Thirdverse announced that its upcoming 5v5 multiplayer shooter X8 will launch in Early Access on Steam for PC VR and App Lab for Quest later this month.
Early Access begins on May 18, available as a free-to-play title on both platforms. Thirdverse says X8 features teams of five fighting against each other, with a "diverse cast of heroes" to choose from. Each hero will have three special abilities and hero-specific items to experiment with, offering unique "strategical advantages." Here's more on X8, directly from Thirdverse:
Players can build an extensive loadout of weapons, armor and items to equip their heroes during each round and use the funds they earn to purchase more armaments. The objective is to deploy ‘The Syphon’ at specific sites on the map during an attack or deactivate it within 30 seconds using ‘The Defuser’ during defense. The team that eliminates all attackers or disrupts the deployment process determines the round's winners. Lasting 14 rounds, a play session draw occurs at 7/7 or the first to 8 (subject to change) are victorious.
On May 17, Thirdverse will share a showcase on YouTube featuring more information about the game's inspiration and content roadmap. It will also reveal more information about an upcoming X8 esports tournament with Virtual Athletics League, which will offer a $10,000 prize.
Despite some spirited protests against it, Meta and its child-studio Ready at Dawn are set to shut down the popular multiplayer game Echo VR, with plans to turn off severs come August 1st. While the sporty Echo Arena portion of the game has always been free on both Quest and Rift, the squad-based shooter half of Echo VR,Echo Combat, will be free on PC from now until server shutdown.
Update (May 3rd, 2023): Ready at Dawn announced it’s granting free access to Echo Combat to everyone, which was previously sold as a $10 in-app purchase. Echo Combat is unfortunately PC-only, so there’s no native version for Quest, meaning you’ll need Link or Air Link and a VR-ready PC if you want to jump in with the small but dedicated crew of Echo Combat players.
Check out the trailer below to see Echo Combat in action:
Original Article (January 31st, 2023): Echo VR has had a storied journey, having originally launched as an Oculus Rift exclusive title all the way back in 2017. In 2020 the game made the leap to Quest, allowing cross-play multiplayer between Rift and Quest players. Shortly thereafter, Meta announced that it had acquired the game’s developer, Ready at Dawn.
Although not mentioned specifically, it’s hard to imagine that the broader layoffs at Meta (and other major tech companies) has nothing to do with the announcement. Especially considering that Ready at Dawn released its last game, Lone Echo II, more than a year ago; ostensibly the studio has been well at work on its “next project” for quite some time now.
In addition to being one of the platform’s most popular free multiplayer games, Echo VR also had one of the most robust in-app purchase offerings of any VR title so far, with a battlepass-style system that allowed players to pay for the chance to unlock cosmetic rewards over the course of seven seasons. Unfortunately the studio has confirmed that refunds for in-game content will not be offered.
Image courtesy Ready at Dawn, Oculus
As a parting gift, at least, the studio says players who play the game between now and when it shuts down will receive a heap of premium cosmetic items for free:
From now until August 1, 2023, play just one match of either Echo Combat or Arena to unlock:
All Epic + Superb rarity chassis/booster/bracer sets from Echo Pass seasons 1–6 Season 7 rewards to be released at a later date
All Chassis Variants
All non-3D rewards from Echo Pass seasons 1–6 Season 7 rewards to be released at a later date
All Echo Shop items Including Starter Bundle
All previous event rewards
Some previously unreleased rewards
The following rewards will NOT be included in the event
VRML rewards
LE2 Chassis
Legendary rarity chassis/booster/bracer sets from the previous 7 seasons
Leveling Track Rewards
Leveling Track
We will now be granting all leveling track items at lvl 1 so everyone gains access to these rewards without impacting matchmaking quality.
Echo Shop
We will place all legendary chassis/booster/bracer sets for sale on the Echo Shop at reduced prices until the game shuts down.
And last but not least, Ready at Dawn confirmed that Echo Combat, the lesser-played FPS variant of the game (which never made the leap to Quest) will also be shutting down as of August 1st, and is already no longer available for purchase.
Cloudhead Games confirmed Pistol Whip will not receive further support on PSVR 1, nearly three years after arriving on Sony's older VR headset.
Yesterday saw the Overdrive Season launch with Shred, one of 5 monthly scenes releasing from now until September. Advising this is coming to Quest 2, PSVR 2, Pico 4 and PC VR, developers were asked why PSVR was omitted. Stating they've made the "tough decision" to end future support, Cloudhead confirms it's "one of the big reasons" why Pistol Whip supports crossbuy with the PS5 VR headset.
Hi! All content up to and including Contracts are still available; however, our team has made the tough decision to end future support for PS VR1. This was one of the big reasons why we ensured Pistol Whip would be free on PS VR2 for anyone who already owned it on PS VR1.
