nDreams, the creative minds behind the free-to-play arena shooter FRENZIES, have recently shared some significant updates about the game’s progress. Set to transition out of early access later this year, fans received a curveball with the news that the game will not be making its way to the PSVR 2 as initially planned.
In a statement, the studio addressed their decision, hinting at exciting things on the horizon for PSVR 2 fans, even without Frenzies:
“We’re thrilled to announce that when FRENZIES exits Early Access later this year, it will remain a free-to-play experience! Since launching in Early Access on Meta Quest, we’ve received an overwhelmingly positive response from players who have embraced FRENZIES’ unique chaotic charm. Our goal is to build on this feedback as we transition out of Early Access,” nDreams explained. “In our pursuit of delivering the best version of FRENZIES, we’ve made the challenging decision to concentrate our efforts on the Meta Quest release, meaning FRENZIES will no longer be launching on PS VR2. We understand this may be disappointing for those eager for the PS VR2 release, but rest assured, we have some thrilling PS VR2 announcements coming soon! Stay tuned for more FRENZIES updates and our Early Access roadmap in the coming weeks.”
FRENZIES hit the early access stage on the Quest 2 and newer models back in October 2024, bringing with it a whirlwind of fast-paced arena shooting thrills, complete with a variety of weapons and game modes. Its VR-native gameplay stands out for its robust and engaging experience.
For PSVR 2 players who were waiting in anticipation, the news might come as a letdown. However, looking at it from the developer’s angle, there are a few solid reasons for their strategy.
Over the last year, the Quest platform has seen a surge in younger users, especially with the introduction of the $300 Quest 3S. This has inevitably boosted the popularity and availability of free-to-play content.
Meta’s VP of Metaverse Content, Samantha Ryan, highlighted in February that, “We anticipate free-to-play (F2P) becoming a broadly viable strategy for developers, who have so far leaned heavily on premium apps. That said, we don’t expect F2P to overtake premium apps entirely. Both models are likely to coexist.”
Economic challenges also play a role in nDreams’ decision. Given the tough climate, focusing on their largest potential player base seems like a wise move. The UK-based studio has recently streamlined operations, consolidating their nDreams Studio Orbital and nDreams Studio into a new internal studio, Compass, following recent layoffs.
Even so, with their wealth of experience as a top XR game studio, nDreams has crafted and launched a remarkable lineup of high-quality VR games. This includes titles like Vendetta Forever, Power Wash Simulator VR, Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, Synapse, Fracked, Little Cities, and Phantom: Cover Ops, just to name a few.
