NetEase Games’ open-world multiplayer VR experience, Nostos, is shutting down less than two years after it first launched.
Nostos turned heads when it was announced in 2018, showcasing gorgeous art and promising endless multiplayer adventures. It hit Steam in December 2019 with optional VR support, where it accumulated mixed reviews. Today, though, NetEase announced that “due to changes in business development”, Nostos would be closing down on June 16th. The game’s already been de-listed on Steam (unless you have a direct link) and anyone that purchased the title after November 30, 2020 will be entitled to a full refund.
“We apologize for the inconvenience caused by the termination of Nostos’ operation and ask for your understanding that we share your feelings about the upcoming parting of Nostos,” developer wrote. In total, the game will have been active for around a year and a half.
What went wrong with Nostos? Well its trailers were certainly polished but often didn’t reflect the actual in-game experience. Check out the official ‘gameplay’ trailer below, for example, which uses headsets that the game never actually launched on.
It’s also hard to succeed in the nascent PC VR market, though the optional flatscreen support would have helped offset that. The game also landed on PS4 last December (without VR support), though this clearly wasn’t enough to save it. NetEase doesn’t appear to have any other VR content in the pipeline at this point in time.
Did you play Nostos? What did you make of the experience? Let us know in the comments below!
Originally revealed back in 2018 followed by an official launch the following year, the once promising virtual reality (VR) open-world survival videogame Nostos is shuttering operations. Developer NetEase Games has now ceased sales of the title with total termination of the videogame to take place in June.
Thank you for your continued support and love to Nostos! Due to changes in business development, the operation of Nostos will be terminated at 22:00, June 16, 2021 (PST). The followings are notice regarding the relevant matters of ceasing operation:
1. At 22:00, March 16, 2021 (PST): The purchase and download of Nostos across platforms will be closed, and players will no longer be able to purchase and download the game.
2. At 22:00, June 16, 2021 (PST): The operation of Nostos will be officially terminated and all game servers will be shut down. From then on, this game will no longer be able to log in.
3. Players who purchased the game of Nostos after 16:00, November 30, 2020 (PST), will receive a full refund.
We apologize for the inconvenience caused by the termination of Nostos’ operation and ask for your understanding that we share your feelings about the upcoming parting of Nostos.
Nostos has been removed from Steam with the only listing being its original soundtrack (OST) which requires the base software. It’s a sad end for Nostos because while it offered some beautiful environments the title never gained a solid community mainly due to the fact that it was mired with bugs and few updates in recent months.
It’s even more surprising considering Nostos only launched on PlayStation 4 back in December – without support for PlayStation VR – so it likely didn’t do well there either, all PlayStation owners will be getting a refund. As mentioned in the statement, any PC players who purchased the videogame prior to 30th November won’t get a refund. By the sound of it, Nostos won’t work offline and NetEase has made no mention of intent for it to do so.
Should any further details come to light, VRFocus will let you know.
In development by NetEase Games, NOSTOS is an online RPG due to launch later this year on PC with optional VR support. The game recently had a closed-beta period which gives a good look at how things are shaping up with less than four months before launch. While Zelda: Breath of the Wild inspiration is clear from the outset, the bolted-on VR gameplay speaks to a broader issue of ‘VR-optional’ game design.
The modern open-world game is often about covering vast distances on foot, collecting resources from disparate locales, crafting items to aid in your survival, and roaming the lands to fight baddies, complete quests, and collect loot. Nostos has this going in full force, drawing some clear mechanical and aesthetic inspiration from Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
The big problem is that these open-world game design themes—unless radically adapted with the VR player in mind—are nearly the polar opposite of what’s been found to make for compelling VR gameplay.
Our friends over at the YouTube channel Cas and Chary VR posted a 15 minute segment of gameplay from the Nostos closed beta, but unfortunately it doesn’t give much confidence that NetEase Games has been able to overcome the pitfalls of ‘VR-optional’ game design.
