bigbox vr – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

February 28, 2023March 9, 2023

Population: One Is Now Free-To-Play On Quest 2

Population: One developers BigBox VR announced that the game will be going free-to-play on Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro from March 9.

Update: This article was republished on March 9 with an updated title to reflect the move to free-to-play. The original article, published February 28, continues below.

After launching in late 2020 for $29.99, Population: One will be free-to-play for everyone on the Quest platform from next week. Existing owners of the game (or those who buy and open a copy before March 9) will receive the ‘Original Banana Bundle’ as compensation, which includes the legendary PJ (Potassium) character, the Prestige Arsenal (four legendary characters and 14 rare guns), an exclusive spray, 1000 gold and more. You can check out the full details in the graphic below.

population: one

After March 9, new free-to-play players will be able to earn experience and unlock rewards up to level 10 on the progression track. Those who want to continue unlocking rewards will have to pay for ‘All Access’, which will cost 750 in-game gold (available for $14.99 in the Quest store at the time of writing).

Population: One is also available on Rift and Steam for PC VR, but will not be going to free-to-play on those platforms and will see a price reduction down to $19.99 instead. BigBox says that “similar to other games, the value price on those [PC VR] platforms will be used to prevent potential cheaters from making a new account on Steam/Rift easily.” However, those who purchase the game on PC VR will receive 1200 in-game gold, equivalent to $19.99 in value.

The move to free-to-play on March 9 also comes alongside a game update that includes sandbox changes, a new single-player mode with dynamic bots, map changes, balance changes and a graphics update featuring improved resolution and real-time shadows.

BigBox says that more modes, features and maps are planned for the rest of 2023.

February 28, 2023

Hit Battle Royale ‘POPULATION: ONE’ is Going Free-to-Play on Quest in March

POPULATION: ONE, the hit battle royale shooter from BigBox VR, is going free-to-play next month on the Quest platform.

Initially released in late 2020, Population: One has essentially become VR’s de facto battle royale, bringing large-scale cross-platform battles to Quest and SteamVR headsets.

Now Meta-owned studio BigBox VR says it’s going free-to-play on Quest 2 and Quest Pro starting on March 9th, which will also include a host of new goodies to previous owners of the game, coming in addition to an update which will include new content.

Notably, it’s not going free-to-play on PC VR platforms; both the Oculus Rift and Steam version of the game will be priced at $20 starting March 9th, which is a $10 discount from the original price.

Those PC versions will include 1,200 ($20) worth of the in-game currency Bureau Gold (BG), something the studio says is being done to prevent potential cheaters from easily making a new account on Steam/Rift platforms.

All owners of the game before the March 9th at 10AM PT free-to-play update will get a bundle, called the ‘Original Banana Bundle Rewards’, which the studio estimates at an $80 value. This includes:

Legendary “PJ Potassium” Character Skin
Legendary “Prestige” Character Skins (4)
Rare “Prestige” Full Gun Set (14)
Exclusive Title: “Original Banana”
Exclusive Calling Card: “Celebration”
Exclusive Spray: “I Was Here”
1,000 Bureau Gold
Full Access to the Level Progression Track

There’s also a host of new content coming to the game to kick off the free-to-play update on March 9th, including a new single player mode with dynamic bots and in-game rewards, new player lobbies, a larger sandbox limit of 12 and 24 players, and an all-new shop featuring over 100 new character and weapon skin. You can check out the full changelog in the Meta blogpost.

As for the upcoming roadmap, BigBox VR says both a Sandbox Battle Royale Mode and Sandbox Battle Royale Playlist are slated to arrive on March 30th. The studio says we should also expect new weapons, updates on the Evolving Map, Sandbox features & modes, and matchmaking improvements in the near future.

March 18, 2022

VR’s Most Popular Battle Royale Just Got Its Biggest Map Ever

POPULATION: ONE (2020), VR’s most popular battle royale, just got an update across all supported platforms that includes the game’s largest map to date, which comes along with a few other cyberpunk goodies.

