Kite & Lightning

Kite & Lightning, founded in 2013 by Ikrima Elhassan and Cory Strassburger, was a creative development studio focused on cinematic virtual reality. The company, which is now reported as out of business, aimed to merge interactive gaming with narrative storytelling to craft immersive, computer-generated worlds.

The founding duo brought a rich and complementary skill set to the venture. Ikrima Elhassan has a 14-year background in the tech industry, with roles at Microsoft, Intel, and Nvidia, and research experience in real-time advanced image synthesis at the University of Texas. Cory Strassburger is a two-time Emmy award-winning visual artist with a long career in film, visual effects, and motion graphics, having worked on projects like "Minority Report" and "X-Files". Their shared passion for blending cinematic magic with interactivity drove the studio's creations.

The studio's business model included developing original content and undertaking branded contract work for major clients. Notable projects included a 4D VR experience for NBC's “The Voice” and Lionsgate's first VR narrative for the movie "Insurgent". These projects often involved creating hybrid live-action and CG experiences. The company's primary product in development was "Bebylon Battle Royale," a multiplayer-only vehicular combat brawler set in a comedic world of immortal babies. The game was designed for platforms like Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR and included social features where spectators could join for free and interact with the battles. This freemium model for spectators, with in-app purchases for enhanced interaction, was part of their monetization strategy, alongside the outright purchase of the game for players who wished to compete.

On July 26, 2016, Kite & Lightning secured $2.5 million in a seed funding round led by Raine Ventures, with participation from investors like Comcast Ventures and Courtside Ventures. This capital was intended to expand the team and accelerate the development of "Bebylon Battle Royale". Throughout its operation, the studio was recognized for producing some of the most polished early VR experiences, such as the award-winning "Senza Peso," and for pioneering remote motion-capture pipelines using Xsens, iPhones, and the Unreal Engine.

Keywords: virtual reality studio, cinematic VR, game development, Ikrima Elhassan, Cory Strassburger, Bebylon Battle Royale, VR gaming, interactive storytelling, motion capture, Unreal Engine, Raine Ventures, VR experiences, entertainment software, branded VR content, social VR, immersive entertainment, Oculus Rift games, HTC Vive games, PlayStation VR games, out of business