‘FRENZIES’ Free-to-Play Shooter Canceled on PSVR 2, Teases Upcoming PSVR 2 Announcements

nDreams, the creative force behind the free-to-play arena shooter FRENZIES, has announced that the game will officially exit early access before the year is out. However, they’ve decided not to release it on PSVR 2 as initially planned.

In a recent statement, nDreams shared their outlook on this change, teasing forthcoming news related to PS VR2:

“We’re thrilled to confirm that FRENZIES will be available for free once it moves out of Early Access later this year! We’ve had an incredible response since the Early Access launch on Meta Quest. The vibrant chaos of FRENZIES has resonated well with players, and we are committed to expanding on this as we transition to the game’s full release.

As we aim to deliver the most polished version of FRENZIES possible, we’ve made the tough call to focus our resources on the Meta Quest version, meaning FRENZIES won’t make its way to PS VR2. We understand this is disappointing for those eagerly anticipating a PS VR2 launch, but we do have more exciting PSVR 2 news coming soon! For now, stay tuned for more updates on FRENZIES as we unveil the Early Access roadmap over the next few weeks.”

After its initial roll-out on Quest 2 in October 2024, FRENZIES quickly established itself as a thrilling arena shooter, packed with a host of standard weapons and game modes. It offers a comprehensive VR-native gameplay experience that has captivated players.

PSVR 2 fans might be feeling let down by this news, but from a business standpoint, it’s understandable why the developers made this choice.

Recently, Quest has attracted a younger demographic, thanks in part to the release of the $300 Quest 3S, which has bolstered the platform’s appeal and increased interest in free-to-play games.

In February, Meta’s VP of Metaverse Content, Samantha Ryan, expressed optimism about this approach, stating, “We anticipate free-to-play (F2P) becoming a broadly viable strategy for developers, who previously had to rely almost wholly on premium apps. However, this doesn’t mean F2P will replace premium apps — both models are expected to coexist.”

The economic climate continues to be challenging, prompting nDreams to target their most promising player base. This move comes after the UK-based studio consolidated its nDreams Studio Orbital and nDreams Studio into a new internal studio, ‘Compass,’ amid recent layoffs.

Despite these challenges, nDreams remains a prominent figure in XR gaming, having developed and published numerous acclaimed VR titles. Some of their notable games include Vendetta Forever, Power Wash Simulator VR, Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, Synapse, Fracked, Little Cities, and Phantom: Covert Ops.