Called ‘Metropolis’, the new map promises to let you fight across a neon megacity, replete with a nightclub, fortress, gun store, and apartments. To play the new map on SteamVR and Quest 2, simply select ‘Metropolis Royale’ as the game mode to play.

Developers BigBox VR says Metropolis has “more total square footage than the rest of the entire map combined.”

The new map also comes with a ‘Neon Night Mode’ which renders the map darker to make the neon pop, making for a pretty cool cyberpunk aesthetic.

The Metropolis Royale game mode not only lets you and your team battle in the 18-player shootout, but it is also introducing jump pads to the game, which let you quickly ascend skyscrapers for some new verticals.

There’s a few other features in the game’s Metropolis update, however the most interesting is undoubtedly a new speed-increasing sword, called Cyberblade. Cyberblade is a neon-cast sword that deals up to 75 damage directly to health and increases speed by 25 percent. You’ll light up the night, but you’ll be fast and deadly.

Check out the full change log here for a list of all of the new features and bug fixes in Metropolis.

Population: One is available on Steam and the Meta platform for Rift, Quest and Quest 2, priced at $30.

The post VR’s Most Popular Battle Royale Just Got Its Biggest Map Ever appeared first on Road to VR.

March 16, 2022

BigBox VR Pull out all the Stops for Population: One’s Metropolis Map

If you’re looking for a battle royale shooter in virtual reality (VR) BigBox VR’s Population: One is tough to beat. The studio has continually reiterated upon the map design by adding new locations such as the wild west-themed Frontier and the medieval Kingdom Age, giving players new tactical possibilities. Tomorrow sees the arrival of Metropolis, a cyberpunk corner of the map that’s surely going to be a favourite among players thanks to its verticality and rabbit warren streets.

Given a chance to explore these streets early, gmw3 was presented with Population: One’s biggest map update to date, a huge sprawling complex that dwarves the other areas. From nightclubs to slums and giant skyscrapers, BigBox VR has packed an absurd amount of stuff into this one corner of the Pop: One map. Make no mistake, you’ll head here and want to spend the entire match frantically exploring.

It was clear for the outset that Metropolis isn’t the sort of map where you can instantly find a good spot to ambush other players, there are just too many little cut-throughs and random alleyways to do that. There are plenty of high vantage points if you love sniping but areas like the slums see building tightly nestled together so there’s plenty of cover to work with.

Or then there’s the kill box that is the weapons shop. Whilst it wasn’t littered with loot during the demo, BigBox VR assured me that the full version will feature enough kit to fully equip two squads. A really tempting proposition early on in a match although you can imagine what sort of chaos that’ll cause. Another building that caught gmw3’s eye was a tall hollow skyscraper that was inspired by the building from Dredd. Tight, winding stairwells that are great for shotguns or shooting down at other unwary opponents.

Talking of giant buildings it would be remiss of me not to mention the colossal skyscraper that’s at the very north end of the map. The same height as the infamous “The Tower” at the very centre of the Population: One map, this new beast can easily be scaled with a nice shoulder workout. It is so high that you’re unlikely to snipe anyone from up there but it offers a wonderful view plus you could in theory glide most of the map from up there.

BigBox VR has made it even easier to ascend these structures or simply provide an escape route with the new jump pads. These glowing yellow areas give you a nice boost into the sky and the motion isn’t jarring in the slightest. Granted, most people playing Population: One aren’t going to be novices but even so, the studio has done a superb job in delivering a smooth shot straight into the sky.

There is, of course, lots more going on in the map than that so gmw3 won’t spoil all of it. Even getting slaughtered playing against some Population: One experts didn’t dampen the feeling that Metropolis has a lot of potential depending on your team like to play, and certainly enough hiding spots to be easily revived again and again.

Population: One – Metropolis arrives 17th March for all supported VR platforms.

March 10, 2022

Population: One’s Metropolis Map Is Its Biggest, Most Complex Area Yet

Sometimes changes to a game are practically invisible. Quality of life updates, stat buffs and nerfs, bug fixes; developers are constantly improving their games in ways that are seamless to the untrained eye.

Population: One’s updates, however, have been anything but invisible.

