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Showcase the capabilties of Unity in developing VR games with a discussion on three notable games: Job Simulator, Fruit Ninja, and Beat Saber.
Gaming is one of the major industries that has significantly benefited from Virtual Reality (VR) technology. Almost every major game studio has created a VR version for some of their major titles. On the hardware side, VR headsets such as the Meta Quest 2, HTC Hive, and Samsung Gear VR have played a crucial role in advancing the popularity of VR games.
Unity is the platform that was built by Unity technologies to allow game developers to build high-quality immersive 2D and 3D games. In this article, we will share the top 3 high-profile VR games that have been built using this platform. Without any further ado, let’s jump right in!
Like its title, Job Simulator is a VR game that enables gamers to simulate working in a 3D virtual working environment. This game was created by Owlchemy Labs using the Unity game engine. The game simulates the work environment with some tasks similar to what actually happens at the workplace and some comical, just to make the game fun.
This game was first announced for the SteamVR device, but later included support for other VR devices, including HTC Vive and Oculus Rift + Touch. After its release, the developers of the game were forced to lower its price after realizing that its popularity was being limited by the price. Owlchemy Labs also created a custom smaller human mode of the game for people who couldn’t reach objects placed high in the VR environment, further increasing the game's popularity.
This game gained a lot of popularity in 2020 during the Covid19 lockdown. Beat Saber was developed by Beat Games in 2018 using the Unity game engine. In this game, the players involved are required to crash different coloured blocks using two neon sabers. These blocks’ movement is based on the beat of the song the gamer chooses.
Beat Saber was first released for Windows and later came to the PS4 during its first year of release. In 2019, Facebook acquired Beat Games allowing them to add support for the game to their Quest VR headsets. However, the game is still supported by other third-party VR headsets, including HTC Vive, Valve Index, and WMR.
Fruit Ninja was first released for iOS and Android in 2010, and is currently among the top ten most downloaded games on these platforms. In 2016, a VR version of Fruit Ninja was created to include an immersive 3D experience for those willing to play it with VR headsets. This game was developed by Halfbrick Studios Pty Ltd and debuted on the Steam platform in 2016 using the Unity game engine.
Fruit Ninja can be played in VR using the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift headsets. Just like the iOS and Android versions, the goal of the VR version of this game is to slice different fruits that come at you using blades to earn points.
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