Ready at Dawn’s zero-g sports game will be available free to all users until its official release.
After two closed alphas and a single closed beta, Echo Arena will finally be available to all Oculus Quest users beginning next week as part of a free open beta which will run from May 5th until the titles official launch later this year.
Players will be able to download the game through the official Oculus Quest Store at which point they will then have access to the tutorial, in-game lobby, Player vs. A.I. mode, and the Echo Arena itself. Developer Ready at Dawn has stated that the Quest release will allow for cross-play with Oculus Rift players.
The official Oculus blog post goes on to provide several updates on Lone Echo II and the company as a whole:
“In the last several weeks, we’ve all had to adapt to a new reality. Here at Ready At Dawn, we switched from the day-to-day collaboration of working in the studio, to everyone working from home. Since mid-March, we’ve had to find ways to reconnect and no method has been more impactful and effective for us than VR. As work progresses on our games, this new reality and dynamic has caused us to rethink some of our game development methodology. Development on Lone Echo II has been greatly impacted. We know many of you have anxiously been awaiting its launch and, while we do intend to launch in 2020, we’ll have more news on Lone Echo II coming very soon.”
Ready at Dawn kicked-off its Quest testing phase with a closed alpha open to a select number of Level 50 players, followed by a second closed alpha composed of select players levels 5 – 49. The company is currently in the middle of a closed beta which includes the aforementioned players as well as those who signed up for testing this past March.
Beginning next Tuesday, every Oculus Quest user will have the chance make a name for themselves in the arena; if they have the skills that is. Echo Arena is a fast-paced competitive sports experience requiring lightning-fast reflexes and solid team communication. Echo Arena originally launched on Oculus Rift in 2017; since then the existing player-base has developed various strategies and techniques for dominating in the arena. Quest players joining the action for the first time will need to adapt quickly if they hope to stand a chance.
Image Credit: Ready at Dawn
