ILM has made a Star Wars mixed reality experience for Meta Quest

Engadget - Apr 18th, 2025
Open on Engadget

ILM has unveiled more details about its new mixed reality playset, Star Wars: Beyond Victory, designed for Meta Quest headsets. Announced during the Star Wars Celebration 2025 in San Francisco, the experience focuses on podracing and offers three distinct modes: Adventure, Arcade, and Playset. Adventure mode follows a narrative involving an aspiring podracer mentored by the infamous Sebulba from Star Wars Episode I, while Arcade mode provides a mixed reality podracing experience on a virtual holotable. The Playset mode allows players to create Star Wars moments using unlockable virtual action figures and vehicles, blending the physical and digital worlds in an innovative way. Although the video preview has received mixed reactions, the scarcity of quality mixed reality content and the draw of the Star Wars franchise may boost its appeal.

The significance of Star Wars: Beyond Victory lies in its potential to redefine how fans engage with the Star Wars universe, leveraging mixed reality technology to create immersive experiences. ILM's endeavor highlights the growing interest and investment in virtual and augmented reality as the next frontier for interactive entertainment. While the release date and pricing remain undisclosed, the anticipation surrounding the playset reflects a broader trend towards the integration of advanced technology in storytelling and gaming. This development could set a precedent for future projects, encouraging further exploration of mixed reality applications across different franchises and media formats.

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

8.2
Fair Story
Consider it well-founded

The article provides a comprehensive and accurate overview of ILM's new mixed reality experience, *Star Wars: Beyond Victory*. It effectively communicates the key features and modes of the playset while maintaining a high level of clarity and readability. The reliance on official sources ensures factual accuracy, though the inclusion of a broader range of perspectives could enhance balance and source quality. The article is timely and relevant, appealing to fans of Star Wars and those interested in mixed reality technology. While it may not have a significant societal impact, it engages its target audience effectively and provides transparency regarding potential conflicts of interest. Overall, the article is well-crafted and informative, with room for improvement in areas such as balance and source diversity.

RATING DETAILS

9
Accuracy

The news story accurately reports on ILM's announcement of the mixed reality experience *Star Wars: Beyond Victory* for Meta Quest headsets. The key factual claims, including the development of the playset, its focus on podracing, and the three gameplay modes (Adventure, Arcade, and Playset), are consistent with official sources. The mention of characters like Volo and Sebulba is also verified. However, the story could improve by providing more precise details on the release date and pricing, which are not yet announced but are correctly noted as pending. Overall, the article aligns well with the details available from official announcements and press releases.

7
Balance

The article primarily focuses on the new mixed reality experience from ILM, providing a detailed description of its features and modes. However, it lacks a broader industry perspective or commentary from external experts, which could offer additional context or critique of ILM's approach compared to other mixed reality experiences. The subjective opinion of the author about being 'underwhelmed' adds a personal touch but does not present an opposing view or a broader range of reactions from the community or industry experts.

9
Clarity

The article is well-structured and clearly communicates the main points about the new mixed reality playset. The language is straightforward, and the information is presented logically, making it easy for readers to understand the key features of *Star Wars: Beyond Victory*. The inclusion of specific details about the gameplay modes and the characters involved helps to paint a clear picture of what the experience entails. The only area for improvement might be in providing more context or background on mixed reality technology for readers unfamiliar with the concept.

8
Source quality

The article relies on ILM's press release and promotional materials, which are credible sources for information about the company's projects. However, it does not incorporate insights from independent industry analysts or third-party experts, which could enhance the depth and reliability of the information presented. The inclusion of more diverse sources would strengthen the article's authority and provide a more rounded view of the mixed reality market.

8
Transparency

The article is transparent about its source of information, primarily relying on ILM's announcements and press releases. It also discloses a potential conflict of interest by noting that the publisher may earn a commission if readers purchase through the provided links. This level of transparency is commendable, though further context on the author's expertise or background in mixed reality technology could provide additional transparency regarding the basis for their opinions.

Sources

  1. https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-beyond-victory-announce
  2. https://www.meta.com/blog/star-wars-beyond-victory-mixed-reality-playset-ilm-immersive-lucasfilm-quest-3/
  3. https://www.ilm.com/star-wars-beyond-reality-ilm-meta-immerisve/
  4. https://www.meta.com/experiences/star-wars-beyond-victory/9460903453969753/
  5. https://www.uploadvr.com/star-wars-beyond-victory-a-mixed-reality-playset-announcement/