We’ve been waiting almost exactly four years now to see what would become of the enchanting, but decidedly short Gnomes and Goblins Preview, which was published on Steam back in September 2016. Now, XR developers Wevr says PC VR users will finally get the full experience later this month.
The project has attracted some serious talent, which includes Jon Favreau, the filmmaker behind films such as Iron Man (2008), The Lion King (2019), and The Jungle Book (2016). VR director Jake Rowell, known for his work on Call of Duty, Superman Returns (2006), and theBlu, is also lending his talent to the project.
Produced in partnership with MWM and Golem Creations, the studio says players will embark on “a dream-like journey and explore an enchanted forest world where interactions with the realm’s denizens shape the story’s evolution.” They’re calling it a hybrid form of worldbuilding that aims to combine agency with narrative elements.
“I’m incredibly happy to see how Wevr has brought my original vision to life in virtual reality,” says Favreau. “From the earliest days of rough sketches and abstract concepts, Wevr’s entire team committed to fostering the kind of emotional connections that I believe will allow Gnomes & Goblins to occupy a special place in the hearts of players around the world. We worked hard to create the mood and feeling that Gnomes & Goblins is like a virtual theme-park ride, where magic and meaning are waiting around every corner.”
Gnomes and Goblins promises to take PC VR users through a multi-hour fantasy adventure experience, and will be available starting September 23rd on Steam, the Oculus Store for Rift and Viveport.
If you haven’t played it yet, definitely check out the Preview version first. As one of the early room-scale games, it’s surprising how well it holds up, and definitely creates that smurfy, magical forest vibe that rewards exploration of both the environment the personalities of the little gnomes themselves.