Written by Maru, Marketing Manager at Andromeda Entertainment🌟
Hey there, interstellar readers! I'm Maru, here to take you through an exhilarating journey. This November, Andromeda Entertainment whisked me away to the 7th Edition of the VR Awards, an event buzzing with innovation, connections, and unforgettable moments. Walking through Rotterdam's bustling streets, this trip was a VR enthusiast's dream come true. So, settle in with your favorite warm drink (let me tell you it was *cold* in Rotterdam), and let's embark on this virtual escapade together! 🎮🌌
From Amsterdam to Rotterdam: The Journey Begins 🚆
My adventure started with an early morning arrival in Amsterdam, where I met Ashley Blake, our Chief Operating Officer. Our train ride to Rotterdam wasn't just a change in scenery but a brainstorming session on strategy and networking. Happy to be traveling and excited to connect and reconnect with fellow VR travelers who were all getting ready for an unforgettable night.
First Encounters and Sparkling Moments in Rotterdam 🚀
The energy in Rotterdam was palpable. At the lobby of our hotel, we bumped into Brady Wright from Kinemotik Studios - a reunion filled with excitement and plans for later at the pre-party. As you may or may not know, as Audio Trip’s community manager I only met Ashley Cooper and Brady this year at gamescom, and it’s always such a blast to get to hang out with them in person again. It was also a couple of hours later in this very same lobby that I met the star of this year’s VR Awards, your very own host, Alex "alexvr" Meland! It was exciting to hear about how he was preparing for the show and he delivered an amazing performance that you should definitely check out.
Cafe Plein: Networking and Nurturing Connections 🍻
The ITW-AIXR Event at Cafe Plein was a networking blast. We reconnected with familiar faces and met new ones like Philippe from 30 Parallel Studios, who is funnier in person, and I guarantee you can’t go two minutes without laughing at his sarcastic & witty humor. We have been working with him to launch his VR language discovery game, Terra Alia, which launched THE DAY of the VR Awards, and it is now available on the Meta Quest store for you to start your learning journey!
Discussions at this event ranged from project feedback to future collaborations, and the night was a perfect blend of business and fun. After a few more conversations with lovely people, including our wonderful Audio Trip developers from Kinemotik Studios who just released their first DLC, we then decided to grab a bite to eat, introducing Harry "Skeeva" Skigis (co-host of Between Realities together with Alex) to the wonders of a McPlant.
The VR Awards Night 🎉
The VR Awards ceremony was a whirlwind of connections and celebrations. From snapping pictures with attendees to cheering for Andromeda's mention, the night was vibrant and joyous. The opening act by Brendan Bradley and Maurice Soque was noteworthy, blending VR and live music. Their performance wasn't just entertainment, it was an inspiration that had us reflecting on Immersive experiences and AI-powered audience interactions. It was a tremendous joy to see so many of the projects nominated as VR Awards Finalists, including Kinemotik Studios and Deepwell DTx who we were cheering for as their name popped up on the screen.
Last Day in Rotterdam: Unforeseen Events and New Bonds 🙏
We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our friends in VR, Skeeva, Alex, Eliot, Alison, and Todd, for coming to Ashley’s rescue when she fell and sustained serious injuries to her face when we were just on our way to Amsterdam. Her injuries were extensive enough to warrant an extended stay in Rotterdam to observe her condition, but the incident was made much more bearable as we were surrounded by so much love and care from our VR friends. On behalf of Ashley, we thank all of you for the amazing support you’ve all extended to her at Rotterdam.
Despite the incident, we still managed to attend Cas and Chary’s party for a little bit. The celebration was a perfect way to say goodbye to our dear friends until we meet again next time.
The night ended with a relaxed conversation featuring Ryan Douglas of Deepwell DTx, a rising company working on transformative gaming experiences that are therapeutic in nature, if you don’t know what they’re up to you should definitely follow them and stay tuned here.
