Echo Arena, the zero-g VR sports game coming to Rift July 20th, is going to be free for anyone who downloads it in the first 3 months after launch, says production studio Ready at Dawn in an Oculus forum post.

Update 07/20/17: Once you so much as add ‘Echo Arena’  to your library during the three-month window, you’ll have free, unlimited access to the title indefinitely.

Original Article (7/14/17): Echo Arena is the multiplayer mode launching alongside Lone Echo, a first-person, sci-fi adventure using the same zero-g locomotion system and Oculus Touch controllers. Ready at Dawn says owners who purchase Lone Echo ($40 regularly, $35 with pre-order) will automatically get Echo Arena for free at any time.

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For everyone else, Echo Arena will be free (and accessible indefinitely) as long as you download it within 3 months after launch. After the 3 month period, the game will sell for $20.

This 3-month free download window is the result of a sponsorship by Intel. Already experiencing two successful open beta access periods (the second goes to July 17th), Echo Arena looks to garner a large player base.

Check back soon for our review of Lone Echo.

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Scott Hayden
Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 3,500 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • Huntsman1230

    Shouldn’t the title be “Echo Arena will be free…’ as Lone Echo is a different title and price tag? Great news though.

    • Looks like the space between my ears is echoing! Thanks for the catch!

  • Neko Koneko

    I can’t wait to further break my ceiling light trying to catch disks!

    • Firestorm185

      Oh I know. Knocked camera mounts and ram sticks of my desk today running into it. xD

      • Neko Koneko

        my ceiling light has reinforced steel around it and the cover is pretty thick glass. whammied the hell out of it which led to a few expletives and a loud ‘crash’ sound. a few people in game busted out laughing because they knew exactly what happened

        • Firestorm185

          Ouch!

        • J.C.

          I think everyone here has had that happen. My most memorable was in RecRoom, playing the first Quest adventure. Took a swing at a monster that snuck up on me and hit my wrist against a shelf. Left a hella bruise, the other three players just heard a loud thud and a stream of expletives. We lost almost immediately because everyone was laughing.

  • J.C.

    So, is this game (and the single player version) an Oculus-forever exclusive, or timed? It’d be nice if there was a list of permanent/timed exclusives, but I’m pretty sure half the timed ones aren’t allowed to SAY it’s a timed exclusive.

    • coolfarmer

      Lone Echo is multiplayer too ;)

  • coolfarmer

    Lone Echo will be single AND multiplayer.

  • Kaleo Kripton

    Final Fantasy X Blitzball VR comming winter 2018, pretty sure

  • Brett A McCall

    Best VR game yet!

  • Henke

    Is there a release-day review embargo on this thing? Because I am not finding any reviews of it anywhere, even though it’s coming out in a few hours. Would love to buy this at the pre-order price, but no way I’m doing so without having read a review.