Echo VR players committed to playing the game right up until the moment Meta shuts down the servers.
Launched in 2017 on the PC-based Rift and available on standalone Quest from 2020, the zero gravity multiplayer team sport Echo VR was a favorite hangout in consumer VR's early years. There was a petition to save Meta's first hit multiplayer VR title with nearly 30,000 signatures as well as pleas from community members and even former technical guide John Carmack weighed in.
But Meta issued its plan to "cease operations of Echo VR at 10 am Pacific" on August 1, 2023. When it was announced, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth said "those resources could be put to other uses that I think will be useful to the now tens of millions of people who are in VR."
"I'll be playing when the game's shut off," Sony Haskins, a community builder and long-time Echo player, told UploadVR.
"I did the math...a couple years ago and I think it was like, I don't know, two or three months solid just in Echo," she said. "Echo was an opportunity for me to go somewhere and just enjoy - enjoy existing -- like having an activity that I wasn't obligated to do."
"A lot of times it's like that old Cheers theme. You know, the Cheers TV show theme where people know your name. Like these communities weren't so huge that you didn't know anybody. People would recognize you too, and that was nice."
"I just find it very sad to see that gone. I mean, I'm sure we'll all still reconnect in some ways and stuff and try to do that. But there's a sadness there for that loss."
No More Rainbows is launching a new content update later this week, as part of a roadmap that promises ongoing support for the VR platformer.
August 3 20223, the Testing Zone comes to No More Rainbows!
— Squido Studio | No More Rainbows OUT NOW! (@SquidoStudio) July 31, 2023
Mark your calendars!
TRY FOR FREE NOW: https://t.co/iV8bAX1fUA pic.twitter.com/CnyGkTGwIu
After teasing more to come during our Upload VR Summer Showcase, Squido Games revealed the Testing Zone Update for No More Rainbows yesterday. It will release on August 3, bringing new cosmetics, modes and maps.
One of the new additions is Go Up Mode, which will let players tackle a unique procedurally-generated map, refreshed with a new generation seed each week. The update also includes new cosmetic items, with two new cosmetics dropping each subsequent week from here on.
When it comes to multiplayer, the update includes a new co-op exploration mode, which will feature a rotating world that changes every two weeks. There's also a new mode for co-op level races, with Squido promising three new races each week.
The first new arena for the main multiplayer mode will unlock on August 10, with a second new arena – the Underground Battle Arena – due before summer is over.
According to the long-term roadmap, more power-ups and new campaign content is also in development, with the latter aiming for a winter release.
No More Rainbows is one of our favorite recent Quest releases, offering a compelling movement-driven VR platformer with a solid campaign and entertaining multiplayer options. With all this talk of ongoing support, No More Rainbows looks set to leap from strength to strength for the rest of 2023.
Pete Austin
After some new VR games in August 2023? Here's what you need to know.
July was considerably quieter than June this year, though it's hard to top a month that revealed both the Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro. New releases weren't as frequent but that doesn't necessarily mean it was quiet. Plenty of existing VR games like Eolia, Breachers, Nock, Zero Caliber, X8 and Pistol Whip all received notable updates worth looking into.
At UploadVR, we reviewed Synapse, Yupitergrad 2, Dead Hook, Battle Bows and Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission VR. We also went hands-on with Hubris on Quest and PSVR 2, Dyschronia: Chronos Alternate – Episode 3 and the upcoming PowerWash Simulator VR. Elsewhere, other July releases include B99 Overclocked, Throwback and Phantom Matrix.
August is a quiet month and currently, you won't find any games for Pico 4. However, we will keep this list regularly updated as more confirmations come through, so don't forget to bookmark this page. For now, here are all the big upcoming VR games reaching Meta Quest 2, PC VR and PSVR 2 in August 2023.
Developed by Titan GameZ, UBOAT sees you playing as a submarine commander during World War II. Featuring a single-player story campaign, you and up to four players can try to achieve victory in co-op mode on this maritime battlefield. There's also a 'Free Roam' mode that lets you "confront enemies, explore the vast waters and enjoy the freedom of navigating the open sea."
Two years after releasing in Steam Early Access, VR Skater by Deficit Games now reaches PSVR 2. On Sony's latest headset, that includes new features like adaptive triggers, customizable skateboards and a Mega Ramp. You can check out our preview to learn more, and a standalone version recently appeared on Pico 3 and 4.
Developed by First Contact Entertainment, Firewall Ultra is a 4v4 tactical shooter and the only revealed upcoming PSVR 2 game published by Sony. A sequel to Firewall Zero Hour, you can find out more here and in our April preview.
Crossfire: Sierra Squad will mark the long-running first-person shooter franchise's first foray into VR. You command an elite fireteam, going to war over a newly discovered bioweapon. Sierra Squad promises solo play and 4-player team co-op, offering 60 campaign missions and 40 different weapons. You can also expect an Arcade mode, realism mode and hardcore horde option.
Released on PC nearly three years ago, Phasmophobia arrived with optional SteamVR support and we previously called it one of the best VR horror games available. Now, it's reaching PSVR 2 late this month alongside a flatscreen release on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Interested to learn about more upcoming VR games? Check out our full list below, which covers upcoming Quest 2, PC VR and PSVR 2 releases across 2023 and beyond:
Henry Stockdale