Without any major VR hardware releases on the radar for this year, 2018 is shaping up to be a time for content to shine. We’ve rounded up a list of 20-something VR games launching in 2018 that we’re excited about, covering all three major VR systems: PSVR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.

Ace Combat 7

Platform: PSVR (2018)

While Bandai Namco’s Ace Combat 7 is advertising “exclusive VR features” instead of straight VR support (meaning the campaign isn’t playable in VR), we’re still excited to strap into either Osean or Erusean jets as the two fictional superpowers duke it out in the skies. Who knows, maybe it’ll be wildly awesome?

Check out our hands-on here.

Ark Park

Platform: PSVR, Oculus, Steam (Spring 2018)

ARK Park is a multiplayer adventure game based on the world of ARK:Survival Evolved (2017). While it may have been delayed by the China-based Snail Games from the previously slated late 2017 release, the mix of dinosaur-themed factual and fictional elements has certainly tickled our curiosity. Also: you can ride a dinosaur.

Check out our hands-on here.

Bebylon Battle Royale

Platform: Oculus, Steam (Early 2018)

The world needs more fighting babies. To provide this insatiable need for post-natal, pre-toddler carnage, the immensely capable VR studio Kite & Lightning are developing a VR melee party brawler that puts ridiculously dressed infants into kart-based Smash Bros-style combat. We haven’t had a hands-on yet, but the studio has promised a 2018 release, so we’re sure to get one soon enough.

Brass Tactics

Platform: Oculus (February 28, 2018)

This VR multiplayer/singleplayer real-time strategy game comes from Hidden Path Entertainment, the minds behind Defense Grid 2: Enhanced VR Edition (2016) and Age of Empires II: HD Edition (2013). Who hasn’t dreamt about bringing their favorite tabletop game to life, and ordering armies of miniature soldiers to ultimate victory?

Check out our hands-on here.

Bravo Team

Platform: PSVR (February 28, 2018)

This online 2-player co-op strategic shooter will force you to take cover as you make your way across a war-torn fictional Eastern European city. While you won’t get the free-wheeling locomotion options like many shooters, instead giving you a sort of ‘on-rails’ point-to-point automatic movement, the strength and amount of enemies will make you think twice before selecting a cover position for fear or getting shot to bits by a machine gun-welding baddies.

Budget Cuts

Platform: Steam, Viveport (2018)

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Already offering a wildly successful demo the ninja assassin-style Budget Cuts puts heavy emphasis on stealth combat. Set to release sometime in 2018, indie studio Neat Corporation surely picked up some important pointers when they were invited to collaborate with Valve last year—the results of which we can’t wait to see. Seriously. Play the demo now if you haven’t already.

Echo Combat

Platform: Oculus (2018)

As if Ready at Dawn’s singleplayer adventure  Lone Echo (2017) and free multiplayer sports game Echo Arena (2017) weren’t cool enough, the studio is also bringing out a combat-focused, zero-G game in 2018. Demos aren’t in the wild yet, but if it’s coming from the studio that produced Road to VR’s Best Rift Game of 2017, we’ll be mashing F5 on Oculus’ blog in anticipation of seeing and hearing more.

Firewall: Zero Hours VR

Platform: PSVR (2018)

Revealed at PSX 2017 recently, Firewall Zero Hour is a team-based, tactical multiplayer FPS coming exclusively to PSVR this year. The game is said to support both DualShock and PS Aim, although the developers haven’t made mention of PS Move controllers yet. Either way, this attack/defend shooter looks to fuse VR with some classic assault-style games like Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six.

Golem

Platform: PSVR (2018)

Originally teased at PSX 2015 with a slated release for an October 2016, High Wire Games’ Golem is finally coming to PSVR. In Golem, you play as an adventurous kid who has been seriously injured. You are stuck at home in your bed, dreaming of exploring the outside world. The minds behind the game are ex-Bungie staffers, including Halo composer Marty O’Donnell.

Although it’s been a while since we played, and things have surely changed, check out 6 minutes of gameplay here.

Marvel Powers United VR

Platform: Oculus (2018)

Created by Oculus and Sanzaru Games (behind titles like VR Sports Challenge and Ripcoil), there’s plenty of ways to battle in this Marvel-themed arena brawler. Turn into the Hulk, Rocket Raccoon, Captain Marvel, Deadpool, and many more as you battle enemies in online multiplayer arena battles that let you wield real super powers.

Check out our hands-on here.

