Panic Room: VR launches on the Oculus Rift

14th January 2021: Kuato Studios are delighted to launch our debut virtual reality (VR) game, Panic Room.  This spine-chilling two-player game launched today on the Oculus Rift.

 It’s the middle of a cold winter’s night, you stumble across a dark, mysterious cabin deep into the woods. As you enter the front door, it locks behind you. You realise you’ve made a mistake; this isn’t a normal house – there’s somebody watching you. Be prepared for the unexpected, as you search for the keys to get out.

Your fate is in the hands of your partner, who’ll be watching your VR experience from their mobile, tablet or computer. Your partner will deploy pulse-racing tactics to slow you down and stop you from escaping.

Will you be able to navigate a brave escape from the ill-lit cabin, or will your partner get the better of you? There’s some eerie surprises in store either way.

It’s an exciting step in a new direction for the studio, and showcases how VR can be used in new and innovative ways. Kuato owns the patent to the ‘Actor/Director’ technology used in Panic Room – and it’s the world’s first cross-platform, socially-interactive virtual reality game.

Mark Horneff, Managing Director of Kuato Studios, said: “Virtual reality has progressed significantly over the last decade, but a primary issue stems from the fact it’s a single-person experience. We are incredibly excited to be launching this game as part of our ambition to shift into the VR market.” 

“In the current circumstances where interactions are at arm’s length and done remotely, we wanted to offer gamers the chance to escape but stay connected with friends and family, and also open the platform up to third party developers to use as well. ‘Panic Room’ is an internet-based experience which can be played over Zoom or with two individuals in close proximity – a concept we will apply to other developments to support family connectivity.”

“Our aim is to create compelling and memorable virtual reality experiences where gamers of all ages can share moments with their friends online. Our model offers a simple, social and cost-effective solution. Our vision is to test out the technology with ‘Panic Room’ and then extend it to our library of games, which align with Kuato’s education-driven ethos where children can learn and play, whilst parents, carers or teachers can oversee gameplay.”

Oculus Rift users can download Panic Room for free from the Oculus Store.