

● Climb to the top of leaderboards!

● Unlock over 20 achievements!

Mega Overload will be available on the Steam store for $14.99, but players can get a

limited time 15% discount during launch week.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/613130

About Subdream Studios

Subdream Studios is a recently formed and well-funded virtual reality game developer and publisher backed by major industry players, including HTC's ViveX Accelerator. Subdream is focusing on multiplayer experiences as the future of VR gaming. The company enables unique and fun multiplayer games to all major virtual reality platforms and offers inclusion in its under-development social hub for multiplayer games.

VR creation application Mindshow gets date for open beta, a new website, and a new trailer at VRLA.

The Mindshow team announced today at VRLA that the Mindshow Open Beta will be available for the HTC Vive Q3 2017. The team celebrated with a brand spanking new website and official Mindshow trailer.  http://mindshow.com/

Mindshow lets you make animated movies in VR with your body and voice! Become 3D cartoon characters and act out all the parts. Create with your friends by passing scenes back and forth, then share your shows in VR and on social media. 

I tried Mindshow for the first time at VRLA Summer Expo and it was my favorite demo, I would eventually join the closed beta community and these are my thoughts. Mindshow is a product built from a passion for VR. Not just because VR is cool but because we were promised the future when we were kids and still seeking it. 

Mindshow is Walt Disney. Mindshow is Jim Henson. Mindshow is Steve Jobs. Mindshow is the spark in humanity that made them create characters out of the stars. Mindshow are the muppet babies playing make believe come to life. 

CatsAndVR.com

The WaveVR officially launches on Steam...and lives up to the months of anticipation to be perhaps a Killer VR app.

If you have been reading CatsAndVR you know that I am a fan of The WaveVR. The team behind it are talented and looking to make one of the KILLER apps of the future of VR. The WaveVR has been endorsed by several members of the VR community from Kent Bye to Reggie Watts and anytime someone has tried it they have been blown away. The first experience of The WaveVR for me came in 2016 at SVVR when Grimecraft demoed to me as a DJ simulation with great visuals. Well several conferences and lots of development later The WaveVR has now come to Steam as a robust full featured social experience. I joined the fun yesterday to several happy avatars awaiting Grimecraft playing a set. 

TheWaveVR is a VR platform for people who love music, enabling them to view, host and socialize in live and recorded shows worldwide, anytime, anywhere.  TheWave creates a VR venue where artists can perform live music by simply importing their tracks, customizing the visuals of the venue, and sharing virtual shows. 

The UI and UX are on point, the interactivity is there, people were communicating, and there was enough of a Burning Man element to make me smile a bit. 

But in the immortal words of Lavar Burton in Reading Rainbow "Dont' take my word for it" go try it out for yourself http://store.steampowered.com/app/453000/

Oh and also here what these people much cooler than me have to say about it to.

“TheWaveVR is building music experiences that can only exist in virtual reality. They're giving musicians superpowers they've never had before, and allowing listeners to experience performances in ways that have never been possible. We're excited to help them build this platform that will forever change the music industry,” said Anjney Midha, founding partner at KPCB Edge.

"As all of my VR experiences so far, exhilarating, great, thought and idea provoking and left me wanting for more!"
-Darude

"TheWave is the first VR experience that captures the excitement of a live performance in a totally original way. While many people are chasing an emulation of a nightclub, The Wave is pioneering an entirely new compelling platform that is playful, social, and fun to use.”
-Morgan Page, Two time Grammy-Nominated Electronic Artist

Visbit Launches the First All-In-One 360-Degree Virtual Reality Video Streaming Service in Open Beta

Following a successful closed beta period that began in December 2016, VR and 360-degree video streaming company Visbit is releasing their service into open beta, marking the industry’s first official availability of an end-to-end platform offering streaming of 4K and above resolution VR 360-degree videos over regular Wi-Fi and LTE for mobile VR devices.

The company’s all-in-one service, which includes a publisher portal, VR cloud and VR player SDK, leverages its patented Visbit View-Optimized Streaming (VVOS) technology so content creators and publishers can simplify the management and delivery of Ultra High Definition (UHD) content to viewers at reduced bandwidth.

