While Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE’s) PlayStation VR might be known for videogames like Resident Evil 7 biohazard or Double Fine’s Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin, there’s more to explore on the headset. This week has seen the launch of Virry VR, taking viewers on safari in Kenya.
Heading to the wild plains of Africa isn’t necessarily the easiest thing to do or the cheapest, so experiences like Virry VR enable a lot more people get up close to these amazing animals.
Filmed on location in 4K, there’s three ways to enjoy Virry VR. You’ve got the live-action interactive experience, to tempt a lion with meat, feed an elephant, stalk a zebra, or share a mud bath with a rhino. Or for something a little more tranquil there’s the immersive relaxation experience, this will transport you down an African river to enjoy the majestic landscape. Lastly you got the live-streaming section, with HD cameras installed at UNESCO heritage site, Lewa Conservancy in Kenya to capture the animals as they live and play, day or night.
Virry VR isn’t just about seeing these wild animals, it aims to teach viewers about the conservation efforts being used to protect them. Virry CEO Svetlana Dragayeva explains on the PlayStation.Blog, it helps people: “better understand nature, conservation, and the world around them.”
Dragayeva then goes on to detail some of the challenges the team faced: “For the lions. the team had planned to set up a camera and drop meat remotely. For safety reasons, we could not leave the vehicle. However, it wasn’t as simple as we thought; we ended up just throwing the meat out of the truck and making a quick exit.”
Virry VR is available now on PlayStation Store for £7.99 GBP. Checkout the trailer below, and for the latest PlayStation VR releases, keep reading VRFocus.