Maze Theory today announced that its upcoming immersive puzzle-adventure game Infinite Inside is set to arrive next month, coming to all major headsets.
Initially released as a demo on Quest earlier this year, the full game is set to arrive on July 12th across Vision Pro, Quest 2/3, Pico, SteamVR headsets and PSVR 2.
On mixed reality-supported devices (re: not PC VR or PSVR 2), Infinite Inside is said to blend VR and MR, making these “multi-dimensions a fundamental part of the storytelling and gameplay.”
Check out the trailer below:
When Infinite Inside launches next month, Maze Theory says it will feature five “peaceful and soothing labyrinths filled with mysteries,” environmental storytelling, and “challenging and accessible” puzzles.
Here’s how the studio describes the action:
When the enigmatic ancient artifact known as the ‘Plinth’ mysteriously materialises in your home, it opens a portal to a tranquil, dream-like world, filled with impossible architecture and hidden secrets waiting to be discovered. Guided by the echoes of past explorers, you will collect shards, solve three-dimensional puzzles, and assemble keys to unlock the mysteries of a secret society committed to maintaining the balance of Order and Chaos.
Can you solve the puzzles and reveal the truth about the society, the legacy of the Plinth, and ultimately, your own place in this mystical world?
Maze Theory, a subsidiary of Saltwater Games, is the London-based team behind a slew of XR games, including Peaky Blinders: The Kings Ransom, Doctor Who: The Edge of Time and Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins.
Infinite Inside marks one of Maze Theory’s (and likely the industry’s) broadest releases to date, covering nearly all major VR/MR platforms. You can find it on Steam, Quest, PSVR 2, and Pico. An App Store link for the Vision Pro version should arrive closer to launch, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled.
Nearly three years on from its first release, Maze Theory is doubling down on VR.
After a few years away from the medium, expanding the initially VR-only Doctor Who: The Edge of Time into other versions for different platforms, the London-based studio is prepping the release of its next major VR title, Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom. At the same time, Maze Theory has hired 14 new staff, including developers from studios with VR experience like nDreams, Rebellion and Codemasters.
It’s also keen to push into the social VR space with its first multiplayer project, Engram (formerly The Vanishing Act). But why is now the right time to push further into uncharted waters? And what can we expect from the studio past the launch of Peaky Blinders VR? We spoke to Russell Harding, Chief Creative Officer, and Marcus Moresby, Creative Director, to find out more.
UploadVR: Why is now the right time for Maze Theory to expand its staff and VR operations?
Maze Theory: We’ve been really excited and encouraged to see the prolific expansion of the VR market. With platforms such as Pico Neo emerging and PSVR 2 on the way. Quest has been evolving new headsets and the VR experience is really having its moment, having lived through some hard times!
The socially connected experience within VR is also coming to the fore and it’s set to play a pivotal role in the future of the metaverse.
It’s the perfect time to invest in our team and broaden our portfolio of experiences. We want to capitalize on these opportunities. At Maze Theory, we’ve coined the phrase ‘Storyliving’ to describe our approach to gaming in VR. Never has there been a better time to develop this and watch it take root within the VR community!
UVR: We’ve seen the success of Quest lead to renewed interest in the VR market. As a developer, is your approach to be Quest-centric going forward or do you foresee new hardware that will be equally as important?
MT: Quest is very much the leading platform at the moment. So naturally we’ve been focused on finding the best way to make the most of that and ensure we can deliver the quality and experience the IP we work with – and develop – demands.
Now that PSVR 2 is on the horizon, it’s of huge interest and something we are working towards. It makes sense to keep exploring new platforms.
In addition to these two established formats, we are also very interested to see what impact Pico will have in the future.
UVR: Tell us more about Engram and the strive for original IP. Why is that important to you after close partnerships with the BBC and Banijay?
MT: It’s part of the studio’s intention to develop its own IP. We have amassed a huge amount of experience and learning from working with titles such as Peaky Blinders and Doctor Who. We want to use that experience to push the boundaries of VR. We have developed specialist knowledge and an incredible team, and an understanding of creating lore. It’s the natural next step to bring this to Engram and other projects that will be announced forthwith.
With Engram, we are also exploring the wealth of possibilities around multiplayer and social VR. The core premise of the game is exploring memories, and we’re working on ways to achieve a heightened range of emotional experiences.
We are not announcing a launch date for Engram at this stage. But we feel very excited about it! For us, it’s a symbol of exploration and experimentation within VR, as well as the creativity and aspiration that feeds into all of our games. Some of this will also spin off into other products and IP. It’s the ultimate expression of what Maze Theory is about.
UVR: Peaky Blinders and Doctor Who are single-player experiences. Why, with this experience, is it important for you to push into social VR in the future?
MT: Community-driven gaming and shared experiences are gaining traction and people are really enjoying this aspect. It means you can be in the story together and that makes it ultimately more powerful. That in itself changes the way we approach the development of the story. It’s an exciting proposition!
UVR: After the release of Doctor Who you turned to some flatscreen adaptations, presumably because VR is a tough market. Are you anticipating continuing flatscreen development considering VR’s momentum going forward?
MT: Within the Doctor Who universe, it was part of our remit to think about different ways of telling the story. So the multi-platform approach was more about delivering different types of experiences for fans. The community has a deep involvement in the IP, so they are drawn to crave Doctor Who stories told in different ways, across different windows and platforms.
Our dedicated focus on VR – at this point – is because that market has changed and grown. We’re still aiming to deliver in a space where fans can have the best experiences.
Peaky Blinders VR developer Maze Theory says the upcoming PSVR 2 headset is “of huge interest” to it.
Creative Director Marcus Morseby and Chief Creative Officer Russell Harding said as much in a recent email Q&A with UploadVR surrounding the team’s latest announcements. Specifically, Maze Theory is doubling down on VR development with 14 new hires and continuing work on its first original IP, Engram, alongside working on Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom for later this year.
When asked if Quest 2 would be the lead platform for these projects, the pair confirmed the standalone headset was a priority, though other devices were becoming important too. “Now that PSVR 2 is on the horizon, it’s of huge interest and something we are working towards,” the pair said. They stopped short of officially announcing projects for the device, though.
Maze Theory also reconfirmed that its first original game, Engram, is still in the works and coming soon. We first saw the experience under the name The Vanishing Act, where it was a single-player experience. “With Engram, we are also exploring the wealth of possibilities around multiplayer and social VR,” the pair said. “The core premise of the game is exploring memories, and we’re working on ways to achieve a heightened range of emotional experiences.”
For now, Peaky Blinders is confirmed for release later this year and is expected to release on Quest 2 and PC VR headsets, though final release dates for either device haven’t been confirmed. From the sounds of it, though, PSVR 2 could be a potential target for both that game and Engram. Currently we’re not expecting PSVR 2 to launch until 2023, but you can keep up to date with everything we know about the headset right here.
Welcome to another VR Job Hub where every weekend gmw3 gathers together vacancies from across the virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) industries, in locations around the globe to help make finding that ideal job easier. Below is a selection of roles that are currently accepting applications across a number of disciplines, all within departments and companies that focus on immersive entertainment.
Don’t forget, if there wasn’t anything that took your fancy this week there’s always last week’s listings on The VR Job Hubto check as well.
If you are an employer looking for someone to fill an immersive technology related role – regardless of the industry – don’t forget you can send us the lowdown on the position and we’ll be sure to feature it in that following week’s feature. Details should be sent to Peter Graham (pgraham@vrfocus.com).
We’ll see you next week on gmw3 at the usual time of 3PM (UK) for another selection of jobs from around the world.
If you’re reading this then there’s a good chance you’re a Peaky Blinders fan or have (at the very least) a partial interest in the 1920s gangster show. Back in 2019, the British virtual reality (VR) team behind Doctor Who: Edge of Time, Maze Theory, revealed that its next project would be based on Peaky Blinders, taking players inside the grim and dangerous world of post-war Birmingham. Called Peaky Blinders: The Kings Ransom, gmw3 has taken an early peek under the cap and it’s as hardnosed as you’d hope.
Firstly, Maze Theory was honest in stating that the short demo gmw3 played was a year old but it still showcased the basics of what the project was aiming to achieve; offering a rich narrative of its own for those new to the IP whilst giving fans plenty to get excited about.
And that’s instantly on show as the demo opens out onto the infamous Garrison Street with the Garrison Pub at the end. A slow walk (no teleporting) down the mud-covered road felt familiar and daunting, with the 20s factories towering either side and doorways belching out flames as if a monstrous dragon lay just inside. Reaching the end it was time to open the outer and inner double doors of the pub, grabbing the door handles with both hands to swing them open for a dramatic entrance.
Yet inside there was no one to make that grand entry to, the pub was quiet albeit for one single, solitary figure; that of Tommy Shelby, the head of the Peaky Blinders gang. As you may already know, this VR experience is an official collaboration so Maze Theory could use not only the likeness of Cillian Murphy, he also recorded lines for the videogame. So there he was, stood in the middle of the pub, flat cap on and ready to talk business.
The Garrison Pub is a dark imposing place, even more so with Shelby looming inside. He gestures to an empty table to discuss his plans and what he want’s you for. Time for a taste of Peaky Blinders: The Kings Ransom’s immersive qualities. It can sometimes be the smallest of features in VR that adds that feeling of presence and authenticity to a scene. In the Garrison, Shelby tells you to pour you both a drink, gesturing you to grab a bottle of whisky from the bar. Rather than some generic bottle, you have to remove the cork out with a satisfying “pop”, recorking it if you so wish. He’ll also offer you a cigarette, dashing a lighter across the table.
It’s here, sitting across the table from Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby, drinking a virtual glass of whisky whilst smoking a cigarette that the feeling of being inside Peaky Blinders really became apparent. It felt glorious, dark and most truthfully, gangster, it was time to do a job. Before moving on though, it was a moment to savour, smoking rarely appears in games because the general consensus is not to promote the habit. However, in the right setting like smoking a cigar in I Expect You to Dieafter surviving a mission or as you’re accepting a job from your new underworld boss, sometimes, just sometimes, there is a right time and place.
Shelby isn’t just going to let anybody into his organisation though. You have to prove yourself and it’s here where Peaky Blinders: The Kings Ransom introduces the mechanic of choice. Shelby asks (tells) you to pick up a gun and shoot a guy in the next room. Shelby leaves and it’s just you with a bloke with a sack on his head. Do you shoot or let him live? The demo ends either way but Maze Theory assure me there will be more pivotal moments like that. Importantly, this is still a Peaky Blinders videogame so it has an overarching narrative set between seasons 4 and 5, therefore whatever decision you make all roads lead to the same conclusion.
All demos should leave you wanting more and this taster of Peaky Blinders: The Kings Ransom has done just that. Considering how old the content was it felt robust and authentic to the franchise so with another year under its belt gmw3 can’t wait to see what Maze Theory has in store. Currently, Peaky Blinders: The Kings Ransom is slated to arrive in 2022 for Meta Quest 2 and PC VR headsets so hopefully there won’t be too long to wait for more info.
British developer Maze Theory (Doctor Who: The Edge of Time)initially revealed plans for an officially licensed version of hit TV show Peaky Blinders back in 2019, offering fans the chance to really step into the gangster drama. Several release windows have been mentioned since then but today the team has unveiled a new trailer as well as earmarking 2022 as the launch year.
Working in collaboration with Peaky Blinders‘ series owner and series producer, Caryn Mandabach Productions, Maze Theory has been able to introduce new characters alongside favourites such as Tommy Shelby and Arthur Shelby – voiced by Cillian Murphy and Paul Anderson respectively.
Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom will be authentic to the show, where players can experience Birmingham’s underground world during atmospheric 1920s England. It’ll feature dramatic cinematic moments with them having to “make meaningful and complex moral choices to earn their place,” notes the studio.
“For the first time, fans will have access to believable and responsive characters from Peaky Blinders, coming face-to-face with Tommy Shelby and encountering first-hand some terrifying situations. It’s an intense and thrilling experience,” Maze Theory’s CEO Ian Hambleton said in a statement.
