Fender & BMW partner with Meta to launch VR experiences

At the Cannes Festival in South France, Meta announced two new virtual lands - Fender Stratoverse for guitar maker Fender, and Miniverse for car manufacturer BMW Group to bring virtual experiences to Horizon Worlds. 

The two simulations, created in partnership with Creative Shop, aim to offer users virtual experience of driving a Mini and a ‘first of its kind co-play audio experience to create original music riffs’ to showcase branded content to the Metaverse audiences. Both will only be available to Meta Quest 2 Headset users based in the U.S., Canada and UK.

Horizon Worlds is Meta’s destination for VR and Metaverse enthusiasts which allows them to explore virtual worlds and ready-to-use VR building blocks to help creators develop them. 

In the Miniverse, up to four drivers can race in a MINI around a gravity-defying track. Spectators can help or hinder the racers using press buttons to flick cars off the ramp or place obstacles on the track. 

While in the Fender Stratoverse, users get to explore a Stratocaster guitar-shaped island surrounded by clouds, Fender amps and planets high in the stratosphere. Players’ mission is to search for guitar chords represented by sparkling colored guitar picks and place them at Riff Maker to create their own music arrangements. Fender describes it as a ‘first of its kind co-play audio experience to create original music riffs.’

There are also easter eggs, or hidden surprises which include air guitar zones and four special golden picks.

‘We could not be more pleased to have been invited by Meta to bring Fender into the metaverse for the first time,’ said CMO Fender, Evan Jones. ‘As a brand we are committed to enabling all forms of musical expression and are thrilled by the potential this technology has to allow Fender fans and creators to come together, play, and create across borders, cultures, and from any distance.’

Photo: BMW Group