Thief VR: Reimagining a Classic Gaming IP for the XR Era

How do you translate one of the most foundational stealth franchises in gaming history into a medium where hiding in the shadows is no longer a button press, but a physical act of survival?

In this talk, Russ Harding, Chief Creative Officer at Maze Theory, will take a deep dive into the game design and development of Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow. Moving far beyond a standard port, Russ will discuss the "VR-First" philosophy required to step into the boots of the cunning street thief, Magpie. 

Join us to discover how various gaming mechanic—from tactile movement to environmental interaction—have been built to make you feel like a thief. Learn how the team leveraged novel interactions to heighten tension, such as physically blowing out candles via the headset’s microphone and the haptic-heavy nuance of pickpocketing. Finally, hear how they balanced the classic sandbox freedom of the original trilogy with the visceral intensity of being eye-to-eye with the City Watch.

With over 30 years in interactive entertainment, Russ Harding has led creative innovation across console, XR, and spatial platforms, blending story, game design, and technology. As Chief Creative Officer at Maze Theory, he drives the vision and strategy for immersive worlds, including Doctor Who: The Edge of Time, Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom, Infinite Inside, and and the upcoming MR experience Project Hail Mary: Journey Among the Stars, based on the universe created by Andy Weir, scheduled for release later this year. Previously at PlayStation London Studio, he pioneered formats like EyeToy™ and the award-winning Wonderbook™, and served as Creative Director on PlayStation VR Worlds for the global PSVR launch. Today, his work focuses on immersive storytelling, spatial interaction, and the evolution of transmedia entertainment across mixed reality and next-generation platforms.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT

Book your ticket here and join the session on Zoom on Friday, 19th June or watch the replay. Please see the schedule below for your local time. For sessions that fall too early or too late in your time zone, we highly recommend catching up via our on-demand replays.

  • EUROPE – FRIDAY, 19 JUNE

    • 2:40 PM - 3:20 PM BST (UK)

    • 3:40 PM - 4:20 PM CET

    • 4:40 PM - 5:20 PM EET

  • NORTH AMERICA – FRIDAY, 19 JUNE

    • 9:40 AM - 10:20 AM EDT

    • 8:40 AM - 9:20 AM CDT

    • 7:40 AM - 8:20 AM MDT

    • 6:40 AM - 7:20 AM PDT

  • ASIA & AUSTRALIA – FRIDAY, 19 JUNE

    • 9:40 PM - 10:20 PM CST

    • 10:40 PM - 11:20 PM JST

    • 10:40 PM - 11:20 PM KST

    • 11:40 PM - 12:20 AM AEST