'Experts In Virtual Reality' nDreams Restructures With 120 Remaining At Elevation
A statement issued by nDreams paints a bleak picture for a studio positioned to develop in a very different VR market.
A statement from nDreams issued to LinkedIn paints a bleak picture for their multi-faceted effort to develop and publish games for the VR market.
Staff employed by nDreams numbered 250 when it was acquired by Aonic in 2023, a time when the group called itself the “world’s biggest VR game developer and publisher”. The group was split across a few internal studios including Near Light and Compass, which are now closing, with 120 remaining staff gathered at Elevation, the studio behind Reach.
The group was involved in titles like Little Cities, Synapse, and Wreckin’ Raccoon.
Reaching For Good VR At The Wrong Time
Reach from Elevation released late last year to mixed reviews on Steam. The title carries just 346 reviews on Quest, which is not much more than Steam. Those numbers are likely to make other experienced VR developers wince as they calculate how many sales were likely won during the height of Meta’s data-gathering period for the failure of Horizon Worlds in VR.
Ultimately, any wince here is because “78 roles at risk of redundancy” with 120 people remaining “engaged on unannounced projects” may be still multiples larger than the current VR market can support.
“nDreams will also retain a lean group dedicated to XR R&D,” the announcement note says. “Together, we will remain focused on delivering world-class VR and XR games.”
The language seems to suggest remaining staff are likely reaching outside the presence provided by virtual reality to adapt their projects elsewhere. The overall story here is a cautionary one about reaching for good virtual reality at the wrong time in the wrong way.
If any long-time VR developers who worked with nDreams want to showcase their portfolios or Recreation Rooms on Good Virtual Reality, please reach out to me.
