House of Secrets

What House of Secrets does

House of Secrets is a Utrecht-based, founder-owned studio founded in 2004 that specializes in virtual reality experiences, interactive installations, and 3D animation. With a core team of 8 augmented by project-based freelancers, the studio serves enterprise brand clients (Pepsi, Muse, Fiat, Holland Casino, ABN AMRO, Bol.com), museums and cultural institutions (Mauritshuis, Railway Museum Utrecht), and VR gaming consumers via digital storefronts. The studio produces original VR titles including KIN, APEX, Surge, and the Muse Simulation Theory VR games, alongside interactive installations such as Zuiderzeelight, Artcade Expo, and Planet Happiness Expo.

The studio's technical foundation rests on Unreal Engine 4 and Unity for VR and real-time animation, supplemented by custom procedural design tools developed in-house for environment and asset generation. Its proprietary features include real-time VR animation pipelines, a VR platformer game engine used in KIN, and optical flow technology that enables body-movement-driven interactivity in installations. House of Secrets combines character animation, 3D/VFX, and VR production capabilities under one roof, delivering projects from concept art through testing and deployment.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: professional services for branded VR content and custom installations (project-based, multi-year contracts with custom pricing), original game sales through VR digital storefronts (one-time licenses on Steam, Oculus Store, Meta Quest), and procedural design tool development for other studios. Distribution occurs via direct brand client relationships (often intermediated by creative agencies such as HXTN and wearelisten), VR platform partnerships with Oculus, SamsungVR, and Kaleidoscope VR, and event-driven visibility through film festival screenings (Sundance, Tribeca, Cannes). The studio has been recognized with multiple industry awards including a Thea Award (2013), Proto Awards (2015, 2016), and a Clio Award (2019).

Name

House of Secrets

Legal name

House of Secrets

Website

https://houseofsecrets.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Utrecht-based VR and interactive animation studio serving enterprise brands (Pepsi, Muse, Fiat), museums, and VR consumers through original VR titles, branded experiences, and custom interactive installations built on Unreal Engine and Unity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Virtual Reality Content Production

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132)

akta.pro primary industry

VR/AR/XR Game Studios (MPAFAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

VR/AR Game Publishing & Distribution (MPAFABAK), Virtual Worlds & Social Sandbox Experiences (persistent social spaces) (MPAFAIAG)

Keywords

• VR content production
• 3D animation services
• Interactive installations
• Branded VR experiences
• Real-time animation

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Branded Game Development: Custom game development services for brands seeking interactive experiences. Studio creates branded games ranging from educational point-n-click to immersive racing games, packaging brand messages into engaging 3D interactive content.
2. Original Game Sales: Original VR game titles like KIN sold through digital storefronts including Steam, Oculus Store, and Meta Quest. Revenue from direct consumer purchases of VR platformer games.
3. VR Production Services: Full-service VR content production from concept art through testing and deployment, serving brands, museums, and cultural institutions seeking immersive VR installations and experiences.
4. VR Music Experiences: VR music video and experience production for musicians and bands, including distribution through VR platforms and participation in touring experiences like the Muse Simulation Theory World Tour.
5. Procedural Tool Development: Custom procedural design tool creation as a service, building specialized generators and tools for other studios to expedite gamedesign and game development processes in their specific art styles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

House of Secrets is a VR and 3D animation studio that produces custom VR experiences, interactive installations, and branded content for global brands, musicians, and cultural institutions. The studio also develops and sells original VR game titles (KIN, APEX, Surge) directly to consumers through digital storefronts and creates procedural design tools for game studios.

Product overview

House of Secrets is a Utrecht-based studio specializing in VR experiences, interactive design, and 3D animations. The company's product portfolio centers on original VR titles (KIN, APEX, Surge, MUSE VR Games, Voyages), interactive immersive installations (Zuiderzeelight, Planet Happiness Expo, Artcade Expo, STEM, WONDRSCOPE, Luma in Motion), branded VR experiences (Pepsi VR, Aluna, Holland Casino), and animated short films (Cruise Patrol). Services include Branded Game Development, VR Productions, and Procedural Design Tools. The studio has evolved from VFX/commercial work to focus on in-house VR experiences since 2015.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KIN VR platformer game with combat elements where players traverse alien landscapes of a distant planet as a mysterious girl. House of Secrets' first original full game title for VR, sold through digital storefronts.
• APEX Realtime animated VR music video experience telling the story of realities colliding in fire and destruction. Premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2017; distributed via VR platforms.
• Surge One of the first realtime VR music videos for new generation VR headsets, featuring a world caught in permanent sunset with abstract creatures.
• MUSE Simulation Theory VR Games Two VR games (Spaceship Defender and Retrograde Racer) created for Muse's Simulation Theory World Tour 2019, featuring interactive and immersive 360-degree experiences for VIP fans.
• Voyages Large-scale VR music project exploring the journey of life through six chapters (Birth, Childhood, Youth, Maturity, Old Age, Death) in collaboration with Kaleidoscope.
• Branded Game Development

