StatusPRO, the studio behind NFL Pro Era (2022), announced it has secured $20 million in Series A funding, led by Google Ventures. The XR sports technology company says the latest funding round will help it expand its growing catalog of sports-focused VR titles.
The funding round includes participation from India-based Dream Sports, Wise Ventures (owned by Minnesota Vikings Owners Mark & Zygi Wilf), JDS Sports, and Alumni Ventures. Existing investors signing on for the Series A include LeBron James, Drake, and Maverick Carter.
The Series A also garnered support from athletes, entertainers, and firms including Myles Garrett, David Grutman, Bobby Wagner, Jeff Stibel, Peter Delgrosso, Cameron Jordan, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Crystal Hayslett, Devale Ellis, TitletownTech, Black Angel Group, Life Line Family Heritage Fund, Sun Technology Investors, Andre Gaines of Cinemation Studios, and the Fuller Brothers of 6408 Ventures, among others.
Founded in 2020 by former football players Troy Jones and Andrew Hawkins, StatusPRO says it aims to elevate the sports experience for coaches, players, and fans through XR technology.
In 2022, the company launched NFL PRO ERA, the first in its NFL and NFLPA-licensed VR game franchise. NFL PRO ERA is currently available across Meta Quest, PSVR 2, Pico, and SteamVR headsets.
The studio has since released the follow-up NFL Pro Era II (2023), which expands the original by allowing you to play in an 11 v 11 multiplayer experience in addition to stepping on the gridiron as starting QB of your favorite team.
Returning for a second year, the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase was an event jam-packed with exciting videogame announcements for the headset. With brand new surprises, sequels and updates, the event proved that Quest 2 has a cracking lineup of titles in the works.
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution
The next instalment in the VR franchise, Skydance Interactive’s The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution continues the narrative from the first game, placing you in a post-apocalyptic New Orleans trying to survive the zombie outbreak. This time around there will be more zombies, a new villain to face and even fewer resources. The game is due out later this year.
Among Us VR
The multiplayer game about teamwork and the imposters trying to kill you all will be coming to Meta Quest 1 & 2 and PC VR headsets this holiday season. Rebuilt for VR by Schell Games, Among Us VR will stay true to the original’s design whilst ensuring plenty of interactive elements purely suited to VR. It will be a “stand-alone experience” due to the overhaul.
Red Matter 2
The atmospheric sci-fi puzzler from 2018 will be getting a sequel this summer Vertical Robot has revealed. Red Matter 2 is going to be bigger and feature more content than its predecessor, adding new mechanics like a jet pack to fly around with whilst injecting some action by giving you enemies to shoot at.
Beat Saber x Electronic Mixtape
The ever-popular Beat Saber will be getting a new song selection adding 10 iconic electronic hits to its track roster as well as a new in-game environment. No release date at the moment but here’s the track list:
Rudimental, “Waiting All Night” (feat. Ella Eyre)
Pendulum, “Witchcraft”
Madeon, “Icarus”
deadmau5, “Ghosts ‘n’ Stuff” (feat. Rob Swire)
Marshmello, “Alone”
Zedd, “Stay the Night” (feat. Hayley Williams)
Darude, “Sandstorm”
Fatboy Slim, “The Rockafeller Skank”
Bomfunk MC’s, “Freestyler”
Martin Garrix, “Animals”
Moss: Book II
Released on PlayStation VR earlier in April, developer Polyarc will soon be bringing the puzzle adventure to Quest 2. Taking control of Quill once again in a fight against the Arcane, Moss: Book 2features even bigger threats than before, new items to fight and solve puzzles with and new characters to aid your journey.
Resident Evil 4 – The Mercenaries
The only game announcement from the show that’s available right now as a free update, the VR edition of Resident Evil 4 finally gets fan favourite mode The Mercenaries. Giving you the chance to play as several of the characters from the main campaign, the mode is all about racking up as many points as possible before the timer runs out. This VR version also comes with 20 exclusive Challenges that’ll unlock bonuses including Big Head mode and a Golden Gun skin.
Cities: VR
If you’ve been after a city building experience in VR then look no further, Fast Travel Games has remade Paradox Interactive’s Cities: Skylines for the headset. A city management simulator giving you full control over where to place structures, and how to earn and spend money whilst keeping residents have, Cities: VR is due out next week on 28th April.
Bonelab
Stress Level Zero has finally revealed that its fourth VR project is Bonelab, a sequel to Boneworks. Building off of Boneworks‘ physical interaction engine, Marrow, Bonelab is an action-adventure title set within a mysterious underground lab. With physics-driven interactions forming a core part of the gameplay experience Bonelabs will also support player built mods to further expand the content. The game is expected to arrive for Meta Quest 2 and PC VR headsets in 2022.
NFL Pro Era
An officially licensed NFL videogame for VR, NFL Pro Era is all about immersing you in American football as a quarterback. Featuring all 32 NFL teams, the simulator will put you in command of your favourite team, choosing plays and listening to the chatter inside the huddle. NFL Pro Era will be coming to Quest and PlayStation VR in Fall 2022.
Espire 2
Digital Lode’s stealth combat title returns this November, giving you new ways to sneakily kill enemies without them even knowing you were there, or not, depends how you like to play. Espire 2 will feature two new mechanical units to control, one heavier and more robust whilst the other is smaller and nimble, great for staying undetected. In addition to the main campaign, Espire 2 will also include a co-op campaign with a story set between Espire 1 & 2.
RuinsMagus
Unveiled last year, the showcase provided a brand new trailer giving a better look at the upcoming Japanese role-playing game (JRPG). Developed by CharacterBank, RuinsMagus has players investigate the abandoned ruins below the prosperous town of Grand Amnis across 26 story-driven quests, facing powerful and fearless Guardians on route. RuinsMagus is expected to launch later this year.
