Our series Inside XR Design explores the best of immersive design. Today we’re talking about how to make an incredible VR trailer using just in-game footage. No mixed reality setups, no complicated compositing—just smart planning and a proven playbook. And keep reading, because at the end, I’ll share a checklist of key technical considerations to make your trailer shine, and share a trailer that exemplifies everything we’re about to talk about.
You can find the complete video below, or continue reading for an adapted text version.
First, a quick check to make sure we’re on the same page about why trailers matter in the first place.
Here’s the thing: your game doesn’t sell your game. Your trailer sells your game.
You could make the greatest game in the world, but if you can’t show people why they should try it in the first place, then lots of people will just never will. So I cannot stress this enough… you can’t let the marketing of your game be an afterthought to your game development. It’s part of your game development. If you spend years making a game but just a few weeks making the thing that attracts people to buy it, that’s just not the optimal way to allocate your time.
So, how do you craft a trailer that turns heads—even without the complexity of mixed reality capture? Let’s break it down in three easy lessons.
The Hook
The first and maybe even most important lesson we’ll talk about today is: the hook. The hook is the thing that makes your game stand out. It’s one very specific thing that people see and say “I wanna to do that.”
It could be really cool combat, a unique art style, a creative gun, or a fun looking mechanic that other games don’t have. It’s your game’s signature.
Whatever the hook is, it should stand out as uniquely fun or interesting compared to other games in the same genre (and yes that means you should be actively playing other games in the genre in which you’re working). Without the hook, people won’t see a clear reason to buy your game over another similar game.
And here’s something that’s really important to understand: for your trailer to have a hook… your game needs to have a hook. If you don’t already know right now what your game’s hook is… figuring that out is step number one before you even think about making a trailer.
Ok now let’s look at an example to the hook in action. The first trailer we’re going to look at is from a game called Hellsweeper VR (2023) from developer Mixed Realms. Watch and see if you can tell me what the hook is:
Ok so what’s the hook? If you said something like “unique combat,” you got it. Literally before any logos appear, we see 10 seconds of some genuinely unique-looking VR combat with the player using interesting weapons and powers and flying through the air.
And the game’s combat continues to be emphasized throughout the whole thing. They don’t stop and bore us with lore or some abstract exposition, they just keep showing the hook. The trailer is saying “this is why you want to play our game.”
Show, Don’t Tell
And that brings us to our next point: show, don’t tell. Great trailers don’t tell you what’s great about a game. They show you. And in VR, this is even more critical—people need to see the fun to understand why they should put the headset on to check your game out in the first place.
The way this trailer links together lots of these very unique moments that players can experience in the game creates a picture in our mind about what it will feel like to play the game.
Story Structure
And that brings us to our third lesson: tell a story.
Now, importantly, when I say “tell a story,” I’m not saying “explain your game’s narrative.”
Your goal is to show viewers what they will do, and how they will feel when playing your game. So that’s the story your trailer should tell.
And while it might be tempting to just capture general gameplay footage and then figure out how to cut the clips together later, a better approach is to decide ahead of time what the most important things are that you want viewers to see.
Not only should you decide exactly what moments you want to show, you should also arrange them in a narrative arc. Simply put, that means an introduction, rising action, and a climax to leave the audience with something memorable.
That’s exactly what developer Respawn Entertainment did with this excellent trailer for Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond (2020). As we watch, notice how they carefully choreographed and then acted out intentional moments to create a cohesive story about how players will feel as they play the game.
With the reveal of Pimax’s upcoming Dream Air headset, the VR community at large had plenty of questions. We put those questions straight to the company, and also got a glimpse of early prototypes, a full list of specs, and an update on unreleased products.
Pimax is, at this point, a seasoned maker of VR headsets. But the company has faced recurring criticism regarding product polish, strategic focus, missed release dates, and announcing new products before fulfilling older promises.
The company’s latest product announcement, the compact Dream Air headset, naturally resurfaced these complaints, with many people asking how Pimax would do better this time around. So we sent many of the most commonly asked questions direct to the company. Here’s what we got back, including photos of Dream Air prototypes, a full list of specs, and an update on previously announced (but still unreleased) products.
Q: How confident is Pimax that Dream Air will be completed and ship in meaningful quantities by May 2025?
A: Internally, we’ve been developing the Crystal Super micro-OLED and Dream Air for over a year now (internally, they’re largely the same headset). We have a fully working optical engine, and think the remaining time to May is enough to get the rest done, similar to the timeframe of the Crystal Super’s development of the past year.
The main challenge is the supply of micro-OLED panels, and perhaps the ringless controllers. (We currently think that the first batches of the headset may ship with ringed controllers as on the Crystal/Light/Super, which we can exchange for ringless controllers later).
