Go head-to-head with other players armed with NERF dart guns in a futuristic colosseum surrounded by cheering fans.
The NERF company changed the way we played when they introduced the “world’s first indoor ball” back in 1969, selling millions within the first year. What followed was a series of hit toy releases, from the NERFoop in 1972 to the Power Drencher (the original name for the SUPER SOAKER) in 1989. Things really changed for NERF when the company was purchased by Hasbro in 1991. That following year NERF introduced the very first NERF dart gun called the Sharpshooter and the game of tag was forever changed.
Since those days, the NERF dart gun has gone through many iterations. Not only have there been hundreds of versions made, but they’ve also gotten more powerful, and now NERF is heading into VR with the announcement of a global competitive multiplayer game being called the NERF Ultimate Championship.
Announced today during the Upload VR Showcase as part of IGN’s Summer of Gaming event, the NERF Ultimate Championship is scheduled to arrive in 2022 on the Oculus Quest. This epic-sized VR game will have you and other players going head-to-head in massive team-based arena-style NERF battles that promise tons of action.
Developed by Secret Location (a company that was recently purchased by Hasbro and even won a Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Award for their work on The Sleepy Hollow: VR Experience) along with additional funding from the Canada Media Fund and Ontario Creates, NERF Ultimate Championship looks to bring all of the realism of a classic NERF battle to life in VR, only instead of battling your friends throughout your house or local neighborhood, you’re fighting players from around the world in a futuristic colosseum filled with fans cheering both for and against you.
The NERF Ultimate Championship features quick matches full of vibrant Tron-like colors designed to keep you visually engaged at all times. There will also be lots of intense physical activity as you dodge darts and jump behind walls for safety during matches. Of course, it’s not a NERF battle without their famous dart guns. Each match will feature a wide range of NERF blasters, each of which featuring its own pros and cons depending on the battle. You’ll also have a suite of tools that you can use to customize your avatar and blaster.
In an official press release, Kathryn Rawson, VP of Content at Secret Location said, “NERF Ultimate Championship marks an important milestone for us as the first collaboration with our new parent company Hasbro,” adding, “Everyone on the team is excited to bring those epic NERF battles from our childhood into the immersive world of VR and to the growing Oculus Quest audience when the game launches next year.”
To help build up some NERFhype (not that it needs any) prior to the game’s launch in 2022, NERF has launched nerfvr.com. There you access some sneak peeks of some Oculus Quest gameplay as well as some behind the scene content that the company plans on uploading over the next few months. You’ll also get a chance to take part in exclusive test sessions later in the year. So keep checking back!
“This is a dream project for the team,” said Luke Van Osch, Supervising Producer at Secret Location. “We’ve had Blasters next to our desks for years, and it’s a thrill to bring all the fun and excitement of NERF to VR. We’re looking forward to connecting with other VR and NERF fans, and gathering their input as we continue to bring the game to life.”
In addition to their website, you can also get updates by joining the NERF community via its official Twitter, @nerfvr. They also plan on offering more online platforms such as Discord in the near future.
Feature Image Credit: Hasbro
