Schell Games

[{"content":{"poster":["file:\/\/Ox22AUyhNGg7WyqM"],"source":["file:\/\/I1gMCHKuhRaHlF7n"],"title":"Among Us 3D and Crossplay","subtitle":"Powered by NotebookLM","description":"Audio description of the blog below discussing Among Us 3D and the future of VR and PC crossplay"},"id":"e4308b27-0111-4167-a9c8-6b41edf4ef3a","isHidden":false,"type":"audioBlock"},{"content":{"text":" Growing up in the age of LAN parties, the idea of being able to play games together in separate locations and different consoles once seemed like an impossible dream. Cut to today, and games like Among Us 3D are taking crossplay one step farther by unifying VR and PC players into a single, shared experience. The line between flat-screen and immersive experiences is rapidly blurring, causing us at Schell Games to ask: What's next? Join us as we look at the evolution of crossplay, how to find the fun in shared experiences, and the exciting future we foresee for crossplay. "},"id":"4a3a4af3-6061-4307-ae1b-8733e8c56937","isHidden":false,"type":"textBlock"},{"content":{"level":"h2","text":"Why We Love Crossplay","customid":""},"id":"a9f957a7-f69b-41c0-a75f-6eef99bf89a7","isHidden":false,"type":"headingBlock"},{"content":{"text":" Before diving more into this, you might be thinking, \"Hey Schell Games! Why does crossplay of VR and PC even matter?\" So let's break that down first. First and most importantly, adding crossplay leads to larger player pools. VR-only experiences can sometimes have difficulty reaching a mass audience, with niche games having an even harder time finding an audience. Expanding to include the PC audience instantly creates the potential for a much more massive and way more active community due to how accessible this game now has become. Along with that huge player base comes more engagement within the game itself, opening the door to faster matchmaking, the ability to match more with people you want to play with, and, in general, keeping the game active and healthy for years to come. In an era where live-service games can sometimes come and go within months, crossplay lets your game and community find a base and continue to grow and expand. We love VR here at Schell Games , but the relative size of that market is still pretty small compared to the overall PC gaming community. That means a ton of people who may love our games simply have no way of engaging with them. The crossplay experience of Among Us 3D is a great first step in fixing this. Now, players with even a very modestly powerful PC can play the flatscreen version of this game. Plus, by doing so, it can even attract new players who might then become interested in trying VR, slowly expanding the VR market. In short, crossplay is an additive experience that can benefit the overall gaming industry. "},"id":"2d537954-8337-444d-b060-06241957cc29","isHidden":false,"type":"textBlock"},{"content":{"location":"kirby","image":["file:\/\/ohbV6JfwPsas25zI"],"src":"","alt":"","caption":"","link":"","ratio":"","crop":"false"},"id":"acdd052b-5adb-426d-8702-e0ae59f5f37b","isHidden":false,"type":"imageBlock"},{"content":{"level":"h2","text":"Finding the Fun for All Players","customid":""},"id":"df2f5ef9-a91f-43b7-86fd-76853b02d60f","isHidden":false,"type":"headingBlock"},{"content":{"text":" Crossplay isn't a new concept, but integrating VR into the mix introduces a host of new challenges and opportunities. With VR, it\u2019s about more than just shared servers; it\u2019s about synchronizing fundamentally different user experiences. For developers, enabling crossplay between VR and PC means addressing challenges with different control schemes, user interface design, spatial awareness, and numerous technical hurdles. But when done right, it offers a level of accessibility and community-building that can significantly boost a game's longevity and appeal. Let's take a look at Among Us 3D for an example of how our Devs found the fun on multiple platforms. We tackled the challenge of multiple inputs by ensuring that everything from tasks, kills, to reporting could be done with a nice balance between PC and VR players. So connecting wires in electrical had to feel the same when you were using motion controllers as with keyboard\/mouse, and take the same relative amount of time to do so, lest you be labeled as \"faking\" your tasks and infinitely \"sus.