A new metaverse is on the way, joining the likes of Roblox and Fortnite.
Earlier this year, Futurverse, a leading AI and metaverse technology and content company, announced the formation of Readyverse Studios, a next-gen technology and experience studio developing "The Readyverse," a dynamic interactive platform of interconnected digital experiences.
Readyverse Studios, which was co-founded by Futureverse Co-Founders Shara Senderoff and Aaron McDonald along with Ernest CLine, the creator of the Ready Player One franchise, then partnered Warner Bros. Discovery to help bring the Ready Player One franchise to the metaverse across web3.
This week, The Readyverse unveiled its first major experience: a third-person battle royale titled Open. Open is described as an "immersive multiverse filled with nostalgia-infused biomes featuring characters and cultural legends across iconic franchises."
"Challengers embark on game-show styled, multi-round collaborative and competitive game modes, but only one hero can emerge victorious. Hone and showcase a vast array of gaming disciplines, where tactical positioning, sly movement, strategic shooting, and driving skills take center stage, as you join forces with worthy allies, plan together for strategic advantages, and engage in intense gameplay sessions," the description reads.
The first biome revealed for the game was none other than Ready Player One. While we haven't seen any actual gameplay, the Ready Player One biome will feature competitive experiences inspired by the novel and film, and will include branded environments and skins.
If you're wondering what sets Open apart from the likes of Fortnite and Roblox, which also have branded content and popular IP heavily featured in their respective metaverses, it's the focus on asset interoperability, digital ownership, decentralization and security -- principles that The Readyverse will champion.
Open is being developed by Readyverse Studios in partnership with Walker Labs, a venture-backed videogame and next-gen web technology developer.
“We are incredibly proud to announce OPEN as our flagship experience in The Readyverse. Joining forces with Walker Labs to create a super-team of seasoned game developers from Epic Games, DICE, Microsoft, PlayStation, Mojang, Remedy, Ubisoft, Lucasfilm, Electronic Arts and more has allowed us to tackle the ambitious genre-defining challenge of building a AAA, MMO open metaverse experience worthy of iconic IP in a way that has never been done before,” said Readyverse Studios Co-Founders Aaron McDonald, Shara Senderoff, Ernest Cline and Dan Farah.
Warner Bros. Discovery is home to many global brands and popular film franchises, including the Batman, Harry Potter, Looney Tunes, The Matrix and more. It's quite possible that many of these will join Ready Player One as biomes in Open.
Open is in development for PC and curre-gen systems.