Those From Below Explores A Tragic Mining Disaster With VR

Those from Below is an interactive VR documentary-style game that explores a tragic mining disaster.

Developed by Causa Creations, Those from Below is the working title for a new part of the MEMENTOES project, which aims to educate about historical injustices using VR by partnering with museums. The project intends to “create immersive experiences that cultivate empathy and foster understanding of the past,” working with independent developers.

Those from Below specifically focuses on the Marcinelle mining disaster in 1956 at the Bois du Cazier coal mine, where an electrical fire occurred after a coal wagon had been incorrectly loaded into a lift. It's an event widely cited as one of Belgium's most notable mining disasters and led to the deaths of 262 miners, many of whom were Italian migrant workers.

We briefly went hands-on with the project during Reboot Develop 2025 on Quest 3, and this journey sees you descend into the mines before the incident. Diving into the poor working and living conditions these miners were subjected to before the explosion, Those from Below uses hand tracking controls and gaze detection for movement.

Though my time was limited with this experience, it's an interesting approach to exploring real-life history across fully immersive environments. It follows previous efforts like JFK Memento and MLK: Now is the Time, both of which addressed more US-centered topics instead.

A release date and other platforms are currently unconfirmed for Those from Below, and we'll update this article if we learn more.