\" Secret Fun Fact: As much as we try to achieve parity, some games like the Whack-An-Alien task is just a tad easier to achieve in VR than it is on PC. A massive amount of time in our Dev cycle has been in ensuring that the fun of Among Us translates well from VR-only to PC and VR. That means maintaining consistent graphics and performance, making sure a PICO lobby integrates with a Steam PC player and Meta Quest player the same way, and that all the frenetic chaos of the core gameplay loop is preserved no matter how you play. It's been a fantastic challenge, and we can't wait for you to get your hands on it soon. "},"id":"4d88543d-00a6-4581-be52-5fd7a2b03e7c","isHidden":false,"type":"textBlock"},{"content":{"location":"web","url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/fMQdQcz5fNw","video":[],"poster":[],"caption":"","autoplay":"false","muted":"true","loop":"false","controls":"true","preload":"auto"},"id":"296b2617-db22-47f5-b18b-f21b6566459b","isHidden":false,"type":"videoBlock"},{"content":{"level":"h2","text":"Looking Beyond Among Us 3D ","customid":""},"id":"f5120157-ba9a-4862-8493-7cb7e0c81cdd","isHidden":false,"type":"headingBlock"},{"content":{"text":" So far we've discussed many of the benefits of making a game crossplay between PC and VR, but now let's take it a step further. What if your crossplay title actually added to the types of gameplay you can experiment with? That's the exact question Zach C. and Rajeev M. tackled during Schell Games Jam Week in 2025 (when we all stop what we're doing and make cool new stuff). They explored the question of an asymmetric game, seeing what happens when both PC and VR players are in the same game, but each experience it differently. Their setup involved a PC player playing the game as a platformer, while the VR player played the same game while solving puzzles. The fun is that each player's working is helping the other's. Now, you have PC\/VR co-op play, but both players have different roles depending on what device they're playing it on. Could this be the near future of PC and VR crossplay? "},"id":"289e62a1-d20e-4aba-b1c1-ca93eafabeda","isHidden":false,"type":"textBlock"},{"content":{"location":"web","url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/DWACwHuZADE","video":[],"poster":[],"caption":"Test footage from Zach and Rajeev's concept for a PC\/VR crossplay game with differing modes of gameplay depending on your device","autoplay":"false","muted":"true","loop":"false","controls":"true","preload":"auto"},"id":"3223e973-86d7-4178-85e5-7a7585c2e57b","isHidden":false,"type":"videoBlock"},{"content":{"level":"h2","text":"Is Among Us 3D the future?","customid":""},"id":"f187d11d-540d-467a-b238-b51e01712938","isHidden":false,"type":"headingBlock"},{"content":{"text":" It turns out, we're not the only ones thinking about these big questions. AndroidCentral surmises that Among Us 3D might be the future of Meta Quest gaming, with ARInsider going so far as to say that optimizing for crossplay could help revitalize the entire VR industry. At Schell Games, we like to think about the convergence of PC and VR gaming represents as more than just technological advancement. It\u2019s a cultural shift! Games like Among Us 3D highlight how immersive platforms can redefine familiar genres, all while creating a true platform for connected play. As these tools and communities evolve and accessibility improves, we may soon see a gaming world where the question isn\u2019t where you play, but how deeply you want to dive in (insert your favorite Ready Player One reference here) Our bold prediction: Among Us 3D is going to be an integral part in pushing forward VR and PC crossplay from a rarity to a conversation being had at every size game studio. "},"id":"204bff79-71b4-4322-b262-c4482ec48fcc","isHidden":false,"type":"textBlock"},{"content":{"location":"web","url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Pcs3YnB0LPQ","video":[],"poster":[],"caption":"","autoplay":"false","muted":"true","loop":"false","controls":"true","preload":"auto"},"id":"fce31ed1-e140-4661-90bc-6b38322a7d8a","isHidden":false,"type":"videoBlock"},{"content":{"level":"h2","text":"Other VR\/PC Crossplay Games","customid":""},"id":"55fe5862-6e72-4ec9-8b6d-fbe6487870ca","isHidden":false,"type":"headingBlock"},{"content":{"text":" As excited as we are about the future, we also think it's important to note that a ton of developers have already created insanely good experiences in this space. Besides Among Us 3D , who else is pushing boundaries? Here's a quick list of who else is leading the charge: "},"id":"e76cbbfe-48de-4e7f-a6af-9384d4dc05d1","isHidden":false,"type":"textBlock"},{"content":{"text":" Walkabout Mini Golf (Mighty Coconut) - This top-shelf mini-golf experience features full crossplay whether you're playing in VR or on your Apple smartphone or tablet. No Man's Sky (Hello Games) - This incredible space exploration and survival sim now offers the full game as both standard and VR with crossplay on numerous platforms and even features cross-saves between platforms. Phasmophobia (Kinetic Games) - This terrifying game is best experienced cross-platform, allowing players on PC, PS5, PSVR2, SteamVR and Xbox Series X\/S to team up. Rec Room (Rec Room) - Free-to-play games are hot right now, and Rec Room is unifying players from phones and PCs to consoles and VR headsets with truly innovative crossplay functionality. C-Smash VRS (Wolf & Wood Interactive Limited): Playing arcade versions of your favorite sports is now even easier with hybrid multiplayer on PS5, PSVR2, Meta Quest, and PICO. "},"id":"b2effd8d-f9a7-4dc3-98db-41517dd5d171","isHidden":false,"type":"listBlock"}]

The Future of VR and PC Crossplay

April 29, 2025 · insights

Let's work together.