Pixotope

About Pixotope

Pixotope traces its origins to The Future Group, a company established in Oslo, Norway, in 2013 with a vision to revolutionize broadcast content using real-time game engine technology. The technology that would become Pixotope was initially developed for the interactive mixed-reality game show "Lost In Time," which premiered in 2017. This necessity-driven invention laid the groundwork for the formal launch of the Pixotope software in February 2019 to meet rising market demand for accessible virtual production tools. In 2021, The Future Group officially rebranded as Pixotope to emphasize its focus on this core technology. A significant milestone occurred in 2022 with the acquisition of TrackMen, a German firm specializing in real-time 3D camera and talent tracking, enabling Pixotope to offer a more integrated virtual production platform.

The company is led by CEO Marcus B. Brodersen, whose journey into virtual production began after a career in film production, where he worked on acclaimed films like "Trollhunter". He joined The Future Group in 2016 to help build the production infrastructure for "Lost In Time," and his experience in both traditional filmmaking and the technical demands of live mixed reality has shaped the company's direction. Brodersen's vision has been instrumental in transitioning the company from a project-based entity to a leading software platform provider.

Pixotope operates on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) business model, offering its platform through subscriptions. This approach is designed to lower the barrier to entry for content creators by avoiding large capital outlays on proprietary hardware. The company serves a global client base in broadcast, sports, esports, and live events, counting major brands like The Superbowl, League of Legends, and Eurovision among its users. By leveraging the power of Epic Games' Unreal Engine, Pixotope provides an open, software-based solution that runs on commodity hardware. The platform is a comprehensive suite for creating mixed-reality content, offering tools for Augmented Reality (AR), Extended Reality (XR), and Virtual Sets (VS). Its key features include real-time photorealistic rendering, an internal chroma keyer, support for 4K/UHD video formats, and seamless integration with various camera tracking systems. The 2022 acquisition of TrackMen integrated advanced camera and talent tracking directly into the Pixotope ecosystem, though the platform remains open to third-party solutions. Pixotope also offers specialized products like Pixotope Fly for markerless drone and Steadicam tracking and is developing an AI-powered keyer to eliminate the need for green screens.