Megalith

Platform: PSVR (2018)

From Disruptive Games comes a multiplayer action-packed hero shooter that transforms you into a titan, letting you use your massive size and firepower to compete with others in a quest to become a god. The game is said to come with free locomotion, destructible environments, and put heavy emphasis on strategic gameplay.

SEE ALSO
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Moss

Platform: PSVR (February 2018)

A charming third-person action-adventure puzzle game from Polyarc, Moss gives you control of the small but fierce mouse named Quill. With a tiny sword in hand, you vanquish pint-sized enemies as you solve large puzzles. There’s a free demo available already on the second PSVR demo disc, so there’s no reason not to fall in love with little Quill already.

Check out our hands-on here.

Pixel Ripped 1989

Platform: Oculus, Steam (2018)

The result of a successful Kickstarter in 2015, Pixel Ripped has been in development well before consumer headsets released. Heavy on nostalgia, the game tosses you into the world of 1989 as Nicola. Going ‘one level deeper’ into the virtual world, you incarnate a heroine named Dot who is on a quest to return the magical rock that contains the soul of Dot’s world, Adventureland, which has been stolen by the Cyblin Master. Cyblin has other plans though as he tries to break into the Nicola’s ‘real’ world.

Space Junkies

Platform: Oculus, Steam (Spring 2018)

From Ubisoft Montpelier, Space Junkies is an upcoming zero-G multiplayer shooter that puts straight into team-based or deathmatch-style combat. Yes, there are light sabers, but the focus is ultimately on the game’s impressive assortment of guns. Visuals are really polished, and from what we’ve played, so is the overall deathmatch concept.

Check out our hands-on here.

Sprint Vector

Platform: PSVR, Oculus, Steam (Q1 2018)

Sprint Vector is a racing game that has integrated a unique locomotion arm-swinging locomotion style that moves you forward through a Mario Kart-style race course. Hailing from Raw Data developer Survios, we had a lot of fun in trying out the fast-paced, nausea-free racer.

See what Sprint Vector looks like when played by a pro.

Star Child

Platform: PSVR (2018)

From Playful Corp comes another third-person platformer, albeit less boisterous and family-oriented than the studio’s last VR game, Lucky’s Tale (2016). With some puzzles thrown in for good measure, you guide a mysterious traveler on her way through a subterranean landscape. She soon discovers advanced alien technology, is stalked by an ominous beast lurking in the shadows, and finally has a very close encounter with a giant being of unknown origin.

The Inpatient

Platform: PSVR (2018)

Originally expected for Q4 2017 release, Supermassive Games standalone prequel to Until Dawn: Rush of Blood (2016) has been delayed until 2018. When we first demoed the psychological horror game, the level of realism was remarkable thanks to some very well-tuned facial motion capture. We can’t wait to see more soon.

SEE ALSO
How 'Gorilla Tag' Became a $100 Million VR Success on Quest

Check out our hands-on here.

Transference

Platform: PSVR, Oculus, Steam (Spring 2018)

From Ubisoft Montreal and Elijah Wood’s studio Spectrevision, Transference is a physiological thriller that blends movie and reality in what promises to be a disquieting experience. Popping into the memories of people suffering from PTSD and reliving their nightmare-fuel pasts sounds pretty disquieting to me.

Vacation Simulator

Platform: PSVR, Oculus, Steam (2018)

Announced at this year’s Game Awards, Owlchemy Labs’ Vacation Simulator is following in the footsteps of its breakout multi-platform success Job Simulator (2016). While it’s unsure if the tongue-in-check simulator style will find the same level of launch day success its spiritual predecessor, we’ll be there ready to play to see if it tickles our collective funny bones.

Windlands 2

Platform: PSVR, Oculus, Steam (2018)

Windlands (2016), the high-flying exploration game from Psytec Games, is getting a sequel this year that’s looking to alter its predecessor’s formula with the addition of co-op adventuring as well as combat. Combat has altered the zen-like nature of the game somewhat, which could be good or bad depending on how you look at it. Multiplayer adventuring is a net positive though, so we can’t wait to see what Windlands 2 will serve up.

Check out our hands-on here.

To Be Announced

3 Games from Valve

Platform: Steam (TBA)

While Valve is still mum on its three games originally confirmed back in February 2017, Dan O’Brien, Vive general manager for the Americas, revealed to The Rolling Stone that Valve was still “very committed” to the promise of delivering its three VR games. Valve has produced The Lab (2016) and plenty of content for the SteamVR Home space. We’re itching to see any game with the level of fit and finish we see in both productions.

