Pixel Ripped 1978: Everything We Know

Atari and ARVORE have announced Pixel Ripped 1978, a multi-tiered VR title that will see players venture through the golden age of arcade gaming. From its subtle roots, to the height of home entertainment, consumers will have the chance to step back in time and witness the key events that led to the blossoming of the video game industry—and it'll put you, the starry-eyed protagonist, right in the center of it all as an Atari 2600 developer.

So, what more do we know about Pixel Ripped 1978, besides the fact that it's the culmination of a decade's worth of innovations meshed together? Well, a fair amount, thanks to Atari shouting its praises ever since signing on as publisher earlier this week. For now, though, here's everything you should take into account before nailing down a pre-order.

What Is Pixel Ripped 1978?

To put it short, Pixel Ripped 1978 is an upcoming VR game by ARVORE. In this latest venture, fans of the Pixel Ripped franchise will have the opportunity to relive Atari's step-by-step journey through the years, from its pixel roots in 1978, to the founding of modern technology and industry-changing innovations.

“Pixel Ripped 1978 is an exciting blend of old and new, presented with the latest advancements in VR technology, it ushers in something totally new for Atari,” Atari CEO Wade Rosen said in a press release.

Story

It goes like this: you're a programmer for Atari—the new kid on the block who's aim is to develop the media giant's first-ever video games for home consoles. The only issue is, you can't fix the programming errors using the hardware you have on display in your office. To rectify this, you will need to make use of a device—a teleportation node that lets you journey across digital dimensions and see the pixels up and close and personal. This is where you, and your digital alias, Dot, will embark on an epic quest to reconnect the dots and bring game-changing innovations to life.

“Through the eyes of the game’s protagonist, Dot, players will travel between dimensions as they play games within games; a multi-layered adventure full of retro classics, unreleased gems, and undiscovered easter eggs,” the blurb adds. “The collaboration with Atari means even more retro gaming goodness, as players will even be able to explore the iconic Atari headquarters in Sunnyvale, California.”

Gameplay

Going by the press release, Pixel Ripped 1978 will feature “innovative mechanics sure to delight virtual reality enthusiasts”—elements that will funnel from a variation of genres, including shooters, puzzlers, and platformers. All of this will come enveloped in a high-octane, action-packed love letter to the industry's most beloved outfit.

In other words: “Blending the magic of decades past with today’s technologically vibrant and diverse gaming landscape, Pixel Ripped 1978 uniquely showcases the fortitude and growth of the video game industry as we, the players, have grown with it.”

Development

Developer ARVORE announced its partnership with Atari earlier this week, stating that the upcoming all-in-one VR title will be heading to PlayStation VR2, Meta Quest 2, and PC VR platforms in “summer” later this year. Since the formal announcement, the studio has presented a relatively short sneak preview trailer, which you can catch below.

Pixel Ripped, for those who don't know, is a video game franchise that casts its primary focus on paying homage to some of gaming's earliest achievements. Its latest chapter, 1978, will be the third in the series, following both 1989, and 1995.

According to ARVORE CEO Ricardo Justus: “We have always paid homage to our favorite games from the past in this series, but now in Pixel Ripped 1978, thanks to our partnership with Atari, we can actually reference the fantastic games and consoles from that era. I’m incredibly proud of what the team is creating and can’t wait to have fans and newcomers to the series alike be able to play it!”

Trailer

Pixel Ripped 1978 pique your interest? If so, you'll be pleased to know that ARVORE did go on to release a trailer earlier this week. As insightful as ever, it paints a rather clear picture of the game's setting, along with a few of the worlds you'll be able to not only explore, built almost build from scratch. You can see it for yourself in the embed above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Pixel Ripped 1978 will be coming to PlayStation VR2, Meta Quest 2, and a variation of PC VR headsets this forthcoming summer. Does this mean it's in with a chance of receiving a warm invitation from the likes of PlayStation Plus? In short, yes, though given the fact that Sony is still pouring all of its efforts into trying to make ends meet with the newly released headset, it seems unlikely at this point.

So, will the upcoming game be exclusive to VR platforms, or will it be heading to consoles, too? At this point in time, it seems highly unlikely that it'll go on to shed its VR exclusivity, as the game itself will make use of the headset's motion controls and other locked features. But even still, such games have found their ways to consoles in the past, so who knows—maybe it will, at least in a couple of years or so.

For more information on the Pixel Ripped 1978 launch, you can follow the official social feed here. If anything interesting pops up between now and its loose summer release, we'll be sure to fill you in on all the details right here on gaming.net.

So, what's your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Pixel Ripped 1978 when it drops this summer? Let us know your thoughts over on socials here.