Eclipso's VR experience Everest: The First Ascent to launch in London later this month
- Immersive Rumours
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The production has also been officially selected for the Venice Immersive competition at the 83rd Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica.
Image: Eclipso/Small Creative
Leading immersive entertainment company Eclipso will bring its newest immersive experience, Everest: The First Ascent, to Venice later this month, where it has been officially selected for the Venice Immersive Competition at the 83rd Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica.
The experience will have its world premiere in Venice from 2nd to 12th September 2026, before opening in Eclipso's Camden Town venue on 30th September 2026.
The experience's inclusion in the festival is a landmark success for Eclipso, marking recognition for a project that lets audiences experience from within one of the most extraordinary episodes in the history of exploration: the first ascent of Everest in 1953.
Created by Jean Dellac and Benjamin Auriche, the experience transports audiences directly into the 1953 expedition that saw Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay become the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
Rather than simply watching the story or looking at photos of the first ascent, audiences are placed at the heart of the expedition. From Kathmandu and the culture of the Sherpa people, to the high-altitude camps, glaciers and the final summit approach, visitors follow the journey of Hillary and Norgay, experiencing the scale and challenges of their historic mission first-hand.
The experience reveals the physical and psychological realities behind the photographs and documentaries that have told their story for generations. Through immersive VR, audiences can now experience the altitude, the vastness and the reality of the Himalayas, gaining a new perspective on what it takes to conquer the world's highest mountain.
Everest: The First Ascent is the latest addition to Eclipso's collection of historical and educational immersive experiences. Following journeys from beneath the ocean with Titanic to beyond the stars with its space exploration experiences, Eclipso now takes audiences to the roof of the world, combining cutting-edge technology with some of the most compelling stories in exploration history.
Founder and CEO Antoine Lieutaud says:
It is an honour to be selected and recognised by Venice Immersive, and we’re looking forward to showcasing our latest virtual experience to festival audiences and competing within the XR space. We love transporting viewers to extraordinary places, and Everest is all about letting people feel what it meant to stand where no one had stood before. We can't wait to share that with audiences at our world premiere in Venice, and soon after, in London.
Jean Dellac says:
The first ascent of Everest in 1953 is one of the greatest human adventures of the 20th century, and we wanted audiences to experience it from within. Through the perspectives of Edmund Hillary, Tenzing Norgay and the Sherpa team, we bring this extraordinary expedition to life, from the beauty of the Himalayas to the physical and emotional challenges of the climb. We’re thrilled to see this story recognised by the Venice Immersive competition and look forward to sharing it with audiences around the world.
Everest: The First Ascent will launch at Eclipso's Camden Town venue on 30th September 2026. Tickets are on sale from 16th September, with the waitlist for tickets available here.
