From HITMAN to Wonderland: Game Announcements at the 2024 VR Games Showcase

The VR Games Showcase 2024 has just wrapped up, and what an exciting event it was! From remakes of beloved classics to innovative new titles, this showcase had something for everyone. Let's dive into the biggest announcements and most anticipated releases from this year's event.

1. HITMAN 3 VR: Reloaded

Developer: XR Games
Platforms: Meta Quest 3
Release Date: Summer 2024

HITMAN 3 VR: Reloaded marks a significant leap forward for the franchise in virtual reality. Built from the ground up for Meta Quest 3, this iteration promises to deliver an unparalleled, immersive experience that addresses the shortcomings of the previous VR version. XR Games has leveraged the power of Meta Quest 3, allowing players to step into Agent 47's shoes with unprecedented freedom.

Key features include dual-wielding weapons, a fresh visual style, an overhauled user interface, and improved movement options. The game also boasts enhanced graphics and performance, taking full advantage of Meta Quest 3's capabilities to deliver sharp visuals and smooth gameplay. Whether you're a long-time fan of the series or new to the world of Agent 47, HITMAN 3 VR: Reloaded aims to set a new standard for VR gaming, offering the ultimate virtual reality assassination experience.

2. Arizona Sunshine Remake

Developer: Vertigo Games
Platforms: Meta Quest 3, 2 & Pro, PlayStation VR2, PC VR
Release Date: October 17th, 2024

The zombie apocalypse is getting a major facelift with Arizona Sunshine Remake, a complete overhaul of the award-winning VR zombie shooter. Set for release on October 17th, 2024, this remake promises to elevate the original experience with next-gen VR graphics, combat, and weapons. Players can face the undead hordes alone or team up with up to three friends in co-op campaign and Horde modes. The game features a new mutilation and gore system, immersive zombie survival mechanics, and physically controlled weapons ranging from shotguns to flamethrowers.

This definitive edition includes all original DLCs and updates, offering a complete package for both newcomers and fans of the original. The campaign is built in bite-sized VR chunks, allowing for short sessions or extended play. For those who already own the original Arizona Sunshine, an upgrade option will be available at a reduced price. 

3. Action Hero

Developer: Fast Travel Games
Platforms: Meta Quest 3, 2 & Pro
Release Date: 2024

Action Hero, a new VR FPS from Fast Travel Games, made its debut at the VR Games Showcase with an adrenaline-pumping reveal trailer. Set to launch in 2024, this blockbuster experience puts players in the starring role of five different action-packed movies. Each movie is divided into four acts, with five scenes per act, offering a variety of thrilling scenarios from modern action epics to ancient ruin explorations. The game's unique slow-motion mechanics allow players to plan their moves and execute them with cinematic flair, speeding up only as the player moves.

Designed with both VR veterans and newcomers in mind, Action Hero features comfortable, stationary combat that focuses on physical movements rather than button presses. The game boasts eye-opening sequences and pulse-pounding action, including dodging boulders, fending off dinosaur attacks, and weaving through laser grids. With its wire-free gameplay optimized for Meta Quest platforms, Action Hero aims to provide an accessible yet thrilling VR shooter experience that lets players live out their action movie fantasies in spectacular fashion.

4. Grim

Developer: Spoonfed Interactive & Combat Waffle Studios
Publisher: Beyond Frames Entertainment
Platforms: Meta Quest 3, 2 & Pro, PC VR
Release Date: 2024

GRIM, the intense VR multiplayer survival game set on Mars, unveiled an exciting new trailer at the VR Games Showcase. Developed by Spoonfed Interactive in coordination with Combat Waffle Studios (creators of Ghosts of Tabor), GRIM thrusts players into a treacherous Red Planet environment abandoned by AdvantEDGE corporation. The trailer showcased the game's unique blend of PvPvE gameplay, challenging players to survive against both the harsh Martian landscape and rival survivors. Key features include simultaneous PvP and PvE encounters, base building and fortification, crafting systems, and the ability to explore radiated monuments for valuable loot.

Set to launch in Early Access in 2024, GRIM promises an immersive VR experience where players must scavenge for resources, craft tools and weapons, and build secure bases to survive. The new footage highlights the variety of gameplay options, from solo ventures to team-based alliances, and the constant threat of rival raiders. With its unforgiving Martian setting and diverse scenarios, GRIM is poised to offer VR enthusiasts a challenging and evolving survival experience when it becomes available.