Spending time reading textual instructions, making quest and dialog selections by clicking floating buttons, ‘crafting’ via menus, ‘building’ by pointing at the ground and pressing a button, and especially sliding along the ground with stick-based locomotion for minutes at a time with nothing to do, is all a dull affair in VR. And let’s not forget the moments where immersion is broken as your perspective suddenly pops into third-person so you can see a 15 second text-based cutscene before appearing back inside your body.
Screenshot courtesy Cas and Chary VR
What’s more, with combat being such an essential component of this flavor of open-world game, VR needs more than ‘slide around with artificial locomotion while waggling your weapon at the enemy’.
Though much of the game’s menu-based systems are simply projected into floating windows attached to your controllers, some of the game’s interactions have indeed been ‘VR-ified’ (like climbing with motion controls, swinging an axe to chop down a tree, and shooting a bow and arrow by pulling the string). But it’s clear that these functions are bolted onto a system that was made from the start for non-VR gameplay, and risk becoming more tedious than interesting by the time you’ve chopped down your 20th tree, climbed your 20th cliff, or killed your 20th enemy, let alone the 500th, as these types of games often expect players to do over hours of gameplay.
The problem here is not that the overall concept of an open-world game cannot be brought to VR, but that doing so in a meaningful way effectively requires designing two separate games—which is not only heaps more work, but comes in conflict with a game like Nostos that wants to support both non-VR and VR players in the same, balanced game.
Contrast all of this with the likes of a VR native game like Until You Fall which (outside of the open-world nature) has similar systems in concept (combat, inventory, upgrades, skills, etc), but they are built in fundamentally different ways which make them rich, interesting, and interactive in VR.
A promising upcoming VR native title, Stormland, takes VR design to heart in the open world context. Instead of slowly sliding across large landscapes with nothing to do until you reach your next quest marker, the regions between meaningful spaces are covered in clouds which players quickly fly across using interesting motion input, retaining a sense of geographic scale while reducing the tedium of long stretches of locomotion.
This method of movement also means players can launch aerial attacks once they reach their destination, and once they’ve finally come down on solid ground, they have interactive means of maneuvering around enemies like jumping, climbing, and gliding, all largely driven with motion input.
I will of course reserve judgement on Nostos until we see the final product. But with less than four months before the project is set to launch, I’m not holding my breath that the VR experience will be enough for most to bother putting the headset on more than a few times before just choosing to stick to the flat screen. We’ve seen a handful of VR-optional games before, but there’s yet to be one which has truly delivered. I would argue that a game like Nostos is better off focusing all of its development efforts on non-VR or VR; splitting the difference will only make for a sub-par version of each.
NetEase Games’ Nostos could potentially be one of the biggest virtual reality (VR) titles to launch in 2019, a vast post-apocalyptic survival MMO offering hundreds of hours of gameplay. If you’ve been following news of the videogame diligently then you’ll certainly want to have a go at signing up for the closed beta test which is scheduled to take place next week.
The Nostos closed beta will be held from 5th – 9th September 2019 for select applicants. To be in with a chance of playing the videogame well ahead of launch all you need to do is visit the official Nostos Twitter or Facebook pages and share the pinned posts along with the hashtag #NostosBetaTest. Players who share the post with the hashtag will be chosen at random to participate.
In the beta, you’ll be able to play through two main storyline missions offering around two hours of gameplay. New side missions will appear at random for every tester, plus an expanded map will give you a chance to explore the various terrains Nostos has to offer.
With a launch now planned for Q4 2019 on Viveport first followed by Oculus Home for Oculus Rift/Rift S and Quest, Nostos will also be made available on Steam for those with Valve Index and Windows Mixed Reality headsets as well as standard monitor support.
The world of Nostos features open grasslands, arid deserts, snow-covered mountains and ancient crumbling cities. There will be day and night cycles as well as four seasons, with dynamic weather such as rain, snow, and lightning. With a story set 1,000 years after the collapse of humanity, the ravenous Coral Sea now presents the biggest danger to life on land, slowly corroding it with its toxic waters.