As I stand atop the highest tower in the new Metropolis section — which is certainly tall enough to rival the central tower if not surpass it — I realize just how drastically BigBox VR’s battle royale shooter has changed over the past 18 or so months. Huge sections of the once-evergreen map have been uprooted and replaced by massive new areas, including the towering castles from the Kingdom era and the western-themed canyons added in the second season of the game’s short-lived battle pass structure. For anyone that dropped off of the shooter after the first few months, parts of the map are practically unrecognizable.

Metropolis, though, is easily the most drastic change to the game’s map yet. Like other map changes, it replaces an old section of the original design, sitting where the Refinery area once was in the northeast. But the surface area of Metropolis, I’m told, is so large that BigBox VR had to extend the entire map slightly, or risk the new design encroaching on other sectors. It even has its own mode that only allows you to play within the new sector.

Despite its size, Metropolis is densely packed, dotted with multi-story apartment blocks and car parks, and actively plastered with billboards and neon signs. There’s a nod to the monolithic housing complex from 2012’s Dredd, with an open courtyard and rows and rows of balconies to repurpose as sniper nests, and you can jump into nightclubs, museums, and lecture halls for some close-quarters combat.

You can see new opportunities for combat around every corner. Computer terminals in one room make for quick cover thanks to the game’s flexible climbing system, and the street-level maze is just begging for unfortunate souls to stumble their way into a rifle’s line of sight. To counteract the complexity, there are new jump pads that instantly catapult you above the city skyline, either to reach vantage points fast or glide to safety.

It’s really impressive to see just how different and expansive Metropolis is compared to what’s come before, and BigBox VR confirmed to me that all of this will still run on the original Quest. With that said, I do have to wonder if the developer might be able to again push team sizes in the future to help accommodate the change. It’s already raised that cap to 24 players, but the map is now so large and varied that it definitely feels like there could be more to stop the game from feeling empty in areas (though, obviously, that becomes less of an issue as zones push opponents closer together).

Personally speaking, I’d also like to see more done on the visuals front. Pop: One is a herculean technical achievement given it’s running on the original Quest but, as that headset gets older and less prevalent, it’d be great to see BigBox VR push for more visual detail in the currently identikit textures and empty warehouses that populate the map right now, especially for those that play on PC.

For now, though, Population: One’s Metropolis update goes live on March 17 as a free addition to the base game. As with past changes, you can expect it to kick off a new phase of modes and updates for the game (you can see a new sword an image above), but there’s no sign that BigBox VR plans to return to any premium battle pass plans at this point. Are you going to be checking the game out? Let us know in the comments below!

October 27, 2021

Population: One Solos Mode Launches Today For Limited Time

A much-requested Population: One Solos Mode launches today, but only for a limited time.

The Halloween-themed Spooky Scary Solos event runs from October 27 – November 2 and features a lobby size of 24 players. It’s the same rules as the usual game. In other words, you’ll fight to be the last player standing on an ever-shrinking map. Check out a new trailer for the latest mode below.

Population: One Solos Mode Launches

Perhaps the most interesting addition to this mode will be proximity chat, allowing opponents to hear you if you’re close by. That will definitely enable some interesting new dynamics for the shooter. Solos will also include night mode, making it a little harder to spot enemies. You’ll also have a chance to earn new Halloween-themed cosmetics.

We’ve seen a lot of requests for a Population: One Solos mode over the past year. You can already access this option in custom rooms, but BigBox VR has long insisted that the mode goes against the game’s social nature. Other events like the War Mode have also run for a limited time but made regular reappearances, often with new twists to the rules.

We also spoke to BigBox VR (which itself was recently acquired by Facebook) about the game as it celebrated its first anniversary, which you can read here. In it, the studio talks a bit about the chances of Solos returning in the future. Will you be trying out the new Population: One Solos mode? Let us know in the comments below.

October 27, 2021

BigBox VR Reflects On A Year Of Population: One

The Oculus Quest 2 just turned one, which means that all of its launch window titles are celebrating their first anniversaries, too. Among them is one of the platform’s most enduring multiplayer shooters, Population: One.

