The Persistence will finally be playable without a VR headset

Sci-fi survival horror game The Persistence will come to PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One this summer, according to an announcement trailer uploaded by the game’s developer, Firesprite Games. With its bone-chilling tension and creative roguelike gameplay, the game felt like a spiritual successor to the Dead Space series when it launched nearly two years ago. But it was exclusive to the PlayStation VR, so a lot of people couldn’t play it. The Persistence first debuted on the PS4 in July 2018 as an exclusive for Sony’s virtual reality headset.

Last year, the game’s developer announced that PS4 owners would be able to experience the game without a PSVR and the PS camera, but the update never came out. Once the new versions are available, people who own the PSVR version will be able to play the standard version free of charge. Set in the year 2521, The Persistence tasks players with bringing a space colony vessel that is overrun with grotesque and homicidal mutants back to Earth. I am excited for The Persistence to be released on more platforms: the game was one of the best exclusives on the PS4, successfully merging survival horror and roguelike — two genres that aren’t normally mixed together — to create a tense experience.

It also offered a unique approach to co-op play that involved the second player using a companion app on their smartphone to either assist you or hinder your progression. The game will receive both a physical and digital release on PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One. The PC version will be available on Steam and the Oculus Store, with optional VR support for the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Rift S, and Windows Mixed Reality headsets. When asked about Valve Index support, Firesprite Games told The Verge it’s still up in the air.