Oculus announces GTA: San Andreas VR, teases big Beat Saber news
We were expecting some news about VR gaming today at Facebook Connect 2021, and that's precisely what we got. Facebook made several announcements regarding games that are heading to Oculus VR, and while we may not expect a ton from a segment that often still feels like it's just getting going, there were certainly surprises. If you're a GTA or Beat Saber fan, then you'll want to pay attention to today's announcements.
That's because leading Facebook's announcements was the reveal of a VR version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Sadly, we didn't get to see any gameplay footage or even any screenshots; Facebook merely says that this game is in development at Rockstar for the Quest 2, and that the project is "many years in the making." We're going to have to wait for anything more substantial than that, though.
Beat Saber was also on the docket today, though unfortunately, specifics are slim there too. After looking back on 2021, Beat Games teased that it has "an amazing lineup of artists for 2022." The company also said that it has one more announcement coming before the end of the year and teased that announcement with the trailer you see above. All we see in the trailer is a unique-looking saber with the words "Level Up!" so if you're a Beat Saber player, take that as you will.
Facebook also shared a collection of updates on other games and developers, revealing that it's partnering with Vertigo Games for five new titles. We don't know what those games are, but one of them will be set in a "fan-favorite" game world from Deep Silver. In addition, the company announced that Blade & Sorcery: Nomad, which will be heading to Quest 2 later this year.
Blade & Sorcery: Nomad doesn't seem to be a sequel to the original game – which launched for Oculus Rift in 2019 – but rather a standalone release for the Quest specifically. However, the idea will still be to provide a sandbox for players to experiment with various sorts of first-person combat, whether that's melee with weapons like swords and axes, ranged with bows, or sorcery with magic. There's been no specific release date announced yet, but Blade & Sorcery: Nomad should be here by the time we close the book on 2021.
Facebook – or, we should say, Meta – also announced a fitness accessory kit for Oculus Quest today. The fitness kit is straightforward and simple, as it includes grips for the controllers to keep them from flying across the room (not entirely unlike the strap on a Wii remote or Switch Joy-Con, though not exactly the same) and a face pad that's easy to wipe down after a workout. We'll see that launch later sometime next year.