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Firewall Zero Hour

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Firewall Zero Hour
Information
VR/AR Virtual Reality
Developer First Contact Entertainment
Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform PlayStation VR
Device PlayStation VR
Operating System PlayStation 4
Type Game
Genre Shooter, Tactical
Input Device PlayStation VR Aim, DualShock 4
Game Mode Multiplayer, Co-op, Single-player
Release Date August 28, 2018 (North America); August 29, 2018 (Europe)
Price US$39.99 at launch; later US$19.99 (Standard) and US$39.99 (Digital Deluxe)
App Store PlayStation Store
See also: VR Apps and VR Games

Firewall Zero Hour (also written Firewall: Zero Hour) is a team-based tactical first-person shooter developed by First Contact Entertainment and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment exclusively for the PlayStation VR headset on PlayStation 4. It was released on August 28, 2018 in North America and August 29, 2018 in Europe.[1][2] Two squads of four players compete in rounds in which one team tries to hack a laptop holding sensitive data and the other defends it.[2]

The game supports the PlayStation VR Aim controller as well as the DualShock 4.[2] It was the most downloaded PlayStation VR game on the PlayStation Store in both August and September 2018, and it was nominated for Best VR/AR Game at The Game Awards 2018.[3][4] First Contact Entertainment supported it with ten seasons of content updates, the last of which began in May 2022. Its PlayStation VR2 follow-up is Firewall Ultra (2023).[5]

Reviewed 4 October 2026. Release dates, publisher and developer, pre-order and edition details, gameplay modes, season dates, maps and contractors, sales-chart, award and review-aggregator claims checked against the cited PlayStation Blog, PlayStation Store, UploadVR, Road to VR, Metacritic, OpenCritic and other sources. About review dates.

Gameplay

Players take the role of contractors, mercenaries hired to either acquire or protect data stored on a laptop. In the competitive Contracts mode, the attacking team must bypass the firewall access points, locate the laptop and start the hack, while the defending team secures the access points and protects the laptop.[6] Each player has one life per match.[7] Besides Contracts, the game has a single-player training mode against AI enemies across nine scenarios and a cooperative mode in which teams of players fight AI opponents.[8] An internet connection is required for all modes, including single-player training, and a PlayStation Plus membership is required for multiplayer.[2]

At launch the game had nine map locations in Russia, the United Kingdom and the Middle East.[2] Sony's product page lists 12 mercenaries to choose from and describes the weapons as upgradeable.[8] Completing contracts earns experience points and an in-game currency called Crypto, which are used to upgrade contractors, weapons, equipment and load-outs and to buy cosmetic customization.[2][6] In its review, Road to VR counted 13 primary weapons across assault rifles, submachine guns and shotguns, plus equipment such as grenades, C4 and proximity mines. Movement uses the left analog stick, with snap turning on the right stick.[7]

Development

First Contact Entertainment revealed the game on the PlayStation Blog on December 8, 2017, as a PlayStation VR exclusive planned for 2018, and showed the first playable 4v4 demo at PlayStation Experience 2017 that weekend.[6] The studio's creative strategist, Adam Orth, told UploadVR in December 2017 that the studio believed VR needed "a very realistic first-person shooter that has true locomotion in it."[9] UploadVR reported that the team included developers who had worked on Call of Duty, Medal of Honor, Overwatch and Halo games.[9] The public demo at PlayStation Experience had a single mansion map, three character classes and three weapons (a rifle, a shotgun and a silenced submachine gun). The studio said the final game would add more weapons, maps, weapon attachments and character progression.[10]

Release

The release date was announced in June 2018. The game was sold digitally and on disc, and a bundle packed it with the PlayStation VR Aim controller. Pre-orders included a "Zero Hour Pack" of cosmetic items, extra in-game currency, 24 hours of double experience and the contractor Texas.[2][1] UploadVR's launch review listed the price as US$39.99.[11] Sony's US product page now lists a Standard Edition at US$19.99 and a Digital Deluxe Edition at US$39.99, and states that the game is playable on PlayStation 5.[8]

Event Date
Revealed on the PlayStation Blog; first demo at PlayStation Experience 2017 December 8, 2017[6]
Release on PlayStation VR, North America August 28, 2018[1]
Release on PlayStation VR, Europe August 29, 2018[1]
Monthly PlayStation Plus game February 4 to March 2, 2020[12]
Final planned season (Operation: X) ends October 18, 2022[5]

Post-launch updates

After launch the studio improved matchmaking wait times and squad matchmaking, and released its first cosmetic downloadable content in October 2018.[13] A February 2019 content update added two contractors, Jag and Node, and three weapons.[14] From May 2019 the game moved to seasons called Operations, which added time-limited missions with cosmetic rewards and a paid Operation Pass. The first season also brought a new interface and improved AI for the training mode.[15] UploadVR wrote in August 2019 that the Nightfall relaunch had been followed by broken progression, missions that would not complete, frequent disconnects and server outages, and that the game still had only one competitive mode.[16]

