Famous sportspeople lending their names to videogames is nothing new but that doesn’t mean to say they always have much input into the gameplay. That’s certainly not the case with RainSoft’s Powder VR, with the studio announcing a collaboration with famous Norwegian snowboarder Terje Haakonsen to ensure an accurate experience.
Set to feature both arcade and simulation modes, when it came to the latter RainSoft knew the physics had to be just right. So they managed to persuade Haakonsen to come onboard and impart some wisdom – he is regarded as one of the best having dominated competitions during the ’90s. He also holds the world record for highest air on a snowboard with 9.8m during 2007 The Arctic Challenge in Norway.
“Terje is an athlete who boycotted the Olympics in order to stand by his principles. The RainSoft team couldn’t be more in agreement in its commitment in making it a true gaming and winter sports experience,” said the studio in a statement. “Hours were spent consulting on how carving and board physics actually work and how that could be replicated in VR. He discussed at length on how to get the feel of carving just right. Stories were shared about the difficulties of helicoptering in remote terrain and how skiing and snowboarding is experienced by the elites of the sport.”
So the videogame has now been rebranded Terje Haakonsen’s Powder VR, with the snowboarder featured in-game. He’ll captain your virtual winter sports team, aiding your journey to conquer the biggest mountains RainSoft has created.
Originally slated for a summer early access release Powder VR will now launch this fall supporting Oculus Rift, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality and HTC Vive headsets.
It’ll include skiing and wingsuiting alongside snowboarding, challenging you to set new times in the downhill races and slalom, and score big in the freestyle events. The Early Access version will have one mountain to test your skills on with the full release upping that count to six. Plenty of custom settings will be included to ensure Powder VR is a comfortable experience.
As further updates are released ahead of launch, VRFocus will let you know.
