ARVORE brings The Boys universe to VR with telekinetic gameplay and original canon story
Summary
ARVORE launched The Boys VR: Trigger Warning on Meta Quest, with PlayStation VR 2 to follow
The project is ARVORE's largest to date - co-funded by Sony Pictures, Meta, and PlayStation
Original story developed alongside the show's writers, with cast members reprising their roles
Core mechanic - hand-tracked telekinesis - was prototyped before The Boys IP was even selected
"For fans of The Boys, being able to experience that universe firsthand and create their own story within it is something really special"
01
IP adaptation strategy - original character unlocks canon flexibility
Players take the role of a new character, not an existing show figure, preserving show canon
A new antagonist faction - the Armstrongs - was created to allow full narrative control
Homelander appears as an untouchable threat, forcing escape rather than confrontation
Show writers shaped story and dialogue; ARVORE controlled all gameplay decisions
"We worked very closely with the show's writers and showrunners to ensure everything felt authentic"
02
Multi-partner production - nine months to align three major stakeholders
Sony Pictures, Meta, and PlayStation all co-funded the project
Alignment across all three partners took approximately nine months of discussion
Peak team size reached around 50 developers - the studio's largest production ever
The Boys was Sony Pictures' first VR project based on one of its TV properties
03
Gameplay design - VR-native superpowers as the core loop
Players use hand-tracked telekinesis to pull through environments and manipulate objects in combat
Temporary powers like laser vision are activated by physically injecting Temp V in-game
Missions are structured as infiltrations across recognizable locations from the show
Stealth, combat, or hybrid approaches are all viable - adding replayability
Game length is approximately 7-8 hours depending on playstyle
04
Tech stack - Unity chosen for cross-platform VR flexibility
Unity was selected for its compatibility with Quest and Galaxy XR platforms
PlayStation VR 2 version will include adaptive trigger and headset haptic feedback
Performance constraints on standalone hardware (Quest) were built into design from day one
Comfort customization - locomotion type, rotation style - is available from the start
05
World recreation - references met with original spatial design
ARVORE received production photos and assets from the show as reference material
Most show locations do not exist as connected physical spaces and required spatial interpretation
Licensing limitations affected some location recreations, including Vought Tower
Environmental storytelling was layered in alongside fully voiced interactive sequences
06
Studio outlook - VR-first identity expanding toward hybrid experiences
ARVORE remains committed to VR but has begun development of non-VR projects
Leadership position: hybrid experiences must be designed as such from the start, not retrofitted
VR design philosophy centers on one core question - how does VR make this more engaging?
Lessons from Pixel Ripped around physical immersion and diegetic interfaces carry forward into all projects
Events
Companies
Games
Locations
—
SYNTHESIZED FROM:
COMPILED BY GAMES ATLAS EDITORIAL
RELATED ARTICLES
EXPLORE MORE
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!