Season Name Start date New maps New contractors
1 Operation: Nightfall May 21, 2019 Hangar, F.O.B. Ruby, Lynx[15]
2 Operation: Dark Web August 13, 2019 Newsroom, Cargo Kane, Proxy[17]
3 Operation: Heartland October 22, 2019 Prepper, Gauntlet Bear, Dom[18]
4 Operation: Black Dawn February 4, 2020 Oil Rig Saul[19]
5 Operation: Syndicate June 23, 2020 Blacksite Luna[20]
6 Operation: Cloudstrike October 13, 2020 Post 15 Shadow[21]
7 Operation: Rubicon July 13, 2021 None None[22]
10 Operation: X May 24, 2022 None listed None listed[5]

In October 2020 the studio said it had delivered 11 new contractors, nine new maps and 36 weapons (including six legendary weapons) since launch.[21] Operation: X, the tenth season, was the final planned season. It was extended to October 18, 2022, and the studio said players would still be able to play the game after it ended.[5] First Contact Entertainment announced in December 2023 that it would close by the end of that year, saying it could not "justify the expense needed going forward" as a AAA VR developer because of a lack of support for VR in the industry.[23]

Reception

Firewall Zero Hour received "generally favorable" reviews according to the review aggregator Metacritic, with a Metascore of 79 based on 38 critic reviews. OpenCritic lists a top critic average of 78 from 30 reviews, with 70% of critics recommending the game.[24][25]

Road to VR scored it 7.9 out of 10. Ben Lang praised the team-focused play and the modeled recoil and sway of its weapons, but criticized the ratio of waiting time to play time, the amount of grinding needed for unlocks, and blurry menu text on the headset.[7] UploadVR's David Jagneaux wrote that the game "defies the odds by delivering a multiplayer-focused VR shooter that actually lives up to its potential", while noting the heavy grind, downtime between rounds and a single competitive mode.[11] In its Best of 2018 awards, UploadVR named it Overall VR Game or Experience of the Year, Best PSVR Game and Best Multiplayer/Social.[26]

On the PlayStation Store charts, the game was the most downloaded PlayStation VR title in August 2018, despite launching with four days of the month left, and again in September 2018. In August it overtook long-running chart leaders Job Simulator, Superhot VR and Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality.[3][13] In August 2019 the studio reported that players had logged more than 4,028,896 hours in the game.[27]

Award Category Result
The Game Awards 2018 Best VR/AR Game Nominated (won by Astro Bot Rescue Mission)[4]
UploadVR Best of 2018 Overall VR Game or Experience of the Year Won[26]
UploadVR Best of 2018 Best PSVR Game Won[26]
UploadVR Best of 2018 Best Multiplayer/Social Won[26]

