Survios
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games, Virtual reality |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Nathan Burba, James Iliff, Graham Matuszewski, Alex Silkin |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | TQ Jefferson (head of 2124 Publishing) |
| Products | Raw Data, Sprint Vector, Electronauts, Creed: Rise to Glory, Battlewake, The Walking Dead: Onslaught, Westworld: Awakening, Big Rumble Boxing: Creed Champions |
| Owner | Private ownership |
Survios is a United States-based developer and publisher specializing in virtual reality games and software, headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The firm produces VR titles such as Raw Data and Sprint Vector. Originating from the University of Southern California's Mixed Reality Lab, Survios was established by alumni who collaborated on Project Holodeck. The company has secured over $54 million through venture capital investments, with leading contributions from Shasta Ventures, Lux Capital, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
History - Foundations and Holodeck
In March 2012, USC students Nathan Burba, James Iliff, Graham Matuszewski, and Alex Silkin initiated Project Holodeck, developing the first portable VR system with full-body tracking. They also created Wild Skies, a cooperative tech demonstration showcasing Active VR gameplay, avatar embodiment, and comprehensive body tracking.
The following year, 2013, saw the official formation of Survios and the release of Zombies on the Holodeck, a noir-style survival shooter presented on an early Oculus Rift headset prototype. This experience incorporated PlayStation Move and Razer Hydra controllers to enhance immersion. The project earned three Proto Awards: ‘Best Overall Experience,’ ‘Most Transportive,’ and ‘Best Interaction Design.’ In 2014, Survios secured $4 million in funding from Shasta Ventures, Mavent Partners, World Innovation Lab, and Felicis Ventures to further VR content creation and technological advancements.
Raw Data and Active VR Technology
Survios’ debut game, Raw Data, launched in December 2015 for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. It features a variety of weapons used against robotic adversaries within interactive settings that include destructible elements. The game supports full-body positional tracking, avatar embodiment, and cooperative multiplayer gameplay. Prior to its official release, media outlets praised Raw Data for its immersive qualities; for instance, TechCrunch described it as "Perhaps the most advanced first person shooter in VR." Following alpha testing and demos, the title became available on Steam Early Access for HTC Vive users in July 2016, later expanding to an Oculus Rift+Touch version with cross-platform cooperative play.
Raw Data was notable for becoming the first VR title to generate $1 million in sales within its initial month of early access availability, also achieving the #1 Top Seller position on Steam across all categories. It garnered widespread critical acclaim.
Growth and Expansion in Virtual Reality
In 2016, Survios raised $50 million from investors including MGM, Lux Capital, Shasta Ventures, Danhua Capital, Shanda Holdings, Felicis Ventures, and Dentsu Ventures to boost development efforts and broaden its market reach. In January 2017, the company announced Raw Data Arcade—an exclusive iteration tailored for VR arcade venues.
At the GDC 2017 event, Survios introduced Sprint Vector, a virtual reality racing title featuring "Fluid Locomotion," which allows players to mimic walking, running, climbing, jumping, and flying by arm movements—offering an alternative to traditional teleportation mechanics. Released on February 2, 2018 for PCVR and PSVR platforms, it received positive reviews highlighting its refined gameplay and innovative movement system.
December 2017 marked the reveal of Electronauts, an immersive music creation platform developed in collaboration with Apple for the new iMac Pro. During CES 2018, Survios announced plans to establish its own VR arcade in Torrance, California. Additionally, it disclosed partnerships with theaters and retail outlets to deploy social VR Pods under the codename "Tesseract," featuring spectator-friendly glass projection technology.
In May 2019, Survios unveiled Battlewake, a pirate-themed naval combat game inspired by franchises like Twisted Metal. By June 2020, Survios had partnered with Square Enix and Taito to create a new title set within the Bubble Bobble universe.
On October 27, 2021, Survios launched 2124 Publishing to support independent developers by providing funding, live service management, and platform relations. Headed by TQ Jefferson, this division’s inaugural release will be the role-playing game Romancelvania: BATchelor’s Curse developed by The Deep End Games and scheduled for launch in 2022.
Film and television
Survios has established itself as a prominent creator of licensed virtual reality titles, starting in March 2018 with the acquisition of the MGM rights for the Creed series. The VR boxing game Creed: Rise to Glory allows users to embody Adonis Creed as he pursues the world championship.
In May 2019, Survios obtained the license for AMC’s The Walking Dead, leading to the development of The Walking Dead: Onslaught. This VR title is set within the universe of the television series and features Norman Reedus reprising his role as Daryl Dixon.
Additionally, Survios created Westworld: Awakening, a virtual reality experience inspired by HBO’s acclaimed show Westworld. Released in August 2019 on Viveport and SteamVR platforms, this game offers players a narrative spanning five chapters that correspond with the second season of the series.
Crossing Realities: Cross-Platform, Cross-Reality Play
Beyond virtual reality, Survios expanded its portfolio with Big Rumble Boxing: Creed Champions, a boxing game drawing from the Creed and Rocky franchises. This title is accessible on conventional gaming systems such as Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
In October 2020, Survios secured $16.7 million during a funding round spearheaded by Irongrey, Woori Technology, KNET Venture Fund, Seoul Investment Partners, Shasta Ventures, Lux Capital, and Samsung Next. The capital is intended to support further advancements in virtual reality and cross-reality technologies.
Games
| Title | Release date | Platform(s) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raw Data | Template:DTS | PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, SteamVR | ||
| Sprint Vector | Template:DTS | PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, SteamVR | ||
| Electronauts | Template:DTS | PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, SteamVR | ||
| Creed: Rise to Glory | Template:DTS | PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, SteamVR | ||
| Battlewake | Template:DTS | PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, SteamVR | ||
| The Walking Dead: Onslaught | Template:DTS | PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, SteamVR | ||
| Puzzle Bobble VR: Vacation Odyssey | Template:DTS | Oculus Quest | ||
| Big Rumble Boxing: Creed Champions | Template:DTS | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows | Flatscreen (Non-VR) title | |
| Alien: Rogue Incursion | Template:DTS | PlayStation VR2, Meta Quest 3, SteamVR |
Awards
Proto Awards Best Overall Experience Template:Won| Year | Game | Award | Nomination Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Fast Company Most Innovative Company Awards | Games Category | Template:Won | |
| 2019 | Westworld Awakening | D.I.C.E Award | Immersive Reality Technical Achievement | Template:Nom |
| 2018 | Upload VR Awards | Developer of the Year | Template:Won | |
| 2018 | Sprint Vector | Golden Joystick | Best VR Game | Template:Nom |
| SXSW | Best VR Game | Template:Nom | ||
| Indigo Awards | Best Character Design | Template:Won | ||
| Gamer's Choice Awards | Best VR Game of the Year | Template:Nom | ||
| VR Awards | VR Game of the Year | Template:Nom | ||
| 2018 | Electronauts | Indigo Awards | Best Sound Design | Template:Won |
| Indigo Awards | Best Use of Music for Games | Template:Won | ||
| 2017 | Raw Data | VR Awards | VR Game of the Year | Template:Won |
| 2014 | Zombies on the Holodeck | Proto Awards | Best Interaction Design | Template:Won |
| Proto Awards | Most Transportive | Template:Won |