Iconic locations such as the Garrison Pub, Charlie’s Yard and Shelby’s Betting Shop will appear throughout. As an added extra for fans, they’ll be able to unlock easter eggs to learn even more about each character’s history in the show.
“At Maze Theory, we’re committed to pushing the boundaries of entertainment and creating highly innovative fan and gaming experiences,” Hambleton continues. “We’re very excited to be giving fans and VR enthusiasts access to the Peaky Blinders’ world.”
Jamie Glazebrook, Executive Producer of season 1 – 6 Peaky Blinders, Caryn Mandabach Productions adds: “Maze Theory has brought the world of Peaky Blinders to life in an entirely new way. Now you have the chance to walk the streets of Small Heath alongside the Shelby family. I can’t wait for the fans to experience this.”
While it’s great to hear Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom is on its way there’s still no confirmation regarding supported headsets. You can learn more about the tech behind the videogame as well as Maze Theory’s plans for the future in gmw3’s interview with Hambleton.
Having released Doctor Who: The Edge of Time back in 2019 – followed by the PC and console version The Edge Of Reality – and currently highly focused on Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom, Maze Theory is well versed when it comes to bringing big IP’s into virtual reality (VR). Way back in 2018, when the studio first formed, the project the team first teased was an original IP called The Vanishing Act. Renamed Engram, it hasn’t disappeared, in fact, Maze Theory confirmed to VRFocus that it is alive and well, with the current aim to bring it to PlayStation VR 2 and Oculus Quest.
Peaky Blinders: The Kings Ransom. Image credit: Maze Theory
VRFocus recently interviewed Maze Theory CEO Ian Hambleton about the studios’ metaverse ideas and how Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom was going. Inquiring about Engram and whether it still existed three years after first being mentioned Hambleton said: “So we’ve got Engram in the works, what we’re thinking is on that title at the moment is to push it back for the PSVR 2 launch, to launch it on Quest and PSVR 2 at the same time.”
Regarding that decision to push the launch further down the road, he went on to say: “What we decided on Engram, it was going to be focused on Quest because we didn’t want to compromise. By making it so multiplatform you sometimes have to make design choices that compromise things. So it was going to be Quest – because at the time we saw that as the future of where VR was going – and it will be PC VR as well, but we didn’t want lots of other controller options that weren’t going to make it as pure as it is. But now the sensible thing with PSVR 2 [on the way] the sensible thing is to push that back.”
At the moment how far back that’s being pushed is unknown as Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has yet to confirm and release window for PlayStation VR 2 – or an official name at the moment. Current rumours put the hardware launch during holiday 2022.
As to what Engram looks like and how it plays Maze Theory is still staying quiet with only one old image having been released. A brief synopsis does explain that the videogame is a narrative-based experience centred around people being able to “experience the memories of others and travel to deeper layers of their own.”
This news means the unrevealed PlayStation VR 2 now has another videogame on its roster, the third that VRFocus knows about. Engram now joins Pavlov Shack and the anime-inspired Runner. And cropping up on the PSVR 2 rumour mill last week saw mention of Firesprite possibly getting involved with the headset.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of Maze Theory and its latest projects, reporting back with further updates.
You a big Peaky Blinders fan? Well, cast your mind back to 2019 and you may remember that British virtual reality (VR) studio Maze Theory confirmed it was working on a tie-in VR experience, revealing a little while later it is called Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom. VRFocus recently sat down with one of the Maze Theory team to glean a bit more info and find out what else they’ve been up to, which involves VR’s current buzzword…the metaverse.
Does this bar look familiar? Image credit: Maze Theory
Whether it’s a giant tech company like Facebook or Epic Games or a small indie studio when the word “metaverse” is mentioned you might imagine a digital landscape that’s designed for socialising, with its own or multiple currencies based on crypto and brands as far as the eye can see. Maze Theory’s CEO Ian Hambleton has that same passion for metaverse creation, but he envisions it slightly differently, or more importantly them differently.
