Consumer mobile virtual reality (VR) may have been going longer than its tethered, high-end brother, thanks to Samsung Gear VR and Google Cardboard, but it was until 2018 that the industry took a shift thanks to Oculus Go and Vive Focus. While headsets like Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR have the graphical power, mobile and standalone devices have the freedom to be used anywhere, which opens up new possibilities for developers. 2019 looks to be even bigger for mobile with the upcoming release of Oculus Quest, but for now, VRFocus will be concentrating on videogames for the most currently available headsets.
The Best Mobile Games Coming in 2019
The Elder Scrolls: Blades – Bethesda
Announced during Bethesda’s pre-Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2018 press conference, The Elder Scrolls: Blades was originally due to arrive Fall 2018 for iOS and Android devices but a Tweet in November pushed the launch into this year. With classic role-playing game (RPG) mechanics the series is known for, The Elder Scrolls: Blades will feature three areas, Arena; a PvP area where players can challenge each other using melee and magical combat. An endless dungeon called The Abyss, filled with all sorts of enemies and treasure to help improve the character. And lastly The Town, which is the main campaign area, with a full storyline to complete.
Currently, there’s no precise launch date for The Elder Scrolls: Blades.
Unannounced Title – Fierce Kaiju/Coatsink Software
Honestly, this is a complete unknown at this stage. British developer Fierce Kaiju and Coatsink Software announced way back in November 2017 that they were working on a new VR project together. VRFocus knows that the title will be an entirely new IP, but the studios haven’t released any further details since 2017. As they have both primarily worked on mobile VR titles its safe to assume this will be the case again.
Hopefully, 2019 will be the year that Fierce Kaiju and Coatsink Software reveal more info.
Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs – Resolution Games/Rovio
Resolution Games and Rovio Entertainment announced a couple of weeks ago plans to bring one of the biggest mobile franchises to VR. Details are still scarce, including gameplay details or what it’ll look like. When it comes to headset support they’ve simply stated it’ll be available ‘across all major VR platforms’ so VRFocus is assuming a franchise born onto mobile will keep with its mobile roots.
Expect more bird-flinging action when Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs arrives later this year.
In&Out – Underdogz
A videogame VRFocus came across while wandering around Gamescom 2018 in Germany, In&Out is a spy adventure of sorts that’s played entirely cooperatively. Designed before Oculus Casting came about, the VR player has to navigate a secret facility with the help of their ever watchful companion viewing details on a mobile device. Without teamwork, the VR player will easily die, as they don’t have all the info to avoid traps and solve the puzzles.
We’ve not heard much about the Oculus Go compatible title since that first debut, so hopefully, 2019 will be the year for further updates.
Spectro – Borrowed Light Studios
From the team behind Vincent Van Gogh tribute, The Night Cafe is a rather spooky experience called Spectro. Originally announced way back in 2016, the studio has been somewhat quiet about Spectro’s development over the last couple of years. You are the sole proprietor of Spectro Co., a ghost detective agency, going out to explore haunted houses and ridding them of their malevolent spirits.
Borrow Light Studios says that: “Spectro is currently in development for all of the major VR headsets with a focus on releasing on mobile first.” That would make 2019 a great year for a frighteningly good mobile videogame.