🚨! NEW SCENE ALERT !🚨
Are you ready to fly high and shred the sky?? ✈️
The Overdrive Season starts TODAY – Shred is now available in Arcade for heroes on Quest2, PSVR2, Pico4, and PCVR 💥 More details here 👉 https://t.co/XUQIQbGcCL#pistolwhipoverdrivepic.twitter.com/WaUSm0uRdg
— Pistol Whip 💥 The Essential PSVR2 Game (@PistolWhipVR) May 1, 2023
This isn't the first game we've seen dropping PSVR 1 support recently. Back in March, Ramen VR confirmed VR MMO Zenith: The Last City will do the same on September 15, placing existing PSVR players into an isolated server. Back when Overdrive was first announced the team advised the update would be "available on all supported platforms upon release.”
This means Pistol Whip's last major content update on PSVR was the Contracts update last June and that should still be available to PSVR 1 owners. Meanwhile, modded scenes from the upcoming in-game level editor, Pistol Mix, are playable on Steam, Rift and Quest. When asked about PSVR 2 support last month for Pistol Mix, Cloudhead told UploadVR "we don't have anything to announce regarding the availability of Remixed Scenes on PlayStation VR2 at the moment."
Meta is putting on its Quest Gaming Showcase in June, and while we’re not certain what standalone goodies the company has in store, a promo video seems to suggest we’ll be getting something from the universe of hit Rift exclusive Asgard’s Wrath (2019).
We say ‘universe’ and not ‘direct port’ because we simply can’t tell for now based on the few seconds of footage, which seems to show Loki’s helmet with what appears to be a shadowy god-like figure in the background.
What suggests the promo may not be a flat-out Rift to Quest port is the desert environment. If you’ve played Asgard’s Wrath on Rift, you may remember some post-credits sequel bait, where you find an Egyptian ankh that suggests a follow-up will take place in an Egyptian-inspired environment.
Meta largely abandoned PC VR gaming almost immediately after releasing Rift S and Asgard’s Wrath in 2019 however, afterwards devoting its clutch of VR gaming studios to produce content for Quest and putting the kibosh on a direct-to-Rift sequel in the process. Maybe the next in the series will live on as a Quest native from the get-go?
It would certainly make more sense than Meta’s Sanzaru Games going back and completely overhauling the original Asgard’s Wrath for Quest, although we haven’t heard anything from the studio since it was acquired by Meta in early 2020. It’s not inconceivable that the original and a sequel could be in the works for Quest.
Meanwhile, we’ll be waiting to hear about the other rash of long-promised Quest content yet to come, including Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Assassin’s Creed Nexus, and Vertigo Games’ upcoming work with Deep Silver’s IP, which could be anything from Metro to Dead Island.
Following along with us on June at at 10 AM PT to find out, as Meta is slated to share over 40 minutes of content, including new game announcements, gameplay first-looks, updates to existing games, and more.
Seekers of the Shard: Dragonfire is a new location-based fantasy VR experience, arriving next month at Sandbox VR.
Directed by Michael Hampden, former lead designer for Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed series, Seekers of the Shard: Dragonfire sees you playing as a group of adventurers in an original fantasy world. Featuring branching storylines, multiple locations and an option to turn off graphic violence, you can watch a sneak peak below. Sandbox VR also provided UploadVR this official outline:
In Seekers of the Shard: Dragonfire, players are a band of adventurers who face off against a variety of enemies using swords, axes, bows, and magic. Players travel through a magical castle filled with intriguing characters and mysteries, and explore areas like a ruined fortress, an underground river, a haunted tomb, and the dragon's tower, all while proving their worthiness as Seekers of the Shard.
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“Melee Combat, magic weapons and spells, unlockable items, and choosing where to go next are just a few of the new features we have added," Hampden said in a prepared statement. Steve Zhao, CEO of Sandbox VR, added that Dragonfire also contains branching storylines.
Seekers of the Shard: Dragonfire arrives on June 9, launching before the previously announced Squid Game VR experience. Sandbox VR operates in over 35 worldwide locations.
Cyborn is bringing Hubris (2022), the sci-fi adventure for PC VR headsets, to PSVR 2 this month, promising a host of improvements we hope will buff out more than a few dull spots in the otherwise visually impressive game.
There’s no precise release date yet; Cyborn says in a PS blog post that Hubris will land on PSVR 2 at some point in May, notably bringing along with it “enhanced graphics and gameplay.”
This includes foveated rendering for sharper resolution, haptics & adaptive triggers for swimming and shooting, revamped reloading and aiming, new enemy variations, refined difficulty levels, and 3D audio.
Many of the things above were sorely lacking from the game when we reviewed the game at launch in late 2022, cementing it as a visually stunning, but ultimately pretty flawed shooter from the get-go.
Some of those improvements will eventually be added to the PC VR version, but “probably not on the same day as the PS VR 2 release as it requires a lot more testing on different headsets when it is stable enough,” the studio says in the game’s official Discord. Cyborn has also confirmed Hubris will also launch on Quest 2 at some point, although the studio hasn’t mentioned specifics.
Here’s a rundown of all the big upcoming VR releases arriving on Meta Quest 2, PC VR, PSVR 2, Pico 4 and more in May 2023.
