This is a long overdue update! Our team jumped fully into 2020 with all-hands-on-deck for the preparation of an extensive SoundSelf marketing campaign and the build-out of our location based experience (LBE) pipeline to distribute our transformative titles far and wide. This came along with a trip to CES for the Dreamland XR summit in Vegas, a showcase at PAX South in San Antonio, and a stop into the NY Game Awards where we officially launched the SoundSelf Teaser. Whew that was a mouthful, additional info on our internal projects are found in the "Latest with Andromeda" section below.
As Sundance Film Festival buzz has came to a close, I wanted to shed light on my favorite art installation crew based out of the UK, Marshmallow Laser Feast (with a fantastic CNN article I discovered that paints such a clear picture of their mission) They have had some incredible outings at Sundance in the past and have inspired me to attend in 2021 (when I can plan around the chaos of our January events!) Here is an article from 2019 that really show the level of AR/VR installations that have started to arrive at this film festival including perhaps the most noteworthy of the event, Marshmallow Laser Feast's Sweet Dreams experience. Of course I have to touch on 2020 Sundance, the most compelling install being a Magic Leap + biometric sensor fusion that allows you to breathe things into existence!
Questions I have been pondering
Where do we go after SoundSelf is released?
My first experience with SoundSelf was my very first experience with VR. I was at a rather intimate conference in Austin named Conscious Media Festival, strolling around the showroom floor when I almost tripped over a blanket and pillows laid in front of me. Sitting on top of them was two brightly colored individuals with a computer and first gen Oculus Rift headset. They asked if I wanted to give their experience a try, I jumped at the opportunity to slip on a virtual meditation experience. They had me get comfortable and prompted me to take some deep breaths and center myself before putting the headset on. Feeling as if I was in a dream, I took a moment to myself and then opened my eyes smiled and gave them the thumbs up.
While these questions are relevant it is important to frame this conversation around what we are doing, creating a video game. While absent of things like characters, story arcs and leader-boards, SoundSelf has you, the main character, learning meditative skills that you can bring into the physical world and continue to grow the Avatar that is you. Not the digital version that millions of people obsessively level up and spend disposable income on, but your actual human self. For what is life but one beautiful, massively multi-player, open world RPG? (With perfect 4K graphics and zero latency!)
As the famous quote by William Gibson goes, "The future is already here, it's just not very evenly distributed."
Projects I have my eyes on
Impact Reality Summit - If not for being in the CES vortex the same weekend, I would of been attending this beautifully conceptualized gathering in Seattle the same weekend. Bringing together mission driven XR companies using their powers for GOOD, I'm in.
Akili - After just receiving 55M in their Series C round Akili continues to set a precedent for what is possible in Digital medicine. Their next play is to get FDA clearance for a first of its kind ADHD treatment in a video game!
Latest with Andromeda
SoundSelf Trailer
If you haven't seen it yet, here it is again - you'll thank me later ;-)
Sensory Pod
We are excited to announce Andromeda + Alberto Frias are in the prototype phase of a product I have always dreamed about. A fully immersive, 3 person cocoon with projection mapping, haptic feedback, aromatherapy and SoundSelf running through it. No headset required! If that wasn't enough, we will be partnering with other immersive biofeedback experiences and integrating into an experience menu in future models. I will have much more information shortly!
Audio Trip at Wisdome
We are thrilled to announce that Audiotrip is now an installation within the VR dome of the Immersive Dome theme park in downtown LA - Wisdome. Swan or myself will be in LA for the coming weeks, shoot us a message and will bring you and your friends to experience the magic with us. Do not hesitate to ask.
Location Based Experiences I have my eyes on
This is a new section! I have so many LBE's I am being introduced to that I feel the need to share!
Team Labs - I am obsessed with their creativity without ever even experiencing it. I was in Tokyo last year and decided to buy a few tickets, they were sold out for the next month! Click on the "all" tab on the website to be astonished by their library of installations
Flutter - Right in my backyard, this LA based playground is showing that the Meow Wolf concept of experiential art exhibits is not a fluke, it is what everyone now wants to do on the weekend.
Earth Codes Observatory - What would the library of the future look like? This group out of SF seems to have a pretty good idea.
Evermore Park - Utah has a permanent immersive theater that brings you back to the middle ages- it's what the renaissance fair always wanted to be and it looks exactly like something I would jump into.
Upcoming events
March 13 - 22 | Austin, TX - This is a big one, Andromeda will be throwing a 10 day event during SXSW this year! Hosted by the 3rd Eye Meditation Lounge we will be showcasing fully immersive SoundSelf installations, daily programming, and a transformational entertainment mixer on March 16 at 7pm.
GDC
March 16 - 20 | San Francisco, CA - Our lovely marketing director Swan will be running around the Game Developer Conference in SF as our Andromeda ambassador to report the latest in the industry.
Psy Tech Summit
March 29 - 30 | Tel Aviv, Israel - We may be sending someone to Israel to experience this convergence. I know I am raising my hand for it ;)
Additional Articles I found interesting
Stay Blessed~
Lyle
PS: In honor of the late Ram Dass, enjoy this inspiring Spotify playlist