With many VR multiplayer video games going free-to-play, Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss is a curious exception going the wrong way.
A PvP MOBA-like spin-off of Moss and Moss: Ebook 2, Polyarc’s Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss duties you with destroying an enemy’s ‘Glass Stronghold’ by deciding on a staff of three Champions with distinctive talents. Following 2023’s free-to-play open beta, information had gone quiet for Glassbreakers after this led to January final 12 months. Now, it is lately re-emerged with a late 2025 launch window.
Greater than a 12 months with out main information is a very long time for any sport to go silent after an open beta, which left many followers questioning what’s been happening. Earlier than final week’s look within the VR Video games Showcase, Polyarc had begun releasing developer diaries throughout July overlaying topics like development and new Champions.
So, what precisely’s been occurring all this time? Polyarc’s Design Director, Chris Bourassa, defined extra throughout a latest video name interview, however not earlier than diving into Glassbreakers’ historical past. It is an concept that goes again to the studio’s early days when the sport was initially often called ‘Crimson.’
“Danny Bulla, one of many studio’s founders, was my faculty roommate. He began this in 2017, he had me come up and go to. Danny was like, ‘I would like you to come back assist me make this sport,’ and we performed Glassbreakers.”
Although Polyarc put the concept on maintain, believing the VR multiplayer market wasn’t developed sufficient but, the studio revisited this prototype after ending the unique Moss. Giving it a facelift and up to date controls, the studio started pitching to buyers following the launch of Brass Techniques, basing a lot of Glassbreakers’ motion mannequin on the real-time technique sport.
“I spent a variety of time making an attempt to duplicate their motion mannequin. So we up to date that and regarded round, however the curiosity wasn’t absolutely there but. We then took a while, labored on just a few different prototypes, after which ended up with a deal for Moss Ebook 2.”
Work on Glassbreakers continued within the background throughout Moss: Ebook 2’s improvement, and multiplayer curiosity began gathering as Rec Room’s reputation grew. Roughly 3/4 of the way in which by means of the sequel’s improvement, Bourassa started ramping up a smaller staff to get Glassbreakers shifting, coming into full improvement after Ebook 2 was completed.
Come 2023, Glassbreakers’ open beta arrived on Quest’s now-defunct App Lab platform with an supposed free-to-play mannequin earlier than getting a Steam launch practically two months later. Bourassa tells me its reception was largely constructive to the purpose the place some Discord server members nonetheless talk about the open beta’s metagame, calling this “a extremely large driving pressure” for the staff.
Bourassa states the staff “realized a ton” from this usually “brutally sincere” suggestions, which he describes as being welcome. Nonetheless, as a studio with slightly below 50 employees members and a number of tasks, Polyarc realized {that a} free-to-play mannequin is not sustainable for its staff.
“We started to grasp the expectations of what avid gamers have for free-to-play towards the staff dimension that we had. We rapidly realized that we’re not going to have the ability to meet this. We hit that junction level within the street… We realized comparatively rapidly that it wasn’t going to be sustainable for us.”
As such, Glassbreakers ultimately shifted from free-to-play right into a paid sport. On condition that we have seen many VR multiplayer video games take the other strategy, Brazen Blaze and Model being latest examples, was this a threat? Realizing free-to-play wasn’t the best alternative made it a better pivot.
“We had already had conversations about it being a premium sport. It was like, we’ll use the open beta time to do that out. If it does not work, we now have a plan to pivot again to this.”
Persevering with additional, Bourassa states utilizing a free-to-play mannequin means you usually have to gate unlockables behind components like time and a grind, utilizing battle passes for unlocking cosmetics. He defined this “form of handcuffs me slightly bit” when working inside a sure mannequin; free-to-play did not permit him to craft a development curve that he favored.
By comparability, a premium expertise lets him extra simply give attention to being a designer. The present unlocking methodology is that you simply play as a Champion to unlock different Champions, letting you earn a ‘Mastery’ pores and skin for them after reaching stage 20 or making an attempt out completely different characters alongside the way in which.
The intent is to have everybody play every Champion “slightly bit,” beginning off with extra easy Champions earlier than introducing ones with extra complicated talents, Rees being one of many first unlocks. Bourassa explains how this layered strategy to constructing staff compositions is not one thing free-to-play would permit, since folks would purchase those they need instantly.
“It is good to have the liberty to craft an expertise with a premium mannequin.”
This does not imply Glassbreakers is a one-and-done deal, both. Publishing director Lincoln Davis confirms that seasonal occasions are being deliberate with new cosmetics to unlock, additionally mentioning contests and tournaments are coming. Whereas Bourassa does not verify if there will be any post-launch DLC, the choice is not dominated out, both.
Anybody acquainted with the earlier beta will discover the core gameplay stays the identical outdoors balancing tweaks regardless of these development modifications, although the total launch provides three extra maps the place some Champions could be stronger than others.
This comes down extra to positioning than any particular environmental tips, since every map makes use of a hex-based structure. Utilizing one of many beforehand launched Champions known as Mojo for instance, Bourassa says each map presents a small puzzle for gamers to unravel.
“One of many maps, the one which Mojo is powerful in, has all of the gear positioned within the heart on an island. Two characters can shut the door, and no different enemies can get into all of the gear. If we wish to get it, we now have to undergo them. Or in Mojo’s case, he can simply hook them throughout gaps and pull them out of the way in which, which is without doubt one of the causes that he is fairly sturdy there.”
There’s additionally a brand new 2v2 possibility known as “Buds Mode,” the place you and a buddy can staff up towards different gamers or struggle towards/with an AI participant. He compares this with Archon Mode in Starcraft 2, that means that each gamers collectively command the identical staff of three Champions slightly than having 6v6 matches.
Bourassa states the popular meta right here is for the higher participant to regulate two Champions, whereas the opposite handles one who wants extra micromanaging. This enables the individual dealing with the singular Champion to “play it extra like a standard MOBA,” and it is the way in which Buds mode is being performed internally.
Glassbreakers at launch will characteristic 12 completely different champions. Polyarc desires to develop the Moss universe by introducing additional characters for the primary time. Some are ones we have beforehand met, like Sahima from Moss: Ebook 2. Given a slightly notable exclusion, I needed to ask. Will we ever see Quill seem as a Champion? Proper now, it is unlikely.
“Once we began constructing Glassbreakers, Quill was the prototype Champion, however we do not wish to for a few causes. Her journey is strictly in Moss, she’s received her personal factor happening, and we did not wish to probably confuse gamers who’re actually into Moss. Glassbreakers will not be Moss: Ebook 3.”
Presently, Glassbreakers is confirmed for Steam and Quest – particularly, Quest 3, 3S, and Professional. When requested about Quest 2 not showing on the shop web page, Davis suggested that Polyarc is engaged on platform help proper now throughout the board. Although it is not a affirmation, Polyarc is at the moment “exploring” releases on PlayStation VR2 and different platforms.
Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss arrives later this 12 months on Quest and Steam.