Sequel

Firewall Ultra, a follow-up for PlayStation VR2 by the same studio, was released on August 24, 2023.[28] In a March 2026 report on Sony's plan to shut down Firewall Ultra, Wccftech noted that the original Firewall Zero Hour was still available.[29] Sony's US store page still lists the game for sale as of October 2026.[8]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Jamie Feltham (2018-06-27). "Multiplayer VR FPS Firewall: Zero Hour Finally Gets PSVR Release Date". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/multiplayer-vr-fps-firewall-zero-hour-finally-gets-psvr-release-date/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Damoun Shabestari (2018-06-28). "Strategic Team-Based PS VR Shooter Firewall Zero Hour Launches August 28". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2018/06/28/strategic-team-based-ps-vr-shooter-firewall-zero-hour-launches-august-28/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Scott Hayden (2018-10-11). "'Firewall Zero Hour' Tops PSVR's List for Most Downloaded Game in September". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/firewall-zero-hour-tops-psvrs-list-downloaded-psvr-game-september/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Jason Faulkner (2018-12-06). "The Game Awards 2018 Winners and Nominees List". GameRevolution. https://www.gamerevolution.com/news/466191-the-game-awards-2018-winners-nominees-list. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Frank Marm (2022-05-24). "UPDATE: Firewall Zero Hour's tenth season goes live today". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2022/05/24/firewall-zero-hours-tenth-season-goes-live-today/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Adam Orth (2017-12-08). "Firewall Zero Hour Brings Team-Based Tactical Multiplayer FPS to PS VR". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2017/12/08/firewall-zero-hour-brings-team-based-tactical-multiplayer-fps-to-ps-vr/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Ben Lang (2018-08-29). "Firewall Zero Hour Review: Tactical Multiplayer Action Comes to PSVR". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/firewall-zero-hour-review-psvr-playstation-vr/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "Firewall Zero Hour". PlayStation. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/firewall-zero-hour/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Jamie Feltham (2017-12-12). "Firewall Zero Hour Dev: 'We Knew What VR Needed'". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/firewall-zero-hour-dev-knew-vr-needed/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  10. ↑ Sid Shuman (2017-12-12). "Firewall Zero Hour for PS VR Impresses at PlayStation Experience". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2017/12/12/firewall-zero-hour-for-ps-vr-impresses-at-playstation-experience/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 David Jagneaux (2018-08-28). "Firewall Zero Hour Review: The Tactical VR Shooter We've Been Waiting For". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/firewall-zero-hour-review/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  12. ↑ Scott Hayden (2020-02-04). "'Firewall Zero Hour' Comes to PS Plus Members for Free Starting Today, 'Black Dawn' Update Now Live". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/psvr-team-shooter-firewall-zero-hour-comes-ps-plus-members-free-february/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Damoun Shabestari (2018-10-22). "Firewall Zero Hour: Advanced Tactics". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2018/10/22/firewall-zero-hour-advanced-tactics/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  14. ↑ Janet Garcia (2019-02-25). "Firewall Zero Hour Gets New Contractors and a Ton of Other Content in DLC #4". PlayStation LifeStyle. https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2019/02/25/firewall-zero-hour-update-arrives-adds-new-contractors-and-more/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Damoun Shabestari (2019-05-14). "Firewall Zero Hour Operation: Nightfall Update Adds New Maps, Contractors, and More May 21". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2019/05/14/firewall-zero-hour-operation-nightfall-update-adds-new-maps-contractors-and-more-may-21/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  16. ↑ David Jagneaux (2019-08-28). "Firewall Zero Hour One Year Later: Current State Of The PSVR Shooter". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/firewall-zero-hour-one-year-later-current-state-of-the-psvr-shooter/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  17. ↑ Damoun Shabestari (2019-08-12). "10 big changes coming to Firewall Zero Hour tomorrow as Operation: Dark Web launches". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/archive/2019/08/12/10-big-changes-coming-to-firewall-zero-hour-tomorrow-as-operation-dark-web-launches. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  18. ↑ Damoun Shabestari (2019-10-21). "PS VR multiplayer shooter Firewall Zero Hour gets new maps, Contractors and weapons this week". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/archive/2019/10/21/ps-vr-multiplayer-shooter-firewall-zero-hour-gets-new-maps-contractors-and-weapons-this-week/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  19. ↑ Damoun Shabestari (2020-02-04). "Out Today: Firewall Zero Hour's New Season - Operation: Black Dawn". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2020/02/04/out-today-firewall-zero-hours-new-season-operation-black-dawn/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  20. ↑ Damoun Shabestari (2020-06-22). "Out tomorrow: Firewall Zero Hour's new season - Operation: Syndicate". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2020/06/22/out-tomorrow-firewall-zero-hours-new-season-operation-syndicate/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Damoun Shabestari (2020-10-13). "Firewall Zero Hour: Celebrating 2 years and a new season with Operation: Cloudstrike". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2020/10/13/firewall-zero-hour-celebrating-2-years-and-a-new-season-with-operation-cloudstrike/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  22. ↑ Damoun Shabestari (2021-07-12). "Firewall Zero Hour: Operation: Rubicon arrives tomorrow". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2021/07/12/firewall-zero-hour-operation-rubicon-arrives-tomorrow/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  23. ↑ Kieron Verbrugge (2023-12-22). "Firewall Ultra Developer First Contact Entertainment Is Shutting Down". Press Start. https://press-start.com.au/news/2023/12/22/firewall-ultra-developer-first-contact-entertainment-is-shutting-down/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  24. ↑ "Firewall Zero Hour Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/firewall-zero-hour/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  25. ↑ "Firewall: Zero Hour Reviews". OpenCritic. https://opencritic.com/game/6532/firewall-zero-hour. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 David Jagneaux (2019-01-01). "UploadVR's Best Of 2018 VR Award Winners". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/best-vr-2018-winners/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  27. ↑ Damoun Shabestari (2019-08-27). "Celebrate One Year of Firewall Zero Hour on PS VR with Free Trial". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2019/08/27/celebrate-one-year-of-firewall-zero-hour-on-ps-vr-with-free-trial/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  28. ↑ Scott Hayden (2023-07-19). "PSVR 2 Team Shooter 'Firewall Ultra' August Release Date Revealed, Gameplay Trailer Here". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/psvr-2-firewall-ultra-release-date-trailer/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  29. ↑ "PlayStation Quietly Announces PSVR2 Shooter Firewall Ultra is Shutting Down by Updating a Three-Year-Old Blog". Wccftech. 2026-03-19. https://wccftech.com/playstation-quietly-announces-firewall-ultra-shut-down-psvr2/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
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