Zombie Ants VR is a short (5-10 minute) educational experience that takes the player through the life cycle of Ophiocordyceps, a fungus that manipulates the behavior of insects (in this case ants) in order to increase the spread of its spores. This fungus was a large inspiration for the video game series Last of Us and is often referred to as the "Zombie Fungus".
The game offers several different control schemes to accommodate all sorts of players from those who have never used VR before to those who want a more interactive experience. There is also a motion sickness option. Educational content of the game is recommended for ages 12+, but may be suitable for younger audiences.
Zombie Ants VR was created by a large collaborative effort between researchers, student, and recent-graduates of the University of Central Florida (UCF) biology, game development, and acting departments as well as the University of Utrecht (UU) biology, computer science, and arts departments. It was supported by NSF Career 1941546, made available to Charissa de Bekker, and internal funding form Utrecht University, made available to William C. Beckerson.
