Oculus VR has today announced the launch of Blade Runner 2049: Memory Lab, available to download now for Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR. Developed by Los Angeles based studio, Magnopus, Blade Runner 2049: Memory Lab is an interactive experience is available to download for free.
Blade Runner 2049: Memory Lab is the second of three Blade Runner virtual reality (VR) experiences hitting Oculus VR’s platforms. The first, Blade Runner 2049: Replicant Pursuit, put players in the role of a Blade Runner chasing a replicant through a busy 2049 Los Angeles in his flying car, known as a ‘Spinner’. After a violent end to that chase, the player reports to the Wallace Corporation’s Memory Lab for incident analysis. With the help of a holographic AI similar to the character of Joi in the movie, the player explores their memories of the event, reconstructing and interacting with them as you uncover a mysterious conspiracy.
This second instalment continues that theme, as Blade Runner 2049: Memory Lab puts the player in the role of a replicant who is having their memories examined. In the world of Blade Runner the artificial humans, known as ‘replicants’ have artificial memories implanted into their digital minds, each of which is strictly controlled by the companies that create them. However Blade Runner 2049: Memory Lab tells the store of a replicant’s memories believed to have become corrupted, leading to the uncovering of a dark conspiracy.
VR experiences based on the Blade Runner franchise were first teased back in 2016, when Disney revealed a collaboration with Oculus VR. At Oculus Connect 3, San Jose, the company stated: “We’re going to be working with Alcon Interactive to bring VR experiences based on the Blade Runner sequel to the Oculus Platform ahead of the film’s release in 2017.”
Blade Runner 2049: Memory Lab was originally expected to launch for Oculus Rift on 19th October 2017, however Oculus VR decided to delay the release so that both the Oculus Rift and Gear VR editions could launch simultaneously. Both are available to download now from their respective versions of the Oculus Store.
The official trailer for Blade Runner 2049: Memory Lab follows below and VRFocus will keep you updated with all the latest Blade Runner 2049 VR experiences made available to download.