Blood And Truth

Platform: PSVR (TBA)

Sony’s London Studio first released Blood and Truth’s spiritual predecessor with the first PSVR demo disk; London Heist. The demo’s Guy Ritchie-style Cockney crime theme is an awesome backdrop to the demo’s shooting sequences, so the thought of having a full game where you’re essentially an action hero looking for revenge, well, it sounds pretty badass.

Check out our hands-on here.

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Scott Hayden
Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 4,000 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • LeGhost

    Can’t wait until we stop using “PSVR, Rift & Vive” and start using “PSVR and PC (SteamVR)” as the platforms
    Only 1 week till CES 2018!

    • Cl

      I don’t think it will ever just say “pc” until we can use vr headsets without steam or oculus. Like how we can buy regular pc games from anywhere really and just run it with no other required programs. Like, make openvr sort of like directx and it just works. Put things like drivers and the “home” area directly on headset storage somehow and open programs from your computer and such from there. Idk if it could actually work like I’m thinking though. You’d think maybe this would make it more consoley, but in my mind the ui would be stored on the headset just so you can run anything that you want on the computer without requiring other programs. Then we can just say “pc”.

    • Suitch

      SteamVR won’t ever be a viable solution for multiple platforms. Steam takes WAY too much in profit from the devs and provides very little funding for new content since they will get content no matter what they do. Steam’s days won’t last forever just as nothing does.

      Also, having both a Rift and Vive, SteamVR isn’t very good in comparison to Oculus Home. It runs way slower and is way less polished. It is still amazing, don’t get me wrong–only in comparison to the Oculus software is it not awesome.

      • Mary

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        On tuesday I got a brand new Land Rover Range Rover from having earned $11752 this la-s-t four weeks..wi-t-h-out any doubt it’s the most-com-f-ortable job I have ever done .. It s-o-unds unbelievable but you wont forgive yourself if you don’t che-c-k it
        !rf271d:
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      • jj

        um what? the steamvr is great for multi-platform, actually its the ONLY multi-platform and oculus home is a lot less developed than the vive home. Same with the steam is way better than oculus store

  • kool

    The quality of games has risen across the board. This year vr needs high quality games to be successful to grow the platform.

    • Suitch

      I would be fine if 2018 was only as good as 2017 on the content side because 2017 was AMAZING on content. I really hope that Valves three secret titles aren’t garbage but are full-fledged games like Lone Echo.

      • kool

        Well your on th pc side. I cant wait to get some team deathmatch on psvr aim!

      • BeehiveRound

        It was far from amazing. Mediocre would be more apt; shallow experiences and rehashed 2D titles. They need some serious games, enough of this minimum effort crap.

        • Graham

          Ok, we get it – you don’t like the current vr games!!! That’s fine. The rest of us are having a great time in vr with farpoint, Skyrim, re7, etc. Each to their own.

          • BeehiveRound

            Some people enjoy trash, doesn’t make it quality.

          • Graham

            Man, I bet you’re popular at parties…..

        • sebrk

          You own a Vive or Rift? Rift exclusives (can be used with ReVive) have been amazing. Just amazing.

          • BeehiveRound

            I do own a Rift; though lately the only amazing thing about it has been the amount of dust it has accumulated. Biggest waste of money in my life.

          • sebrk

            So take your shit posting elsewhere and let those who enjoy VR talk here.

        • KUKWES

          gurantee Bee doesn’t even own a vr headset and never has tried Lone Echo .

          • BeehiveRound

            Spoken with typical ignorance laden blinders.

    • Michael Carroll

      Nope that will def not help it. PSVR has the most high quality games, with the whole set up only costing the price of a vive. The majority of people do not have a 2 grand computer, and a 600 dollar vive.

      Even with the cheapness of the PSVR it is still nowhere near as popular as non vr. It is as successful as it is gonna be. I mean look at the guy above you he seems to think they need to make a 4k vr headset, I mean that is the most stupidest idea I have heard so far. Vr for most pc people is already outside their price tag, and this fruit wants to make the headset cost over a grand. Adding in the game developer in order to make a 4k vr game would have to code in SLI which never works right, because 1 1080ti, or titan xp, or titan v will come no where near capable of doing a 4k vr game. The 1080ti can barely do 4k on most games, let alone vr.

