INVERSE: The evolution of MassVR

In less than a week, Game developer MassVR will be releasing their new horror themed multiplayer game INVERSE. But who are these dedicated game designers, and how did they get to where they are today as a company?

MassVR was established in 2017 as an independent VR gaming studio dedicated  to creating immersive VR gaming experiences. Like a lot of companies in the early 2010s, they started by developing location-based VR arenas. Gamers could play with or against each other in a designed 8,000 square foot physical free-roam space.

This was during a rise of such venues like the Void and Dreamscape Theaters. Indeed at that point in time, it looked like these group playing areas were going to become the next evolution of where the movie theater would go.

8000 (ish) square feet of gameplay

The space the company created in a former department anchor store immediately brought them into the local public’s eye. Their initial game space in Skokie Illinois’ Westfield Old Orchard Mall was immediately popular. There other location in Bloomington was equally successful. And of course there were a variety of licensed and in-house designed VR experiences for everyone.

Up until that point the company had released two IPs for their proprietary platform, a game called VR Champions which was a team-based first-person-shooter, and Hallow Realm which was an asymmetrical horror game. It SEEMED that continued success was on the horizon…

Then, 2020 happened, and the pandemic hit.

Going truly virtual

Since the company’s goal was to create active, cooperative and accessible VR experiences that ‘engaged true kinetic motion and offered unbounded exploration,’ according to their press release, they went all in on VR for the home console.

Using the same development pillars that led to their initial game creations, MassVR took the stance of creating immersive VR games that would “go beyond the joystick for at-home users.” Having already worked in the open arena world of VR this was an easy leap and would lead to what would soon be called INVERSE.

So what’s this game about anyway?

Inverse is a survival horror game that provides a twist on the genre. It’s made to offer players an innovative asymmetric gameplay. First off, players will get the choice to play as a team of Agents or as a lone monster. But that’s all we’ll be mentioning right now as we don’t want to ruin too much until release day.

INVERSE is slated to be released September 7 on MetaQuest VR, although early access is already available in the App Lab.

Are you excited to experience this twist on the VR-multiplayer genre? Let us know in the comments!