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

nDreams—the team behind the arena shooter FRENZIES—has some big news for its fans: the game is set to leave early access later this year. However, there’s a twist. It will not be available on PSVR 2 as initially anticipated.

In a recent statement, nDreams shared their enthusiasm about the game’s progress while hinting at some exciting news for PS VR2:

“We’re thrilled to announce that FRENZIES will be free-to-play once it makes its official debut later this year! Since kicking off with Early Access on Meta Quest, the player feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with gamers embracing the unique blend of chaos that FRENZIES offers. Our main focus is to refine and enhance that experience as we transition out of Early Access.

Given this, we’ve made the challenging call to prioritize our efforts on the Meta Quest release, meaning FRENZIES will not launch on PS VR2. We understand this may be a letdown for those who were eagerly anticipating its PS VR2 release. But don’t worry, we’ve got some thrilling PS VR2 updates coming soon!

In the meantime, keep an eye out for more FRENZIES content updates over the coming weeks as we reveal our Early Access roadmap.”

Since its release in early access for Quest 2 and later models in October 2024, Frenzies has captivated players with its rapid-fire arena battles, a range of classic weapons, and various game modes. This package delivers a robust VR experience that feels right at home in virtual environments.

For PSVR 2 users who were hoping to dive into this action right away, the news might come as a disappointment. However, from the perspective of nDreams, this decision makes strategic sense for several reasons.

Over the past year, Quest has become increasingly popular, especially among younger users, largely thanks to the launch of the affordable $300 Quest 3S. This development has also boosted the amount of free-to-play content available on the platform.

Samantha Ryan, Meta’s VP of Metaverse Content, mentioned earlier this year, “We expect free-to-play (F2P) to become a broadly viable strategy for developers. While premium apps are still crucial, both models will likely thrive side by side.”

Moreover, nDreams is navigating a tough economic landscape and is likely aiming to optimize their reach by focusing on their largest potential audience. This comes after the UK-based developer consolidated its two studios into a new entity named ‘Compass’ following some layoffs.

Even with these shifts, nDreams remains a heavyweight in the XR gaming scene, having developed and published a range of impressive VR titles such as Vendetta Forever, Power Wash Simulator VR, Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, Synapse, Fracked, Little Cities, and Phantom: Covert Ops, to mention a few.