Get your mullets ready; MacGyver is heading to VR in 2020.
We’ve seen a lot of bizarre VR adaptations over the past couple of years, whether it be the confusing VR sequel to the classic 1993 Bill Murray film, Groundhog Day, or a surprisingly-physical location-based VR experience centered around the Jack Ryan Amazon series.
Last week Imverse, a voxel graphics company specializing in location-based entertainment and 3D technology, announced a new location-based VR escape room experience centered around the hit 1980’s television series MacGyver, lending further credence to the idea that no film or TV series is safe from a virtual adaptation.
For those of you too young to remember, MacGyver was a beloved 80’s program that aired from 1985 to 1992 and starred Angus “Mac” MacGyver, a war hero with a wide variety of unconventional skills that allowed him to navigate his way out of dangerous situations using common, everyday objects. Put simply, he’s an ex-soldier with a bad-ass mullet who can defuse bombs using only a dog whistle, string, and a handful of Jolly Ranchers. In 2016, the franchise received a fresh reboot on CBS, exposing a whole new generation of viewers to MacGyver’s unconventional problem-solving.
Launching in 2020, MacGyverWorld—yes, that’s the real name—will offer users the chance to step even further into the world of MacGyver via a multiperson VR escape room experience. Developed by Imverse and produced by Mark Rickard of Studio Lightship in partnership with MacGyver creator Lee David Zlotoff and Lawnmower Man director and Studio Lightship-owner Brett Leonard, MacGyverWorld promises an over-the-top immersive experience almost as outrageous as the show itself.
“This was an easy fit,” said Rickard while describing the team’s decision to pursue a MacGyver-themed immersive experience during an interview with Variety. “It’s always him in an outrageous, difficult situation. We don’t have to coach people.”
The VR escape room, which according to the interview will include some form of real-time multiplayer functionality, begins with a 3D scan of each player, which is then used to create their in-game avatar. This means that friends and families sharing the experience will see custom digital renditions of themselves in-game, as opposed to default character models.
“When you look at your friends, you can see their holograms,” explained Imverse CEO and co-founder Javier Bello Ruiz in the interview. “In virtual reality, you need to have presence.”
Based out of California, Imverse is aiming to position itself between high-end location-based entertainment providers, such as The VOID and Dreamscape, and low-cost VR arcades in the hopes of establishing a healthy middle-ground for consumers.
For more information, visit Imverse.com. The company will be showing off more of its technology during SIGGRAPH 2019 this week.
Featured Image Credit: Imverse
