Introduction: Most gamers associate VR titles with fast-paced and spatially-oriented gaming experiences. However, the new release from Plazma Studios shows that even genres like real-time strategy and card deck building can find a proper place in the virtual reality environment.
Article: In the past decade and a half, most VR development companies have been focusing on developing games that dazzle the senses or those that immerse the players in breakneck action. That is why platforms like Steam or Sony PlayStation already showcase a big library of action games, especially first-person shooters. Additionally, immersive simulations, especially of driving and flying have also been able to get the interest of those who seek an experience that is very close to the real deal. It is easy to see why games like that are among the most popular in the VR gaming community. After all, VR headsets are generally promoted as devices that take their users to a new place where they can live through very high-octane situations. Even rhythm-based titles work very hard to invoke that sense of being somewhere else where the sense of sight can only take in the new and wondrous environment.
But, despite the dominance of these titles, there is a clear set of indicators that the virtual reality gaming space does not have to focus solely on action-packed titles. Recently, a game called Expansion, created by developers from Plazma Studios, showcased a very un-VR combination of genres in their title. These include real-time strategy and the building of collectible card decks. Many would be quick to sideline these genres as belonging on PC and mobile devices, not on VR headsets or even gaming consoles. Yet, the interest that Expansion generates prior to its upcoming launch, as well as the fact that the VR gaming space already has numerous atypical games that have already become hits, shows that the virtual reality market is changing. With it, gamers and their needs and wants are changing as well.
Expansion VR Rundown
Since the creation of Plazma Studios back in 2018, the company and its developers have set their sights on the VR gaming public. The company did not develop just VR titles – over the years, it released casual games that were made for the mobile market. Now, its portfolio includes an ambitious VR release that has a strong potential to make a mark on the 2024 gaming landscape. That game is called Expansion VR. It essentially combines deck-building with real-time strategy or the RTS genre. In the world of outer space, the game presents three fractions that are pitted against each other. Each faction has its strengths and weaknesses, as well as a unique process of fighting and building. In the game, players create their decks of units, buildings, and other elements, which they can then set in action either in single-player mode or against others in a player-vs-player environment.
The game was created for the Quest Pro, Quest 2, and Quest 3 devices from Meta Lab, as well as the Pico 4 headset. Right now, the game is already available at the Pico Store, where it saw its release on March 14, 2024. It will get a wider PC release through its Steam page March 22, 2024. Even now, there is a sizable following for the game and its unique brand of gaming entertainment. The same community of players will likely grow exponentially once the game becomes available on Steam and has the chance to reach its massive VR gaming audience.
Playing Expansion VR
Just like its content, the playstyle of Expansion is also atypical for many VR games. The game, like others in these genres, includes a two-fold experience. First, there is the so-called meta-game. Here, that includes a form of a VR control room where players get their cards, assess each of these in terms of their capabilities and potential, and then build decks for actual use in combat matches. The second part is the combat itself. Here, players enter a 3D virtual space that is literally drifting in the universe. Inside it is the map where the match will commence and here players use their cards and deploy units. Through the course of the match, the game feels very much like StarCraft or other classic titles of the RTS genre.
The community of players also noted this fact and seems to be enjoying it, even though the game will likely see improvements and bug fixes once more people get their hands on it. Furthermore, there is a strong chance that the game will soon be played on PlayStation VR2 headset once it becomes available for the PC platform. Information on this is available in the following link Sony Could Launch its PlayStation VR2 Version for PC this Year. That is a notable success for a game in the virtual reality environment, but, just as importantly, it could be just the beginning for Plazma Studio. With a bit of luck and further investment, Expansion VR could easily become just the first title in an upcoming RTS deck-building series. The experience that these developers have in the mobile gaming market should help them substantially in the process of serializing.
Cerebral VR Gaming
There is no need to underline that the entirety of the global game development industry is in crisis mode. More information on this can be found in the following link Massive Video Game Industry Layoffs Threaten the Development of VR and AR Releases. That means that taking risks with unproven genre crossovers is a big roll of the dice for any studio, especially those that might be small to medium in size. But, with or without the crisis, gamers will seek out new experiences in the VR arena. That will include well-known and loved genres, like real-time strategy, but in a completely different visual and spatial ecosystem.
Furthermore, players of many different genres, including deck-building games, also have VR headsets or will consider buying one in the near future. Up to this point, game development studios working with VR technology relied mostly on established action and driving gaming experiences. But, Expansion and other titles like it might convince some of them to branch out into different fields and try new stuff for the emerging VR audience. The mobile gaming expansion shows markets once small can quickly blossom into a global force. Having a front-row seat in the process could help some VR development studios not just ride through the present industry crisis, but be fully ready for the growth that will certainly come at some point in the future.
Autor:
Ivica Milaric
Game designer and game design teacher at the Academy of Arts, Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia