Kluge has been working towards a moment like this with Synth Riders: Not just working with a band, but creating a time capsule for an era. What we did with the Synth Riders 80s Mixtape — Side A is to capture a feeling when you start playing along to the tracks. After all, Kluge is an immersive game studio and we want you to feel like you’re a part of this wild decade.
Our new Endless Café stage is almost like you’re in that 2015 futuristic-retro restaurant from Back to the Future II that’s themed around the 1980s.
Esteban Meneses, 3D Artist on Synth Riders
(You can read more about the five tracks and new free stage over on the Synth Riders blog.)
To say that this was a team effort would be an understatement. It took the work of not just our crew, but our partners giving us the freedom to really explore how to get people up and dancing to tracks like “Take on Me,” “Whip It,” and “Sussudio.”
The idea for the 80s Mixtape was born out of a brilliant collaboration between a major record label executive and the Kluge music team.
Yuko Wood, Kluge Legal Lead
“The idea was to bring old school —yet evergreen— 80s classics to Synth Riders, which is itself a game inspired by 80s nostalgia. Without the support, enthusiasm, and shared vision of the labels and publishers, it wouldn’t have been possible to bring these songs to Synth Riders fans — and for that we are very grateful,” Yuko adds.
This all comes on the heels of also releasing Synth Riders for Apple Vision Pro to wide acclaim. It’s already gotten raves as being a must-play launch experience for AVP owners. Better yet, Apple Arcade subscribers that have Synth Riders will automatically have access to this new, 80s-flavored premium content.
This is just the beginning of some incredibly exciting times — and not just because of the inevitable “Side B” that will be coming to Synth Riders at a later date. Kluge Interactive has been working behind the scenes to help tell more stories. To go deeper… to have even more fun with the music that you love… in ways that can only be unlocked through VR and Mixed Reality.
In other words, we can’t wait to show you what’s next!
Synth Riders 80s Mixtape Side A is available on these XR devices: