Game developer Rebellion has announced that the company is rebooting Battlezone, the first virtual reality (VR) game from 1980, for Sony's Project Morpheus.
The original game puts the gamer in a tank driver's seat, looking via a periscope and shooting at enemies. Rebellion did not reveal how the upcoming Battlezone reboot would differ from the original version, but a video released by the game developer gives some glimpse into how the gameplay would be.
Project Morpheus is the moniker for a forthcoming VR headset that is being produced by Sony. The VR headset will be made functional with the Sony PlayStation 4 (PS4) and PlayStation Vita gaming consoles.
Sony had hinted that the VR headset would be launched in the first half of 2016, but an exact release date remains unknown. Battlezone lovers will be enthralled to play the game in the virtual world.
"When we acquired the Battlezone rights two years ago we almost had to pinch ourselves! It really was a dream come true, so it's our aim to deliver the same revolutionary thrill of the original for a whole new generation. We want to use VR to truly capture the imagination of today's gamers, just as the original Battlezone captured ours," said Jason Kingsley, CEO of Rebellion.
The original Battlezone was an arcade game that was released in 1980 by Atari. Using vector graphics, the game displayed a wireframe view of an advanced battlefield.
The new Battlezone will use the Asura Engine, the same that is also used in the tactical short video game Sniper Elite 3. The Battlezone reboot will definitely have aspects implemented from the original version, but the gaming experience will be new with the VR headset. Kingsley hopes that the upcoming game captures the imagination of gamers just as the original title did.
The Battlezone reboot has been announced also for Steam, but the VR version of the game has been confirmed only for PS4. Other VR platforms are currently being evaluated and the game may make its way to other VR headsets after its initial release.
Interested Battlezone gamers can register on the game's official website to get updates.
Check out a short video of the upcoming game.
