Presence Labs

Presence Labs was an independent virtual reality entertainment studio based in Seattle. Established in 2015, it developed interactive experiences combining music, real-time graphics and immersive environments. Its work focused particularly on mobile VR, including Samsung Gear VR powered by Oculus, with an emphasis on reaching casual and mainstream consumer audiences.

At a time when other developers were concentrating on high-end PC-connected headsets, Presence Labs pursued experiences designed around mobile hardware. Its capabilities included VR content design and engineering, headset software optimization, audio-reactive graphics and cross-platform interactive entertainment.

Music-driven virtual worlds

The studio’s flagship application, GrooVR, debuted on Christmas Eve 2015. The mobile VR visualizer used listeners’ music to drive responsive virtual environments. Experiences within the application included Dancer, a stylized character environment, and Transcendence, an atmospheric visualization sequence. These projects brought audio visualization into an immersive setting rather than presenting it solely on a conventional screen.

In July 2016, the studio released Fireworks Lady Liberty, also cataloged as Fireworks VR. Built with Unity, the real-time, 360-degree experience placed viewers in New York Harbor for a Fourth of July fireworks celebration. The studio’s broader development work included interactive prototypes and experiences across multiple platforms.

Later history

Presence Labs subsequently scaled down and became inactive. The supplied research reports that its commercial website is offline and that its GrooVR trademark registration was cancelled. Its earlier work documents an independent studio’s exploration of music-driven entertainment and accessible mobile virtual reality during the first wave of consumer VR headsets.