HTC Rides Virtual Reality Bandwagon, Launches VR Studio and First Game ‘Arcade Saga’

Aside from producing mobile phones, HTC is now in the virtual reality business, establishing its own VR studio and launching its first game. HTC's Vive Studios has just released "Arcade Saga," a collection of games developed by 2 Bears Studios.

">Engadget describes "Arcade Saga" as the modern-looking version of the video game "Breakout." The three mini-games in "Arcade Saga" features 84 levels, where players need to slug it out with a scientist named Warlock and his minions.

"Fracture," one of the mini-games in "Arcade Saga," has players holding a ball in one hand and a bat in the other to hit the ball, according to Venture Beat. Players are scored according to the number of times the ball hits the wall.

The other mini game "Smash" has shields for hitting a ball and making it spin past an AI creature on the opposite side of a corridor. It's similar to tennis in that the ball is smashed back and forth.

In the third game "Bowshot," a player holds a bow and arrow using both hands to shoot blocks and other approaching objects. The blocks would often float and rotate, so players should be ready to fire high-powered arrows.

"Arcade Saga" is just the first of many VR games that Vive Studios will release in the coming months, a move that aims to generate more interest in HTC's VR gear, according to Engadget. The game costs $30 on Steam.

A top official from Vive Studios said "Arcade Saga" is a tribute to classic arcade games, Venture Beat reports.

Vive Studios is expected to operate very much like how Microsoft and Sony had done for their gaming consoles Xbox and PlayStation. The studio, however, will create more than just games like "Arcade Saga." It will also produce VR content for other industries like cinema, sports, and real estate.

Watch the trailer of "Arcade Saga" here.