And what a year it’s been for the battle royale shooter. There were ups and downs for sure: developer BigBox VR abandoned its Fortnite-aping Battle Pass model in favor of free events after just two seasons, but the game’s popularity proved significant enough for Facebook to acquire the studio just a few months ago. And the team continues to mix things up with new limited-time modes, including the launch of a much-requested Solos option arriving today.

“We’ve learned a ton over the last year!” Chia Chin Lee, BigBox VR’s Head of Studio says in an email Q&A. “Our daily playtests along with listening to player feedback is so important. With that information, we can recognize when things aren’t working as smoothly as they should and work quickly to fine tune features and items.”

One of the biggest changes came with Kingdom Age, a new theme introduced a few months back that Chin Lee says “represented the culmination of our internal discussions on how to make POP1 more fun and accessible for everyone.”

Kingdom Age saw Pop One ditch its $5 Battle Pass, which gave players access to free cosmetic upgrades while a larger free update introduced new mechanics and weapons. The developer hasn’t shared stats on the uptake of those passes but given that, unlike Fortnite, the game isn’t a free-to-play shooter, it’s easy to see why some players might’ve been put off of the idea. Instead, BigBox VR has stepped up how regularly it’s doing events with the opportunity to unlock new skins without having to pay anything.

The studio says to expect this trend to continue. “At BigBox VR, one of the things we enjoy the most is learning from players,” Community Manager Eric Morrill notes. “The feedback has been positive and for now, we plan to continue with an events-driven approach.”

The latest event is Solos, which runs until November 2nd (though it’s been available in custom room options for much of the year). It supports 24 players in a match competing to be the last player standing. “That feeling of being alone and ready to strike as the zone shrinks is even more amplified because we’re launching it during our Halloween event,” Morrill explains. “Plus, night mode is on. It should be an exciting event filled with spooky solo matches!”

While it’s definitely great to see Solo being implemented into the game, it’s easily one of the most requested features and some fans will be disappointed that it’s only for a limited time. Morrill says this launch is a test, adding: “As long as it doesn’t compromise the social foundation of POP1 and players are having fun, any new mode or content drop we introduce could come back again in some form.”

As for highlights from year one? “We are happy to celebrate the fact that over 5 million friend connections have been made in-game since launch!” Chin Lee says.

“We’d like to offer a big thanks to our community. Our goal is to always make sure the POP1 community has fun, can play the game the way they love to, while always keeping the core values of POP1 alive and well.”

Expect to see more events and updates carrying into 2022. BigBox VR is coy on plans for the new year, including the impact the Facebook acquisition has had on its future plans.

Oh, and, PSVR players? We asked, but Chin Lee’s response doesn’t seem too promising: “At this time, we are focused on building the most compelling POP1 experience for the platforms that we already support.”

August 3, 2021

Become a Knight With the Population: One Kingdom Age Update This Week

After being acquired by Facebook back in June, BigBox VR is almost ready to launch its next seasonal update for Population: One. Last time the developer took players to the wild west in The Frontier. In a couple of days, the battle royale shooter will be going even further back in history with castles, swords and loads of rewards in Kingdom Age.

So the first big addition is a giant sprawling castle with battlements, ruins, stained glass windows and, of course, a throne to wage war around. As you’re running around doing your best knight of Camelot impressions you’ll want to keep an eye out for a new weapon, Excalibur, the legendary sword to cut opponents down within the stone walls. It also gives you a speed boost.

Kingdom Age will be slightly different to previous seasonal updates which have focused on Battle Passes. This time around the Battle Pass has been dispensed with, instead, BigBox VR is launching four free events over the coming 11 weeks. The events will allow you to unlock free cosmetic rewards like the PJ (Gallant) character skin with armour detailing or new gun skins.

The four events aren’t simply a chance to unlock new stuff, each will have its own gameplay twist with BigBox VR revealing that: “Kingdom Age’s second event may have a new game mode.” All these events will build up to a grand finale where you can choose the Light or Dark side and fight for your kingdom. “The winning side will leave a mark on the world,” the studio teases.

