What the Fart is That Smell, Ubisoft?

Ubisoft has launched a campaign surrounding the Nosulus Rift, which features three videos discussing how the perfect fart was created.

How can something that smells so bad feel so good? In a perfect world, such a notion would be nothing short of repugnant, but in the expansive universe of virtual reality carved by Ubisoft, the concept has proven to be truly explosive, thanks to its disruptive yet literally game-changing nature.

With a firm stomach for innovation, the company recently put Buzzman to task when the Paris-based creative shop was sniffed out to create a thing of flatulence. The aim was to take South Park game, The Fractured But Whole (a fitting title when said out loud), to a whole other olfactory level.

A ‘fresh’ release by the brand in more ways than one, the video game has introduced a new character—a kid whose superpowers are activated upon passing gas, one of which is teletransporting. Why is this important? For starters, the game developer needed technology to redefine immersive entertainment.

Picking up on Ubisoft’s scent following further talks, the ad agency proceeded to form a new division of invention called Productman to think about what the perfect fart would entail, and how it could enhance the player’s interactive experience through the power of ass. So what did they do?

An expert team of industrial designers, chemists, and noses (the French reference for perfumers) as well as hardware and software engineers was hired to get cracking on the project. Over two dozen odour samplings later, the Nosulus Rift emerged in all its splendid glory.

“I smelt more than a thousand fart scents before synthesising the right one. We found these olfactive elements in the food aromas universe to get the scents of cabbage, onions, and chorizo that we finally matched to get what is called the Fart N°3,” said Isabelle Ferrand, the nose, in a promotional video made for the push.

Designed to ignite the senses, the technology was created and tested by said unit so that the end result would offer a light mask that delivers a sensory experience in virtual reality through smell. The first use for the gadget was conceived for the Ubisoft game being released next December.

With the mask, the player will encounter subtle smells, allowing him or her to then truly incarnate the hero and live in an original experience. Between now and 21 August 2016, the Nosulus Rift will first be tested at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany. The event is one of the world’s largest in gaming.

In the upcoming weeks, the promotional virtual reality tool is slated to be presented exclusively alongside the South Park: The Fractured But Whole game demo through a selection of major gaming events across the United States and Europe until the game’s official release on 6 December 2016.

Deployed from 12 August 2016, the supporting campaign created by Buzzman is composed of a web movie and of three interviews broadcasted on a dedicated website. The spots capture the producer of the game, nose, and designer narrating the backstory of the mask’s making.

“We’ve been dedicated to finding a true innovation that is going to push the bar forward. With the Nosulus Rift, have we made the world a better place? Probably not, but we’ve made the world a smellier place, and I think that’s important,” said Jason Schroeder, Senior Producer at Ubisoft San Francisco.

Fart small, stink big. Right?