5. Silent North

Developer: Combat Waffle Studios
Publisher: Beyond Frames Entertainment
Platforms: Meta Quest 3, 2 & Pro, PC VR
Release Date: 2025

Silent North, a stylized VR shooter set in the Swedish Alps, showcased a gripping new trailer at the VR Games Showcase. Also developed by Combat Waffle Studios, the game drops players into a dark, unforgiving world filled with infected creatures and desperate survivors. The trailer highlighted the game's intense PVPVE action, where players must battle not only the harsh elements but also other survivors and the ever-present infected threat.

Scheduled for Early Access launch in February 2025, Silent North offers players the choice to go solo or team up with friends in their fight for survival. The new footage emphasized key features such as scavenging for resources, crafting essential items, and engaging in adrenaline-pumping firefights. With its focus on adaptability and resilience in an ever-changing landscape, Silent North promises to deliver a challenging and immersive VR survival experience. Whether exploring treacherous mountain terrain or venturing into quarantined zones for valuable loot, players will need to stay frosty to survive in this harrowing northern wilderness. 

6. Escaping Wonderland

Developer: Beyond Frames Entertainment
Platforms: Meta Quest 3, 2 & Pro, Pico
Release Date: September 26th, 2024

Escaping Wonderland, the latest chapter in the Down the Rabbit Hole saga, invites players to tumble into a whimsical world of puzzles and perplexing challenges. Developed by Cortopia Studios, this VR adventure follows the curious Molly on a brand-new journey through the beloved Alice in Wonderland universe. The game showcases enchanting diorama-style environments where nothing is quite as it seems, promising hours of gameplay filled with brain-teasers, delightful nonsense, and a dash of mystery as players help Molly recover her memory and discover what she's really escaping from.

Set to launch on September 25th, 2024, Escaping Wonderland features interactions with marvelous characters from Lewis Carroll's classic tales, all wrapped in a story that blurs the lines between escape and exploration. With its unique blend of storytelling and puzzle-solving, the game offers a fresh take on the Wonderland mythos, challenging players to navigate a world where "the end is only the beginning." As players puzzle their way through this topsy-turvy landscape, they'll uncover the curious truth that sometimes the best way out is further in, making Escaping Wonderland a must-play for fans of immersive VR storytelling and mind-bending puzzles alike.

7. Mannequin

Developer: Fast Travel Games
Platforms: Meta Quest 3, 2 & Pro, PC VR
Release Date: September 12th, 2024

Fast Travel Games announced during the VR Games Showcase that Mannequin, their hit hide-and-seek multiplayer VR FPS, will leave Early Access and launch in full on September 12, 2024. The game, which has garnered critical acclaim during its Early Access phase, will retain its $19.99 price point. Mannequin offers an intense 2v3 asymmetrical multiplayer experience where two elite Agents hunt three shape-shifting aliens known as Mannequins. Players can either pose as frozen human statues to ambush Agents or use high-tech scanners to identify and eliminate the alien threat.

The full release of Mannequin will include several exciting features. Players can enjoy four tightly-designed maps that have been perfected throughout the Early Access period. The game will support full cross-play between Meta Quest and Steam versions, ensuring a robust player base. Custom modes, including the popular Infected Mode, will be available at launch. Additionally, the Meta Quest 3 version will receive visual enhancements, while all versions benefit from performance improvements and quality of life fixes. Fast Travel Games has also teased additional post-launch content, promising ongoing support for this unique VR multiplayer experience.

8. FRENZIES

Developer: nDreams
Platforms: Meta Quest 3, 2 & Pro, PlayStation VR2
Release Date: Early Access in October 2024, full release TBA

FRENZIES, the stylishly slick multiplayer shooter from Near Light: an nDreams Studio, made a splash at the VR Games Showcase with an exciting Early Access release window announcement trailer. Set to enter Early Access in October 2024, FRENZIES promises to inject unpredictable excitement back into the VR shooter genre. The game fuses the award-winning gunplay from Fracked and Synapse with the chaos of multiplayer action, creating a neon-soaked arena where players are encouraged to embrace their competitive side and dominate the competition.

The showcase trailer highlighted FRENZIES' unique gameplay structure, featuring five-round matches that offer a chaotic mix of iconic and unconventional game modes. From tense standoffs in "Red Light, Green Light" to the absurdly fun "Glitter Pig," each round keeps players on their toes with constantly shifting objectives. This variety ensures that momentum can swing in an instant, giving every player a chance to shine.