Having previously released Doctor Who: The Edge of Time and with Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom in development, big-name IP’s and the fans that support them are key to this metaverse future. “Our approach has always been around well-known IP and well-known fan universes. And so for us as a studio we’re trying to create significant “chapters” in the metaverse, that’s what we want to do,” says Hambleton. “Peaky Land!” or whatever you want to call it, places that fans can congregate around IP and we think that they will be more successful because there’s lore and there are significant fan bases that all want to come together and experience them. And you know that the Star Wars stuff that’s been done by Oculus Studios would really suit that.”
What we don’t want to do as a business is become like a VRChat, so we’re not trying to create areas where people just congregate and chat about anything; that’s not what we’re interested in [in regards to] the metaverse. What we’re interested in are fan universes and story narratives. We will have multiplayer in our games but within those multiplayers you’ll also experience NPC characters that are AI-driven and telling the story, players will go on missions with each other and they’ll roleplay.” Confirming indirectly that Peaky Blinders will have a multiplayer element, in what form that would take has yet to be revealed.
Doctor Who: Edge of Time
Like many in the industry, Hambleton acknowledges that this current trend toward a more digital society has, in part, been aided by the pandemic: “What’s been interesting in the last year, COVID and everyone working from home…what I would say is that people are more at home and they’re missing real-world experiences but they’re not necessarily likely to return to those real-world experiences in the same way as they did. And I think that all those things coming together at once means that the metaverse can be a way of existing, and being social and being more together, and the embodied internet will be a VR experience.”
I think the crucial thing in VR is what’s said about the embodied internet,” he continues. “The metaverse will exist in mobile and other aspects but for us, as a VR-focused studio, the embodied internet is experiencing the metaverse in VR.
To deliver this idea Maze Theory is developing some core technology that’ll underpin all of its current and future projects: “We’re calling it “Storyverse” technology,” Hambleton explains. “Basically tools and tech we will use in all of our games and it’s starting to bring together a number of things that feel very relevant with all the conversations about the metaverse.”
It’s a mixture of things that we see as really important in the future of VR like multiplayer and roleplay but also even things like emergent gameplay, so one of the big things in Peaky is the amount of emergent gameplay which has been so successful in titles like Half-Life: Alyx and stuff like that. And it’s a mixture of those three and being social, and allowing players to play together that is a really powerful mix. And so we’ve started to build these tools and tech which be underlying all of our games from Peaky onwards.”
Image credit: Maze Theory
Peaky Blinders or Doctor Who, Maze Theory is definitely going for a multiverse approach to this broad topic rather than an all-encompassing space preached by others: “I think people like to simplify and go it’ll be one metaverse but people have said that’s a bit silly. And I think people would like it to be boxed into a simple “oh you insert in one place” and that’s all you do and maybe one day [it will]. For now, there will be lots, like the Oculus metaverse and you go into all the Oculus games, and they talk to other games on other platforms. The metaverse won’t just be VR it’ll be lots of things interconnecting with each other, I just think the purest form of it will be in VR,” Hambleton adds.
So what happens when all of this emergent, roleplaying, AI-driven, narrative tech has a metaverse of its own? “It’ll bring together everything that’s brilliant about VR and gaming.”
For continued updates on Maze Theory, Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom and the metaverse, keep reading VRFocus
The HTC Vive X investment program has helped numerous XR companies around the world develop and bring their projects to market over the past few years. This week Vive X announced that the value of its investments has nearly double as well as revealing seven new investments.
Since its launch in 2016 Vive X facilitated more than 100 deals across its six locations around the world. 17 of those companies in its portfolio have received additional outside funding in the last year, amounting to over $60 million of investment.
Real-time VR CAD collaboration platform Mindesk is one of those companies, recently acquired by Vection Technologies Ltd; an Australian multinational software company.
One area that Vive X has focused on is enterprise software to improve training, collaboration in the workplace and other use cases. “We work closely with our portfolio companies to help them operationally, and we see them not only weathering the economic storm but thriving,” said Marc Metis, Vice President, HTC Vive in a statement. “We will continue to invest aggressively, especially in the area of enterprise XR, where we are able to add considerable value as a leading player with deep market experience.”
