Last month we launched our free virtual reality app MasterWorks for the Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR.  The app transports you to visit four historic sites including the ancient capital of Thailand, a pre-Incan temple in the Peruvian Andes, the astonishing Native American cliff dwellings of Colorado, and the monumental stone sculpture of Mt Rushmore in South Dakota. MasterWorks is an educational experience, allowing the user to access detailed information from archaeologists, conservators and scientists to learn more about these amazing places.  This is our first public foray into VR and we are thrilled to see a positive response from the community. Thus far the app has been downloaded by users in 98 countries and has maintained a 4+ star rating.

Here are just a few examples of what people are saying:

“As a history teacher, visiting these sites in VR gave me tears of joy… amazing”

“This is one of the best experiences on the rift, it really shows the power that VR has to transport you to another location. Its great to see VR being used for an educational use case like this. The sense of presence and immersion is excellent especially if you have a room scale set up. It feels like you are there, walking around these monuments. The audio guides give excellent insights on each location.”

“ I would have gladly paid $20-$30 bucks for this app.  The fact that it is free and is full of content is astonishing.  The tours are absolutely jaw-dropping. Amazing use of 3D photogrammetry.  And it's not just great visuals, there's nice ambient sounds and the knowledgeable tour guide sound recordings.  In case you're wondering, you get to tour Mesa Verde (US Pueblo), Peru, Thailand, and Mount Rushmore. This is a must download, even if you aren't into historical sites.  This is an app you will want to show off to friends and family to get them excited about VR and the possibilities of being transported anywhere in the universe.”

“...I was shocked when I spent 45 minutes enjoying these ancient sites and hearing the stories.  And I've only seen half of what's available! Both sites I've explored have been very engaging and interesting. I'm impressed.”

For a longer discussion about the app, how it was created and loads of technical details, be sure to check out the Tested Projections Episode 39 which features an interview with our CEO John Ristevski and Director of Production Scott Lee