      • kool

        The growth will be slow and mainly in the realm of gaming. And i dont see a significant gain in that area until they have 4k hardware cheaply available. So its gonna be the 20s before it has a chance at the mainstream. So until then lets get the gameplay mechanics refined so next can shine!

  • Joel Cullum

    Vive needs a 4K headset and the new controllers before it’s 3 games are released. Half Life 3 or Left for Dead 3 would be wasted on the current low res version.

    • Alexander Schick

      how are they going to handle compatibility with new versions going forward?

      • Suitch

        All headsets will be backwards compatible for the most part. New controllers will be the largest likely hindrance if there is no way for the controllers to be upgraded independent of the headsets. I do believe both Valve and Oculus are very keen on ensuring their headsets don’t obsolete themselves like consoles.

        • Suitch

          For example, Valve has indicated that the next generation of controllers should still function with the Vive even though they have also hinted that they may come out alongside a new headset. (very vague hints, nothing to call a guarantee)

    • Richard Sagely

      ye buddy

    • Michael Carroll

      Man, get out of here, what exactly do you think someone is gonna do with a 4k headset? As it stands now, it is a rare person who owns a 2 grand computer, and a 600 dollar headset. That 2k computer a 1080ti and a 5ghz 8700k has trouble running a lot of games at standard 4k, and vr games. You lost your mind if you think any computer today would even run a 4k vr game.

      Even the titan v couldn’t run a 4k vr game, nor could the new graphics card that will be cut from that. There will not be 4k vr for a long time that any computer could actually play it.

    • Bum
  • Graham

    Think there’s a typo – bravo team is on psvr not rift

    • ITALI-LORI-MONTI

      bravo Graham….bravo team ESCLUSIVA PSVR!!

  • MW

    I,as a consumer, don’t care about anything on VR, untill VR will stop looks like a crap (mainly-low res., low fov). Until then I, and many others, will prefer hi res traditional screens. Period.

    • Timothy Watson

      roadtovr.com

    • Suitch

      You haven’t played modern desktop VR then. The screens aren’t low-res at all, it is 1080 per eye.

      • MW

        Yes I do. And the numbers are on my site. Now I’m waiting for pimax – maybe it will be a game changer.

      • theonlyrealconan

        I have the vive. I stopped using it a while ago because of the low rez and sde. I am hoping Pimax does it right. And yes, 1080 is low rez when the image is so close to your eyes.

    • Andrew McEvoy

      I havent played any flat screen gaming in about 3.5 years now since the dk1 came out. Different strokes.

      • BeehiveRound

        Some people enjoy tasering themselves in the nuts. Doesn’t mean it’s a good call.

        • Andrew McEvoy

          Couldnt disagree more. I could rap out names of lots of vr titles that are of the highest quality but to be honest if you think that all you can play in VR shallow games as you call them it genuinely sounds like you really dont understand vr gaming or enjoy it at all.

          As for tasering yourself in the nuts, well it sure as shit doesnt seem that way and to be fair it’s possibly an analogy that could be used equally gratuitously to those still banging away on a m&k flat screen set up. Why do that to yourself when you could play games fully immersed in the world which changes the whole relationship between a player and the game itself. There is and was never any going back for me to 2D. Its just so limited on every level. I’ve tried with a few games of course but I quickly find them dull and flat, excuse the pun.

          Ive been gaming for about 32 years and by a long long way Ive had the best gaming highs in VR in all this time, real heart thumping dried mouth awesomeness. AAA doesnt bring monitor gaming even close to the level that VR brings you.

          • Graham

            Totally agree – I played uncharted 4 and yes. enjoyed it but just kept thinking “oh that bit would be great in vr”!!! By the end though, I was itching to get back to vr games.

          • disqus_4YCz9lIfxG

            I absolutely agree I have the DK2, PSVR and Rift CV1 and although I got several 2D games Christmas 2016 I have not even bothered to open half of them yet in over a year later because I am so involved with VR games. I don’t want to go back I want all my games in VR ( even old games). Personally I love the optics and comfort of the PSVR so I keep playing PSVR games most of the time. The aim controller is very immersive I want more peripherals like that with wireless 4k headset and I’d be set.

