If there’s one game almost all VR fans are likely to have played its Job Simulator. Created by Owlchemy Labs back in 2016, the game still appears on PSVR’s monthly download charts. At the helm of the studio was co-founder and former CEO/CTO Devin Reimer, who left and has now announced his latest venture, AstroBeam. This is a new studio dedicated to VR multiplayer.
Alongside the official unveiling of AstroBeam, the company has also announced it raised a $3 million USD seed round. The Venture Reality Fund, Anorak Ventures, Boost VC, TIRTA Ventures, and Nate Mitchell all took part in the round.
AstroBeam is all about friends
As mentioned, AstroBeam wants to focus on ‘defining the future of multiplayer’. “AstroBeam is focused on creating more comfortable, more accessible, and more human ways to hangout and have fun with friends in VR!,” a statement reads. “We are leveraging incredibly natural and highly interactive ways of socializing by focusing on hand tracking and voice communication with both friends and NPCs!”
Back in the original Job Simulator days VR was all about single-player experiences. That’s gradually evolved to a point where not only are multiplayer games more prominent, but single-player titles are adding in co-op modes. Games like Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghostlord and all about 4-player collaboration. Whilst The Wizards – Dark Times: Brotherhood is set to add a co-op component.
There’s no indication just yet as to what AstroBeam is working on or which direction they’ll take. But the studio is looking to grow with a number of vacancies available. These include a Technical Artist and a VR Gameplay Engineer.
What’s your favourite type of game, is it multiplayer? What do you think is missing from the current crop of VR titles available at present? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.