Meta Cancels System Shock 2 VR and Numerous Other Projects

Meta recently pulled the plug on a VR version of System Shock 2, as well as numerous other projects, according to the head of the remaster studio. However, there’s still a glimmer of hope that development might pick up again down the road.

The iconic 1999 PC game, loved by many for its action-packed role-playing survival elements, is being revamped for its 25th anniversary. Fans can look forward to its release in June on platforms like Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. But, in a recent post on Bluesky, Stephen Kick, who leads the studio behind this remaster, revealed the unfortunate news that plans for a VR adaptation on Oculus were halted.

Originally, the team was excited about bringing System Shock 2 to virtual reality, with ambitions to roll out a version that would support full co-op multiplayer and even cross-play with PC. However, somewhere along the journey, this project ended up on the backburner in 2022 and was eventually scrapped.

Interestingly, Kick didn’t specify whether this version was intended for PC VR through Oculus Rift or Quest Link, or if it was meant for Quest as a standalone experience. We’ve contacted the team to shed some light on this matter and also reached out to Meta to see if they have anything to add.

Despite the setback, there’s talk within the studio about possibly picking up the VR project again. “It might come back as an additional patch or a standalone release,” Kick mentioned. “But we’ll have to see how the 25th Anniversary remaster does first,” he added, hinting that the game’s reception might influence whether we ever see it in VR form.