Two new Ghostbusters virtual reality experiences will let players step into the slime-covered boots of everyone’s favorite paranormal exterminators.
Two new Ghostbusters virtual reality games, Ghostbusters VR and Ghostbusters VR Academy, have been announced by Sony Pictures Virtual Reality. The hilarious horror franchise sees the titular team of paranormal exterminators capture horrifying haunts using their iconic Proton Packs. A virtual reality Ghostbusters game was announced at the Meta Quest Gaming event in April, and now Sony has even more immersive ghost catching experiences in store.
The original Ghostbusters released back in 1984, and the horror comedy film soon spawned an entire franchise around it. The first movie stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson as eccentric parapsychologists who must deal with an interdimensional invasion of New York City. The beloved comedy was followed by a 1989 sequel, an animated series, a 2016 film reboot, comic books and more. A long line of Ghostbusters video games has also allowed gamers to step into the ectoplasm-covered boots of the spectral exterminators, with the upcoming Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed multiplayer game letting four players team up against one player-controlled ghost.
A press release from Sony Pictures Virtual Reality has revealed two new immersive Ghostbusters experiences. The first announcement reveals that Ghostbusters VR, which was originally announced for Meta Quest 2, will also be coming to PlayStation VR2. The second announcement details Ghostbusters VR Academy, a fully immersive ectoplasm excursion that will use HOLOGATE VR headsets to simulate real ghost encounters. The ARENA experience will let groups of players use Proton Packs to capture ghosts, while BLITZ will put them behind the wheel of a flying Ecto-1. Ghostbusters VR Academy will come to over 400 HOLOGATE locations around the world by the end of 2022.
Ghostbusters VR and Ghostbusters VR Academy will let players feel like actual ghost hunters, but the Ghostbusters: Afterlife alternate reality game already simulates the Ghostbusters experience. The game was released last year as a tie-in to Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which saw Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and others return to the franchise after decades to join a brand-new cast of characters. Similar to other AR games, like Pokémon GO, the tie-in mobile game lets players explore their physical surroundings to capture digital ghosts. While the game is a novel concept, Ghostbusters VR and HOLOGATE’s VR Academy look to be a major step forward for immersive phenomenon.
The Ghostbusters franchise is nearing 40 years old, but the fantasy of driving around in the Ecto-1 to bust ghosts is still very much alive. New live-action films have reignited interest in the concept, and now Ghostbusters VR and Ghostbusters VR Academy will let fans live out their parapsychologist dreams. Ghostbusters VR will be available at home on Meta Quest 2 and PSVR2, while Ghostbusters VR Academy will create truly immersive experiences in over 400 global HOLOGATE locations.
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