Canyon Country residents Julie Pifher Cawood and her husband Michael Cawood are launching their first virtual reality game, “The Phoenix Gene,” this spring. The game is a story-based experience that also serves as the first installment of a six-book series.
The idea for the game came from a screenplay Cawood wrote in 2016, which was never produced into a film. When they began exploring virtual reality gaming, the project resurfaced. Players will control a time-traveling Phoenix on a mission to stop an immortality serum from annihilating the poor and oppressed.
“The Phoenix Gene” combines action-packed gameplay with strategy elements, allowing players to toggle what’s in their reality. The game was funded personally by the couple, who both work in the entertainment industry. Julie Cawood has produced live-action TV shows, including “My Giant Life,” while her husband worked on animated films like “Happy Feet” and “Pete’s Dragon.” They also created the Oscar-qualified animated short “The Wrong Rock.”
The success of “The Phoenix Gene” will determine how they approach their next project. The couple hopes to continue making VR games and is excited to share more information about their future projects.
Source: https://signalscv.com/2025/04/local-entertainment-professionals-to-release-new-vr-game