Meta has aggressively expanded its VR sport portfolio with the acquisition of 9 VR studios since 2019. We have a look what’s come of those offers over the past 5 years.
Acquisition by Meta often means just a few issues. Typically it means studios get a ton of latest sources and the type of stability that comes with being beamed up into the mothership of any platform holder. It may additionally imply much less flexibility in what builders can do, as they’re beholden to sustaining hit sport properties that obtained them the eye of Meta within the first place, or pressured to develop for a single platform.
In all, Meta has acquired 9 studios which have demonstrated various post-acquisition efficiency—solely few of which have appeared to actually break the mould by providing up more and more compelling follow-up content material.
Beat Video games – Recognized for Beat Saber, Acquired 2019
Meta acquired Beat Video games in 2019 to make sure that Beat Saber would proceed evolving with new options and content material, whereas emphasizing that the studio would keep some independence.
Whereas the block-slashing rhythm sport has seen common updates and DLC music packs from main artists, maybe the largest addition to the sport itself, because the acquisition, is the inclusion of multiplayer. In the meantime, different guarantees have gone unfulfilled, like customized sabers and a blended actuality mode—each of which have been teased a 12 months or extra in the past.
There’s been no basic adjustments to the core Beat Saber components. One would possibly assume that’s as a result of the once-innovative Beat Video games had moved on to engaged on its subsequent massive venture. Alas, 5 years later there’s nonetheless no indication that Beat Video games is engaged on something however preserving Beat Saber going.
Contemplating that Beat Saber is one in all VR’s most worthwhile video games, this certainly is sensible. However Beat Video games doesn’t look like pushing the envelope, or signaling launch of something new past what we’ve already seen. Its founders Jan Ilavsky, Jaroslav Beck, and Vladimir Hrincar have additionally all since left the corporate, leaving it more and more depending on Meta’s course.
Publish-acquisition Grade: B
Sanzaru Video games – Recognized for Asgard’s Wrath, Acquired 2020
On the time of its 2020 acquisition, Meta indicated that Sanzaru would proceed to develop large-scale VR titles, constructing off the success of Asgard’s Wrath (2019), a Rift-exclusive RPG that got here out one 12 months earlier than the acquisition.
In 2023, the studio served up Asgard’s Wrath 2. Not solely did the studio ship a sequel, it managed to cram it throughout the confines of Quest 2 and Quest 3, a difficult feat in comparison with the way more highly effective PC platform that its predecessor had shipped on.
Nonetheless, this created one thing of a rift. Though the sequel is about in a completely new location and has a brand new storyline, in the event you didn’t personal a VR-ready PC you merely can’t play the unique sport on Quest, which was a particular sore spot.
Nonetheless, the sequel is extensively thought of a benchmark for visible constancy on Quest, nabbing the sport a strong [4.2/5] consumer overview rating. However it took some critical time. It was practically 4 years from the acquisition to the launch of Asgard’s Wrath 2. Whereas we are able to respect the problem of switching the studio’s total workflow to construct video games for Quest, we definitely hope it received’t take one other 4 years to see what the studio does subsequent.
Publish-acquisition Grade: B+
Prepared at Daybreak – Recognized for Lone Echo & Echo VR, Acquired 2020
Prepared at Daybreak is the studio behind Lone Echo, which launched in 2017 as one in all VR’s greatest and finest wanting video games within the days earlier than Quest. Its signature zero-G locomotion was so versatile that the studio even spun out a separate multiplayer sport known as Echo VR.
Ultimately, improvement on Lone Echo II started, with introduced plans to launch in 2019. However a sequence of delays ensued. Meta got here alongside and aquiried Prepared at Daybreak in 2020, seemingly prepared to assist the studio full the sport and construct on the social success of Echo VR.
The studio did finally launch the single-player journey Lone Echo II for Rift in 2021. And given Meta’s shifting focus from PC to Quest, it was extensively anticipated the studio would deliver the still-loved Echo VR over to the brand new headset.
However issues didn’t work out that approach. It was solely three years after the acquisition that Prepared at Daybreak introduced it was sunsetting Echo VR.
The choice rightfully dissatisfied followers, though the studio mentioned it was “specializing in our subsequent venture,” which appeared promising. Then, in August 2024, Meta shut down the studio solely.
Publish-acquisition Grade: F+ (see me after class)
Downpour Interactive – Recognized for Onward, Acquired 2021
Onward has been a mainstay for VR mil-sim gamers because it launched on Steam and Rift in 2016. With the acquisition of Downpour Interactive in 2021, Meta noticed this as a chance to help a well-liked sport, noting on the time it wished to assist “in rising Onward as one of many foremost multiplayer VR video games.”
A 12 months earlier than its acquisition, Onward suffered a fairly bumpy launch on Quest, though it’s seen enhancements in stability and visuals, nonetheless garnering the sport a robust following to today and a whopping 17,000 consumer critiques on Quest, placing it at a strong [4.2/5] in consumer rankings.
Nonetheless, Onward post-acquisition developments have been incremental somewhat than transformative.
Whereas Meta has made good on its promise to maintain the sport cross-platform, the port to Quest drew huge criticism from gamers who famous a serious graphical downgrade within the PC model that was deemed essential to get the sport onto Quest whereas nonetheless supporting each platforms.
Like Beat Video games, one might need thought the tempo of updates meant was busy brewing up its subsequent massive sport, however no such factor has been introduced. And it’s unclear if it ever will probably be; studio founder and CEO Dante Buckley left the corporate in March 2023, only one month earlier than Meta introduced wide-ranging layoffs at Downpour and Prepared at Daybreak.
Publish-acquisition Grade: C
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