NCSOFT unveils first VR game
A visitor demonstrates NCSOFT’s virtual reality game “Blade & Soul Table Arena” wearing Oculus’ head-mounted VR device during the Game Developers Conference 2017 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, Wednesday (local time). / Courtesy of NCSOFT
Korean VR games shine global game fair
By Yoon Sung-won
Korean virtual reality (VR) games have drawn attention at a global game developers’ fair in the United States, according to the game industry Friday.
NCSOFT unveiled its first VR game based on its computer online title “Blade & Soul” at the Game Developers Conference 2017 in San Francisco. The demo version of the real-time strategy game “Blade & Soul Table Arena” became the first VR game ever showcased by any of Korea’s three largest game firms _ Nexon, Netmarble Games and NCSOFT.
“This is our first achievement to combine our intellectual property to VR,” said Son Dong-hee, head of NCSOFT’s game innovation division. “We are expanding R&D of games based on next-generation technologies such as VR.”
In “Blade & Soul Table Arena,” users can summon units to the arena and train them through missions and player-versus-player combat.
The game came as the first result made by NCSOFT’s task force dedicated to VR technologies. As the company has been active to utilize its existing game-related intellectual property for extra business opportunities, it is expected to release more VR games based on its popular titles such as the “Lineage” series.
“We are open to review all our resources and test if they are fit for new technology platforms such as VR,” an NCSOFT spokeswoman said.
The game has been introduced as one of 20 titles made for Oculus’ head-mounted VR device. Oculus is a VR technology subsidiary of Facebook.
NCSOFT said it may release the VR game on other platforms such as personal computers or mobile devices. The release date has not been decided, it said.
Skonec Entertainment showcased demonstration versions of “Mortal Blitz VR Walking Attraction” and “Mortal Blitz PlayStation VR.” “Mortal Blitz VR Walking Attraction” has drawn massive attention from visitors. A source from the company said demonstrations were fully booked right after the exhibition started.
This game comes a wearable VR sensor suit and a virtual rifle. Users face opponents in diverse virtual gunfight situations.
Earlier in November last year, “Mortal Blitz VR,” designed for Sony Interactive Entertainment’s PlayStation VR and HTC’s Vive head-mount devices, won the next-generation game content prize at the 2016 Korea Game Awards.
“It is a great pleasure to gain such a huge attention in the United States,” a Skonec Entertainment official said. “We will push to become a leading VR game maker in Korea.”
Smaller Korean VR and augmented reality device and service studios have also participated in the game conference to show off their VR games.
Companies such as bHaptics, Nettention, C2Monster, GRAMPUS and EVR Studio have joined the fair.
EVR Studio showcased a storytelling VR adventure game titled “Project M” and bHaptics demonstrated a three-dimensional motion tracking wearable device called “Tactosy.”