          • Andrew McEvoy

            Yes I hear that the PSVR is the most comfortable to wear. No doubt the other HMD’s will be looking at emulating that design in their next versions. If it wasnt for the fact that Ive already invested in a Vive, CV1 (and the dk’s) and the Pimax 8k now then Id already have a PSVR by now, but Im barely getting away with it with the wife as is, due to never ever telling her how much everything costs without some ,shall we say, creative accounting figures? ;) I think she knows in fairness..
            If you’ld asked me a few months ago about the possibility of 4k wireless headset in general let alone on console I would have predicted it being a few years away at least considering whats possible for hardware and optics , but the Pimax appears to blow away those preconceptions with a hearty Ho Ho HO! Looks very exciting to see what is now in fact possible and this 2018 should be an interesting year for VR altogether.

          • Andrew McEvoy
    • Rob H

      I, as a consumer, enjoy hi rez games on a traditional screen and I also, like many others, also enjoy current gen VR. Traditional gaming doesn’t hold a candle to a good VR game even on current gen. The whole experience is just that much better despite the ‘low res’. I genuinely haven’t enjoyed a game as much as I enjoyed my first playthough of Arizona Sunshine on the Vive in over a decade of playing video games. So just know your typical 12 year old’s comment from someone who didn’t get a vr sytem for Christmas off their parents isn’t convincing anyone, you only have to try it to know you’re talking complete crap :)

  • Jinral Tao

    From the descriptions of the upcoming VR titles above, nothing really jumped out at me. So I’ll be taking a wait-and-see approach to whatever new material becomes available. At the same time, I’m really excited that VR is here (to stay) and it’ll be fun growing with this new technology as it matures. Thx to the powers that made “virtual” a REALITY.

  • fuyou2

    Where is the 8K Vive and 8K oculus? Is pimax the only way?

    • Jerry Lee

      Try some Pimax with 9D VR simulator like this web: http://www.e-techzone.com in China,the resolution is not really 8K now. 4K resolution need about 2 times the computer performance as 2k resolution. If you want to play a VR HMD with 8k resolution, you may need a computer at least has 2 GTX 1080 Ti graphic cards.

  • Zachary Scott Dickerson

    This looks like a terrible year for the Vive if this is true. Not a single game I am interested in personally. I’m still waiting for a game that I would actually want to play if it was not in VR. Fallout 4 is good, but terrible VR implementation, why am I picking up items, equipping and reloading guns with buttons instead of my hands!?

    • sebrk

      because wands and not touch?

      • Zachary Scott Dickerson

        no, fallout is just look at item and tap button to pickup etc, other games you move down to pickup with wand and squeeze trigger and place into a pouch etc.

    • Michael Carroll

      Why, because they didn’t make a vr game they made a mod for fall out 4 that you paid 60 dollars for. Did you not read? Someone isolated the fallout vr mod, and found it to be 60mbs and i believe they released it for free.

  • Andrew McEvoy

    Looking forward to Budget cuts. That little beauty has been in the oven for a long time now. Loved the demo and was one of the first examples of teleportation that I actually liked using.
    Also not on the list but one Im gunning to play is Res Evil7 on pc.

  • BeehiveRound

    This is just depressing; not one quality title on display; nothing that can challenge the best 2D has to offer. FFS, it’s like they aren’t even trying.

    • Toby Zuijdveld

      You appear to be off your tree.

      • BeehiveRound

        Emperor’s new clothes eh?

  • HoriZon

    Looks like PSVR is leading the way lower spec tech but more games.

    • disqus_4YCz9lIfxG

      I’ve played all the main headsets and optics and comfort are what make PSVR a great headset for me, I have the pro and can’t speak for the OG though.

  • yag

    Still no news about Resident Evil 7 PC VR ?

  • Jerry Lee

    Any game like VR fruit ninja in this video: https://youtu.be/BrC7CxEWozg ?
    I am looking for some simple and relax VR games which can play again and again but will not feel bored.

  • sebrk

    I’m not impressed at all by this… 2017 saw much better games. Is this really it?

  • Richard Sagely

    dude

  • Michael Carroll

    You guys missed the only good vr game there is, Big Screen.

  • Mark

    not really anything so fantastic tbh

  • John Zhang

    As the dynamic VR Chair system more and more popular, the motion fit the games enhance the virtual reality greatly, but lack good vr content, does anyone can provide me the source, i can do the motion data for your VR games or movies in the vr chair: https://www.9dvrcinema.com/9d-vr-cinema-price-2-seats-virtual-reality-simulator-for-sale/

  • Sean Phillip Hall

    Software drives adoption; therefore I don’t own one(of any). Sad part is, there’s a lack of interesting/exciting games today, overall.
    I remember when Quake came out… ppl were sacrificing their first born child to get Scan Line Interleaving.