VR Games Moving to PC & Console Face Tough New Reality

As more VR titles transition to traditional gaming platforms, questions emerge about whether virtual reality hits can retain their magic outside the headset.

For years, VR enthusiasts have been begging giant flat-screen titles to go VR, and the video game industry has been listening. But now the trend appears to be reversing. As virtual reality matures, more developers are bringing their VR experiences to old-school game systems to reach more people.

For many who appreciate VR, the move makes sense. Virtual reality should help Hollywood studios that have invested in technology over the years attract more customers and increase revenue. Some games are organically well-suited to the shift, like Moss, which went from VR to flat-screen. Moss is a third-person adventure platforming game featuring puzzle-solving and action elements. Its gameplay is already playable without a headset.

Other ideas have made sense on paper, too. The Seventh Guest VR from Vertigo Games is a virtual reality take on a classic gaming series. Many players felt that a flat-screen version was a natural progression for a game that was more focused on puzzles and melancholy storytelling than on immersive physical contact. Even without virtual reality, the game’s terrifying setting is still interesting. This makes the changeover less dangerous than it is with other VR-only experiences.

But recent releases have revealed how difficult it is for developers to create VR games that run on normal devices.

This is one of the better examples: Alien: Rogue Incursion - Evolved Edition. The Alien series has been popular for a long time; as a result, there have been many great aspirations. "Many thought that a flat-screen version of it would be able to attract a much larger audience than its VR counterpart." However, the game reportedly struggled to sell despite its powerful name.

Things took a turn for the worse when news surfaced that Survios had laid off a significant portion of its development team earlier this year. The studio’s development activity had been dramatically scaled back, several former staffers reported on professional networking sites. The reasons for the cutbacks are still unclear, but the game's performance has raised questions about whether VR experiences can be adapted to traditional games.

It also received mixed critical reviews. Many individuals enjoyed the original VR version, but the flat-screen version received significantly lower marks across many key areas. That distinction has made gamers more confident in their opinions. Often, the VR experience itself helps some VR games stand out.

Virtual reality immersion, presence, and player engagement can make otherwise uninteresting games more entertaining. Some removed parts could make some games less fun than they were with a headset.

Now, that anxiety is about Vertigo Games’ planned flat-screen version of Arizona Sunshine.

Some players are intrigued by early footage, but suspicious. They don’t think the zombie shooter can compete in the congested market for traditional games. If you’re just seeing Arizona Sunshine as a flat-screen movie, it has a whole different set of competition. It helped to create a well-known co-op zombie experience in VR. But outside of VR, it's got to contend with a massive number of shooters already out there on PC and consoles.

Among the things getting a lot of acclaim is the split-screen co-op play, which is becoming less prevalent in recent games. The game might also be unique within its genre because two players can sit together and play locally. But other folks aren't sure this will be enough to pull in the crowds.

Any VR game that hits a flat screen is going to struggle to be seen on it. The still-very-modest VR space means that standout games can receive a lot of attention very quickly. “When they come out in the much bigger market for traditional games, they will have to compete with hundreds of well-known franchises and big releases.” For them to succeed, they typically need something beyond VR.

Looks like Vertigo Games is investing a lot of effort into getting Arizona Sunshine running on normal platforms.

The third-person gameplay mechanics and other control options make it feel as though the firm is doing more than just adapting the original game. But it still has some worries about its business prospects. Some players who appreciate both VR and regular games fear the game would struggle to attract individuals who don’t know much about its VR origins.

Funny how so many people believe Metro: Awakening would be better as a flat-screen version. It’s part of the hugely popular Metro series, which already has many fans outside of VR. But legal concerns and the publisher's demands may have led Vertigo to focus on Arizona Sunshine.