Minecraft, one of the most famous and best-selling video games in history, will be at the center of a brand new multimedia experience opening in Dallas. And the creators are from Quebec.
The Supply+Demand studio, whose head office is in Bromont, won Microsoft’s international call for tenders to develop an immersive experience inspired by the famous video game with its very particular aesthetic. His title : Minecraft Experience.
Olivier Goulet, founder and CEO of the studio, explains: “We approached Microsoft to obtain the rights to the game. They liked the idea and they decided to make an international call for tenders. It was this appeal that we won. »
Why be interested in gaming Minecraft ? “It’s a game that fits well with our philosophy of creating narrative and educational experiences. This is a game that children can play without any problem. There is a beautiful ethic behind this game where everyone wins… It is a game that interests young people and adults alike. I was recently told that Robert Lepage modeled his shows on Minecraft ! »
More than 70 people will work to develop this highly interactive immersive experience where participants will have to carry out a mission: save a village plagued by a zombie attack. To do this, they will have to collect ingredients that will be used to create an antidote to cure the undead.
Equipped with an illuminated cube that vibrates when certain actions are performed, participants will wander through seven separate rooms to try to save as many villagers as possible. In total, the activity will last for an hour.
“It’s truly a participatory experience. Our exhibitions are not just black boxes with projections where the public remains passive,” says Olivier Goulet.
Minecraft Experience will be at the crossroads between escape games, arcade and immersive experience. And you don’t need to know the game to have fun.
Olivier Goulet, founder of Supply+Demand
He adds: “We are not going to recreate the game like at home. Instead, we intend to offer another point of view on this game, but while respecting 100% the codes, the mechanics and the aesthetics.”
A technology that stands out
To carry out this project, the Supply+Demand team will use technology that it developed itself and which has been used in various projects, notably at the Telus Spark Science Center in Calgary, where several immersive exhibitions were presented.
“It’s a 100% Quebec exhibition technology that is completely modular. For example, it allows museums to present different exhibitions during the same day,” explains Olivier Goulet.
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
Olivier Goulet and Nassib El-Husseini, President and CEO of 7 Fingers. The circus troupe invested in the adventure Minecraft Experience.
The latter, who headed the multimedia department of Cirque du Soleil for 5 years in addition to having founded the company Geodezik, has more than 25 years of experience in the multimedia arts sector. He has notably collaborated on shows by artists such as Taylor Swift, the Foo Fighters and Michael Bublé.
However, he admits it bluntly: the opportunity to collaborate with Microsoft on Minecraft Experience could serve as a springboard for the young multimedia company founded three and a half years ago.
This is a major project that could open many doors for us. We are already working to obtain rights to other intellectual properties. And several announcements are planned in the coming months.
Olivier Goulet, founder of Supply+Demand
In short, the Quebec studio seems to have the wind in its sails. One thing is certain, the project Minecraft is already turning heads. “A North American tour is being organized. The project will go through Europe. And also by Canada,” assures Olivier Goulet, who adds that immersive experiences signed by Supply+Demand will soon be presented in Quebec. “It’s coming,” he says.
The 7 fingers involved in the adventure
The vast majority of employees who will work on the development of Minecraft Experience will work from the studios of the 7 Fingers troupe, located on Saint-Laurent Boulevard. Indeed, the circus company is a minority shareholder in Supply+Demand and partly finances Minecraft Experience.
For Nassib El-Husseini, president and CEO of 7 Fingers, the involvement of the circus troupe in the young multimedia company is a way of encouraging “a new local flagship”.
“We have been working with Olivier for several years. He notably helped us on the show Royal Pub. For Les 7 Fingers, investing in this studio and in the Minecraft project represents a way to increase our independent income. Because times are tough right now for the performing arts community in Quebec…”
Minecraft Experience will be presented in Dallas starting September 20. Tickets are already on sale.
Visit the event website (in English)
What is Minecraft ?
In this game, only blocks are used to represent reality. The player is immersed in a three-dimensional world and can interact with the world, by breaking or placing blocks.
In creative mode, the player can recreate famous monuments or model whatever they like. The player can create their own objectives and share their creations.
In survival mode, he must harvest resources to survive against threats.
The game was created in 2009 by the Swede Markus Alexej Persson and more than 300 million copies of Minecraft have been sold worldwide since then, making it the best-selling video game in history, according to Microsoft.