NC Play, the social gaming label of Byron Bay and LA-based XR studio New Canvas, has released its first cross-platform game and revealed plans for a narrative-driven PC title set in the world of its VR series, Lustration.
Free to play in Meta Horizon, Pop & Drop is a multi-player game where participants float above danger on balloons and take turns spinning a wheel of fate that determines actions in each round from 10 possible outcomes.
Between turns, players can negotiate, betray, or ally with other players to survive.
Each game lasts 5-10 minutes and supports 1–6 players, who can enter a round against NPCs or fill a lobby with friends. Pop & Drop rewards players with gold to purchase special balloons. Additional features and customisations will be rolled out over time.
It follows the launch of NC Play last month as a way for the studio to translate its New Canvas’ XR IP into story-driven game formats across mobile, browsers, and PCs.
Next up will be an expansion of the Lustration universe created by First Nations writer/director Ryan Griffen, and based on his graphic novel published by Gestalt Comics.
Set in the afterlife, Lustration: The Game builds on the 2022 VR series from New Canvas and invites players to step into the role of a series character and journey between realms, navigating themes of truth, memory, and the insidious impact of misinformation on individuals and communities.
With branching perspectives and immersive exploration, the game deepens the emotional and philosophical core that made the VR series a standout. Additional details, including early looks and a release window, will be revealed in the coming months.
A lifelong gamer, Griffen said seeing Lustration step into the world of interactive storytelling was the realisation of a dream that had been sitting on his bucket list for years.
“This world was always meant to be explored, not just watched,” he said.
“Now players get to walk through the world of the Between for themselves, and that is very exciting for a storyteller to see.”