Author announces AAA metaverse game

Image: Futurverse

Ready Player One author Ernest Cline unveils Open, an “AAA metaverse gaming experience” with battle royale elements.

FACTS

Ernest Cline, the author of Ready Player One, has revealed his next big project at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas: “Open” is being developed by Walker Labs in partnership with Readyverse Studios and promises to be a multi-genre, multi-IP, multimode, Fortnite-style battle royale experience for PC and other current platforms. It is not yet clear if the game will be available in VR or AR.

You’ll compete against other players in a variety of cooperative and competitive game modes, set in the style of a dystopian game show. According to the developers, the focus will be on shooting, but you’ll also have to prove your driving skills, think tactically, and find allies. Like Ready Player One, Open may include a pop culture reference or two. Open plans to incorporate globally recognized intellectual property into its game world, “from characters to cultural legends.”

Open is being developed using a combination of Web3 and AIGC technologies that will allow users, developers and brands to create connected experiences. Reebok, DeLorean, Cool Cats and FLUF World have already been introduced in the first teaser. Interested players can sign up for the Open waiting list at visitopen.game.

CONTEXT

Ready Player One and the Readyverse

In January, Start-up company Futureverse announced a collaboration with Ernest Cline, author of Ready Player One, and Dan Farah, producer of the film of the same name, to create a proto-metaverse called Readyverse. In addition to a social component for users, the main goal is to bring leading products and brands to its metaverse platform.

Futureverse was founded by Shara Senderoff and Aaron McDonald and has raised $54 million in venture capital. To bring the Readyverse to life, the startup has formed Readyverse Studios. The studio’s first major deal is a partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery. The deal will see the Ready Player One franchise adapted for the platform.

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