We’re confident of shipping around 200 to 300 headsets in May. This is also why we had to announce the headset now. (Several reasons addressed below.)
Q: Why was the headset announced so soon after Super? And why already open up pre-orders?
A: Several reasons. We announced the Dream Air now because we don’t want to announce this after the Super starts shipping, and then have users feel they would have ordered this one if they knew. We already see this remark now in our Discord, but actually—customers can still change their pre-order from the Super to the Dream Air if they wish.
Another reason is the scarcity of micro-OLED panels. Currently in the market of micro-OLED panels, demand firmly outnumbers supply, so the delivery times for when we place an order is long, several months. We open up pre-orders to get a better idea of how many headsets our users want, and also to place the order for the panels for the Dream Air to be shipped in May. This order needs to be placed before or in early January, as suppliers also take holidays during Chinese New Year.
The long wait time for micro-OLED panels isn’t unique to Pimax. We also see similar products from competitors with the same issue, and therefore they don’t offer refundable pre-orders.
That said, our pre-orders are refundable before shipping (and users also have a trade-in window once the headset arrives), and we have added a $1 reservation option.
Q: What do you say to people who think Pimax should focus on fewer products?
A: We have the strong ambition to be a multi-SKU company, as VR headsets are also quickly diversifying. Our focus is always on providing the ultimate experience, and for different use cases we’ll have the Crystal line, as well as the new Dream line.
That said, all our headsets share a lot of the same core technology, from software to hardware. All headsets are focussed firmly on PCVR. We have learned from the past (e.g. Portal, which wasn’t PCVR.)
Pimax has a 9 years history of making VR headsets, we own two R&D offices and are opening our second assembly line to support this multi-SKU strategy.
To provide multi-SKU using shared technology allows us to pour more resources into developing technology that benefits all headsets. It also prevents us from having just one huge sales peak in the year, and it spreads out orders across a whole year more evenly, which makes supply and production resources easier to manage (we own our own factory with our own staff). Peaks are generally really bad for efficiency.
Q: Any more headsets coming from Pimax?
A: We’ll update some old models, but there are no more headsets coming that are more advanced in specs than the Dream Air and Crystal Super, except for the 12K.
Q: How far along is the design of the Dream Air? Were the renders shown in the announcement just a mockup or a fully realized design? Is there a functional prototype yet?
A: The internals of the headset are fully designed, and we’re testing with a fully working optical engine, and software wise, everything is shared with the Crystal Super, including SLAM tracking of the headset and the controllers, eye-tracking, hand-tracking, and all settings in Pimax Play.
On the exterior: We are currently testing and developing this in the Crystal Super housing (micro-OLED optical engine), while we’re developing the Dream Air’s exterior housing.
Here is a look at two prototypes made during development.
Older:
Image courtesy Pimax
Newer:
Image courtesy Pimax
Q: Will Cobb [the standalone module for Dream Air] ship in 2025?
A: We have no exact ETA on Cobb yet. Cobb is an add-on for the Dream Air and we still want to add some features that we did not communicate in our Frontier announcement.
Q: What safety mechanisms are in place to ensure the auto-tightening headstrap can’t be dangerous if it malfunctions?
A: The main thing is that it’s strong enough to hold the lightweight headset, but not strong enough to hurt anyone. The internal straps are made of elastic rubber. (Also this is not new technology, the same is used in self-lacing shoes such as the Nike Auto Adapt.)
Q: Can the head straps be replaced, and how?
A: Yes, the head strap can be taken off at the stems
Q: Would we be able to see this running HorizonOS or AndroidXR in the future?
There are no plans for this. Internally it’s exactly the same headset as the micro-OLED optical engine of the Crystal Super, and so it runs with Pimax Play as a PC VR headset (also with OpenXR/OpenVR runtime and with SteamVR)
Pimax also shared a detailed list of specifications for the headset:
DP 1.4 (PC) to USB-C (headset)
1 × USB-C accessory port
Input
Dream Air controllers (rechargable battery)
Hand-tracking
Audio
In-headstrap speakers
Microphone
Dual-microphone
Weight
200g
Sensing
Headset-tracking
Inside-out (no external beacons)
SteamVR Tracking (external beacons) [optional]
Controller-tracking
Headset-tracked (headset line-of-sight needed)
Eye-tracking
Yes
Expression-tracking
No
On-board cameras
4 × tracking
2 × passthrough
Depth-sensor
No
Price
MSRP
$1,900
Pimax Product Shipping Update
Q: Can you provide the latest estimated shipping time for all unreleased Pimax products?
A: The Crystal Super is ready to be demoed at CES 2025, especially the QLED 57 PPD optical engine which is shipping at the end of January. The 50 PPD optical engine and micro-OLED optical engine are also nearing ready, and shipping March and April respectively.