“Offloading the handling of video streaming and downloading, and the ability to stream high quality content on cellular connections is very helpful,” said Justin Lutz, lead innovation technologist at Primacy, a full service digital agency. “Visbit’s SDK is straightforward and simple to use, making it that much easier for us to deliver a quality video experience.”

From content publishing to transcoding, hosting, streaming and playing the video, Visbit  provides a complete end-to-end solution that cuts development time and cost, allowing content creators and producers to focus on creating immersive experiences. The company’s move to open beta showcases a number of additions to the service, including:

“Thanks to the feedback from our closed beta users and initial testing, we’ve made a number of tweaks and additions to make our all-in-one streaming service more robust and available for broader adoption,” said CY Zhou, Visbit co-founder and CEO. “We continue to push the limits of what is possible – evident in our recent industry-first 12K streaming breakthrough and support for live streaming – and are looking forward to integrating these features, and more, into our service in the near future.”

CatsAndVR.com

VR puzzle game Solaright is the first HTC Vive title from a development team based out of India.

Solaright is the first HTC Vive title from a development team based out of India.  Solaright  is a zen-like VR puzzle game where the player has to illuminate a tree from a solar power source by solving a series of jigsaw puzzles from simple 3x3 virtual cubes to 4x4 and 5x5 complex cubes as you move ahead in the game.  The VR controller lets you rotate the cube, and understand the puzzle flowing through multiple faces

“We are very excited to launch Solaright, a never-seen-before puzzle solving experience with meditative music,”  stated  Manas Gajare , CEO, Zabuza Labs.“Our experience in mobile puzzle games was adamant, which inspired us to build this engaging title in virtual reality.”

With  the launch of Solaright perhaps many other gaming studios in India will also join the VR bandwagon soon.

Solaright is available for  HTC Vive on the  Steam Marketplace today March 13, 2017, for $9.99. Zabuza Labs is offering 15% discount for the first week.

CatsAndVR.com

4/20 aint just about getting high this year, ITS ABOUT GETTING SQUANCHY with the new Rick And Morty VR game

4/20 aint just about getting high this year, ITS ABOUT GETTING SQUANCHY with the new Rick And Morty VR game.

Just like we were surprised by the Rick and Morty Season 3 premiere we were surprised by the launch date of Rick and Morty Simulator: Virtual Rick-ality.

Our favorite dynamic science duo will be teleported into your living room for a cutting-edge VR adventure from Adult Swim Games and Owlchemy Labs (Job Simulator).

Play as a Morty clone as you explore Rick's garage, the Smith household, and alien worlds.

Experience life as a clone of Morty and all the trauma that comes with it. Step through portals to strange worlds, help Rick with his bizarre experiments, and use your hands in VR to pick up and play in an interaction-filled 3D Rick-ality. Follow Rick's directions (or don't!) to solve puzzles and complete missions in this fully voice acted adventure.

Features:
-It's your favorite 2D characters in 3D. It's RICK AND MORTY VR! They're 3D now!
-Probe, prod, throw, and smash iconic items like the Plumbus.
-Also, it's got this thing!
-Teleport around rooms and walk through portals.
-No really! You walk with your actual feet through virtual portals!
-Get yelled at by Rick, and question your own self worth.
-Smack Rick in the face.
-Real fake doors!

CatsAndVR.com

Happy Belated Birthday to the HTC Vive! Check out a selection of games on sale from our friends at Rank17 in honor of the event.

Happy belated 1st Birthday to the HTC Vive. I would have posted on this yesterday if I was not stuck on a plane due some unfortunate delays(so VR of me). Well its better than never and in honor of that birthday our friends at Rank17 are discounting most of its HTC Vive titles by 50% during Steam's VR Anniversary Sale (April 5-12)! Their VR Baseball game is discounted at 45%. Check out the trailers and Steam store links for the games below. Also get a sneak preview at Rank17's upcoming Rampage-Esq Kaiju inspired game Mighty Monster Mayhem.

