Today, Switzerland-based AI startup Ovomind presented what it calls the eponymous world's first technology for powering 'emotion-driven gameplay.' The technology measures the player's body's reactions in real-time thanks to a wearable smartband, with the goal of capturing the player's emotional state and submitting it to games.
Yann Frachi, co-founder and CEO, Ovomind, said in a statement:
At Ovomind, we believe the future of gaming lies in forging a deeper connection between players and the worlds they explore. By harnessing the power of emotional AI, we’re not just creating games that respond to actions, but to feelings—delivering a truly immersive experience where every heartbeat shapes the journey.
Julien Masse, co-founder and CTO, added:
After captivating audiences with successful demos at the Tokyo Game Show in Japan, we’re thrilled to bring this groundbreaking technology to the U.S. for the first time at the Game Developers Conference in 2025. Attendees will get the chance to ‘feel’ the game adapt to their emotions in real time—where every heartbeat shapes the adventure—ushering in a new era of games immersion.
At GDC 2025, which takes place in San Francisco between March 17 and 22, attendees will be able to try out the Ovomind DK1 Developer Bundle, for which pre-orders are now open at $199.99 ahead of the expected launch in Q2 2025. The bundle includes:
- Ovomind Smartband
- Ovomind App (iOS, Android, Desktop)
- Ovomind Web Platform & Studio Dashboard: Provides advanced analytics and insights
- Ovomind Online SDK to set up game interactions and customizable analytics
- User Research & Analytics Tools: Includes video playback with dynamic emotion heatmaps
- Access to Exclusive Tech Demo - Dead Shadows
Dead Shadows is a five-minute tech demo created by Marc Albinet, who was the Game Director of Assassin's Creed Unity and Dying Light 2: Stay Human, to show off Ovomind's Affective Gen AI. In the demo, users will experience two modes: Psychological Terror, which heightens suspense with unsettling visuals, eerie soundscapes, and gameplay elements that react to fear, and Adaptive Relaxation, which transitions gameplay to a calming environment, allowing players to manage stress and experience tranquility.
A free offline SDK with simulated data for Unreal Engine and Unity developers can be received simply by contacting Ovomind at this email address.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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