Action-physics adventure game Boneworks released earlier this month to a strong reception despite little formal marketing. The title surpassed 100,000 players in its first week, reeling in an estimated $3 million in revenue despite being available on just one of several key VR platforms.
We knew Superhot VR (2016) was doing extremely well when Superhot Team announced the VR adaptation had generated more revenue than the original PC game back in April. Now the studio has set one of the most impressive benchmarks of success for the medium, as over the past week Superhot VR garnered a cool $2 million in gross revenue across all VR platforms.
Beat Saber had an awesome year in 2019, launching out of Early Access on the platform in May with multiple music packs following behind it, which featured bands such as Green Day, Imagine Dragons, and Panic at the Disco. It seems the Prague-based studio has done well to bring the flair of name brand music to the game, as it officially ranked as a Steam top seller this year.
We loved 2019 for its bounty of VR games and emphasis on new hardware, but 2020 is looking to bring a host of big budget titles and polished indies alike that should not only keep us all happily strapped into the headset, but attract a steady flow of new users to VR in the process too.
Every year is the biggest year for virtual reality. It seems more developers are delving into VR to explore the medium, hone their techniques and find out what works and what doesn’t. Virtual reality fans walk a similar path; every achievement in this burgeoning medium sets a new bar, and a new expectation of something greater as a result.
HaptX, a producer of haptic VR gloves, today announced it’s secured $12 million in its Series A financing round. The company has additionally signed a strategic partnership with Advanced Input Systems, which the companies say will include shared product development, manufacturing, and go-to-market collaboration.
Logitech’s enterprise-focused VR stylus is now available for pre-order. The $750 ‘VR Ink Pilot Edition’ uses SteamVR Tracking and offers up a more natural and precise input modality for a handful of art & design focused VR tools.
Skydance Interactive and Skybound released a new gameplay video for their upcoming VR game, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, which is slated to arrive late next month.
Sony’s PlayStation London Studio, the developer behind PSVR exclusive Blood & Truth, is already at work on their next VR exclusive project, Road to VR has learned. Considering the timing and scope of London Studio’s work, we expect the title will target next-gen PSVR 2 and PS5 hardware.
Between Beat Saber, Pistol Whip, Audica, and plenty more, it’s fair to say that rhythm games are a key VR genre. And while we didn’t expect it from Blood & Truth, the gritty PSVR-exclusive shooter, we’re happy to see the game get its groove on in its latest and final ‘Challenge’ DLC update.
An update to SteamVR has brought a slew of interface changes which aim to improve ease-of-use and address the software’s dense array of settings.
Not current on the latest season of Rick and Morty? Well, it’s revealed in episode two of the latest season that Rick, the genius misanthrope that he is, has a secret toilet on a depopulated paradise planet where he can relax, unwind, and truly feel alone with his thoughts. And now you can too—provided you own an Oculus Quest or Oculus Go.
Star Trek: Bridge Crew (2017), Ubisoft’s co-op space sim that puts you on the bridge of your very own Federation vessel, is now available on Oculus Quest.
