‘Wonder’: Upcoming Mesmerizing Mixed Reality Experiences from the Creators of ‘Gadgeteer’

Metanaut, the creative minds behind the physics sandbox game Gadgeteer, inspired by Rube Goldberg’s intricate contraptions, has revealed an exciting new project. They’re rolling out an anthology of both virtual and mixed reality experiences that promise to captivate and dazzle users.

This innovative series, titled Wonder, is set to launch for the Quest 3/S within the coming months. Designed as what Metanaut describes as the “perfect escape” from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s bound to offer a revitalizing experience.

First teased back in late 2021, Wonder will initially include three distinct experiences upon its arrival in Spring. Here’s a glimpse of what’s in store, with even more additions planned post-launch:

• Ancient Ruins: Transforms your usual surroundings into a shadowy cavern that seems to be drawn into a swirling black hole.

• Jellyfish Bloom: A deep-sea marvel unfolds with bioluminescent jellyfish casting an ethereal glow across your room’s walls and furniture.

• Parallel Worlds: Opens up reality-twisting portals that reveal alternate versions of your space, each adorned with elements like ice and dots.

Metanaut developers have put forth that Wonder utilizes "clever and advanced rendering techniques," taking full advantage of Quest 3’s capabilities to provide stunning, lifelike visuals. This is achieved through the use of detailed room scans. Notably, the experience is built for hand tracking, so you can set your controllers aside.

“This technical marvel comes with custom-tailored, exquisite audio courtesy of the acclaimed Ictus Audio, known for winning the prestigious John Lennon Songwriting Competition,” the studio notes.

Peter Kao, the founder of Metanaut, comments on the current state of the XR industry. “It seems to have veered towards serving primarily younger audiences with a surge in free-to-play content lacking in quality,” Kao remarks. “With Wonder, we aimed to craft a magical experience targeted at an often overlooked audience—those who are slightly older and eager to experience unparalleled audiovisual brilliance on the latest technology.”

Wonder is now open for pre-orders at the introductory price of $4, with a noted increase expected as more content becomes available after its official release. It can be exclusively pre-ordered for the Quest 3 and Quest 3S.