Kingdom Age has also been designed to ensure new players aren’t overwhelmed. Considering Population: One launched in October 2020 the videogame has seen a rapid succession of updates, with new features coming and going whilst others stay. Hence why Kingdom Age only features Excalibur as the only new item which is easy to wield.

Population: One – Kingdom Age is set for launch this Thursday, 5th August as a free update for Oculus Quest and Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index and Windows Mixed Reality headsets. For further seasonal updates from BigBox VR, keep reading VRFocus.

July 2, 2021

Population: One Adds Super Advanced War Mode XXL

Another limited time mode is available now in Population: One — Super Advanced War Mode XXL.

SURPRISE!!!

SUPER ADVANCED WAR MODE XXL is LIVE NOW!

12 v 12
The BIGGEST War Mode yet in POPULATION: ONE! pic.twitter.com/vZ2GdvuEDB

— POPULATION: ONE (@populationonevr) July 1, 2021

The limited time mode is based off the previous War Mode, Advanced War Mode and Super Advanced War Mode, all of which were similar to Team Deathmatch but with a Battle Royale ruleset. Two teams of nine would start on the map and play a last-man-standing scenario with no respawns available.

Super Advanced War Mode XXL builds on the same idea but, as the name suggests, is now bigger than ever. As opposed to just nine players, the new XXL lobbies support up to 24 players (two teams of 12). There’s no word on how long the limited time mode will be available for, so you better get in quick if you want to try it out.

About a week ago, the developers also gave an update on the Population: One subreddit to talk about what they had been working on. Bug fixes were high on the agenda, along with many quality of life fixes and streamlining loading times. The team has put out so much new content and features over the last few months that they “want to spend time improving performance and fixing bugs again.” Matchmaking improvements were also being worked on as well.

Last month, Facebook announced that it had acquired Population: One developers BigBox VR — the latest in a string of studio acquisitions in the last few years that began with Beat Games (the team behind Beat Saber) in late 2019 and continued with Sanzaru Games (Asgard’s Wrath), Ready at Dawn (Lone Echo, Echo VR) and Downpour Interactive (Onward) in 2020 and 2021.

June 12, 2021

Population: One Dev BigBox VR Acquired By Facebook

Over the past couple of years Facebook has been consolidating its virtual reality (VR) content output by acquiring some of the most prominent studios in the industry, and this week another has been added to that roster, BigBox VR. The studio is best known for its battle royale title Population: One which launched last year and will continue to improve the videogame under Facebook’s umbrella.

Population: One has seen huge success since its launch nine months ago for Oculus Quest and PC VR headsets. In that time BigBox VR has released a continual stream of updates and seasonal content. At the moment Population: One – Season 2: The Frontier is underway and this month also saw the arrival of a Team Deathmatch mode.

The acquisition will see the entire BigBox VR team join Oculus Studios whilst maintaining the indie studios’ culture. “We’re excited to help BigBox VR grow and accelerate their vision for POPULATION: ONE as a state-of-the-art VR social gaming experience, as well as pursue future projects, with access to the resources and support of Facebook and Oculus Studios, all while maintaining the team’s creativity, disciplined methodology, and commitment to community,” said Mike Verdu, VP of Content at Facebook Reality Labs on the Oculus Blog.

Just like previous studio purchases Population: One won’t suddenly become an Oculus platform exclusive, it’ll continue to be supported across current VR platforms. With Facebook’s backing expect plenty more content for Population: One to arrive in the future.

Facebook’s studio acquisitions have begun to pick up speed of late. Beat Games (Beat Saber) was the first to be bought in 2019 followed by Asgard’s Wrath creator Sanzaru Games in early 2020. That same year Lone Echo developer Ready At Dawn was picked up, then last month Downpour Interactive, the team behind Onward revealed it had been acquired.

Expect more in the future, with Verdu noting: “We’re exploring many ways to accelerate VR, including investments in third-party content, AAA IP, hardware, and more, and we have awesome and innovative plans for the next few years of gaming.” For further updates on the latest VR studio acquisitions, keep reading VRFocus.