NetEase Games has previously said that each Nostos World will home up to 20 players at any given point, with no limit of the number of worlds available. Players will be able to collect, craft, build and explore this seamless world to their heart’s content. VRFocus will continue its coverage of Nostos as the launch window draws near, reporting back with the latest updates and announcements.
From what’s been shown so far, NetEase Games’ open-world role-playing game (RPG) Nostos certainly seems ambitious. First appearing at Gamescom in 2018, the studio announced several months ago that it was planning a Q3 2019 launch for the title. However, a statement during ChinaJoy 2019 last week now pushes that schedule into Q4 this year.
HTC Vive revealed that Nostos would be launching on Viveport in Q4 2019 so there hasn’t been any official reason given by NetEase as to slip in date. There’s also been no further word on the beta which was originally timetabled for this summer, a window which is rapidly closing. It’s more than likely that the current lack of a beta has had a knock-on effect, with the team requiring more time than initially expected.
Nostos has garnered plenty of interest since its unveiling, promising players a massive world to explore in virtual reality (VR). From open grasslands, arid deserts and snow-covered mountains, to ancient crumbling cities, the title will feature day and night cycles as well as four seasons. Set 1,000 years after the collapse of humanity, the Coral Seas are now the biggest danger to life on land, slowly corroding it with its toxic waters.
Compatible with SteamVR headsets such as Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality and Valve Index, Nostos worlds will support up to 20 players at any given point, with no limit of the number of worlds available.
That’s not the only VR videogame the studio is working on, the other being Stay Silent. Currently, in Steam Early Access for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality headsets, the first-person shooter (FPS) will be coming to Viveport in Q4 2019, indicating a full launch window.
A western-themed multiplayer, Stay Silent puts you in the shoes of a sheriff in an American town in the Wild West of the 1880s. While you would expect to come across some ruthless bandits during this era, NetEase Games has added a further component in the form of a few extra-terrestrial aliens. You can use a trusty six-shooter or up the damage factor by using some of the aliens advanced technology.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of Nostos, reporting back with further updates.
NetEase Games debuted its open world virtual reality (VR) experience Nostos at Gamescom in 2018, showcasing a grand vision for its next title. Then earlier this month the studio held a small alpha test involving around 100 participants. Thanks to that initial run, the studio has revealed plans to roll out a beta test later this summer which will include Oculus Rift for the first time.
Nostos’ gameplay focuses on PvE (player versus environment), with survival and exploration the main duties. Set 1,000 years after the collapse of humanity, the world is now wild and very isolating, with NetEase Games explaining: “Players need to explore the land with friends, discover historical sites and the remains of war, build shelters and fight against ‘Coral Seas’, gradually uncovering the truth hidden by time.”
In the Nostos Global Alpha Test participants were able to try various mechanics such as climbing, building, driving and shooting systems freely, via either PC or on HTC Vive. “We chose to present the sandbox genre in a VR environment, creating a fascinating world with a higher degree of freedom for our players,” commented Nostos’ Producer, Shui Ge, in a statement.
There will be a massive world for players to explore, from open grasslands to arid deserts and snow-covered mountains as well as ancient crumbling cities to discover, all the while days and nights will pass and so will the four seasons. The Coral Seas are the biggest danger in Nostos, slowly corroding the land while the creatures that dwell in the toxic waters are a constant threat. So players can band together, collecting resources to build shelter whilst gaining their strength by making sure there is enough food and water to live.
NetEase Games has previously said that each Nostos world has the ability to contain a maximum of 20 players, although there won’t be a cap on the number of worlds.
The videogame is slated for a Q3 2019 release, but the studio hasn’t confirmed exactly when the beta will begin and whether it’ll be made available to a wider player base. VRFocus will continue its coverage of Nostos, reporting back with the latest updates.
NetEase Games, the developer behind open-world virtual reality (VR) adventure Nostoshas revealed another VR project in the form of Stay Silent. Set in the Wild West, the new title is an online multiplayer-focused first-person shooter (FPS), and the studio is looking for beta testers.
