Ubisoft has partnered with OWO to create a haptic feedback vest that will allow wearers to physically feel the actions of protagonist Basim as he parkours, and fights his way through ninth-century Baghdad in Assassin’s Creed Mirage.
“By leveraging OWO’s ground-breaking technologies and expertise, we are able to immerse players in the world, sounds and sensations of Assassin’s Creed Mirage in an innovative and enhanced way,” said Fabian Salomon, lead producer at Ubisoft Bordeaux. “We can’t wait for our players to discover and enjoy the coming-of-age story of Basim with the power of OWO.”
The Assassin’s Creed Mirage Edition of the OWO Haptic Gaming System includes the patented OWO Skin, 20 gel pads, an ‘OWO device’, and a game code, along with a charging cable, and storage pouch. The system is set to be compatible with PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S versions of the game.
Where mirage meets reality… Discover the Assassin’s Creed Mirage haptic system in collaboration with @owogameofficial
Learn more: https://t.co/z7zGWfZTQA pic.twitter.com/WZNMNalRx2— Assassin’s Creed (@assassinscreed) July 13, 2023
The vest itself has been given a bespoke Mirage aesthetic, and is made of a lightweight lycra augmented with a series of high conductivity electrodes and haptic pads that allow the wearer to feel a variety of sensations across the torso and arms.
It is also completely wireless, and will likely have a battery life of around eight hours, assuming that its specs are similar to those of the Founders Edition, which is the only other version of the system released to date.
Donning the vest will allow players to “feel all the impacts” and precise parkour movements that protagonist Basim makes and takes as he fights his way through Baghdad. According to OWO the Mirage edition of the haptic system will “incorporate new sensations never felt before” by existing users.
These haptic sensations can be controlled via the My OWO smartphone app, which allows users to customise their settings, and modify the intensity of the feedback as needed. To date no price has been given for the Assassin’s Creed Mirage Edition. However, the Founder Edition of the system is currently on sale for 499 Euros on OWO’s website, so with the addition of a game code, the new offering will more than likely meet that price point, or exceed it.
Whilst no confirmation has been given, the special edition will likely be usable with the library of games that are already compatible with the Founder Edition system, which includes a small pool of native games, and a wider selection of titles with modded support, including Fortnite, and Half Life Alyx.
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer