Virtual reality game nets real-life Emmy nod for Newfoundland-based company

The studio head of Other Ocean Interactive thought she got a congratulatory email for an Emmy nomination by mistake.

"Then I was sent a copy of the the press release," said DeidreArye, who is head of operations for the company.

"It was very exciting to be hired for the project initially ... and this, of course, makes it particularly sweet."

The project involved developing a virtual reality game Virtual Rick-ality based on the cult-favourite TV animated series Rick and Morty on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. The gamewas includedas part of an episode of the series.

Other Ocean Interactive was nominated in the category of Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media Within a Scripted Program.

A shared nomination

Three other companies sharethe nominationfor their work on Rick and Morty:Owlchemy Labs, Adult Swim Games and the Rick and Morty creative team.

Ayre said it was definitely a team effort.

"It was a collaborative project that Other Ocean was hired to be a part of, given our virtual reality development experience and strong technical team," she told CBC's Fred Hutton via email.

"We weren't involved in the content but the technical aspects which, like special effects, is an art form unto itself."

The group faces some stiff competition, with teams from the Netflix hit 13 Reasons Why, USA Network's Mr. Robot and HBO's Silicon Valley and Westworld also nominated in the same category.

From California to Atlantic Canada

Ayre's brother, a fellow Newfoundlander, started Other Ocean Interactive in Silicon Valley while wanting to bring the business back home.

Andrew hired his sister to make that happen, and she set up an office in Charlottetown, P.E.I. in 2006.

Ayre moved home to Newfoundland in 2008 and she opened another office in St. John's.

When Ayre found out Other Ocean Interactive would get the chance to work on the Rick and Morty game, it was already considered an achievement even before the Emmy nomination.

"We all thought that was pretty frigging cool, there's no question about that," Ayre told CBC at the time.

Read more articles by CBC Newfoundland and Labrador