Husqvarna Launches Virtual Reality (VR) Chainsaw Limbing and VR Chainsaw Championship

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HUSKVARNA, Sweden, September 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Today, for all chainsaw fans around the world, Husqvarna releases the first Virtual Reality (VR) chainsaw game - Husqvarna Limberjack. Via Valve's platform Steam, the game is now available to download world-wide for anyone that wants to test their limbing skills and compete for the new world championship title.    

To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7908051-husqvarna-vr-chainsaw-game-limberjack/

Committed to exploring new possibilities that can help improve skills and safety within tree care, Husqvarna, a world leader in professional chainsaws now enters the virtual world with an online VR limbing game. With the game, Husqvarna hopes to gather insights on how new technology can play a future role in educating and training users on proper product use as well as generate interest for logging.

"VR limbing combines two extremes, one of the oldest professions in the world together with the newest technology available," says Lars Strandell, multiple medallist from the bi-annual World Logging Championship. "Husqvarna Limberjack is fun and educational and just like limbing in the real world, technique, precision and speed is crucial for productivity and a good result."

How to play 

The Husqvarna VR experience brings the player to a beautiful mountainside with a lake where the player has to use a Husqvarna 359 chainsaw to remove 24 branches from a 2.7 meter long log. The player needs to pick up the chainsaw and remove the branches as accurately and quickly. Just like a professional logger, the player needs to limb fast, and with precision. If branches are not removed properly, the player will need to go back and re-do, losing time.

The exhilarating game includes a local as well as a global high score list, making it fun to compete both in groups at home and online against other VR limberjacks around the world.

Husqvarna Limberjack VR Championship - Annual Final in Sweden 

At the end of each month, Husqvarna will announce the best Limberjack player in the world for the month, and in August 2017, the twelve best Limberjack players will be invited to the world championships final in Sweden.

About limbing 

Limbing is a difficult and time consuming part of professional logging that requires good technique. It refers to the process of removing branches from a fallen tree before the log is transported away. Husqvarna Limberjack is inspired by one of the five disciplines from the World Logging Championship, a bi-annual competition that gathers the 150 best loggers from around the world. The current world reccord in real limbing is less than 9 seconds. To learn how to limb in the real world, read more here

Instructions and availability 

The game is optimized for HTC Vive and can be downloaded for free on Steam and also available via http://www.limberjackvr.com

Link to high res images and video http://www.husqvarna.com/press 

Link to game  limberjackvr.com 

About Husqvarna     

Husqvarna is a brand within Husqvarna Group. Since 1689, Husqvarna has manufactured high performing products and delivered industry-changing innovations such as anti-vibration and automatic chain-break on chainsaws, as well as the world's first commercial robotic mower. Today, Husqvarna offers a broad range of high performing outdoor power products for parks, forest and garden, and represents technological leadership in the key areas; chainsaws, trimmers, ride-on mowers and robotic mowers. Husqvarna products are sold in more than 100 countries, mainly through servicing dealers.

Husqvarna Group 

Husqvarna Group is a world leading producer of outdoor power products including chainsaws, trimmers, robotic lawn mowers and garden tractors. The Group is also the European leader in garden watering products and a world leader in cutting equipment and diamond tools for the construction and stone industries. The Group's products and solutions are sold under brands including Husqvarna, Gardena, McCulloch, Poulan Pro, Weed Eater, Flymo, Zenoah and Diamant Boart via dealers and retailers to end-customers in more than 100 countries. Net sales in 2015 amounted to SEK 33 billion, and the Group had more than 14,000 employees in 40 countries.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160901/403628 )

Video: 
     http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7908051-husqvarna-vr-chainsaw-game-limberjack/

SOURCE Husqvarna