Industry veterans Philip and Andrew Oliver, along with Viewpoint Games’ Neil Campbell, have today announced a new studio working on a new project: Panivox.
Just what Panivox is remains something of a mystery. The company describes it as a “ground-breaking new interactive digital media format” while the website adds that it’s a “a new disruptive platform and app.”
“PANIVOX has a proof-of-concept which establishes a completely new genre of digital media that can be applied to both entertainment and information, empowering user-generated content creators and opening up new commercial opportunities for IP holders,” continued the statement.
Reading between the lines, that sounds like it might be related to the current craze for NFTs alongside some kind of media creation tool.
An initial angel investment round saw support from other UK industry stalwarts, including Rebellion co-founder and CTO Chris Kingsley OBE, Unit 2 Games co-founder and CEO Richard Smithies and Supersonic Software & AppyNation Founder and CEO Peter Williamson, among others.
The platform is set for a full product launch in Q4 of this year, with a seed investment round in early June to support content development and marketing plans.
Philip Oliver said: “Throughout our careers, we’ve pioneered new technologies and techniques within games and interactive media. With PANIVOX, we think we’re onto something that represents an entirely new form of entertainment, and we hope to be out in front and pioneering once again.”
Chris Kingsley OBE added: “I’ve known the Oliver brothers since the mid ‘90s and we’ve always got on fantastically well. I’ve a great deal of respect for their creative and business achievements and believe PANIVOX could do something really ground-breaking in a Blue Ocean area in games. Watch this space!”