Super Pixel Smash
http://store.steampowered.com/app/578610/

BladeShield
http://store.steampowered.com/app/554470/

Boo Breakers: The Ghostening
http://store.steampowered.com/app/547200/

Armed Against the Undead
http://store.steampowered.com/app/488590/

VR Baseball (45% off)
http://store.steampowered.com/app/458370/
 

CatsAndVR.com

PSVR system seller BATMAN: Arkham VR coming to HTC VIVE and Oculus Rift this month.

Batman: Arkham VR will be coming to both the Oculus Rift and HTC VIVE with not only Touch and Vive controller support but also full gamepad support on PC, including the PS4™ Dual Shock 4 Controller, Xbox One Controller and the Steam™ Controller. The game will be available on April 25th.

Batman ™ : Arkham VR is the first virtual reality experience to immerse players into the Dark Knight’s universe, putting them inside the Batman’s™ cowl like never before. PC players with HTC Vive and Oculus Rift hardware will now have the opportunity to experience Gotham City through the eyes of the World’s Greatest Detective, and delve deep into a tense Batman™: Arkham mystery. Players will enter a virtual reality world where they must think like Batman™ and utilize his legendary gadgets, unravelling a plot that threatens the lives of his closest allies. 

“Bringing Batman™ to VR was a very rewarding experience for us here at Rocksteady. The Dark Knight has always been an incredible character to work with due to his psychological depth, so it’s really exciting to use this immersive medium to delve deeper into his psyche than ever before” said Sefton Hill, Creative Director, Rocksteady Studios. “We’re thrilled that PC players can finally wear the cowl for themselves and take on the role of the World’s Greatest Detective with the addition of the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift versions.”

CatsAndVR.com

Downward Spiral: Prologue is a 70's Sci Fi inspired VR game with a soundtrack from HIM frontman Ville Valo.

Featuring a soundtrack by lead singer and composer Ville Valo, of gothic rock band HIM, 3rd Eye Studios Downward Spiral: Prologue launches on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive  is now available on the Oculus store for Oculus Rift and Steam for HTC Vive.

Inspired by cult 1970’s science-fiction and devoid from the motion sickness that has plagued other zero-G virtual reality games, Downward Spiral: Prologue is the prologue to the ambitious saga Downward Spiral.

“Structured as a modern TV series, Downward Spiral: Prologue is the beginning of a space thriller, whose mystery will unravel over time as we release future episodes”, said Kari Koivistoinen, CEO of 3rd Eye Studios. “Built from the ground-up by our team of award-winning industry veterans, Downward Spiral: Prologue offers a space Zero-G experience like no other by allowing players to move freely in a VR environment without motion sickness.”

A prologue for the Downward Spiral anthology series, Downward Spiral: Prologue begins as the players find themselves in a capsule that has docked with a space station. On first exploration, the station appears empty and the players must use control panels to progress and begin unravelling a mystery that will span the Downward Spiral anthology. In Downward Spiral: Prologue’s Journey mode, play through the story solo or in Co-op mode with a friend or stranger.  Deathmatch, meanwhile, allows up to eight players to experience exhilarating zero gravity gunplay in environments familiar to the story.

About 3rd Eye Studios

Located in Helsinki, Finland, 3rd Eye Studios was founded in June 2016 by a group of game industry veterans, who previously worked in senior positions at Remedy Entertainment, Unity Technologies, Bugbear Entertainment, RedLynx and Moon Studios. The team develops innovative VR games and groundbreaking VR technology built specifically for developers. The company launched its first VR game Downward Spiral – The Prologue at the end of March 2017, with further episodes following later this year. The VR technology will be launched in 2018.

CatsAndVR.com/blog

Dick Wilde from the makers of Kittypocalypse will be a launch title for the PSVR Aim Controller in May 2017, it is available now for Vive and Oculus Touch.

