Google And Netflix Partner With PHORIA For AR Nature Series

Immersive technology studio PHORIA today announced the worldwide online release of REWILD, an immersive AR Nature Series based on the 2020 Webby Award winning installation, REWILD Our Planet. Produced in partnership with Netflix, Google and OnePlus, REWILD includes content from the Netflix original documentary series, Our Planet, and features narration from celebrated naturalist Sir David Attenborough.

For the first time since the installations were seen in Singapore, Bristol and New York in 2019, fans of REWILD Our Planet can get an exclusive first look at REWILD (BETA) from October 15, 2020. This early access release will include the pilot episode – Frozen – available on Google Play, and will later become available on the App Store for iOS devices.

In a time where exploring nature has never been more challenging, REWILD captivates users by bringing nature inside their living rooms. Frozen is the first in this four-episode series, which will be followed by Grasslands, Forests and Oceans, as users are encouraged to learn about vital conservation initiatives for these ecosystems.

Like its 2019 predecessor, REWILD takes users on a journey to rewild Earth’s most precious biomes and is suitable for all ages, using immersive AR to educate and entertain. Users simply create a playspace in their home to open their virtual screen. From there they can select an episode and get set to ‘rewild’ their environment in AR, while enjoying impactful cinematic content. This gameplay empowers users to become a voice of the planet and pledge to take action towards safeguarding our planet for future generations.

The experience showcases the latest in AR technology, and has been announced as one of the first AR apps to utilise Google’s ARCore and Cloud Anchors, allowing REWILD content to persist in any physical space.

And with new technical developments from PHORIA, users can now play REWILD anywhere in the world.

“As our devices become more spatial, we’re excited to push the boundaries past installations and bring REWILD to people in their own homes,” said Rayyan Roslan, Co-founder and Creative Director of PHORIA. “REWILD goes beyond other traditional 2D formats, and thinks spatially different about the future of immersive learning experiences.”

In addition, REWILD received principal production investment from Screen Australia and is the very first AR project supported by the agency.

“It’s exciting to fund our first augmented reality project REWILD,” said Bernadine Lim, Head of Documentary at Screen Australia. “REWILD will use interactive technology to engage audiences with environmental issues through their smartphones in an innovative way.”

Thanks to a partnership with OnePlus, REWILD users can unlock the perks of Oxygen Mode with certain OnePlus devices, enjoying Ultra High Definition video simultaneously alongside 4K AR textures and millions of polygons. Pushing the limits of what is possible on a smart device.

“We are excited to push the boundaries of what is possible in AR with REWILD,” said Eric Gass, Director of Global Brand Partnerships at OnePlus. “These interactive episodes represent a new chapter in AR experiences on a smartphone. We worked very closely with the PHORIA team to create Oxygen Mode, giving OnePlus users perhaps the highest fidelity AR experience yet created on a smartphone.”

“2020 has presented its fair share of challenges, but seeing the REWILD team and our partners pivot in the face of adversity is a testament to the power of technology and human potential,” said Trent Clews-de Castella, Co-founder & CEO of PHORIA. “We’re launching REWILD as a free application to billions of AR enabled devices, so it can have an even greater impact. REWILD is about bringing people together during these times, so we can immerse ourselves virtually in nature and use our collective voices to speak up for the planet.”

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