As Paul Mottram, Head of Studio at Near Light, puts it, "The last thing you can accuse FRENZIES of is being boring." The studio also announced upcoming Closed Alpha play sessions, inviting the community to help shape the game's development through their Discord channel, building anticipation for the Early Access launch later this year.

9. Band Space

Developer: Smartmelon Games
Publisher: Fast Travel Games
Platforms: Meta Quest 3, 2 & Pro, PC VR
Release Date: Fall 2024

Band Space, the multiplayer VR rhythm game from Smartmelon Games, made waves at the VR Games Showcase with an exciting announcement of its upcoming release. Published by Fast Travel Games, Band Space is set to launch on Meta Quest platforms and Steam in Fall 2024. The game offers players the chance to live out their rock star dreams in VR, mastering guitar, drums, bass, and keyboard using intuitive motion controls. A free demo is already available on Quest and Steam, giving players a taste of the rock and roll action to come.

At launch, Band Space will feature a robust set of features designed to create an immersive musical experience. Players can join up to three friends online for multiplayer sessions or practice solo to perfect their skills. The game will launch with a variety of tracks spanning multiple genres, with plans for more songs in the future. Notably, Band Space will include integrated Mod.io support, allowing players to easily find and download new songs or even create custom tracks using the BandSpace Beatmap Editor. The developers are also working on mixed reality (MR) support for Quest platforms, though the release date for this feature is yet to be confirmed. As a bonus for early supporters, those who purchased the previously available early access DLC content will be eligible for a free upgrade to the full game upon release.

10. Into The Radius

Developer: CM Games
Publisher: Fast Travel Games
Platforms: PlayStation VR2 (already available on Meta Quest, PC VR)
Release Date: September 19, 2024

Into The Radius, the atmospheric open-world survival shooter, is set to make its debut on PlayStation VR2 on September 19, 2024, as announced during the VR Games Showcase. This port brings the entire original Into The Radius experience to Sony's latest VR platform, complete with new features designed specifically for the PS VR2 hardware. Players will find themselves in the middle of a blighted zone, cut off from the outside world, where they must rely on their wits and weapons to survive.

The PS VR2 version of Into The Radius will take full advantage of the platform's capabilities, featuring foveated rendering for enhanced visual quality and performance, as well as haptic feedback through both the headset and controllers for increased immersion. The game's unique blend of survival mechanics, realistic weapon handling, and eerie atmosphere promises to be more engaging than ever on PS VR2. Players will navigate deadly anomalies, fight off supernatural threats, and complete missions as they journey deeper into the mysterious Radius. With its mix of exploration, combat, and resource management, Into The Radius aims to offer PS VR2 owners a deep and challenging survival experience in a haunting, post-apocalyptic world.

11. Fracked

Developer: nDreams
Platforms: Meta Quest 3, 2 & Pro (already available on PlayStation VR, PC VR)
Release Date: August 29, 2024

Fracked, the award-winning action blockbuster from nDreams, is making its explosive debut on Meta Quest platforms on August 29, 2024. This trailblazing VR action adventure, which predates nDreams' critically acclaimed Synapse and upcoming frenetic FRENZIES, is returning more explosive than ever, optimized for Quest 2 and Quest 3. Fracked seamlessly blends relentless "run and cover" gunfights with free-flowing skiing and climbing mechanics, promising an uncompromising and audacious VR experience that pushes the boundaries of the platform.

In Fracked, players are thrust into the role of a reluctant hero, stranded in a remote mountain facility and forced into a final stand between the planet and a legion of interdimensional enemies. The game offers a unique combination of intense shooting, skiing, and climbing gameplay, all wrapped in a stylish, action-packed adventure. With its Quest release, Fracked aims to deliver the same high-octane experience that made it a hit on other VR platforms, now optimized for the standalone capabilities of the Quest headsets. As the tagline suggests, players will find themselves "alone, on the edge, and really fracked off," with humanity's survival in their hands.

12. Silent Slayer

Developer: Schell Games
Platforms: PC VR (already available on Meta Quest)
Release Date: October 10, 2024

Schell Games made a thrilling announcement at the VR Games Showcase, revealing that Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire will be coming to PC VR via Steam on October 10, 2024. This expansion to PC platforms brings the tense, horror-puzzle experience to an even wider audience, following its success on Meta Quest devices. Silent Slayer challenges players to become vampire slayers, embarking on a perilous quest to eliminate ancient, sleeping vampires by disarming their coffins' intricate defenses.

