Last month UK-based EdTech developer Kuato Studios released a very different project to the educational, child-friendly videogames it is known for, virtual reality (VR) escape room Panic Room. Today, the studio has announced the completion of a £4.5 million GBP funding round as it looks to develop its actor/director platform which powers the gameplay.
The round was led by Horizons Ventures as Kuato Studios enters the VR gaming sector for the first time. Wanting to create a shared immersive experience, the team created the ‘Actor/Director’ platform where the VR ‘Actor’ explores the VR world whilst the ‘Director’ on a phone or tablet can manipulate the virtual environment.
This led to the creation of Panic Room, where the VR player has to escape a mysterious cabin deep in the woods. Needing to find several keys to escape, the non-VR player isn’t there to help, rather hinder the VR player. They can do this any number of ways, mostly by dropping in scary surprises.
“Virtual reality has progressed significantly over the last decade, but a primary issue stems from the fact it’s a single-person experience. We are incredibly excited to be launching this game as part of our ambition to shift into the VR market,” said Mark Horneff, Managing Director of Kuato Studios in a statement. Panic Room is an internet-based experience which can be played over Zoom or with two individuals in close proximity – a concept we will apply to other developments to support family connectivity.”
“Our vision is to test out the technology with Panic Room and then extend it to our library of games, which align with Kuato’s education-driven ethos where children can learn and play, whilst parents, carers or teachers can oversee gameplay,” Horneff adds.
Currently, Panic Room is available on the Oculus Store for Oculus Rift as a free download. The accompanying Panic Room app can be found on Apple’s App Store and Google Play. As Kuato Studios continues to expand its VR presence VRFocus will keep you updated.
via Mint VR