Quantifiable outcome

• Surge remained in top 3 apps for months on Oculus Share page
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Studio IrmacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 October 2025Long-time collaborator and partner on Artcade Expo experiences. Jointly created variety of content, software, and apps for immersive expo experiences including scanner devices for coloring drawings and AR applications. Also collaborated on Planet Happiness Expo at Plein Publik BXL in Brussels.
• Mr.BeamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 September 2025Collaborated with Mr.Beam on multiple immersive installations including Zuiderzeelight (interactive ocean installation with optical flow), Luma in Motion at Mauritshuis (projection mapping), Holland Casino Venlo digital portals, WONDRSCOPE interactive installation, and STEM light festival experience.
• Kaleidoscope VRcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 September 2018Major collaborative partner on VOYAGES large-scale VR project spanning six chapters of human life. Also partnered on APEX VR music video premiere at Tribeca and Surge distribution. Executive production support from René Pinnell, CEO of Kaleidoscope.
• HXTNminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCreative agency partnership for Pepsi VR Slope Challenge brand activation developed for SnowWorld indoor ski centers. HXTN served as the brand/client intermediary for the Meta Quest VR experience development.
• SamsungVRcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSamsungVR platform partner for distributing Voyages VR pilot experience and potentially future VR content. SamsungVR teamed up with House of Secrets and Kaleidoscope to release VR content for their platform.
• OculuscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatform partner for KIN VR game release on GearVR and Oculus Rift. KIN game listed on Oculus Store. Made Possible By Oculus program support for game development. Also partnered on Surge distribution.
• WevrcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive production partner for APEX premiere at Tribeca Film Festival. Wevr handled PR through Moxie and provided demo setup at festival. Made APEX and Tribeca premiere possible for House of Secrets.
• MicrosoftminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for Muse Simulation Theory VR Experience project. Microsoft featured interview with band members about the VR games developed for the Simulation Theory World Tour.
• wearelistenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCreative agency partner for Aluna 3D web experience project. House of Secrets handled full technical production while wearelisten served as the agency intermediary for the British singer-songwriter client.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wevr: Wevr is a VR content studio and network that executive produced APEX's Tribeca premiere through its collaboration with House of Secrets. Both studios create premium VR music videos, branded experiences, and immersive content for global brands (Wevr has worked with musicians, brands, and studios). Strong overlap in capability, target customers, and distribution through VR platforms.
• Felix & Paul Studios: Felix & Paul Studios is a leading immersive VR content studio known for VR films, branded experiences, and festival-circuit VR content. Both studios compete in the festival-premiere VR content space (Sundance, Tribeca) and serve enterprise branded VR activations for major brands. Comparable in creative ambition and target customers.
• Baobab Studios: Baobab Studios is an Emmy-winning VR animation studio that produces original VR short films and interactive experiences for major platforms. Comparable to House of Secrets in producing high-quality animated VR narratives and games distributed on Meta Quest/Oculus and competing for festival recognition.
• Penrose Studios: Penrose Studios produces high-fidelity VR narrative and animated experiences, including VR cinema projects for major platforms. Both studios create animated VR storytelling with comparable aesthetics and target the same premium VR consumer and brand markets.
• Tender Claws: Tender Claws is an indie VR/AR game studio developing innovative interactive experiences for VR headsets and mobile AR. Both studios create original VR game titles and interactive experiences for Meta Quest and other VR platforms with comparable aesthetic ambition.
• ARVORE Immersive Experiences: ARVORE is a Brazilian VR/AR studio developing VR games and immersive experiences for Meta Quest and other platforms. Comparable to House of Secrets in producing stylized VR games with platform distribution and original IP strategy.
• Atlas V: Atlas V is a VR content studio and distribution company producing and releasing premium VR films, animated experiences, and interactive narratives. Comparable to House of Secrets in VR animated storytelling, festival presence, and platform distribution strategy (SteamVR, Meta Quest).
• Innerspace VR: Innerspace VR is a French VR game studio producing narrative-driven VR experiences for PlayStation VR, Meta Quest, and PC VR. Comparable to House of Secrets in producing original VR games and interactive experiences distributed across major VR storefronts.
• Kaleidoscope VR: Kaleidoscope VR is a VR-focused creative studio, distributor, and festival organizer that co-produced the Voyages project with House of Secrets. Both create and distribute VR music experiences; Kaleidoscope runs a VR film festival that has showcased House of Secrets' Surge VR music video. Direct overlap in VR music/film distribution and production.
• Within (formerly VRSE): Within is a VR storytelling platform and content studio that has produced high-profile VR music videos, branded experiences, and original immersive narratives. Both companies target premium brand activations, music industry VR, and original VR content distribution on Meta Quest and other platforms. Now Meta-owned, it is one of the most direct competitors in the VR music/branded content space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/house-of-secrets

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about House of Secrets