Unless you were living under a rock (or, you know, generally busy) VR fans will undoubtedly have heard the news that the Thief franchise is getting a new outing built exclusively for VR. Revealed at Sony’s PlayStation State of Play event and reported on the PlayStation Blog, you might well be thinking the title is exclusive to PSVR 2. However, publisher Vertigo Games has since confirmed that Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow will in fact also be coming to Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3 and 3S, and PC VR.
The Thief Franchise
The Thief video game series is a pioneering franchise in the stealth genre. First introduced in 1998 with Thief: The Dark Project, the debut was developed by Looking Glass Studios. This game set players in a dark, steampunk-inspired world. They controlled Garrett, a master thief, navigating a city filled with political intrigue and supernatural forces. The series continued with Thief II: The Metal Age (2000), refining its stealth mechanics and deepening its narrative. After Looking Glass Studios shut down, Ion Storm took over development for Thief: Deadly Shadows (2004). This introduced a more open-world approach and new gameplay elements. The franchise was later revived by Eidos-Montréal with Thief (2014), a reboot that modernised the series but received mixed reviews for its changes to core mechanics and storytelling.
Throughout its history, Thief has been praised for its innovative stealth gameplay. The series emphasises avoiding direct combat and using sound strategically to evade detection. Its influence can be seen in later stealth titles like Dishonored and Assassin’s Creed. Despite the mixed reception of the 2014 reboot, Thief remains a beloved franchise among fans. Even more than 25 years later, its legacy continues to shape the genre.
What’s New in Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow
Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow is promising to blend classic stealth gameplay with the immersion of VR. You’ll be using your body to sneak past guards. Your own hands to pickpocket, pry open hidden compartments, and bypass locks. You’ll have a variety of tools to distract or disable, or eliminate threats with an arrow from your bow. Every heist offers multiple paths and playstyles, whether you sneak past guards unseen or take them down from the shadows.
The plot of the game casts the City as a place of shadows, ruled by the tyrant Baron Ulysses Northcrest. You are Magpie, a cunning thief orphaned by Northcrest’s brutality and shaped by the streets, stealing only means to survive. That is, until you uncover something greater: a legendary artifact holding a legacy from the past.
The Developers Behind Thief VR
Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow is helmed by Vertigo Games, the creators of Metro Awakening and Arizona Sunshine. The game is being developed by UK studio Maze Theory, in close collaboration with Eidos-Montréal.
Richard Stitselaar, CEO of Vertigo Games, said, “We set out to create a VR experience where players don’t just play a thief; they become one. This is the kind of immersive storytelling and interactivity we believe defines the future of the medium.”
Launch Plans for Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow
Phil White, CEO of Maze Theory, “It’s been tough keeping this one in the shadows – literally. We’ve been in full stealth mode, but now it’s time to step into the light and finally unveil Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow. The team has worked tirelessly to stay true to the spirit of the series, delivering a level of immersion unlike anything you’ve seen. This is what stealth feels like when you are the thief.”
Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow will launch later this year on PSVR 2, Meta Quest headsets and Steam VR. No specific release date has yet been announced, but you can bet we’ll be hearing more about this one soon.
Are you excited for Thief VR? Let us know in the comments below!
