In celebration of the hit film Ghostbusters release in 1984, Sony has announced that they will be releasing two virtual reality games based on the movie.
Ghostbuster VR (working title) was originally announced for the Quest 2 but Sony has now confirmed that it will be available on the Playstation VR2 as well. The game will be set in San Francisco, where players will run their own business as Ghostbusters. The game will be developed by nDreams and take place in the current time and possibly the future. nDreams has previously released games such as Phantom: Covert Ops, Bloody Zombies, and Far Cry VR: Dive Into Insanity. Despite the confirmation that Ghostbuster VR will be available on the Playstation VR, neither the game nor the headset has received an official release date.
In addition to the in-home game that Sony will be releasing, Ghostbusters VR Academy will also be released in HOLOGATE locations worldwide. The simulator, published by SPVR and developed by HOLOGATE, will be a Ghostbusters training simulator that is broken into two separate games. By the end of 2022, there are expected to be 400 locations with the Ghostbuster VR Academy.
Jake Zim, Senior Vice President of Virtual Reality at Sony, discussed the upcoming simulator and said “For the first time ever, players will be able to train to be a real Ghostbuster in an amazing academy setting and race a new flying version of the ECTO using HOLOGATE’s vehicle motion simulator. This fantasy fulfilling experience is only possible in virtual reality and with HOLOGATE’s location-based entertainment technology.”
At the HOLOGATE locations, players can choose between the ARENA and BLITZ games. The arena mode will involve players using their proton packs and working together to take down ghosts in high risk scenarios. In the BLITZ mode, players will test their driving skills in a prototype ECTO vehicle designed solely for the academy. Each of these games will help players to develop their skills and become an effective Ghostbuster.
HOLOGATE is currently the leading media company offering virtual reality experiences. They currently reach 12 million players worldwide across 38 different countries and 400 total locations. Leif Peterson, CEO and founder of HOLOGATE, is excited about the opportunity to team up with Sony and create the Ghostbusters VR Academy. He addressed the upcoming games and said “Ghostbusters VR Academy is a natural fit for HOLOGATE’s ARENA and BLITZ platforms. It transcends reality so players can create memorable moments while fulfilling longtime wishes to operate iconic Ghostbusters equipment. We can’t wait for players to step inside this world.”
As Sony continues to develop more games and content for their community, the addition of both Ghostbuster VR games will likely bring even more excitement to their community.