The non-local dimming version of the Crystal Light is coming out around June 2025, pushing down that price even further down.
The 60G Airlink for the original Crystal is also being demoed at CES2025, and has its external beta test starting almost any moment now. This is shipping in April 2025.
For the 12K, we cannot give an exact ETA now. When we announced it, we had solutions for each of the key technical challenges. Unfortunately, some of those solutions did not meet our quality requirements. Some just didn’t work out well, like a dual DP 1.4 solution, as well as a panel solution we can’t share more about.
More questions for Pimax? Drop them in the comments below.
Rec Room is full of first-party adventures you can play with friends and randos alike. The social VR platform’s next big offering is already here in ‘Run the Block’, which has taken a number of cues from Dreamcast retro-favorite Jet Set Radio (2000).
The multiplayer mini-game ‘Run the Block’ launched on December 11th, having already attracted over one million players.
Like Jet Set Radio, the free mini-game pits you against up to 9 other players to artfully race and parkour your way through an urban sprawl.
While it doesn’t have the game’s classic 2000s aggressive rollerblades, you’ll still be running, hopping and grinding on massive lines that crisscross the map, replete with the ability to lay down your own tag in the graffiti-filled city.
In comparison to years past, the platform has released relatively few first-party games over the the past year, with its biggest entry as of late being its pet farming sim ‘My Little Monster’.
In addition to bringing branded content to the platform, such as avatar packs from the ‘Monster High’ franchise and Bungie’s first-person shooter Destiny, Rec Room has seemingly dedicated the year to fleshing out its creator suite so users can not only create their own complex worlds, but also assets they can sell in the game’s creator economy. It’s also rolled out full-body avatars earlier this year, offering up even more customization choices.
This follows the release of Rec Room on Nintendo Switch in November, which joins its long list of supported devices, including PC VR, all Quest devices, the original PSVR, iOS, Android, Pico, Xbox, and PlayStation.
VR’s favorite combat sim Blade & Sorcery (2024) may have wrapped up development with its big 1.0 release in June, but creator Warpfrog says it’s already on to its next title, which will be just as “highly moddable” as its breakout physics combat game.
Details are still thin on the ground, however the studio tells Road to VR its next title is indeed a VR game, and will have the “familiar hallmarks of Warpfrog games,” which include physics-based interactions and a heavy emphasis on simulation.
Additionally, the studio confirmed its follow-up will be “highly moddable in the same way Blade & Sorcery is.”
Notably, Blade & Sorcery allows for easy modding both manually and with Nexus Mod Manager, which places all of the right files in the user’s game folder, letting you do things as small as add extra sparks to weapons when they clash, to importing user-generated maps and weapons for an entirely new experience.
Speaking to Meta back in October, the studio said it’s incorporating a new framework into its next game, which was the result of pushing its old framework to the max during Blade & Sorcery’s long stint in early access.
“We have to get rid of a bit of spaghetti code and scale that. We have to basically rework from scratch on something new for a new engine. We started to work on a new framework that’s going to be much faster with a new game. And the idea this time is to have a framework that is made for the team, so it will be the first time that we now are working from A to Z on the game with a full team.”
To say we’re expecting good things from Warpfrog is somewhat of an understatement, given that the one-time one-person project, headed by Warpfrog’s sole developer ‘KospY’, has since scaled up to now a nearly 30-strong team.
With its big 1.0 update in June, which brought to the game its ‘Crystal Hunt’ story-based mode, Blade & Sorcery is more than just a combat sandbox with visceral melee; now it’s an adventure game in its own right, replete with upgrade systems, narrative, and a world much bigger, and much more interconnected than before.
“As for the future of Warpfrog… this is where the fun begins… With the experience we have acquired across these past 5 years, we can’t wait to show what we are cooking next. Your support has empowered the studio to go on to develop bigger and better games,” the studio says in a Steam news update.
Here we are, another year deeper into the most immersive medium that refuses to stand still. Far from fading away, over its nearly decade of existence VR has continued to evolve in ways both subtle and seismic, redefining what’s possible in gaming, creativity, and connection.
2024 has been a year of milestones, where the long-promised potential of VR is becoming ever more undeniable. It’s not just about more ‘AAA’ games—although that doesn’t hurt. This year, we’ve seen the release of highly-anticipated titles and ambitious indie projects alike, each proving that VR isn’t a niche within a niche, but something both profitable for developers and gamers alike.
What sets this year apart is the growing focus on refinement. Developers are leveraging lessons learned over the past decade to push VR into a new era of comfort, immersion, and accessibility. Whether it’s groundbreaking mechanics, unforgettable narratives, or immersive visuals that make you feel truly present, 2024 has given us a lot to celebrate—and a lot to look forward to.
