nDreams, the creative force behind the free-to-play arena shooter FRENZIES, recently announced that the game will be officially leaving early access later this year. However, there’s a twist: it won’t be launching on PSVR 2 as they had previously planned.
The studio addressed this change in direction through a statement, expressing their excitement about FRENZIES remaining free-to-play upon its full release. Since early access began on the Meta Quest platform, they’ve received an overwhelmingly positive reception from players, who are drawn to the game’s unique, chaotic fun. The intention is to capitalize on this positive momentum as they transition out of early access.
Despite the decision to primarily focus on the Meta Quest release and not pursue a PSVR 2 launch, nDreams assures fans that there’s more to come, hinting at some thrilling PSVR 2 announcements on the horizon. They encourage players to prepare for more updates in the coming weeks as they unveil their Early Access roadmap.
FRENZIES originally made its debut in early access on Quest 2 and newer models back in October 2024. The game offers a high-speed arena shooting experience that combines conventional weaponry and game modes, all while delivering a robust, VR-native experience.
It’s understandable that some PSVR 2 users might feel let down by this news. However, from a developer’s standpoint, focusing on the Quest platform seems to be a strategic move. Over the past year, the Quest has seen a surge in popularity, particularly among younger users, and the introduction of the $300 Quest 3S has further amplified the platform’s free-to-play options.
Meta VP of Metaverse Content, Samantha Ryan, commented in February that they foresee free-to-play (F2P) becoming a practical strategy for developers, who have traditionally depended on premium apps. Nevertheless, she believes that both F2P and premium models will continue to thrive alongside each other.
Additionally, in a challenging economic climate, nDreams appears to be aiming to maximize their reach by targeting the largest possible audience. The UK-based studio has streamlined operations by merging nDreams Studio Orbital and nDreams Studio into a new division called ‘Compass,’ following some recent layoffs.
Despite these changes, nDreams continues to stand out as a pioneering XR game studio, having developed and released an impressive array of high-quality VR games, such as Vendetta Forever, Power Wash Simulator VR, Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, Synapse, Fracked, Little Cities, and Phantom: Covert Ops, among others.
