Mission:ISS’ Magnopus Acquires XR Design Studio REWIND

REWIND x MAGNOPUS

In the latest acquisition news British virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) specialist REWIND has announced its now joined Magnopus, another prominent immersive design company that has worked on projects including Disney’s remake of The Lion King.

Bride of Frankenstein
Universal Monsters Presents: Bride of Frankenstein holoride, developed by REWIND

REWIND has worked on a number of well-known experiences for global brands such as Red Bull, BBC, HBO, Jaguar, Paramount, and Universal Pictures. Danny MacAskill’s VR Ride Out appeared in Amsterdam last year, where shoppers heading to the city’s Ride Out bike store could test a one-of-a-kind bike rig and ride the dizzying Collies Ledge in the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Its Universal Pictures collaboration was for Universal Monsters Presents: Bride of Frankenstein holoride, an in-car entertainment experience in collaboration with Ford.

As for Magnopus, its credentials include Mission:ISS, an interactive experience about life on the International Space Station (ISS). The company also worked on Disney Pixar’s Coco VR as well as many more immersive projects.

“We’re thrilled to join the Magnopus group and it represents a landmark step in our company’s transformation. We were already at an inflection point as we sharpened our offering to focus on hybrid, real-time experiences, now we are ushering in a new chapter. This acquisition will not only fuel our growth but build a transatlantic powerhouse,” said Sol Rogers, CEO and Founder of REWIND in a statement. “We have worked together on many projects over the years, so it feels good to be able to officially call the entire team at Magnopus our colleagues.”

Mission:ISS image2
Emmy-Nominated VR experience Mission:ISS, a real-time engine recreation of the International Space Station, which Magnopus developed in collaboration with NASA, European Space Agency, and Oculus.

“We’ve always admired REWIND and enjoyed working with them. The team is brimming with talent so this acquisition has just given us a turbo boost on our journey toward big things we’ve been cooking up. Together we’re stronger and I’m incredibly excited about what we’re building now. Our ambition is to continue to bring great experiences into the world while empowering others to do the same,” Ben Grossmann, Co-Founder of Magnopus adds.

Magnopus and REWIND have yet to reveal any new projects just yet. When they do VRFocus will let you know.

Ford Takes In-Car Entertainment Virtual With Bride of Frankenstein

One day autonomous vehicles will be a normal everyday occurrence, taking us where we need to go without a second thought. Which means in tandem with this revolution in how the populous gets about, there needs to be a consideration on how time is spent, especially when it comes to long journeys. Which is why Ford and several other companies have got together to create an immersive in-car experience called Bride of Frankenstein.

Bride of Frankenstein

In conjunction with Universal Pictures’ Universal Monsters franchise, they enlisted the help of British creative studio REWIND (Curfew: Join The RaceGhost in the Shell VR) and German tech startup Holoride to create a unique piece of entertainment.

Holoride specialises in creating in-car entertainment using virtual reality (VR), going beyond merely providing a headset to enjoy a VR experience. The technology the company has created combines both navigational and car data – such as steering, acceleration, and braking – to create a sort of ‘car theme park ride’ first seen earlier this year at CES.

So the teams have re-imagined the world of The Bride of Frankenstein, putting it inside new 2020 Ford Explorer vehicles for a special October showcase in Los Angeles. Once guests are inside the car they’ll put on a headset and find themselves joined by the Bride of Frankenstein on a special mission. REWIND’s immersive VR experience will see riders encounter interactive monsters and obstacles, complete with sound effects and visuals that react and adapt to every twist and turn of the journey and every nuance of the car’s movement.

Bride of Frankenstein

Universal Monsters Presents Bride of Frankenstein holoride will be publicly available from 14th October on select dates until 9th November at Universal CityWalk Hollywood. Completely free to try, the experience will last 10 minutes, and you are advised to book – a standby line will also be in operation.

VRFocus will continue its coverage of both REWIND’s latest VR experiences and Holoride’s continued expansion as more car manufacturers explore innovative entertainment possibilities.