Survios and MGM unveil Creed: Rise to Glory VR boxing game

Flush with $50 million in funding from MGM, Survios is moving full-speed ahead with virtual reality games. The two companies are announcing today that they will make Creed: Rise to Glory, a VR boxing game based on the Creed film.

Los Angeles-based Survios is known for pushing the tech edge with games like Raw Data, Sprint Vector, and the upcoming Electronauts.

Survios has teamed up with MGM Interactive, a subsidiary of Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios (MGM), to create the immersive boxing experience designed exclusively for VR platforms. The companies will show the title at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco next week.

“We are excited to bring MGM’s intellectual property to life in virtual reality with our partners at Survios,” said Tricia Samuels, an MGM vice president, in a statement. “As our first VR collaboration, Creed: Rise to Glory instantly delivers in both style and substance. The immersive experience truly allows players to become Adonis Creed with every blow they take and punch they throw.”

The game puts the player in the gloves of underdog Adonis Creed, son of heavyweight champion Apollo Creed from the Rocky films. Under the tutelage of the legendary Rocky Balboa, you’ll train hard in the gym and battle against the world’s best fighters inside boxing’s most iconic rings. Intuitive VR melee combat builds on real-life movement mechanics that feel like a true boxing bout, including many styles of punches, dodges, rolls, knockbacks, knockouts, and more, all with authentic hit reactions and responsive player control.

“In all the VR experiences we build, we aim to make our players feel empowered, and Creed: Rise to Glory accomplishes this in a very cinematic and active way,” said James Iliff, Survios cofounder and chief creative officer, in a statement. “We’re throwing players into iconic boxing arenas, trading blows with the top fighters from the franchise, all while experiencing the thrills and showtime dramatics of the ultimate Hollywood-style boxing exhibition. With our new Phantom Melee Technology, the game provides an authentic immersive experience that truly makes you feel like a boxing world champion.”

The game uses Survios’ new Phantom Melee Technology, which tackles the challenge of crafting impactful VR melee combat through a visual player-avatar separation. Phantom Melee Technology relies on a combination of responsive control — which triggers desynchronization when the player is staggered or knocked out — and virtual stamina, which mimics the slowing effects of fatigue after the player delivers frantic punches or a flurry of blows, to produce authentic hit reactions.

Founded in 2013, Survios has raised $54.2 million.