Vertigo Games released Arizona Sunshine 2 just before Christmas 2023, making it one of the must-have VR games of the festive season. Following on from the hugely popular 2016 original, this sequel has met with similar success, receiving positive reviews across all supported platforms. So with that in mind, is Arizona Sunshine 3 on the cards?
Do we need a third chapter?
Quite frankly, you may feel it’s a bit early to start pondering a third instalment. Especially considering the last update for Arizona Sunshine 2 only arrived at the end of April – a new horde mode map FYI. Furthermore, there’s the small fact that it was seven years between the first and second games being released.
But hear us out, because Arizona Sunshine is Vertigo Games’ biggest original IP. Sure the studio has made games like After the Fall and The 7th Guest VR, as well as published many more but its zombie adventure title is part of the studio fabric. The original game set a benchmark for other VR studios, whilst 2023’s sequel showcased how far VR – and the studio – has come. In fact, it would almost be a disservice to VR fans if Arizona Sunshine 3 wasn’t made.
Zombie games inhabit a certain place within gamers’ psyche. We’ve battled them countless times before and yet we still enjoy a brain splatter from a well-placed shotgun shell.
Where to go next?
But how would Arizona Sunshine 3 evolve? Buddy would have to stay – or some form of companion at least – and we can think of lots of ideas, locations, and interactive ways to slay the undead hordes.
Quite honestly, it may come down to hardware more than software. Think how far VR has come since 2016. Arizona Sunshine was originally a PSVR game using the antiquated Move controllers. Now we have standalone headsets that can provide rich mixed-reality experiences and even more immersive VR games. If we really had to wait another seven years for a third instalment, we’d be on Meta Quest 5 or Apple Vision Pro 3. Just imagine what the capabilities and performance of those would be. Arizona Sunshine 3 could be fully MR. You could travel to the real Arizona and run around the desert blasting zombies.
Vertigo Games’ current project
It’s nice to dream about what might come next. For 2024 though, Vertigo Games is focusing on another exciting project. Metro Awakening VR was officially announced at the beginning of the year. The first hints of a Metro VR game were seeded in 2021, but it wasn’t until this year that we got our first glimpse. Working with 4A Games and the original series author and creator Dmitry Glukhovsky, Metro Awakening could be VR’s next Half-Life: Alyx. We’re certainly excited.
Coming to PSVR 2, Meta Quest and PCVR in 2024, the Metro franchise is in good hands. As for Arizona Sunshine 3, if we start shouting about it now maybe it’ll happen.