Meta Quest 3 and Top VR Games Announced in 2023 Showcase
Last year during the Meta Showcase, we got some stellar announcements, like The Mercenaries being brought to VR for Resident Evil 4 VR, a Ghostbuster game, and who could forget Moss Book 2 and Saints and Sinners Walking Dead Chapter Two.
The new Meta Quest headset is coming this fall with a 128GB version available for $499.99 plus “an additional storage option for those who want more space” at an unspecified price. Compared to its predecessor, the Meta Quest 2, the Quest 3’s design is 40 percent lighter, while a new Snapdragon chip inside has twice the graphics performance.
It should be to no one surprise then that year was jampack with goodies, and If I do say so myself, easily beating out the showing last year and cementing in that the Meta Quest 2, while it doesn’t have the most power behind it, can bring the heat with its games line up.
Here are all the Meta Quest Showcase Announcements:
Samba de Amigo Party Central:
Things at the Meta Quest showcase started with a literal bang. Coming Fall 2023, Samba de Amigo looks like the next best dancing/party game for VR, with a beat that you can’t help but shake to and a colour pallet that just makes everything pop. This looks to be an exciting VR version of the upcoming Samba de Amigo set to release on consoles this August.
I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine:
The game that first let me know VR is capable of ever-encompassing immersive experiences. The follow-up to the hit series I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine looks to evolve the series even further by pitting us against a robotic agent to see who is more capable of saving the world. Schell Games looks like they really went all out on this one. With a Summer 2023 release window, hopefully, we won’t have to wait too long to find out.
Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire
A surprise second announcement for Schell Games is coming in hot. A stealth-based game where your goal is to sneak into the Vampire’s Lair and destroy them without waking them up. While not much else is known, what we saw looks promising.
Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord
We got some excellent Ghostbuster gameplay finally! Coming this fall, it looks like the authentic Ghostbusters experience we have always wanted. My hope is that it feels like we are actually submerged in the world. Because if they can get the particle beams and traps feeling right, this will be an amazing experience.
UNDERDOGS
A cyberpunk mech fighting game where we will be battling sci-fi monsters and other mechs in an arena filled to the brim with environmental hazards. It looks interesting, and with a 2024 release date, it may be a while before we find out more.
NFL PRO ERA
A quick update on numbers and a tease that more updates are coming to NFL PRO ERA, and StatusPRO inc plans to add new modes, features, and more.
Racket Club
A fun, more arcady-looking tennis VR game, with multiplayer up to 4. From developer Resolution Games of Demeo and Blaston, it looks like a fun little experience. Currently, no release is known for Racket Club.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice
A VR vampire adventure RPG set in the Vampire: The Masquerade world looks to take on the stealth action of games like Dishonored and bring them to VR. Set for release in fall 2023, this looks like one to keep your eyes on.
Dungeons of Eternity
A co-op dungeon crawling experience, almost like Gauntlet and Demeo were blended into one. With procedural generation, I can see myself playing this one for hours. With a launch window of 2023, hopefully, we won’t have to wait too much longer to find out when we can dive into this world.
The 7th Guest
If you were going to ask me what would be announced today, at the bottom of that list would be a 7th Guest remake. Built entirely from the ground up for VR, we will be going back through Henry Stauf’s haunted mansion in this incredible-looking remake later this year.
Arizona Sunshine 2
During the PlayStation showcase, we got a brief glimpse at the upcoming zombie-slaying sequel and another quick peek at it here at the Meta Showcase. A character talks with his dog before they attack a zombie. I am all for another zombie VR shooter, but that dog better not just be an emotional pillar to be pulled out from under us. With a release window of 2023, it looks like we will find out soon.
Stranger Things VR
On the cusp of the series’ final season looming in the future, we got an announcement of Stranger Things VR. In this psychological horror game, we take on the role of Vecna as he prepares for his revenge again Eleven and Hawkins. This game looks rad, and with another Fall 2023 window, we will have plenty of reasons to keep our headsets on.
Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable
While we have yet to see Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable in action, it is set to come out in the winter 2024. We will take on missions in Single Player or Co-op for the Scout Regiment. With full movement in our Omni-directional Mobility (ODM) Gear, we need to see this game in action.
Bulletstorm
Rember that game from 2011 with the cool blue grapple and the Duke Nukem-esque characters? Well, they are making a return for Bulletstorm VR, a remade from the ground-up VR version of Bulletstorm set for release for the Meta Quest sometime in 2023.
Assassin’s Creed: Nexus VR
With nothing but a splash screen and a “ To be fully announced at Ubi Forward.” There isn’t much to say about Assassin’s Creed: Nexus VR for now.
Asgard’s Wrath 2
The follow-up to the critically acclaimed Asgard’s Wrath . Looking to really push the bounds of what the Meta Quest can do, it promises over 60 hours of exploration. This looks like a bombastic VR adventure that I can’t wait to dip into when it releases in Winter 2023.
We were then met with a few brief updates and some quick announcements.
Little Cities: Sandbow Update
Little Cities, the cute city builder, is getting a sandbox mode in its next update coming this month.
Powerwash Simulator VR
Thats right! Powerwash Simulator, everyone’s favourite washing stuff game, is coming to VR something this year.
Demeo Battles
Demeo Battles is a new game from the developers of the much-lauded Demeo. This time choose a hero and an army of monsters and fight your friends in this PVP Demeo-style game.
Death Game Hotel
I don’t even know what I am looking at. It looks like the fantastic Danganronpa series mixed with poker. The next game from White Owls, this bizarre death game, looks intriguing, but with no release date, we might be waiting for this one for a while.
No More Rainbows
No More Rainbows is a VR action platformer that solely aims to destroy happiness by tormenting these poor cupcake creatures that barf rainbows. Mixing in multiplayer battles and a ton of mini-games, this looks to be the next party, and with its bright visuals and seemingly good humour, I can see this one hitting that mark for many people. Oh, and it’s out now!
Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game
Set in the Stellaris universe, a VR action Roguelike sees us piloting a ship in search of the Ghost Signal. Not much is known about this, but it is out now!
Walkabout Minigolf
We got a brief look at the Journey to the Center of the Earth update released on June 8th. An Evil Lairs series which hits in July, and a look at their Pocket version of the game coming to IOS in the summer with full crossplay enabled with the Meta Quest version.
We Are One
A puzzle shooter coming later today, We Are One, sees you teaming up with clones of yourself to figure out these mind-bending shooter puzzles by creating time loops that your previous version will execute. This looks incredibly complicated, but we will find out later today.
Onward
A quick update from the Ownward team as update 1.11 launches this summer and includes new animations, a redesigned game lobby, revisions to the shooting range, and more. They are also adding two additional weapons.
Overall it was a pretty packed showcase once again outdoing themselves. If these games all hit their target later this year, there will be a ton of great experiences to take part in on the Meta Quest headset.