Remember that classic 2011 film Cowboys vs Aliens with Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford, well it seems as though NetEase Games are fans as that’s exactly what you get with Stay Silent. Here’s some background story: “When vicious and brutal aliens arrived at a town on the western frontier, you, as a federal sheriff, were ordered to head there and investigate. With the shadow of night hanging over the small town, you will encounter aliens with advanced technology, as well as their earthling minions equipped with stealth devices.”
So it’s up to you to dispatch some nasty aliens and ruthless bandits using your gun skills, mixing both high-end alien technology and wild west era guns. There will be ten western firearms to choose from – all with real actions – as well as some alien weaponry – laser blades anyone? – plus some sneaky stealth equipment that can hide both you and your opponents. To make finding each other slightly plausible the moon can reveal your shadows and your voice will expose your position – so no sneezing.
NetEase Games has said there will be multiple gameplay modes, from solo campaigns and normal multiplayer to co-op missions where you can invite a mate along for the ride.
There’s no release window just yet for Stay Silent, but NetEase Games will be holding a closed beta to test the title out and let a few players get an early look. You can do this either by leaving a reason why you’re interested in the test and an email via the Steam comments section, or head on over to Stay Silent’s Discord Channel to sign up there instead.
As further details are released regarding Stay Silent VRFocus will make sure to keep you updated.
Back at Gamescom 2018NetEase, a leading Chinese internet technology company revealed a new virtual reality (VR) videogame titled Nostos which immediately caught the attention of many with its beautiful trailer. During the event VRFocus’ Nina Salomons had the chance to talk with ShuiGe, a producer on the title to learn more about the ever changing world of the VR title.
In Nostos, players will need to explore a vast, beautiful but desolate world in which cities have been abandoned for decades and are now crumbling away. Within this rich landscapes and locations are historical sites that hold the remnants of the war that brought about the end that players will need to explore in order to uncover the truth about what happened, all while trying to survive out in this world.
Thanks to the immersive power of VR, players will not only be immersed within the title but also be able to play as themselves, as ShuiGe explains in the below interview noting the power of technology to create these opportunities. Being a multiplayer title, players will encounter other players along their journey but will not only be limited to a single world.
“We designed the multiplayer world in the game to have a maximum of 20 players but we have so many worlds that players can cross to those worlds” ShuiGe noted: “The player can change the world by building something or destroying something to make the ecosystem different, so every world will be different.”
Making the worlds feel unique by the player’s actions not only allows for great gameplay but also creates the chance for players to tell their own stories to each other. Seeing how a town come to be and hearing how the players have had to defend it over time allows for fantastic story telling that is driven by player action. The building system which was shown briefly in the reveal trailer, is send to allow players the chance to build whatever they want. “The build system is piece-by-piece and you can build any kind of house you want and build something functional like a tower, bonfire or a store. You can build anything you want” ShuiGe adds.
One final piece of information that ShuiGe reveals in the interview is that though climbing and driving are already in the title – and seen in the trailer – the team are thinking about adding a system for airships. They want each of the systems to feel great while still offering an easy way to explore the world that is engaging and fun. Given that 20 players will be sharing a world, having airship races would be somewhat exciting.
Nostos is currently in development for the HTC Vive and is planned for a release in Q3 2019. The team have not ruled out a release on Oculus Rift or PlayStation VR but are not committing to anything just yet. For more on Nostos in the future, keep reading VRFocus and you can see the full interview for yourself below.
One of the properties to be revealed at Gamescom this year that drew the attention of the entire VRFocus team was Nostos. Created by NetEase Games, the colourful, dream-like artwork and Legend of Zelda-like gameplay was enough to catch the interest of many. Nina Salamons takes a closer look at what makes Nostos tick.
Nostos has been described as an open world, multiplayer virtual reality (VR) environment. The lush environments have been inspired by the works of famed animation studio, Studio Ghibli, with its beauty defying the post-apocalyptic setting of the story.
