‘Myst’ Remake Coming to Quest & SteamVR Headsets Soon, Trailer Here

By
Scott Hayden
-
39

Myst (1993), the iconic point-and-click puzzle adventure from Cyan Worlds, is coming to the Quest platform later this year, and on SteamVR headsets “soon.”

Update (September 17th, 2020): It appears Myst will also be coming to SteamVR headsets in addition to launch on Quest later this year, as Cyan has just thrown up a Steam page and GOG page indicating that VR will be an option in addition to the PC flatscreen mode. The PC version is said to arrive “soon.”

Original Article (September 16th, 2020): Announced today at Facebook Connect, Cyan says it’s new version of Myst is a “reimagining” of the classic game, which will include modern sound, art, and interactions.

The studio also says there will be the opportunity to play the game with optional puzzle randomization, which ought to offer a healthy challenge to anyone who’s already played before.

Here’s all of the screenshots that were shared with Road to VR so far:

1 of 5
Image courtesy Cyan Worlds
Image courtesy Cyan Worlds
Image courtesy Cyan Worlds
Image courtesy Cyan Worlds
Image courtesy Cyan Worlds

Although you shouldn’t infer too much from screenshots, it appears the studio is bringing a fine level of detail to the game.

SEE ALSO
New Valve VR Game Reportedly in Development Alongside Long-rumored Standalone Headset

Of course, Myst for Quest isn’t the studio’s first stab at VR, having already brought its VR puzzler Obduction (2017) to PC, SteamVR headsets, PS4 and PSVR. The studio’s upcoming VR title Firmament is scheduled to arrive sometime after 2021.

Cyan says the VR version of Myst was built “completely from the ground-up for Oculus Quest.” While it hasn’t admitted as much, it’s very likely going to be a Quest platform exclusive (see update).

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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.
  • alboradasa

    Pretty sad that a studio that has depended so much on fan support via kickstarter in the last few years would now take exclusivity money from Facebook. I’m sure it would have been enough of a financial success had they kept it open platform without them having to alienate the fans who have supported them recently.

    • Raphael

      Reading elsewhere? It says above that it’s steamVR FIRST!

      • Rosko

        Not sure what you are reading? From their website
        Details of this release:
        The Quest Platform version of Myst (VR only) will be released first.
        The PC version (2D & support for additional VR hardware) to follow at a later date.

    • User_Name_24601

      We all make mistakes! No worries. It was my first take too! :)

    • Popin

      Unfortunately, I do think your initial take on it is what will be occurring in a timed fashion, so I can’t really fault you for your initial sentiment. Based on the store pages on GOG and Steam, and that the Steam store page does not have any of the SteamVR options indicating it as a VR game, it sounds like it will actually be an Oculus Quest timed exclusive initially. Thankfully the on the Kickstarter page for the Myst 25th Anniversary Collection that @zerofool:disqus linked does sound like it will be coming to SteamVR, however, even this is not clear.

      From all of the descriptions, it seems like it will launch along side the Quest 2. Then it will launch on PC with optional support for some PCVR systems, which hopefully includes the major SteamVR headsets.

  • LANFEUST DAYTONA

    Nice, glad to play it again in VR but we are waiting for Firmament and I hope that it will soon and on PC with raytracing.

    • Raphael

      Seriously? Do you think all new games are supporting raytracing? I don’t think there’s a single RTX VR game out.

      • Is Quake II RTX possible in PCVR?

        I played it on flat screen when it released on my RTX card and it was an excellent update.

        • Rosko

          Only in something like Vorpx. I doubt anything will run well in VR with RTX even with a 3090.

        • Popin

          Quake II RTX is probably the worst example of something that might support VR as it is fully path traced and would be very unlikely to get anywhere near 90FPS on two viewports and the resolution of current PCVR headsets. As Rosko noted, it would still probably be non-stop reprojection and stutter even with an RTX 3090.

          Thankfully, however, we may actually start to see some RTX love coming to PCVR with the additions in DLSS 2.1 adding support and features that target VR. With the delay until “sometime after 2021” for Firmament they may very well add in some support for RTX for shadows and reflections.