London-based publisher, PlayStack announced the global release of their first VR game,  Dick Wilde. Take to the swamps of Mississippi as Dick Wilde, the ultimate outdoorsman and “Exterminator Extraordinaire”, armed to the teeth with an arsenal of saw-blade rifles, nail guns and an electrified bow and arrow. Your job is to exterminate the infestation of ‘gators, crocs, piranhas and out-of-control birds before they exterminate you.

Dick Wilde is the latest madcap VR title from Danish development studio Bolverk Games, developers of ‘Kittypocalypse’. Set in the swamplands of Mississippi and the surrounding area, players can pit themselves against exterminators from all over the world with the online global leaderboard. Compete for the biggest killstreaks and top scores across three variable difficulty levels in each environment, the Swamp, the Lagoon and the North.

Not quite ready to show the world your extermination skills? Play with friends in a local Party Mode. Monitor your vitals and accuracy to perfect your technique and experiment with your arsenal of weapons. Each environment offers different deadly critters ranging from electric eels, piranhas and more, to Dick’s nemesis, a giant turtle. Pick the right weapons to become the most effective exterminator in town and avoid getting devoured by alligators.

Bo Bennekov, CEO at Bolverk Games said: “Each of our titles focuses on certain genres that really work for VR. We want our games to be immersive, replayable and just plain weird. Dick Wilde delivers exactly that. After six months in development who’d have thought we’d have a game where the aim is to make sure you're not fish-bait and we’re able to get this to market!”

“Dick Wilde is a great example of what we are looking for in a game and studio partner,” said Harvey Elliott, Founder and CEO of PlayStack. “Bolverk Games is an amazing studio from a creative point of view, they've pinpointed a genre in VR that consumers can really get behind, they're not afraid to push boundaries and they have a clear plan in terms of where they want to be in the future. Whilst we acknowledge that VR still has a way to go in terms of becoming a household gaming platform we know that there is still an opportunity for up and coming projects, and we’re keen to work with developers who want to be as involved in the long term as we do. We wanted our first VR game to stand out and Dick Wilde does exactly that.”

Dick Wilde is available to purchase today on  Steam and the  Oculus Store for $19.99/£17.99 and a 15% discount will be applied for one week only.

Dick Wilde will be a launch title for the PSVR Aim Controller in May 2017.

CATSANDVR.com

The Invisible Hours coming to PlayStation VR, HTC Vive, and Oculus Rift.

The Invisible Hours is a complex, murder mystery set in VR, which allows players to freely explore an intricate web of interwoven stories within a sprawling old mansion, in order to untangle a dark truth. Developed by Madrid-based Tequila Works in partnership with GameTrust, The Invisible Hours sets the stage for a deeply immersive theater VR experience.

The player is invisible to the cast of characters, giving them freedom to follow and observe anyone in the story - or to explore the mansion for hidden clues at their own pace. The game is a gripping mystery, and to find all its deepest secrets will require careful observation and exploration.

The story follows a group of strangers who receive a curious invitation from enigmatic inventor Nikola Tesla, offering each of them the chance to make amends for their darkest wrongdoings. When the last guest arrives at Tesla’s isolated mansion laboratory, they find him dead – murdered. Disgraced Swedish detective, Gustaf Gustav, vows to find the killer amongst the other guests: a blind butler, a convicted murderer, the world’s most famous actress, Tesla’s former assistant, the son of a wealthy railroad magnate, and rival inventor Thomas Edison. But none of these people are what they seem

The Invisible Hours is inspired by classic murder mysteries, such as Agatha Christie's masterpiece And Then There Were None, as well as genre-busting period thrillers such as Christopher Nolan's The Prestige. It also draws influence from immersive theater, and the real-life rivalry between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla.

