Force Field VR

Force Field VR, founded in 2015 by game industry veterans with pedigrees that include founding Guerrilla Games and holding executive roles at Atari and Disney, established itself as a significant development studio focused exclusively on virtual and augmented reality. The company originated from Vanguard Games, known for mobile titles like *Halo: Spartan Assault*, and pivoted entirely to VR to capitalize on the emerging market. This strategic shift was led by CEO Arthur Houtman and co-founder Martin de Ronde. As a private entity, the studio developed high-end VR titles for a diverse clientele, including Oculus Studios, producing games such as *Landfall*, *Time Stall*, and *Coaster Combat*. It also created experiential projects like *Anne Frank House VR*.

The studio’s business model centered on developing a wide range of VR and AR content, from games to location-based entertainment and business-to-business applications, thereby hedging risks in a nascent market. This strategy involved working with multiple hardware manufacturers and across various genres to ensure financial stability. In August 2021, Force Field was acquired by Vertigo Games, the VR development and publishing arm of the Koch Media / Embracer Group, for an undisclosed sum. Following the acquisition, Force Field was rebranded as Vertigo Studios Amsterdam and integrated into Vertigo's global operations, which include development, publishing, and an arcade distribution network. The Amsterdam team continues to develop AAA VR games, now with the backing of a major international publisher, focusing on titles for major VR platforms. The acquisition was a strategic move by Vertigo Games to expand its first-party development capabilities and solidify its position in the rapidly growing VR industry.

Keywords: virtual reality, game development, AAA games, location-based entertainment, game publishing, interactive experiences, Oculus Rift, Gear VR, PC VR, console gaming