A Hampshire virtual reality games studio that makes titles such as Phantom: Covert Ops, Fracked and Far Cry VR.
nDreams is a UK studio that makes virtual reality games. Its development arm has been behind every nDreams title to date, including Shooty Fruity, Phantom: Covert Ops, Fracked and Far Cry VR, and it has worked on Ghostbusters VR and an unannounced PlayStation VR2 game. The studio says it committed fully to VR game development in 2013 and has stayed the course through several ups and downs for the industry in which many other VR studios closed.
In its own words, nDreams is "committed to empowering players across genres" and wants to "make VR titles that define the medium". It talks about developing talented people, being creative and experimental, and doing high-quality work that gives the team a sense of reward. It also says it believes in balance, so that people enjoy making games as part of a balanced life.
The studio's main hub is its headquarters in Farnborough, Hampshire, which was recently refurbished for collaborative working. The registered address is Spectrum Point, 279 Farnborough Road, Farnborough, GU14 7LS. nDreams has sister studios called Elevation and Nearlight. Its Flex+ policy lets people split their time between home and the Farnborough office, and it says this has improved well-being and work-life balance.
The studio spotlight names James Shepherd as Studio Head, a leader with experience at PlayStation, Xbox and LEGO, and Alina Fedaseyenka as Associate Art Director, who has worked on Phantom: Covert Ops and Fracked. It says the team has grown to more than 90 people and that its projects are more ambitious than ever. The page also mentions an nDreams Academy, a learning pathway for junior team members, and describes a graduate level designer working on Ghostbusters VR.
Roles in a VR studio include game designers, programmers, artists, animators, audio staff, producers and testers, and the studio also needs people who understand how VR feels to play, since comfort is a big design question. Trying a few VR games and thinking about what made them comfortable or uncomfortable is a good way to start. Because VR is a smaller part of the industry, studios like this value people who are curious and willing to experiment. The Virtual Work Experience Programme and Summer Academy Pipeline mentioned on the studio's own page are the company's descriptions of how it introduces new people to game making, so look at its news page for the latest details. Even without a formal route, trying free engines such as Unity or Unreal and making a small VR prototype shows genuine interest.
Website: ndreams.com
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