News
[E3 2015] Capcom Unveils New VR Engine With Freaky ‘KITCHEN’ Demo
Capcom is showing off their latest game engine at E3 with a virtual reality demo called KITCHEN. The tech was designed for Sony’s Project Morpheus, so at least for the time being, it’s only playable on the PlayStation 4. I wanted to wait and see if they were going to release some footage from the demo, but the response I received after asking about it leads me to believe the publisher isn’t ready to show it off yet. I suppose that means we’ll just have to dust off our imaginations.
The press release that announced the new engine and its demo doesn’t reveal much more than its spooky setting, a “disturbing kitchen” that provides an “unsettling backdrop for a tense scenario that draws players into a hyper-realistic virtual world like never before.” That leads me to believe that at some point in the demo the fridge magnets will magically form the words “LOOK BEHIND YOU.”
The engine that powers the demo is fully VR compatible and new enough to not have a name. We know it renders “photorealistic visuals” in full 1080p and at 60 frames per second. The company plans on pairing the tech with “advanced photo scan and visual effects tools to bring highly realistic characters and environments to life, delivering exciting new gameplay experiences for fans.”
Whether or not the KITCHEN demo “pushes the boundaries of a gameplay experience with an unprecedented level of sensory immersion” doesn’t matter as much as the confirmation that Capcom is serious about getting virtual reality technology into their line-up, because that means we’re officially one step closer to a Resident Evil VR game.
News
Legendary Grimdark ‘Warhammer 40,000’ Artist John Blanche Has Passed Away at 78
In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war, but it was a cheerful illustrator from England who helped to define the terrifying war-torn imagery that inspired what we now know as Grimdark (a hybrid genre combining horror with sci-fi/fantasy).
Unfortunately for fans of Warhammer 40,000, Trench Crusade and countless other sources of Grimdark thrills, veteran artist John Blanche passed away this week after struggling with health issues for the past few years.
While the artist retired back in 2023, he leaves us with an enormous legacy of iconic artwork that continues to inspire gamers and storytellers around the world to this very day.
The news is especially gloomy as it was only last year that Daniel Lowman and Napoleon Dynamite himself Jon Heder released The Grim & the Dark: The Search for John Blanche, a documentary following Heder’s exploration of the Grimdark genre culminating in a heartwarming encounter with Blanche in his own home.
Below is one of my favorite pieces by Blanche, his highly influential depiction of Warhammer 40k’s God-Emperor of Mankind on his Golden Throne.
We send our deepest condolences to John Blanche’s family, friends, and fans.


You must be logged in to post a comment.