Propagation: Paradise Hotel - May 4 (Quest 2, PC VR)
Developed by WanadevStudio, Propagation: Paradise Hotel is a sequel to Propagation VR. A survival horror game, this new story focuses on Emily, who will infiltrate this zombie-ridden hotel to find her twin sister, Ashley. WanadevStudio confirms a PSVR 2 version is also coming "soon."
Survival Nation - May 4 (Quest 2)
Following a PC VR release in February, Survival Nation now makes its way to Meta Quest 2. An open-world online RPG, you must co-operate with your fellow camp members. Survival involves killing zombies, scavenging resources across this world and crafting new weapons.
This roguelike VR shooter will feature procedurally-generated levels with a sci-fi flair. The game uses hand tracking on Quest 2 and Quest Pro, so you'll control the action and gun down enemies using a range of hand gestures.
Walkabout Mini Golf - May 11 (PSVR 2)
Walkabout Mini Golf is available across many platforms like Quest, PC VR and Pico with cross-platform multiplayer, so it's no surprise to see a PSVR 2 version follow. If you're unfamiliar, check out our walkthrough tour videos with Mighty Coconut to learn more.
Another Fisherman's Tale - May 11 (Quest 2, PSVR 2, PC VR)
Developed by Innerspace, Another Fisherman’s Tale is a direct sequel to 2019’s A Fisherman’s Tale. Continuing the story of Bob the Fisherman, you play as Nina, the original protagonist's daughter who begins investigating her father’s past. If you're curious to know more, you can check out our hands-on preview from GDC 2023.
Humanity - May 16 (PC VR, PSVR, PSVR 2)
A surrealist platformer where you play as a Shiba Inu, Humanity marks the latest game from Tetris Effect and Rez Infinite publisher Enhance. Guiding humans through various puzzles in a Lemmings-esque premise, any PlayStation Plus Extra/Premium subscribers can play it at no additional charge on day one.
Firmament - May 18 (PC VR)
First revealed back in 2018, Myst developers Cyan confirmed that its next puzzle adventure game arrives this month. Set in an abandoned steampunk world, Firmament sees you exploring three realms, joined by a clockwork companion and mysterious apparition. While the PSVR port was canceled last year, an upcoming PSVR 2 will follow at an unknown date.
Dead Hook - May 18 (Quest 2)
Developed by Joy Way, Dead Hook is a new roguelike shooter reminiscent of Doom VFR. A reworked version of cancelled PC VR roguelike Outlier, you play as a “mercenary, smuggler, thief, and devoted husband” shooting through hordes of demons.
Paranormal Hunter - May 22 (PC VR)
Developed by EALoGames, Paranormal Hunter is a new multiplayer horror game where you hunt supernatural spirits as a team, similar to Phasmophobia, Featuring optional VR support, full PC cross-play is supported between VR and flatscreen players, that arrives through Steam Early Access.
Hello Neighbor: Search and Rescue - May 25 (PSVR 2)
After initially being slated for a February launch on PSVR 2 and PC VR, Hello Neighbor: Search and Rescue's release was later pushed back on both platforms. The PSVR 2 version is now set to release later this month on May 25. However, the PC VR release date remains unconfirmed.
Back in February, a spokesperson for developers tinyBuild confirmed to UploadVR that the PSVR 2 release was set for May 25, but said that the release dates for "other versions" of the game would be confirmed later down the line. We've reached out for any further updates and will update the post if we receive any news.
Hubris - May (PSVR 2)
Following a PC VR release last December, developer Cyborn confirmed that Hubris arrives on PSVR 2 this month. A sci-fi action-adventure game where you traverse a new alien world, and Hubris quickly gained traction for its high-end visuals. A Quest 2 release is also planned, but no release date has been provided.
Everslaught Invasion - May (Quest)
If you read our April 2023 list, Everslaught Invasion will be a familiar sight. Previously scheduled for last month, Fast Travel Games and MobX Games delayed the two-player co-op experience until May, citing "unforeseen circumstances." At the time of writing, the Quest Store page lists May 18 as the game's "expected" release date.
A HTC Vive XR Elite port is also planned after the Quest launch, though a release window is currently unknown.
We Are One - May (PC VR, Quest 2)
Mixing puzzles with room-scale FPS mechanics, We Are One comes from developer Flat Head Studio. Set across self-contained levels, your goal involves working together with your past selves to clear time travel-themed conundrums. You can check out our We Are One preview from Gamescom 2022, or try out the demo now on Steam, App Lab and SideQuest.
Yupitergrad 2: The Lost Station - May (Pico Neo 3 Link, Pico 4)
A rare timed exclusive for Pico, upcoming Metroidvania sequel Yupitergrad 2: The Lost Station sees you vaulting through a space station at high speed, solving puzzles and avoiding hazards. It's also coming to Quest 2, PC VR and the Vive XR Elite, though a release window for these additional platforms remains unconfirmed. Specific timing for this month's Pico release has also yet to be confirmed.