As for the seven most recent companies Vive X has invested in, they are:
3Data – “3Data is 3D platform for IT & Cybersecurity Operations. Through the power of WebXR, Artificial Intelligence, and IoT, 3Data fuses multiple real-time data streams and intelligently cross-correlates alerts, logs, and raw sensor data into a Virtual Operations Center allowing remote IT teams to more efficiently detect and respond to threats, reduce downtime and mitigate risk all in a single, collaborative 3D space.”
BodySwaps – “BodySwaps is a complete soft skills training solution for corporate and education organizations that combines behavioural science, data and immersive VR simulations to create deep and lasting behavioural change.”
Imaged Reality – “Imaged Reality developed 3DGAIA, the first Enterprise VR platform for the Oil Industry that helps to reduce risk and uncertainty by bringing the field to the office. It enables immersive learning and remote collaboration connecting expertise across the globe.”
Maze Theory – “Creating narrative experiences centred on active participation, Maze Theory is the developer behind immersive VR experiences like Doctor Who: The Edge of Time and Peaky Blinders, The King’s Ransom.”
ORamaVR – “ORamaVR has built the world’s most intelligent VR training simulations for healthcare education and assessment. By applying principles of neuroscience, spatial computing and machine learning, ORamaVR is focused on the rapid acceleration of human learning in medicine. An award-winning, evidence-based, deep tech start-up, ORamaVR has developed a proprietary software development kit for high-speed, scalable prototyping.”
Talespin – “Talespin is building the spatial computing platform to power talent development and skills alignment for the future of work. Founded in 2015, the company leverages its proprietary XR technology platform Runway to deliver XR-based learning and training applications, mixed reality field tools to support employee job performance, and to advance the collection and alignment of skills data.”
VantagePoint – “Vantage Point was founded under the belief that while technology can cause apathy, immersive technology can drive empathy and fundamentally make the world more human. Today Vantage Point is actively developing the platform and the products to train people on EQ-driven Soft Skills that matter, with the ultimate goal of enabling humans to unlock their full potential. Vantage Point tackles enterprise training around important topics such as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Workplace Anti-Sexual Harassment training.”
As Vive X continues to support early-stage VR/AR startups, VRFocus will keep you updated.
British virtual reality (VR) developer has got quite a lot going on at the moment. Today, the studio has announced that thanks to new investment it’ll be expanding plans for several of its titles currently in development, including Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom and it’s own original IP Engram.
Maze Theory hasn’t revealed how much investment its received, just that it was awarded across to grants. The first came from the UK Creative Content EIS Fundin association with the British Film Institute (BFI) while the second was awarded by the Immersive Technology Investment Accelerator from the Government’s UKRI Audiences of the Future Programme, including a match funding investment from Vive X.
All of this means that Maze Theory will be expanding the Doctor Who franchise which first began with 2019’s Doctor Who: The Edge of Time. New videogames will be coming to console, PC and mobile, the latter developed in partnership with Kaigan Games.
When it comes to VR content, Peaky Blinders– The King’s Ransom which was originally slated for 2020 has now been pushed back to 2021. A narrative-driven action-adventure featuring characters from the TV show including Tommy Shelby, Arthur Shelby and Polly Gray, the videogame will also feature iconic locations such as The Garrison pub and Charlie’s Yard. The studio plans on bringing the experience to additional platforms and devices but has yet to confirm which ones.
“Maze Theory is evolving to the next level. We know from feedback that fans of shows like Doctor Who and Peaky Blinders crave new and exciting experiences across multiple devices and interwoven stories that create an overall experience far surpassing that of a single game,” said Maze Theory CEO, Ian Hambleton in a statement.
“The world is facing challenging times right now, but the gaming sector continues to be resilient in times of economic uncertainty. These investments and our new content initiatives enable us to grow our fanbase and drive our business forward,” Hambleton continues. “We remain as committed as ever to delivering brilliant gaming experiences.”
In addition to all of that, Maze Theory has confirmed that the very first title the studio ever announced Engram (formerly called The Vanishing Act) is still in development. Yet to receive a launch window, the videogame is a narrative-based experience centred around people being able to experience the memories of others and travel to deeper layers of their own.
With so much going on at Maze Theory, as further details are released VRFocus will let you know.
