CCP Games confirms that the sensational Oculus Rift tech demo EVE-VR, introduced for the first time during April 2013’s EVE Fanfest, is now officially set for development as a full release under the title EVE: Valkyrie. The game is a multiplayer dogfighting shooter set in the EVE Online universe. There’s no mention in the press release of Oculus, though it notes that Valkyrie “uses virtual reality to give players the sense of being a real pilot in an EVE Online spaceship,” and is currently set for a 2014 release.
CCP Games CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson had little to say in an official statement, though he promises to reveal more info soon. “From the moment this year’s Fanfest attendees first got their hands on EVE-VR, the question has been, ‘When can I have this?’,” Pétursson’s statement reads. “What started as a passion project by a small, incredibly talented group of CCP developers became one of the most highly anticipated games of the year — before we even announced it. We have big plans for EVE: Valkyrie and I can’t wait to share more details later this year.”
We checked out EVE-VR at Fanfest, and then again at E3 2013. Even in its relatively rough, unfinished state, the play amounts to an impressive showcase of what a VR headset like the Oculus Rift can do to enhance the experience of immersing yourself in a game. We learned when we spoke with one of the demo’s creators that it came together over a series of weeks, with everyone on the small team chipping in during their off hours. As impressive as EVE-VR is, just imagine how wild it could be to fly through space in your own spaceship once it’s a proper fully formed game.
2014 never seemed so far away. Tide yourself over for now with the reveal trailer below.