NetEase Games turned to the SpatialOS simulation technology created by UK-based company Improbable which allows a seamless open world to be created, which will contain a host of amazing locations, things to be scavenged, or built along with specially simulated weather patterns, which can prove to be as much of an obstacle as the enemies you have to fight.
While the world of Nostos is beautiful, much of it has been left desolate and empty, with the few scattered survivors struggling to survive. Those who are left face the encroachment of the dangerous and continuously expanding ‘Coralsea’ which threatens to encompass the land and drive the remaining survivors to extinction.
Players will be able to explore grasslands, deserts and mountains and discover ancient crumbling cities, which might contain the artefacts needed to safeguard the last remains of humanity and ensure the survival of those who are left. Players will need to for guilds in order to team up to safeguard the other survivors and gather dwindling resources.
Gathering resources comes with its ow risks, as chopping down too many trees risks turning that area into a desert as you irreversibly change the ecosystem. Each Nostos world can contain a maximum of 20 players, though NetEase says there is no limit to the number of worlds which will be available.
The full video is available to view below. Further future coverage of Nostos and other upcoming VR titles, keep checking back with VRFocus.
NetEase, a leading Chinese internet technology company have revealed their latest videogame at Gamescom 2018 in the form of the virtual reality (VR) title Nostos. This new title invites players to the vast, tranquil world of Nostos where they will step into the shoes of a survivor who must work together with others in order to survive within this unknown land.
Details on the title are thin at the moment, but from what is currently available it is clear that Nostos is a virtual world full of a rich variety of landscapes and locations to explore. Historical sites are located throughout the world and these hold the remnants of a war that will need to be uncovered in order to learn the truth about what happened, now lost to the sands of time.
Described as an open-world VR title that is brimming with life, the videogame features a range of beautiful looking locations that are full of both animals and nature to offer a truly immersive experience. In the trailer released for the title, there is what looks to be a mix between technology and a more fantasy world. With large spanning forests, winding rivers and breath taking views to enjoy, the world of Nostos seems rich and detailed.
As for gameplay, it looks as though the title will feature a number of different mechanics including climbing, house building, combat and possibility even cooking. As players will need to work with the characters of the world to survive in this world, they can expect to need to master the basic arts of survival such as building shelter and fighting off dangerous monsters. Speaking of which, the enemies in Nostos look to be right out of the worst parts of the world but you’ll be able to fight back using what looks like swords and guns.
On top of all that, the character design of Nostos are interesting and unique and even the friendly animals are a pleasure to view. What mysteries the world holds however, and what players ultimate goal will be remains unknown at this point. If the trailer – which you can watch below – is anything to go by though, this looks to be a very detailed and promising title that hints at possible multiplayer as well.
VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on the title in the future so make sure to stay tuned for more.
![Nostos 13 Self-built Village [screenshot in winter]](https://i0.wp.com/www.vrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Nostos-13-Self-built-Village-screenshot-in-winter-1024x576.jpg?resize=525%2C295&ssl=1)
![Nostos 11 Driving [Screenshot]](https://i0.wp.com/www.vrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Nostos-11-Driving-Screenshot-1024x569.jpg?resize=525%2C292&ssl=1)
![Nostos 02 Fight Against Ogen [Screenshot]](https://www.vrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Nostos-02-Fight-Against-Ogen-Screenshot-1024x576.jpg)
![Nostos in Summer [Screenshot]](https://www.vrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Nostos-in-Summer-Screenshot-1024x576.jpg)
![Nostos 09 Say Hi to Friends [Screenshot]](https://www.vrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Nostos-09-Say-Hi-to-Friends-Screenshot-1024x482.jpg)
![Nostos 10 Say Hi to Friends [Screenshot]](https://www.vrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Nostos-10-Say-Hi-to-Friends-Screenshot-1024x482.jpg)
![Nostos 13 Self-built Village [screenshot in winter]](https://www.vrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Nostos-13-Self-built-Village-screenshot-in-winter-1024x576.jpg)
![Nostos 11 Driving [Screenshot]](https://www.vrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Nostos-11-Driving-Screenshot-1024x569.jpg)
