Sarner to bring Anglo-Saxon Winchester to life

Sarner International, an award-winning design and build practice behind some of the world's best-loved historical and cultural attractions, has won the tender to design and deliver an exciting, new, immersive visitor experience that plunges visitors back in time to 9th century Winchester, UK. The project was initiated through a cross-sector partnership between charity Hampshire Cultural Trust, international gaming company Ubisoft, who featured Anglo-Saxon Winchester in the Valhalla chapter of their global gaming series Assassin’s Creed, and UK creative innovation studio, Sugar Creative. 

The new visitor attraction will give audiences an interactive insight into Anglo-Saxon life in Winchester through immersive storytelling, audio-visual projection and the use of contemporary objects from Hampshire Cultural Trust’s collections, complemented by assets from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Ubisoft’s own educational spin-off, Discovery Tour: Viking Age. It will relate the importance of Winchester, King Alfred’s capital, in the shaping of English history. The experience will tackle warfare and conflict with the Vikings, but also more subtle subjects such as daily life, trade and the profound influence of this time and place on the English language. 

Once visitors have completed the attraction they will be able to continue their exploration of Winchester, guided by an augmented reality app being developed by Sugar Creative. 

The aim is not only to deliver a 21st century heritage attraction based on a digital, immersive experience, but also to pioneer a new form of collaboration between arts and heritage organisations, technology innovators and the gaming industry. 

Ed Cookson, Projects Director, Sarner International: “We are thrilled to be able to bring the rich history and drama of Anglo-Saxon Winchester to life through the incredible assets of Hampshire Cultural Trust and the engaging environments and worldbuilding of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Visitors are going to love exploring and experiencing the stories and settings of this turbulent but vibrant time.” 

Paul Sapwell, Chief Executive of Hampshire Cultural Trust, commented: “We’re delighted to bring Sarner International on board to help us develop our vision of 9th century Winchester, creating a unique and immersive experience that will bring this pivotal period of English history to life for our visitors.” 

The attraction is due to open late 2022 in Winchester, UK.

About Sarner International 

With over 50 years of experience in the industry, Sarner is a leading international experiential design and production practice behind many of the world's best-loved immersive exhibitions, museums, attractions, theme parks and branded destinations. An experienced team with a proven track record in delivering attractions that stand out from the competition, Sarner has a global reputation for creating award-winning destinations that spark wonder, drive recommendations and boost visitor numbers. 

About Ubisoft Ubisoft is a creator of worlds, committed to enriching players’ lives with original and memorable entertainment experiences. Ubisoft’s global teams create and develop a deep and diverse portfolio of games, featuring brands such as Assassin’s Creed®, Brawlhalla®, For Honor®, Far Cry®, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon®, Just Dance®, Rabbids, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six®, The Crew®, Tom Clancy’s The Division®, and Watch Dogs®. Through Ubisoft Connect, players can enjoy an ecosystem of services to enhance their gaming experience, get rewards and connect with friends across platforms. With Ubisoft+, the subscription service, they can access a growing catalogue of more than 100 Ubisoft games and DLC. For the 2020-21 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €2,241 million. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoftgroup.com. © 2021 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are registered trademarks in the US and/or other countries. 

About Hampshire Cultural Trust 

Hampshire Cultural Trust was established in 2014 to promote Hampshire as a great cultural county. We manage and support 23 arts and museums attractions across Hampshire, deliver county-wide outreach programmes that bring culture to local communities and care for 2.5 million objects relating to Hampshire’s rich and internationally important heritage. We also deliver a diverse range of social impact initiatives targeted at those who are most vulnerable or disadvantaged and who would not usually have access to arts and culture. Our mission is to provide great arts, heritage, museums and creative programming, working closely with local and national partners, placing communities, our collections and their stories at the heart of everything we do. To find out more, visit www.hampshireculture.org.uk, follow us on Twitter @HantsCulture and Facebook @HampshireCulturalTrust.