  • Zerofool

    It’s not a Quest exclusive. It will be released on it first, but then it will come to PC (both 2D and VR), with higher level of detail (see the screenshots in the links below). It’s just a matter of time.

    Here are the Steam page and the announcement:
    https://store.steampowered.com/app/1255560/Myst/
    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1252280491/myst-25th-anniversary-collection/posts/2955360

    Also, Cyan is already working together with the Starry Expanse team to bring Riven into VR in the same manner (not sure if funded by Oculus).

    • Raphael

      Not sure what you mean. It clearly states coming to steamVR first and quest later.

      • MeowMix

        Not sure what you mean. It clearly states coming to steamVR first and quest later.

        I assume this is sarcasm ? Because it clearly states on their Kickstarter page, that MystVR is releasing on Quest first.

        • asdf

          hes a troll… literally been here for years just trying to to troll, its sad

      • Zerofool

        It clearly states coming to steamVR first and quest later.

        Where?

        This is the quote from Cyan Worlds, the developer of the game (source is the second link I provided above):

        The Quest Platform version of Myst (VR only) will be released first, with the PC version (2D & support for additional VR hardware) to follow.

    • Popin

      I find it strange they handled the announcement of this on the Myst 25th Anniversary Collection kickstarter, rather than a Cyan news blog on their site or other channels as this is a wholly separate thing from the limited edition 25th Anniversary Collection.

      The wording on both the Steam and GOG store listings is about as clear as mud in terms of PCVR support, however, that kickstarter link seems to indicate that they will in fact be brining it to PC with desktop and PCVR support. “Built from the ground up to play in VR and flatscreen PC…” makes it sound like it will be in VR (Quest), and then also on traditional flatscreen PC. This is further compounded by Cyan not selecting any of the VR relevant options for a Steam store page to show that it will actually support desktop and SteamVR.

      • Zerofool

        I guess they used other channels to announce it as well, but I linked to the one with most details related to VR. They mentioned it in the latest Firmament KS update as well, but I decided to link to the 25th Anniversary update as it talks exclusively about it.

        I presume that once they’re close to release, they’ll list all the supported VR platforms. Who knows what other HMDs will get announced by then…

        • Popin

          I unfortunately wasn’t aware of their Firmament KS until after it was concluded so I wasn’t able to back there and ended up backing them on their follow up campaign. As such I’m not getting the KS emails. I appreciate the links and the info.

          The wording on both their site and KS, as well as the GOG and Steam store pages, I’m still not convinced it won’t be an Oculus exclusive. They could just be referring to adding Rift support for the PC version, however, I am hopeful with Cyan that they mean more than just Rift.

          • Zerofool

            You’re welcome. At least you got to support the cause – that’s what counts.
            Oculus is killing the Rift, so this would essentially mean making a native Quest version, and a Quest Link version… seems kind of pointless to me and they would be the first developer to do that. I presume they’ll treat it as an Oculus (Quest) timed exclusive, while in reality they’ll spend the time polishing it and tweaking the settings and level of detail for current gen PC graphics (RTX 3000, RX 6000) for the 2D and VR PC versions.
            Also, if it was an Oculus exclusive, I would think that the VR version would only be available on the Oculus store, yet the other stores also state “Built from the ground up to play in VR and flatscreen PC”. That’s why I’m hopeful, but let’s wait and see – time will tell.

  • gothicvillas

    Just wishlisted on Steam!! Nice one

  • JB1968

    Cyan have run out of money when working on Firmament so they need to sell Myst again this time to Facebook. I personally dont think Myst environments are worth to see in VR and the game puzzles are obsolete.

    • User_Name_24601

      So I guess you missed the part about puzzle randomization and new interactions? It’s fine if it’s not your cup of tea, but they were working on this prior to Firmament.

  • Rosko

    I really loved Obduction & backed Firmament. I never played Mist so i’m really happy that i can play it in VR.

  • VRINEDU

    Myst developers, some of us who played your game as kids (and were stunned at the beauty and originality of that incredible experience) are SUPER excited about this. I’m optimistic that younger people will get to feel that same thing but more viscerally. Best of luck!