Crystal Atrium Environment
Not a game but a freebie for Meta Quest nonetheless, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg gave his quick address inside the new Crystal Atrium environment. You’ll find it under the Personalization tab of the settings menu, then change the virtual environment.
Ghostbusters VR (Working title)
Last but not least was the sneaky peek from Zuckerberg of a new game being worked on by nDreams (Fracked, Phantom: Covert Ops) and Sony Pictures Virtual Reality (SPVR), Ghostbusters VR. Set in San Francisco, Ghostbusters VR will support up to 4-player co-op as you and your friends try to rid the city of ghosts in this original adventure. No timeline for release has been given just yet.
Meta just showcased a whole bunch of new titles from coming to Quest 2, including sequels to Boneworks and Espire 1: VR Operative.
Here’s everything announced at the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase
Everything Announced At The Meta Quest Gaming Showcase 2022
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2
First up, we got a brand new look at The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2 Retribution which, yep, is still an absolute handful to say. A new trailer introduced us to the game’s antagonist and we got a small taste of the new chainsaw weapon in action. It’s coming to Quest 2 and Rift later this year with other platforms still to be confirmed.
NFL Pro Era
We also got a very short teaser for the recently-announced NFL Pro Era, which is coming to Quest 2 and PSVR this year. The game promises to deliver the full football experience in VR, though we only saw very early gameplay today.
Among Us VR
As previously teased, Among Us VR also stopped by for a full-length trailer. The footage gave us an idea of how the iconic party game will work inside of headsets. Still no release date for this one, but it’s coming in the holiday season and will hit Quest, PSVR and PC VR. Developer Schell Games also confirmed a three game partnership with Meta for future titles.
Red Matter 2
Next up, Vertical Robot stopped by with a surprise sequel – Red Matter 2. This follow-up to the VR adventure game takes us back on an intergalactic journey to investigate sinister supernatrual forces, with new mechanics like combat and platforming. It’s coming to Quest 2 this summer.
Espire 2
VR stealth game Espire 1 is getting a full sequel with not one but two campaigns. A single-player story will pick up where the first game left off but there will also be a co-op campaign to bridge the gap between the two. This one’s due for Quest 2 this November.
Moss: Book 2
Just a few weeks on from its launch on PSVR we have confirmation that Quill’s second adventure is coming to Quest 2 this summer. Moss: Book 2 is a fitting follow-up to one of our favorite VR games, and we’ll look forward to seeing how it shapes up on the platform.
RUINSMAGUS
After a rocky road on Kickstarter we finally got further confirmation that RUINSMAGUS will make it to the west later this year. This VR JRPG looks gorgeous and continues to promise great characters and ambitious action. It’ll be releasing on Quest 2 and Steam.
Cities: VR
We also got another look at VR city builder, Cities: VR, before it launches on Quest 2 next week. This is a full spin-off to Cities Skylines with detailed urban management. It’s Quest 2 exclusive for now but other platforms have been teased.
Resident Evil 4 VR
The long-awaited Mercenaries mode is arriving for Resident Evil 4… today! Embody iconic characters from the famed horror shooter and complete challenges to unlock new rewards like a Big Head mode. It’s a free update for existing owners.
Beat Saber Electronic Mixtape
It wouldn’t be a Meta event without new Beat Saber content. The upcoming Electronic Mixtape pack promises to add artists like Rudimental, Pendulum and Deadmau5. Look for it on all platforms soon.
Bonelab
As promised, we finally saw the full reveal of the hugely-anticipated follow-up to Boneworks. Bonelab is another physics-driven action game that expands on the original game’s foundations and promises mod support on both Quest 2 and PC VR. It’ll hit both platforms later this year.
New Home Environment
As not quite the last reveal, Meta also released the Quest Home environment that today’s showcase took place in. But there was time for one final announcement…
Ghosbusters VR
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stopped by to announce something quite unexpected. Phantom and Fracked developer nDreams is developing a cooperative Ghostbusters VR game, published by Sony Pictures Virtual Reality. Team up with up to four friends to wield iconic gadgets and take down bothersome ghosts as you build a new HQ in San Francisco. No word on a release date yet.
And that was the 2022 Meta Quest Gaming Showcase! What did you make of the event? Let us know in the comments below.
During Meta’s Quest Gaming Showcase today, we finally caught a glimpse of VR’s first official NFL game, NFL PRO ERA, which promises to let you QB for your favorite team as you make your path to the Super Bowl.
Developers StatusPRO unveiled NFL PRO ERA today for the first time, VR’s first officially-licensed NFL game. In NFL PRO ERA, you take the role of quarterback, and participate in games and drills, but also the ability to play catch virtually with your friends online in your favorite NFL stadium.
StatusPRO says NFL PRO ERA is slated to arrive at some point in Fall 2022 on Meta Quest and PlayStation VR.
NFL Pro Era’s first trailer, which was released today during the showcase, features an up-close view from NFL quarterback Lamar Jackson’s perspective, and pre-alpha gameplay set to a voiceover from acclaimed hip hop artist and former NFL draft prospect Tobe Nwigwe.
“Utilizing player data was a must-have to create a truly authentic NFL player experience,” said Troy Jones, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of StatusPRO. “We felt today’s Meta Quest Gaming Showcase provided the perfect opportunity for StatusPRO to share a sneak peek of NFL PRO ERA. Through our product, fans will feel the excitement of what it’s like to be an NFL quarterback such as Lamar Jackson and stare in the face of a pass rush while maintaining command of the offense. Fans will get to experience the energy of thousands of fans cheering in their favorite stadium, while gaining a new appreciation for what it takes to compete at the highest level.”