And with that, here’s Road to VR’s 2024 Game of the Year Awards:
Game of the Year
Skydance’s Behemoth
Developer: Skydance Games
Available On: Quest, PSVR 2, PC VR
Release Date: December 5th, 2024
PC VR games play a unique role. In comparison to Quest, by far the most populous standalone VR platform out there, and PSVR 2, which exists thanks to clever optimization of PS5, PC VR gives power users the freedom to push their hardware to the max and squeeze out every last pixel.
Immersion is more than just visuals though. It’s about creating a solid world that players intuitively understand, NPCs that feel authentic, soundscapes that envelope, and set pieces that make you say “damn”. There are are a handful in VR’s relatively short history that achieve that heady mix, and even fewer that reach the immersive heights of Skydance’s Behemoth.
It’s really no wonder though how Behemoth nailed so much of the hard-won lessons in VR design though. Skydance Games is the same studio behind The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners (2020), which not only informed Behemoth’s physics-based melee, but also the depth of immersive worldbuilding we come to expect from anything following Saints & Sinners.
And all of that is apparent even before you get to your first Behemoth battle, which smartly pushes the user to combine every skill they learn along with way, from climbing and swinging with a grappling hook, to nailing far away shots with your trusty bow. In the end, how you dispatch everything else is up to you; use on of the game’s three Legendary weapons, which are all worth upgrading, or have a go at the game’s spry baddies with their own gear, including everything from katanas, throwable daggers, to even an absolutely massive buster sword that has both a real weightiness and real power behind it.
Behemoth contains so much of what makes VR gaming great, which not only rates it our top pick for our PC VR award this year, but also handily puts it on our shortlist of must-play VR games. Find out more in our full (no spoilers) review.
Batman: Arkham Shadow
Developer: Camouflaj
Publisher: Oculus Studios / Meta
Available On: Quest
Release Date: October 21st, 2024
Batman: Arkham Shadow is a game that probably shouldn’t exist. It was a risky revival of franchise that hadn’t seen a mainline entry for nearly a decade. It wasn’t made by any of the studios that made the beloved originals. And its deeply established gameplay tropes needed to be completely redesigned for VR.
But somehow, against all of those challenges, developers Camouflaj not only made Batman: Arkham Shadow, they made a game good enough to be our 2024 pick for Quest Game of the Year.
The studio clearly understood the assignment. It wasn’t about taking an Arkham game and porting to VR. Instead, Camouflaj undertook the tricky task of sussing out what makes an Arkham game feel like an Arkham game, and then retain those elements while simultaneously throwing out the playbook on the franchise’s existing mechanics.
Everything had to be rethought for VR. But perhaps the most daunting one was the signature Arkham beat-em-up combat, wherein Batman deftly maneuvers through throngs of enemies—part boxer, part ninja—dealing with one threat while keeping another at bay, until the whole room has been dispatched.
The studio came up with quite a novel solution that fused instructed motionwith locomotion, giving the player the ability to zoom toward enemies with a swing of their fist. This formed the basis of the game’s thrilling combat that—in true Arkham style—steadily grows more complicated as the game goes on. By the end, you feel like you can take on an entire army of baddies.
I could go on about all the design challenges the studio faced (actually I already did…), but when it’s all said and done, Batman: Arkham Shadow is one of Quest’s best games to date.
Metro Awakening
Developer: Vertigo Games
Available On: PSVR 2, Quest, PC VR
Release Date: November 7th, 2024
The Metro series has always been known for its immersive, post-apocalyptic vibes. The kind of game that’s made people say “this would be so good in VR!” for years. And in 2024, those people were proven right.
It might seem odd that with the completely blank canvas of virtual reality, people would choose to be transported to a world as gritty and desperate as Metro Awakening. I mean, we could just be playing ‘Puppy Sim 2079’, right?
But we have Vertigo Game’s extensive VR experience to thank for making this bleak world something that’s somehow actually fun. Similar to Batman: Arkham Shadow, the developer did a fine job of understanding what makes a Metro game feel like a Metro game, and bringing that essence to VR while completely redesigning things to feel native to VR.
In particular, the game brings a brand new set of undeniably cool weapons which feel particularly interactive thanks to VR. The crossbow with its bolt cradle and the shotgun with its exposed drum magazine are some of the most interesting VR weapons we’ve seen in years. It’s not just that they’re creatively designed, but also that their designs feel so true to the cobbled-together, homemade weaponry of the series at large.
And they’re just plain-old satisfying to shoot. That’s thanks to the game’s enemies that feel both threatening to the player but also fragile (like things made of meat and bone usually are, in the face of high speed projectiles). It’s satisfying to drop an enemy from the shadows with a single silent crossbow bolt. And it feels all the more visceral knowing that if you miss, you won’t last long yourself without jumping behind cover.