  • It doesn’t look as good as I expected, and in fact looks like they just took the assets from the old 3D PC version. I hope it looks better in VR when standing inside the world than it does here.

    • Andrew Jakobs

      I’m sorry to say this, but the original old 3D PC version never looked this good.

    • Popin

      I’m pretty sure you are just using the term “assets” as a buzzword here and don’t actually have any idea what that term means in the realm of game design. The areas shown on Myst island, while retaining their over all location and look, are redesigned and have a lot of little changes in detail that didn’t exist in realMyst, or realMyst Masterpiece Edition. There are some obvious ones in the screen shots for the cliffs and the map room.

      The geometry and textures are also obviously completely different from either iteration of realMyst. Looking at the pillars on the island center puzzle to raise the stoneship age, you can see there is a lot more detail with things like the metal wire mesh covering the display. The trees are another obvious example of higher geometry and improved textures, and the branches/leaves of the evergreens are a completely different rendering technique than the blocky sprites from realMyst

      • LOL

        I know exactly what I mean when I talk about “assets”.

        But I see what I see, and at least here it looks like re-used assets with maybe a little touch up here and there–even if that’s not what is happening at all and they have recreated every asset from scratch or whatever.

        I hope the final game is in fact better than it looks here.

        • Popin

          If this looks like the same assets to you its probably time to go to an optometrist.
          https://imgur.com/a/aK8GZ0p

          • They are clearly not exactly the same, but, as per my main point, they really don’t look much better than the last version of the game from five years ago–at a glance I can’t actually even tell which one is the old and which one is the new–and I expect more from a Myst VR game in 2020.

          • Popin

            …in fact looks like they just took the assets from the old 3D PC version.

            …at least here it looks like re-used assets with maybe a little touch up here and there…

            Nice back pedal. I don’t see any aspect of a re-used 3D asset. The meshes are completely different. The textures are completely different. The only thing that is really the same is the design and look of the areas.

            …they really don’t look much better than the last version of the game from five years ago. [At] a glance I can’t actually even tell which one is the old and which one is the new

            You actually said the “old 3D PC version” which I think many who are versed in the history of Myst releases would interpret as the original version of realMyst, rather than the more recent realMyst Masterpiece Edition in 2014. However, I still even gave you the benefit of the doubt and assumed you meant realMyst Masterpiece Edition which is what those pictures are a side-by-side comparison of. If you struggle to see which one is which in those pictures, again, might be time for a trip to the optometrist. The sections and screenshots they showed from some of the other ages are also significantly more detailed. The one from the mechanical age looks fantastic. I hope you can find a lens prescription that can help. Good luck

          • Stop being a retard. Everything it relative and in context. It all goes to the game not looking as good to me as I think it should for a new VR version in 2020.

          • Alessandro Mancini

            If you can’t spot the differences and use in wrong way the word assets, (you say you know, but reading the way you use this word, you don’t… ) is just you. From screenshot I saw it’s better in almost every aspect, may be they cut out dark areas too much IMO. it could be even better, ok, but it’s a very nice remake until now.

        • Zerofool

          …at least based on what’s shown here, it doesn’t look as good as I would have expected from a Myst VR game in 2020.

          If you’re referring to the screenshots in the RoadToVR article, these are from the Quest version. For images from the actual “Myst VR game in 2020”, take a look at the Steam page or the official site:

          https://store.steampowered.com/app/1255560/Myst/
          https://cyan.com/games/myst/

          Also, you can check out these shots from an earlier proof-of-concept version (circa 2015-2016) which may turn out looking slightly better than the game we’ll get:

          https://www.artstation.com/artwork/WEdd3
          https://www.artstation.com/artwork/JdVxD
          http://www.edoublea.com/myst-vr/
          https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Y0GZV

  • Kryojenix

    Hahaha – imagine if it had really been a “Quest exclusive” … i.e. a **FACEBOOK exclusive**!
    *ANY* “Quest exclusive” is DEAD to me!

    • Alessandro Mancini

      Ok, I’ll sleep well in any case.

  • David

    Cyan says it’s new version of Myst is

    Cyan says its* new version… No apostrophe!