Skip to main content

‘Everest ’53’ VR project will take you back to the historic first ascent

CGO Studios has made a name for itself creating virtual reality experiences that immerse viewers in historical events. The company’s current project, Everest ’53, take viewers on a time traveling journey back to Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s monumental first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953. The project, which is being developed for the Oculus Rift and Touch controller, will initially be available later this year.

“Since starting the project over a year ago, we’ve constantly been inspired by these two historical figures and we are very excited to share their story in the most immersive and engaging way possible,” producer and CGO founder Jonah Hirsch said in a statement. The studios’ previous projects included stories about Anne Frank, and the Wright Brothers’ first flight.

Recommended Videos

Everest ’53 seeks to accurately recreate the conditions Hillary and Norgay climbed in and the tools and equipment they had at their disposal. To help with this, Hillary and Norgay’s sons, Peter Hillary and Jamling Tenzing Norgay, are assisting on the project. Both followed in their fathers’ footsteps in summiting Everest in 2003 on the 50th anniversary of the first climb.

Director Danny Abrahms (left) observes as Jamling Tenzing Norgay (center) demonstrates proper climbing technique. Image used with permission by copyright holder

“In 1953, they were climbing into the unknown,” Peter Hillary said. “Could it be done? Was the altitude going to be too much for our human physiology? And of course they were using old wooden ice axes to cut steps in the steep ice.”

Tenzing Norgay’s other son, Norbu, is vice president of the American Himalayan Foundation and will also be contributing his experience to Everest ’53. He added, “To relive and experience history in VR and know what it felt like to be the first humans on the highest point on earth, this project will be an extraordinary experience. It was at that time the closest man had come to getting to the moon.”

Daven Mathies
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Daven is a contributing writer to the photography section. He has been with Digital Trends since 2016 and has been writing…
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook is less than half-price — down to $189
The front and back view of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3. Chromebook

If you can't find laptop deals that fit a tight budget, you may want to consider looking at Chromebook deals instead. Here's a very affordable offer from Best Buy: the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook for just $189, for savings of $210 on its original price of $399. We're not sure if stocks will still be available by tomorrow though, so we highly recommend proceeding with your purchase of the device today if you don't want to miss out on this chance to get it for less than half-price.

Why you should buy the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook

Read more
The Samsung Odyssey G3 gaming monitor is even more affordable at $80 off
The Samsung Odyssey G3 gaming monitor on a white background.

While there are Samsung monitor deals for premium screens, you'll be happy to know that there are also some affordable options like the 24-inch Samsung Odyssey G3 gaming monitor. In fact, its price is even lower right now following an $80 discount from Best Buy, which brings it down from $200 to just $120. You're going to have to be quick with your purchase though, as we're not sure how much time is remaining before this offer expires, and once it's gone, there's no telling when you'll get another chance at it.

Why you should buy the 24-inch Samsung Odyssey G3 gaming monitor

Read more
Leak suggests Snapdragon X Elite 2 will give laptops a serious performance boost
Angled front view of the Dell XPS 13 with Snapdragon X Elite processor inside.

Qualcomm's big entrance into the laptop market last year got a lot of attention and now, leaks about its next-gen Snapdragon laptop chips are slowly starting to emerge. Known Weibo leaker Fixed Focus Digital claims that boost clock speeds will start at 4.4 GHz and estimates performance gains between 18 and 22%.

https://twitter.com/Jukanlosreve/status/1912018674233532691

Read more