Satisfying, interactive weapons weren’t the only place where the game excellent in a VR-specific way. Vertigo Games also came up with a clever, diegetic inventory system. Instead of selecting a weapon from some kind of floating menu with a laser pointer, the game gives the player a backpack on each shoulder. One carries the player’s weapons and the other has the remaining key inventory items like grenades and gas mask canisters.
Retrieving the right item from your inventory is as natural as pulling out the backpack and grabbing the item you want. Unlike similar systems in other games, the items in the backpack don’t shrink down or become ‘iconified’; they remain full-sized, adding to the sense of realism and immersion. The game’s ambient noise and atmospheric visuals are another plus for immersion in the game. The lurking sounds create a constant, smoldering sense of dread—like there could be something skulking around any corner.
Metro Awakening is also the receipt of our Excellence in Immersion award. While it’s a fun game overall, our enjoyment was driven by its immersive design. Between the diegetic inventory, uniquely interactive weapons, threatening but fragile enemies, and a consistently creepy atmosphere that keeps you on your toes, Metro Awakening is an experience that sticks with you.
Starship Home
Developer: Creature
Available On: Quest 3, Quest 3S
Release Date: September 26th, 2024
We’re still far from VR headsets (namely Quest 3) being being able to truly ‘understand’ your physical space, which you might argue is holding mixed reality back from realizing its full potential. While many developers were quick to co-op MR for mini-games or extra modes in their larger, more impressive VR titles, or use it as a background so you can play contained experiences in your living room, there are comparatively few that dove head-first into the medium.
Because of this, we’ve never actually highlighted a mixed reality game in our Game of the Year Awards simply because there were so very few that pushed the room-sensing capabilities of Quest to its very real boundaries. That changes with Creature’s Starship Home, which not only feels like they’ve pushed the envelope on what’s possible in mixed reality right now, but made a game that’s truly worth playing on its own merits.
In short: Starship Home marks the first important step into making MR indispensable, and not just a fun add-on.
To boot, the game’s fun and quirky mishmash of casual ship management and sci-fi plant gardening puts it on even playing field with generations of VR games, while at the same time making MR uniquely additive to the whole experience.
Starship Home cleverly breaks all of its system controls into modules that you can place around your room, which includes viewing windows to complete the illusion that that your space has really turned into your own escape pod from reality. In fact, its modules work so well in MR, that we’re betting on more games taking this approach in the future. Find out more about why we loved Starship Home in our full review.
UNDERDOGS
Developer: One Hamsa
Available On: Quest. PC VR
Release Date: January 25th, 2024
Our award for Excellence in Locomotion and Excellence in Indie Development both go to UNDERDOGS, the latest title from One Hamsa, an independent studio that’s brought two very unique games to VR over the years.
It might seem ironic that our pick for this year’s Excellence in Locomotion award is being given to a studio whose first game had no player locomotion at all. That would be Racket: Nx (2017), the first VR game from One Hamsa.
But if you look a little closer, it’s plain to see that while Racket: Nx has no locomotion, the game is built entirely around this fact. The spherical arena puts gameplay all around the player, and asks them to spin in place as they track the ball and bounce it around to rack up a high score.
In that way, the decision to have no locomotion in Racket: Nx is actually fundamental to the gameplay.
So it should come as no surprise that the choice of locomotion in the studio’s latest game, Underdogs, is just as fundamental. It’s clear the studio figured out first and foremost how players would move in its next game, and then skillfully built gameplay around it.
While there are now many games that use ‘arm-based locomotion’ few contextualize it so expertly. In Underdogs, players control stubby mechs that use their arms to pull themselves along the ground. The way you can use your arms to fling and glide your mech from place to place almost feels like ice skating at times—impressive agility considering you’re piloting a hulking hunk of scrap. But your arms are also your weapons (thanks to attached saw blades), making moving or attacking an interesting choice at any given moment.
Alas, you can also use the game’s locomotion as an attack by flinging yourself into enemies, which feels like a sumo wrestler bouncing an opponent out of the ring. And it’s more than just great fun; making player-to-enemy collision part of the gameplay also drives a sense of embodiment in a way that few VR games do. Play enough and you’ll start to feel like the mech’s body and arms are you own (even though you’re just the pilot).
Delivering innovative movement and innovative combat in a single title is what earned Underdogs both Excellence in Locomotion and Excellence in Indie Development awards.
Blade & Sorcery
Developer: Warpfrog
Available On: PCVR, Quest
Release Date: June 17th, 2024
From the outset, Warpfrog’s sole developer ‘KospY’ could have well left Blade & Sorcery alone, letting it rest on its laurels as a super moddable (and super bloody) physics-based combat sandbox. After all, it went viral upon its Steam Early Access release in 2018 for doing just that, and giving players some of the most visceral melee combat VR had to offer—true then and now.
Throughout the years of continuous updates, the studio grew to nearly 30 people though, who were dedicated to refining the game’s immersive combat, bringing even more adventure-themed maps, weapons, powers, and a load of custom-built assets to replace off-the-shelf stuff—all of it so thoroughly ready for something to tie it all together and give meaning to the carnage.
We all knew Blade & Sorcery needed a common world, an engaging story, upgrade systems—it needed to push out an update an order of magnitude larger than those before it to take it to new heights. Enter Blade & Sorcery’s long-awaited 1.0 update released in June, which capped off the already wildly successful game with its ‘Crystal Hunt’ story-based mode.
Yes, we said “capped off,” as the game is now considered ‘complete’, including not only all of the stuff that made it great in the first place, but an authentic world to put all of those skills to the test. Warpfrog is far from done with physics-based combat though, it seems, as the studio announced it has plans to release its next title, which it says is using all of the experience it’s acquired across the years. Kudos to Warpfrog for making good on its promise, and seizing on its popularity with even grander visions.
Trombone Champ: Unflattened!
Developer: Flat2VR Studios, Holy Wow Studios
Publisher: Flat2VR Studios
Available On: Quest, PC VR, PSVR 2
Release Date: November 26th, 2024
Trombone Champ is silly fun, having taken the rhythm genre by storm with its wonky tromboning action upon its release on Steam in late 2022. Shortly after, it became a viral hit all over social media.
Developer Holy Wow Studios isn’t a VR studio though, which is where Flat2VR comes in. Originally a passion-driven modding group, as the studio’s name suggests Flat2VR makes ‘flat’ games into VR titles, which now includes over 30 games ported to headsets, such as unofficial ports of Half-Life 2 and Doom.
Now, as a trombona fide studio in its own right, Trombone Champ: Unflattened! marks the first title in a slew of official ports to come from Flat2VR, which includes upcoming ports of WRATH: Aeon of Ruin (2024), Roboquest (2023) and Flatout (2004).
Since Trombone Champ is inherently a 2D experience, porting it to headsets wasn’t as ‘simple’ as injecting VR cameras into the game and building out systems to play nice with 6DOF controls however. Instead, Trombone Champ: Unflattened! rebuilt the original’s gameplay from the ground-up, letting users play the trombone in front of a live audience, meanwhile maintaining all of the charm of the original whilst upping the stakes by making you control the trombone’s trombone’s slide by hand.
Trombone Champ: Unflattened! bodes well for Flat2VR; early this month we noted that it’s done very well, nabbing the game 4.9 out of 5 stars on Quest, a 100% positive rating on Steam, and a 4.9 out of 5 stars on PSVR 2. If any of its other upcoming ports are half as good as Trombone Champ: Unflattened!, we’re expecting even more traditional studios will take note of the studio’s clearly expert porting chops.
Note: Games eligible for Road to VR‘s Game of the Year Award must be available to the public on or before December 20th, 2024. Games must also natively support the target platform as to ensure full operability.
We didn’t know we were getting a ‘Part One’ when Survios released their long-awaited horror-shooter Alien: Rogue Incursion (2024) last week, but now we know why. No, you’re not getting half of the game when you buy it, but rather a promise that more is yet to come.
At launch last week on PC VR and PSVR 2, many were confused what the newly applied ‘Part One’ labeling could mean. Are we actually getting a full game here? Is it being sliced into episodes?
In our full review, we noted the eight-hour experience is very much a full game, which we gave a solid [7/10] for its immersive environments and pulse-raising encounters with raptor-like packs of Xenomorphs, which were dampened somewhat by enemy repetition and its punishing save system.
Now Survios has responded in a post on X, stating it didn’t mean to cause confusion with the ‘Part One’ label, and that it shouldn’t be misconstrued as the studio artificially doling out pieces of the game. While it the standalone adventure does end on a cliffhanger, it’s only part one of a two-part story.
To boot, Part Two is already in development, Survios confirmed last week, which is said to include “deadlier enemies and more difficult challenges.” Music to our ears.
Meanwhile, we’re waiting to see just how the Quest release fares when it arrives on Quest 3/3S on February 13th, 2025. As we noted in the review, the game features dynamically loading levels, detailed textures and a ton of physics-based interactions, which is probably part of the reason the studio delayed the Quest release in the first place.
You can read the full statement below:
To our valued community,
We have recently received a lot of feedback about the inclusion of “Part One” in Alien: Rogue Incursion’s opening moments, within the achievement/trophy list, and store pages.
Never did we intend to mislead or cause confusion about what this game is, and we now understand how the addition of “Part One” could be interpreted.
Part One is a standalone adventure which ends with a cliffhanger, and we wanted fans to know that there would be more on the horizon, so we decided to confirm Part Two alongside the launch. The entire team at Survios are fans of the Alien universe, and cannot wait to tell more stories about Zula, Davis, and others.
