April 15, 2026 - ARTE and German VR studio Curvature Games are delighted to announce the launch of The Amusement, a narrative VR experience that invites players to explore a hauntingly beautiful abandoned amusement park where every ride unlocks a memory from the past. The game releases on SteamVR and Meta Quest on April 16, 2026.
In The Amusement, players embody Samantha Burkhart as she returns to assess her late father’s derelict amusement park. What begins as a straightforward inspection becomes a deeply personal journey: each ride gradually reshapes into a scene from Samantha’s childhood, challenging players not only to repair the park’s attractions but to reconstruct the fragmented story of her family.
Inspired by real 1920s European Luna Parks, the game weaves together melancholic atmosphere, environmental storytelling, and gentle puzzle-solving. Using advanced redirected-walking technology, Curvature Games enables players to physically navigate the park as the world dynamically shifts around their movements, offering a truly immersive VR experience.
The launch of The Amusement follows Curvature Games’ previous successes with VR titles such as Arctic Olympics and Escape Quest: Espionage Express, and the game’s narrative is written by the Game Director of the cult VR favourite Elevator… to the Moon!.
For ARTE, this release continues its mission to champion innovative, narrative-rich interactive works. Recent projects such as Gloomy Eyes and Wednesdays demonstrate ARTE’s ongoing commitment to artistic video games that push creative boundaries.
The development of The Amusement was made possible through funding from Gamecity Hamburg and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection of Germany.
The Amusement is launching on 16th April on SteamVR and Meta Quest, with a launch price of [PRICE TBC]. Follow ARTE France on BlueSky and TikTok for updates and more details.
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Notes to Editors:
Media Contact: pr@theorycraftmarketing.com
Teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWMWftoE6bQ
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3867610/The_Amusement/
Meta Store: https://www.meta.com/fr-fr/experiences/the-amusement/23905152445793097/
About ARTE:
As a European public service cultural media, ARTE connects Europeans through culture and innovation. Its diverse editorial line-up of films, series, documentaries, video games, and podcasts fosters a shared imagination and democratic space. For over ten years, ARTE has co-produced and published independent and auteur video games such as Type:Rider, Homo Machina, Vectronom, Bury Me, My Love, To Hell with the Ugly, 30 Birds, and Looking for Fael.
After a first VR success with A Fisherman’s Tale, ARTE continues its exploration of immersive storytelling with The Amusement.
For more information, visit ARTE Interactive’s official website.
About Curvature Games:
Founded in 2020 by industry veterans and research scientists from University of Hamburg, Curvature Games is a German studio dedicated to advancing virtual reality as a storytelling medium. The team has created acclaimed VR and XR titles including Arctic Olympics, Escape Quest: Espionage Express and Reddie, blending technical innovation with emotional depth.
For more information, visit Curvature Games’ official website.