THE NEED FOR MORE CROSS-MEDIA GAMES: VR AND 2D GAMES

Cross-platform games are common. For many top games released yearly, the developers behind them choose to release them on multiple platforms. Even in this current era of platform exclusives, most games get released on more than a single platform.

Because the logic is simple: more platforms mean more audience and hence more revenue potential. If the developers choose to release the game on only one platform, their potential is restricted to the users of that particular platform.

However, if they decide to release on multiple platforms, the game has the chance to become a hit on each one of them, an opportunity most developers would not pass on.

VR Gaming and Cross-Platform

Not all platforms are equal, though. A game made for one platform does not always become an enjoyable experience for another one. Particularly if the platforms have differences, such as control schemes or performance issues.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in virtual reality. Most games on other platforms wouldn’t work in virtual reality because there are massive differences in how players would experience the games.

Because VR is a technology that immerses players in the virtual environment as no other technology does. Others do immerse, but VR takes it to the next level altogether.

As a result, VR also walks up into specific issues. Such as nausea and the experience being too real. For instance, witnessing gore in a console game would be better and different than seeing it in VR, as it would feel more natural.

So, most of the time, developers can’t create a cross-platform VR game.

However, some games have done it successfully. Even for games that have been created years before, developers have added the VR experience with success. So it is not impossible to do so.

Enter 2D Games

The VR cross-platform issue is amplified in 2D games. Because by default, virtual reality game development happens in 3D, as we see the world in three dimensions in the real world. So, a 2D game would not be as immersive as a 3D VR game.

However, this discounts 2D altogether. Even with the advent of 3D, 2D has held on for years. It still exists in multiple industries.

The main reason is that 2D has a distinct appeal and feels 3D cannot match. Therefore, many people in the industry prefer 2D because of this stylistic difference.

Another reason is that 3D is hardware intensive. 2D games, on the other hand, require fewer hardware resources.

However, there are possibilities for games that developers can create in 2D for other platforms and VR simultaneously. The developers have to spend extra care on the project and consider VR as a platform from the initial stages. For instance, the developers must ensure the 2D game has a similar level of immersion as a 3D game.

Cross-Play Games

Cross-play has also risen in recent years. For those unfamiliar with the term, cross-play is when people from two different platforms play the same game against each other, like an Xbox player playing against a PS player. For years, companies have tried to implement this on a larger scale, and now it has become a reality.

However, there is one caveat. Most cross-play happens on similar platforms. This is because these have identical control schemes and hardware specifications.

And VR games and 2D games do not have this similarity.

2D games with cross-play have even more challenges because of this. For example, a game in 2D has to have one experience in another platform while at the same time having a much more immersive experience in VR. Also, the experience has to be compatible with cross-play, such as all the users witnessing the same thing in the game, albeit in a different way.

For this, the developers have to start right from the design phase. But, first, developers must create the game elements by keeping the cross-play aspect in mind.

Conclusion

VR and 2D games are different from the most expected combination. Both have certain differences that make VR game developers avoid cross-platform 2D games. The situation is even harder for cross-play.

But with the right design and implementation, it is possible. VR can bring something unique to the 2D game development sphere if the developers play their cards right.

Looking to Develop a VR Project?

Juego Studios is a top VR app development company. We have our own team of specialized VR developers who have worked on top VR projects. In addition, we offer NFT game development services, and we have worked with clients from diverse industries across the globe.