While we have nothing to announce about Part Two, beyond that it is actively in development, we promise to share more exciting updates at a later date.
We appreciate the excitement and passion you have shown towards Alien: Rogue Incursion, and hope that you enjoy exploring Purdan and Castor’s Cradle as much as we enjoyed creating it.
Reducing weight and increasing performance are two of the most important factors in pushing standalone XR headsets forward. While Meta has shown off its own Orion AR glasses prototype using a wireless compute unit, Meta’s CTO Andrew Bosworth doesn’t think a similar setup is the magic bullet for standalone VR gaming.
Bosworth, who is also head of the company’s Reality Labs XR team, held another one of his Instagram Q&As earlier this week, where he typically delves into a wide variety of topics—some professional, some personal.
In the latest session, Bosworth expounded on the subject of wireless compute units, and how the company thinks they aren’t the right fit for its standalone VR headsets.
Meta Quest 3S | Image courtesy Meta
“We have looked at this a bunch of times. Wireless compute pucks just really don’t solve the problem. If you’re wireless, they still have a battery on the headset, which is a major driver of weight. And, sure, you’re gaining some thermal space so your performance could potentially be better, although you’re somewhat limited now by bandwidth because you’re using a radio,” Bosworth says.
Technical hurdles aside, Meta is primarily focused on building something accessible to consumers, with its latest Quest 3S selling for as low as $300 for the 128GB version. Bosworth continues:
“You’ve increased your cost dramatically, because even if your major silicon is in the wireless compute puck, you still need quite a bit of silicon to just power the displays and do the local corrections required there, and handle the stream of data. So it really ends up … the math doesn’t work, is what I’m saying. And it doesn’t end up saving you that much weight and dramatically increases your cost and complexity.”
Meta’s Orion AR Glasses Prototype | Image courtesy Meta
This comes in contrast to Meta’s Orion prototype, which does incorporate a wireless compute unit. Granted, Orion isn’t going to be productized due to its enormous cost—a reported $10,000 per-unit owing to its difficult-to-produce silicon carbide lenses, however it’s clear that in some cases wireless pucks do make sense—namely in delivering less immersive graphics to AR glasses.
Then again, Bosworth has said its first pair of AR glasses for consumers won’t hit at that Quest price-point when they land at some point in the future. Bosworth said back in September that such a device is “not going to be cheap,” noting however the company aims to make them accessible “at least in the space of phone, laptop territory.”
COLD VR, a spiritual successor to long-time hit SUPERHOT VR (2016), is officially headed to Quest and PC VR headsets next month, with its PSVR 2 version slated to arrive later.
Superhot VR is old, but gold. And it’s a wonder more studios haven’t tried to replicate its game’s unique time-stopping movement mechanic.
Cold VR has to a certain extent, although it’s flipping the script by making you move not slower, but faster. In Cold VR, when you slow down, time goes faster, and so does the relentless enemy AI. Take too long to think out your strategy, and you’re toast.
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Image courtesy ALLWARE LLC, Perp Games
Image courtesy ALLWARE LLC, Perp Games
Image courtesy ALLWARE LLC, Perp Games
Now developer ALLWARE announced in a new trailer that they’ve teamed up with publisher Perp Games to release Cold VR on Quest and PC VR headsets, launching on January 21st, 2025. The PSVR 2 release is set to arrive “at a later date,” the studios say.
To boot, the game promises “increasingly powerful enemy AI but also environmental hazards such as deadly lasers, moving platforms, and unexpected surprises for those daring enough to explore,” ALLWARE says.
“Developing COLD VR has been an incredible journey. With the amazing support from Perp Games, I’m thrilled to introduce players to a truly unique experience where time itself becomes a gameplay mechanic,” ALLWARE’s Carlos Alfonso says. “Their help has been invaluable in bringing the game to more people than I ever imagined. Thanks to Perp, COLD VR will be available on PSVR2 and Quest, making this dream a reality for a wider audience. I couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead!”
You can wishlist Cold VR on all platforms today, where it will be priced at $19.99 / £14.99 / €19.99. You’ll find it over on the Horizon Store for Quest 2/3/Pro, Steam for PC VR headsets and the PlayStation Store for PSVR 2.
Alien: Rogue Incursion releases today on PSVR 2 and PC VR headsets, while the Quest version of the the Xenomorph-flavored horror-shooter is slated to arrive February next year. Now developer Survios announced its already in full swing crafting ‘Part Two’.
We’ve already had a chance to play through Part One in our full review, where we gave the game a solid [7/10] for its immersive atmosphere and strong narrative, which we thought was somewhat dampened by repetitive enemy encounters and a pretty punishing save system.
While it could easily be a standalone game in the series, clocking in at around eight hours and serving up heaps of Xenomorphs and smart narrative beats, you’ll definitely expect Part Two of the action once all is said and done.
While we don’t know precisely what’s in store, it appears we’ll be getting some much awaited variety outside of Part One’s packs of samey Xenomorphs. Survios says Part Two “continues Zula’s story, pitting her against deadlier enemies and more difficult challenges,” noting that it’s already in development.
First on the docket though is Quest release of Part One, which is slated to arrive exclusively on Quest 3/3S on February 13th, 2025. Fitting all of those dynamically loading levels, detailed textures and physics-based interactions onto Quest 3’s mobile chipset doesn’t sound like an easy task—ostensibly why the studio delayed the Quest release in the first place.
Whatever the case, with core systems is already built for Part One, so we’re hoping for a speedy turnaround for Zula Hendricks’ next (and possibly final) fight to cleanse the rogue science station of every last spitting Xenomorph.
AEXLAB, the studio behind VR shooter Vail (2024), announced it’s opened a crowd-investment campaign to support ongoing development of the game. Additionally, the studio revealed the multiplayer shooter has generated over $5.5 million in revenue to date, owing to its 300,000+ unique players across PC VR and Quest platforms.
Unlike typical crowdfunding campaigns, which promise a product in exchange for startup funds, the Miami, Florida-based studio is pursuing the equity crowd-investment route to fund ongoing support of Vail.
Similar to how Virtuix supported the production of its Omni One VR treadmill in 2023, AEXLAB is seeking individual investors looking to purchase common stock in the company. The studio says on its invest page that it’s now accepting minimum investments of $1,000 from individual investors, noting that its share price is currently $36.52.
Notably, shares in private companies are usually illiquid, meaning there is no ready market to buy and sell them like in public stock exchanges. Recouping on that investment requires one of two major scenarios: the studio is acquired by another company, or the studio launches an initial public offering (IPO), both of which are considered long-term exits; the studio notes in its FAQ that this can typically take “approximately 5-10 years” or longer.
While it’s anyone’s guess just how fast XR will grow, it’s clear AEXLAB is reaching out primarily to individuals who are not only banking on explosive growth in the XR industry in that time frame, but also vetting on the company’s ability to successfully navigate that growth.
“We’ve built something extraordinary with your support, and it’s important to us to give longstanding community members like you the chance to be part of this next chapter,” the studio says. “This is your opportunity to join us as we scale VAIL VR to heights previously only dreamed of.”
How high can Vail go? Since its launch on SteamVR and Quest earlier this year, the game has keyed into a unique free-to-play/paid hybrid model, offering up its Citadel location for free, including 1v1 battles and a playground to test out its various systems and weapons, while selling access to the rest of the game, which includes the full slate of multiplayer modes. By all accounts, it seems to be working.
At the time of this writing, the game currently sits at a [4.8/5] on the Horizon Store for Quest from over 13,000 user reviews, and a ‘Very Positive’ overall user score on Steam from over 2,300 user reviews.
Meta has launched its Quest Holiday Sale, bringing big discounts to some of the platform’s top titles.
From now until January 6th, you’ll be able to grab up to 50% off a large list of Quest games, which also includes savings on apps and DLC. You can check out the whole list over on the Horizon Store.
Meta is also introducing a number of seasonal bundles, also available until January 6th:
The Walking Dead Series: Nothing says the holidays like braining a gaggle of walkers. Use your downtime this season to catch up with The Walking Dead Series. This bundle collects both chapters of Saints & Sinners.
Boxing Day: Who’s ready to rumble? Unwind in the ring with two great games that get the blood pumping and the sweat flowing. Boxing gloves not included.
Sleigh All Day: Team up or survive solo in these VR shooters. Stay frosty!
Deck the Halls, Links, & Lakes: No matter where you find yourself this holiday season, these games will transport you to pure leisure. Enjoy a little fishing or practice your swing on the golf course—and it’s even more fun with friends (wherever they may be).
Rockin’ Around the Tree: Get moving and grooving with these rhythm games. Whether you’re in the mood to dance or go pa-rum-pum-pum-pum, these titles make for both great party games and solo jam sessions.
No Place Like Home: Feeling like you’re stuck in Kansas? These games feature otherworldly experiences with a big change in scenery. Collect and tend to your intergalactic garden or embark on a narrative-driven journey to save the world.
Shake It Like a Snow Globe: Mix it up with these games that’ll get you moving. You’ll be dancing and prancing in Jingle Bell Square in no time. Plus, you can reward yourself with a delicious holiday treat. Might we recommend some egg nog?
Om For the Holidays: This holiday, don’t forget to give yourself a wellness break. It’s been a long year—you’ve earned it. These apps are perfect for getting a little “you” time and some well-deserved relaxation into your daily life.
