Ghostbusters VR: Everything We Know

There’s something strange in the neighborhood: nDreams’ idea to transport Ghostbusters over to VR, as it goes. Granted, it isn’t something we would’ve expected from this year’s virtual reality lineup — but it’s a welcome addition nonetheless. And it just so happens to be an addition that’ll roll out to headsets as early as September 2023, too. So, for when that phone does decide to ring, make sure you’re around to pick up the receiver; Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord will be on the other end of the line.

So, what will the upcoming VR entry bring to the table that other adaptations have simply failed to conjure?  Well, here’s everything we can tell you based on the information provided by nDreams to date. Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord — what, when, and most importantly, why? Let’s talk spirits.

What Is Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord?

In short, Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord is an upcoming single-player and four-player co-op VR game for Meta Quest 2 and PlayStation VR2. As a video game adaptation of the beloved cult classic movie series, players will have the opportunity to manage their own version of the Ghostbusters HQ, and with an arsenal of iconic equipment on hand, banish the ghosts and ghouls of San Francisco over a series of jam-packed mini-games and arenas.

“Strap on your proton pack and Meta Quest 2 and step into the world of Ghostbusters in immersive virtual reality,” opens nDreams’ description. “Run your Ghostbusters HQ in a new city, San Francisco, and unravel a rich mystery in a new chapter for the Ghostbusters universe.” How’s that for a big Twinkie?

“Wield iconic equipment as you track, blast, and trap ghosts in gripping encounters across an extensive and engrossing campaign. Go it alone, or as a team with up to three friends in co-op to defeat a ghastly new threat – the Ghost Lord. Continue the Ghostbusters’ legacy, protect the city from fiendish ghosts, and experience all the humor and frights from the beloved franchise.”

Story

Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord will transport you to the heart of the Ghostbusters HQ—a San Francisco-based facility that serves as the home for a four-piece quartet of legendary paranormal excavators. This is where you, either alone or with up to three friends, will take you place and essentially embark on a series of riveting ghost hunts around the city. Essentially, it’s every Ghostbusters fans’ dream, only whittled down into a fleshed out virtual reality experience.

There is still the case of having to unpack the “rich mystery” that the “extensive and engrossing” campaign will feature, mind you. That said, if it’s using the movies for its source material, then we’re certainly in for a treat with this one. Only time will tell, though.

Gameplay

From the looks of the footage, Rise of the Ghost Lord will feature a mixture of action and puzzle-solving, with the former being available to enjoy either alone or with three friends in its multiplayer campaign. As one of the famed Ghostbusters, you will have the opportunity to suit up and wield all the iconic gear—items taken directly from the series and lore—and work together with your team to both outsmart and capture the ghouls of San Francisco.

Weirdly enough, nDreams describes the game as being a horror. That said, the gameplay suggests otherwise, as it essentially fosters an aesthetic that’s slightly more humorous than anything else. In ways, though, I suppose it all boils down to who you share the experience with. In any case, labeling it as a horror game seems a little far-fetched, all things considered.

Development

With Meta looking to fatten up its Oculus Quest library, it doesn’t really come as much of a surprise to see one or two video game adaptations of classic movie franchises jolt to life. It was only a matter of time, really, before someone latched on to the idea of developing a Ghostbusters game with a co-op blueprint — and that just so happened to be nDreams.

After announcing it back in April 2022, nDreams has since posted several exclusive trailers of Rise of the Ghost Lord, most notably the extended gameplay preview that aired during The Game Awards in late 2022. According to the notes left behind by the devs, the VR entry will be shaping up for an optimistic Fall 2023 release on both Meta Quest 2, and PlayStation VR2. It hasn’t been said yet whether or not the game will roll out to other PC VR headsets, though I suppose at this moment in time nDreams will be wanting to keep its loyalty to Meta as tight as possible. Still, never say never.

Trailer

Rather excitingly, nDreams has already gone ahead and posted a fair few sneak previews of the VR title, mostly advertising its clever use of co-op play and the core mechanics bolted to the motion controls. Need we say more? You can catch a glimpse of what’s to come in the upcoming multiplayer adaptation in the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

nDreams has confirmed a Fall 2023 release date for Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, which of course puts it somewhere between September and November. As far as launch platforms go, it’ll be coming to Meta Quest 2 and PlayStation VR2, with the added chance of it branching out to the Meta Quest 3 in the months following its planned Q3 2023 release. But more on that later.

It’s doubtful that nDreams will have any form of special edition of the VR game ready to launch alongside its standard digital version. Who knows, though? Perhaps if it sells well, it’ll release as a bulkier edition with a few in-game perks to boot? I wouldn’t get your hopes up, either way.

If you’re keen to stay in the loop ahead of Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord’s launch, then be sure to check in with nDreams’ social feed for additional updates here. We’ll be sure to let you know just as soon as the devs staple a release date to it. Until then, just let everything else go straight to voicemail.

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up a copy of nDreams’ upcoming VR episode when it drops later this year? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.