Tequila Works, S.L. is an independent boutique studio founded in 2009 by Raúl Rubio Munárriz (founding member of MercurySteam Entertainment, developers of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow) and Luz M. Sancho. Tequila Works' first title, the BAFTA-nominated Deadlight, was published in 2012 by Microsoft Studios. The studio is currently working on several original IPs, including the highly-anticipated RiME. Tequila Works’ philosophy is to create games with gusto. The team consists of a healthy blend of talented veterans from Atari, Blizzard, Disney, Double Fine, Electronic Arts, LucasArts, SEGA and Pixar, as well as new blood from the animation and comic book industries, all of whom enjoy challenging their creative talents and seeing the world with amazement every day. www.tequilaworks.com

CatsAndVR.com

Samsung announced that the new Gear VR and controller will be available on April 21st

Samsung announced that the new Gear VR will be available on April 21st for $129 during its Galaxy S8 event today. It comes with the new Gear VR controller but current  owners of older Gear VR models can also nab it separately for $39. 

 Google Daydream hit the market with its own controller with a trackpad and a few buttons but Samsung has come out swinging. Samsung's new controller has a trigger and feels more akin to the Vive and Oculus Touch controllers than just an after though. This should allow for  better gaming experiences on Gear VR. 

CatsAndVR.com

Today is the one year anniversary of CatsAndVR.com and also Respect Your Cat day. Here are the best Cat moments of Year One.

Today is the one year anniversary of CatsAndVR.com and also Respect Your Cat day.  Here are the best Cat moments of year one.  Check out the videos and links to some of my favorite cat related things I have covered during that year. Shoutout to all the people who have helped me this year and also too my very own cats, Vampire Bill Poopton and Donut "Knute" Hartman.

http://www.catsandvr.com/contact/

 

Chocolate VR

The experience is called Chocolate, named after the Giraffage song that it is actually a VR music video for. Chocolate is being called the definitive Cats And VR experience. Executively produced by Viacom NEXT, Chocolate made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival and is following that up with being a major part of SXSW VR Selections. https://www.sxsw.com/film/2017/sxsw-film-festival-reveals-midnighters-shorts-inaugural-vr-program/

http://www.catsandvr.com/blog/catgod

Tracking Cats in VR.

To be honest the first time I actually thought of the possibility of a Vive Tracker attached to a cat is when I was crawling on the floor playing Unseen Diplomacy at the opening of the new Unity office in SF.  The advancement of Cat VR tech could not be in better hands. At Triangular Pixels, all the employees have cats!

http://www.catsandvr.com/blog/vrcait

SUPER FURRY NEON CAT HEADS!

Well thanks to my super RADD day job I only got to spend one day on the GDC floor this year. Knowing how amazing GDC has been for me in the past and now finally going in with some development experience it made me a bit sad to only be at GDC for one day. Much Sad, Very SMH...until I saw my true reason to be at GDC was to cover SUPER FURRY NEON CAT HEADS. If there is one VR game this year that obviously speaks to a site called CatsAndVR.com it would be SUPER FURRY NEON CAT HEADS! http://www.catsandvr.com/blog/superfurry

LIFE OF LON

Life of Lon has no lives, no experience points, no health bar, no pointless quests, no grinding. Instead, your journey will take you through brainy and involving environment puzzles as you find your way back to the stars.  Life of Lon is being developed by a small team of passionate people and I really want to see their vision come to fruition. I really hope they get the funding and if you read this and believe games and interactive stories can be art please support them.

http://www.catsandvr.com/blog/2016/lifeoflon

CatsAndVR.com

PSVR gets yet another quality VR title with the launch of FATED: The Silent Oath.

Independent Canadian developer Frima announced today that its Norse-themed storytelling experience and movie-length narrative adventure, FATED: The Silent Oath, is now available on PlayStation®VR (PS VR) across North America and Europe. FATED takes the player on one man’s harrowing quest to protect his family from the destruction of their world at the hands of the gods.

“We are delighted to bring FATED to PS VR,” says Antoinette Thibeault, Marketing Director at Frima. “The immersive, emotionally-charged storyline lends itself very well to virtual reality, and we feel that FATED is a perfect example of how PS VR can transport players into a movie-length story as never before.”