Terra Alia Launch 📖
We also want to take a moment to congratulate the 30 Parallel Studios team on releasing Terra Alia for Quest! Terra Alia has already conquered the hearts of many language enthusiasts through PC and Switch, but now they’ve taken this wonderful and magical experience to the next level, immersive learning. And if that wasn’t cool enough, their roadmap includes releasing Multiplayer and other chapters to complete the story. We can’t wait, can you? Check out their page here.
Audio Trip Steam DLC 💃🕺
We'd like to also give a huge shout-out to our beloved Ashley and Brady, founders of Kinemotik Studios and creators of the amazing dance and fitness game, Audio Trip. This year they released their very first DLC, "Swanky Song Pack", for Quest and Steam! We are unbelievably proud of them and the creative minds they are, always innovating and dedicated to their community. From a small team of 2 developers, the Kinemotik team has grown by 2 new members as a result of networking, connecting, and bonding at gamescom. We can't wait to see all of the amazing things the team will create in 2024!
Reflections and Looking Ahead ✨
As I write this, I'm filled with gratitude for the experiences, the people I've met, and the insights gained. This trip wasn't just about attending an event; it was about immersing ourselves in the world of VR, connecting with like-minded individuals, and building relationships that extend beyond business. I'm already looking forward to next year's adventures. Until then, the team at Andromeda Entertainment wishes you a happy holiday filled with joy, love, and peace.
Synced with the Stars of Andromeda,
.maru. 🎶✨
A Note From Our CEO, John McClellan
Happy Holidays!
I want to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone reading this blog. In 2023, Andromeda Entertainment continued its growth in publishing on partner platforms and began to offer short-term launch support & marketing services to new titles. To me, this signals that we are adapting to the evolving needs of our developers and the VR market in general, which is primed for new transformative Mixed Reality content.
Expanding into this new vertical was only possible with our passionate and incredible staff. I’m thankful for our global publishing team who show up every day with enthusiasm and open hearts to do this transformative work. I’m thankful for our founders, advisors, and investors, who continue to support this work behind the scenes.
Most of all, I’m thankful for this opportunity to be of service to you! Yes, you! If you are reading this, you are included and I want to hear from you how Andromeda can better serve you in 2024. It is when we align ourselves to the service of others, we can learn to be better in service to ourselves.
In gratitude,
John McClellan
Links Mentioned In This Blog 🔗
(n.d.). DeepWell DTx | Video Game Therapeutics. https://www.deepwelldtx.com/
(n.d.). VR Awards 2023 - Celebrating Outstanding Achievement in Virtual Reality. https://vrawards.aixr.org/
(n.d.). Kinemotik Studios | We move you. https://www.kinemotik.com/
(n.d.). Immersive Tech Week: Home. https://www.immersivetechweek.co/
(n.d.). 30 Parallel Games – Games, apps & interactive experiences. https://30parallelgames.com/
Maurice Soque, (2021, September 22). https://www.linkedin.com/in/maurice-soque
Audio Trip on Meta Quest | Quest VR games. (n.d.). Meta Store. https://www.meta.com/en-gb/experiences/2484044451715693/
Audio Trip on Steam. (2023, October 25). Steam. https://store.steampowered.com/app/826540/Audio_Trip/
Between Realities. (n.d.). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/c/BetweenRealities
Fidel, A., & Ledwidge, M. (n.d.). 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙣𝘼𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙮 (@brendanAbradley). X. https://twitter.com/brendanAbradley
Finalists 2023 - VR Awards 2023. (n.d.). VR Awards. https://vrawards.aixr.org/finalists-2023/
Hamilton, I., & Marm, F. (n.d.). Skeeva (@skeeva). X. https://twitter.com/skeeva
Marm, F. (n.d.). ALEX VR 🔜 (@Alex__VR). X.com. https://twitter.com/Alex__VR
Terra Alia on Meta Quest | Quest VR Games. (2023, November 30). Meta Store. https://www.meta.com/experiences/7146257325418969/