Multiplayer games are taking over the VR sales charts. Despite being a tougher development roadmap, there is wisdom in pursing this audience.
Over a decade ago, virtual reality was poised to be the next big thing in interactive mediums. Developers challenged VR users to explore worlds in ways they had never done before, at a level of fidelity that had not been possible before. Now, with mainstream VR options like the Meta Quest and the PlayStation VR 2 available to consumers, these worlds to explore are increasingly being shared with other players. While single-player titles like Asgard’s Wrath II are still commanding critical attention, VR is increasingly trending toward multiplayer sessions like Rec Room, Phasmophobia, Among Us, and Breachers. For what feels like an inherently isolated technology for game playing, VR seems to be finding its market strength in playing alongside others.
Alberto Moreno, former Global Head of Marketing and Producer of Brazen Blaze at the Tokyo-based MyDearest, thinks this movement is a natural result of VR adoption expanding. “It’s more than just a trend. I would say that because of the increase of VR users these last years. VR Multiplayer is more feasible now, making it easier, though still hard, for a multiplayer game to have a decent player-base that allows to run successfully a game.”
This is not a change that differs from the overall gaming landscape, as multiplayer games-as-a-service have long been a driving force of success on consoles, mobile, and PC. Games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, Grand Theft Auto Online, and others are all about multiplayer experiences on various flatscreen platforms. Now that VR has hit a userbase number where the combined units can actively support reasonably large player bases, the medium has taken a similar path to flatscreen gaming at a faster clip.