The game blends elements of horror and puzzle-solving, creating a unique and nerve-wracking experience. Players must use a variety of tools, including a pry bar, clippers, and a macabre hook made from a finger bone, to carefully navigate the vampires' defenses. Guided by a mystical book, slayers must work in silence and with precision to avoid waking the deadly creatures. The ultimate goal remains driving a stake through the vampire's heart, but the journey to that moment is fraught with tension and potential jumpscares. With its arrival on PC VR, Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire promises to bring its distinctive blend of horror and puzzles to an eager new audience of vampire hunters.

13. Schell Games MR Teasers

Jesse Schell, CEO of Schell Games, made a special appearance via video message during the showcase. Schell offered viewers a tantalizing glimpse into the company's future plans, revealing that Schell Games is currently working on several mixed reality projects in development. The CEO promised more information in the coming months, leaving fans eager to learn about these new projects.

14. Vendetta Forever

Developer: nDreams
Platforms: Meta Quest 3, 2 & Pro, PlayStation VR2
Release Date: October 2024 (Demo available now on Quest)

Vendetta Forever, the latest action-packed VR title from nDreams, made an explosive appearance at the VR Games Showcase, announcing its upcoming release in October 2024 for Meta Quest platforms and PlayStation VR2. Billing itself as a "Cult Action Paradise," Vendetta Forever promises to deliver an unapologetic love letter to classic action cinema, fusing rapid-fire tactical gunplay with effortless acrobatic style.

At the heart of Vendetta Forever is the innovative LO-KILL-MOTION mechanic, which introduces a unique "Shoot to kill, Kill to move" gameplay loop. Players dispatch foes and seize their weapons in mid-air, using each takedown to propel themselves forward and strategically plot their next move. This mechanic aims to distill the essence of top-tier VR action, removing any unnecessary elements to deliver what nDreams calls "100% gunplay purity." With its focus on non-stop action and stylish combat, Vendetta Forever is positioning itself as a must-play title for fans of intense VR shooters and action movie enthusiasts alike when it launches this October.

15. Flat2VR Studios Line-Up

The VR Games Showcase concluded with exciting announcements from Flat2VR Studios, a new game development studio focused on creating officially licensed VR ports of popular flatscreen games. Formed by VR publisher and marketing group Impact Reality, Flat2VR Studios has partnered with established VR modders like Team Beef, Cabalistic, and Raicuparta to bridge the gap between traditional video games and VR experiences.

Flat2VR Studios revealed an impressive lineup of upcoming VR ports:

1. FlatOut VR: The classic destructive racing game is getting a VR makeover for Meta Quest, SteamVR, and PSVR2. While no release date was announced, fans can look forward to experiencing the game's chaotic races and destruction derby events in immersive virtual reality.
2. RoboQuest VR: This fast-paced roguelite FPS will be available on SteamVR, Meta Quest, and PSVR2. Players will be able to dive into the game's randomly generated environments and experience its high-powered combat in VR.
3. Trombone Champ Unflattened: The viral hit rhythm game is coming to VR as "Trombone Champ Unflattened" in Fall 2024 for Meta Quest, SteamVR, and PSVR2. Players will be able to physically mime playing a trombone in VR, adding a new layer of hilarity to the already comedic game.
4. Wrath: Aeon of Ruin VR: This retro-styled FPS inspired by classics like Quake will be available on SteamVR, Meta Quest, and PSVR2. The VR version promises to bring the game's atmospheric environments and fast-paced combat to life in a whole new way.

Elliott Tate, Impact Reality partner and Flat2VR community founder, expressed excitement about bringing beloved games to VR platforms, stating, "With Flat2VR Studios, we're thrilled to work directly with the best developers to create official, high-quality VR versions of hit titles."

With releases planned across major VR platforms including Meta Quest, PlayStation VR2, and Steam, Flat2VR Studios is poised to make a significant impact on the VR gaming landscape in the coming years.

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The VR Games Showcase 2024 has set the stage for an exciting year in virtual reality gaming. With a mix of new IPs, remakes of beloved classics, and new gameplay mechanics, the future of VR looks brighter than ever. Which announcement are you most excited about? Let us know!