Developed with Unreal Engine 4, FATED is a first-person immersive adventure set in the mythical age of Vikings and built specifically for virtual reality. Written by Jill Murray, a writer on Assassin’s Creed, FATED tells the story of a man and his family during Ragnarök – the end times. As he travels with them, he comes across a mix of touching and terrifying events, learning about himself and his loved ones in the process, and taking the players on an emotional rollercoaster that unfolds all around them in total immersion.

FATED harnesses the capabilities of VR to make a great leap forward in immersive storytelling. Featuring high-quality writing, characterization and voice acting, FATED aims to transport players to a world of myth and legend, and make them feel a strong emotional connection with the story and its characters.

Priced at $9.99/£6.99/€9.99, FATED is a first-generation virtual reality game available on all three major VR platforms: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR.

CatsAndVR.com

Touchdown: Armor League mixes Rocket League, Football, and Rocket Launching Robots for a potential eSport umm Touchdown.

Front Mission meets Rocket League with football, Touchdown: Armor League is football like you’ve never seen before! Players equip fully armored power suits and fight for control of the ball in this intense 6v6 arena shooter. 

“Fast-paced combat and balanced competitive gameplay is the core of Touchdown: Armor League. All of us at Ares Games are really excited to share this exhilarating style of mechanized combat with sports gameplay. We want to create a game with maximum creativity independently, and with your help we can bring this project to life!”

— Wei Gu , Producer and Director

Ares Games is a development studio that has been making free2play games for the Chinese market and is now trying to capitalize on this eSports thing the kids are raving about. 

The team has combined Rocket League style game mechanics, Football, and fucking god damn missile shooting mechs to create a game they think will be big.

Battle it out in a football arena in Touchdown’s blend of fast-paced sports action. Equip highly customizable power suits that challenge your teamwork and strategy. This game does look super fun and the Kickstarter is currently live.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/aresgames/touchdown-football-meets-action-arena-shooter?token=9923a8ed

InvestVR acquires the VR news site VR Focus from VR publisher and developer nDreams. In other news, CatsAndVR.com acquires grain free cat food.

InvestVR, an investment network company  today announced that is has acquired VR media outlet VRFocus from nDreams. InvestVR are match makers with direct access to decision makers of private equity funds, hedge funds, high net worth individuals and mutual funds.

nDreams Ltd., the UK’s largest independent developer and publisher solely focused on virtual reality entertainment software, founded VRFocus in early 2014 as one of the first regularly-updated websites dedicated to promoting and discussing the VR industry. VRFocus has since grown into the go-to destination for the latest VR news, with hundreds of thousands of readers each month.

The daily operation of VRFocus will not change, with InvestVR following nDreams’ example as a silent entity with regards to content production and distribution.

Gal Ron, CEO of Invest VR, said:

“ We are extremely excited about the acquisition of VRFocus, which opens up a new chapter for InvestVR to continue our goal of helping revolutionary startups secure their funding needs and shape the VR/AR landscape. I am proud to be part of this growing industry, which I believe will drastically change the way we know and use technology today, and I cannot think of a better team to partner with for this goal than VRFocus.”

Kevin Joyce, CEO & Editor of VRFocus, said:

“I’m thrilled at what VRFocus has achieved over the last three years with the support of nDreams. Now, following the acqustion by InvestVR, I look forward to the accelerated expansion of the site and continuing to be the leading source of VR news for fans and industry insiders alike. In addition, there are a number of new opportunities being brought into our arsenal via this acquisition. I’ll be sharing more details on these brand new ventures in the near future!”

Patrick O’Luanaigh, nDreams’ CEO and Founder, said:

“We are very proud to have supported VRFocus, as we felt there was a gap that needed to be filled in the early days of virtual reality. VRFocus has grown to be one of the most highly-respected VR websites in the world, and InvestVR are the perfect company to take VRFocus to the next level. We wish the site every success as they move on to their next stage of growth.”

VRFocus will celebrate the acquisition with a launch of a brand new website today, live immediately at www.vrfocus.com . Plans for expansion of the VRFocus team and delivery of brand new content are already underway, with more announcements and new ventures coming soon.

http://www.vrandcats.com/catsandvr-com-to-be-acquired-by-pets-com/