Moss

Moss
Information
VR/AR	Virtual Reality
Developer	Polyarc
Publisher	Polyarc
Platform	PlayStation VR, SteamVR, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, PlayStation VR2, Pico
Device	PlayStation VR, PlayStation VR2, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Oculus Quest, Pico
Operating System	PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows
Type	Game
Genre	Action-adventure, Puzzle
Input Device	Tracked motion controller
Play Area	Seated, Standing
Game Mode	Single-player
Release Date	PlayStation VR: February 27, 2018; PC VR (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive): June 7, 2018; Oculus Quest: May 21, 2019; PlayStation VR2: February 22, 2023
Price	US $29.99
App Store	PlayStation Store, Steam, Oculus Store, Meta Quest Store
Website	https://www.polyarcgames.com/games/moss

See also: VR Apps and VR Games

Moss is a single-player action-adventure puzzle game for virtual reality, developed and published by the Seattle studio Polyarc. It first released on PlayStation VR on February 27, 2018, and later came to PC VR headsets, the Oculus Quest, and PlayStation VR2. The player takes the role of a silent presence called the Reader who helps a mouse named Quill explore a storybook world, solve environmental puzzles, and fight enemies.

The game was directed by Polyarc co-founder Tam Armstrong, with a score by composer Jason Graves, and was built in Unreal Engine. It was one of the better-selling early VR titles, passing one million units across all platforms by July 2021, and it appeared on Meta's published list of the 50 best-selling Meta Quest games before being displaced in later rankings. A sequel, Moss: Book II, followed in 2022.

Gameplay

Moss mixes a third-person view of Quill with a first-person sense of being inside the scene. Each level is laid out as a small diorama that the player observes from outside while also reaching into it. The player controls Quill directly with a tracked motion controller to run, jump, climb, and swing a sword, and at the same time acts as the Reader, a masked figure who can grab and move blocks, platforms, and enemies in the environment to clear a path. Progress depends on coordinating the two roles, for example holding a switch in place as the Reader while steering Quill across a gap.

Quill communicates with the player using gestures and American Sign Language, and the player can respond by waving at, petting, or high-fiving her. Polyarc designed Quill to make eye contact and acknowledge the player's presence, which several reviewers identified as the source of the game's sense of companionship. The world spans caves, forests, and ruins, and the player can lean and shift position to look around corners and find hidden collectible scrolls. The story follows Quill's quest to rescue her uncle Argus and defeat Sarffog, a fire-breathing serpent.

Development

Polyarc was founded in Seattle in 2015 by former Bungie developers Tam Armstrong, Chris Alderson, and Danny Bulla, who had previously worked on the Destiny and Halo series. Moss was the studio's first title and was built specifically for VR rather than adapted from a flat-screen game. The studio used American Sign Language for Quill's communication after working out how a non-speaking character could convey hints and emotion to the player.

The original game ran in Unreal Engine 4; the PlayStation VR2 release was rebuilt to take advantage of that headset's hardware. On May 21, 2019, alongside the Oculus Quest launch, Polyarc released a free content update titled The Twilight Garden that added new areas, puzzles, combat, and abilities.

Release

Moss launched first on PlayStation VR as a console-exclusive VR title, then expanded to PC VR headsets and standalone hardware over the following years. The PC versions added higher-resolution rendering and support for the respective platforms' motion controllers, plus additional languages and save slots.

Platform	Release date	Notes
PlayStation VR (PlayStation 4)	February 27, 2018	Initial release
SteamVR / Oculus Rift / HTC Vive (PC)	June 7, 2018	Higher resolution; added languages and save slots
Oculus Quest	May 21, 2019	Standalone release; Twilight Garden free update
PlayStation VR2 (PlayStation 5)	February 22, 2023	PSVR2 launch title; rebuilt with eye tracking and Sense controller haptics

A non-VR version was announced in 2026. Moss: The Forgotten Relic is a flat-screen compilation of Moss and Moss: Book II for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch, due July 16, 2026, and is the first time the series has appeared outside VR. Polyarc cited a downturn in the VR market: in April 2026 the studio cancelled a large project after failing to secure funding and laid off roughly two-thirds of its staff.

Reception

Moss was well received by critics. The aggregator Metacritic lists a score of 85/100 for the PlayStation 4 (PSVR) version and 81/100 for the PC version. Reviewers praised the bond between the player and Quill and the visual design of the world, while several noted that the game was relatively short and the puzzles fairly gentle.

IGN scored Moss 8.4/10 and GameSpot gave it 8/10. Road to VR rated the PSVR version 7.9/10, calling it a game with "charming storytelling and incredibly beautiful setting" that was "held back somewhat by its simplistic control scheme." UploadVR described Moss as "the hidden gem the PSVR never knew it needed."

At the National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers (NAVGTR) awards for 2018 releases, Moss won in the Control Design, VR and Direction in Virtual Reality categories. It was nominated for Best VR/AR Game and Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards 2018, where the Best VR/AR Game award went to Astro Bot Rescue Mission. It was also nominated for Game Innovation and Original Property at the 2019 BAFTA Games Awards.

Commercially, Polyarc reported that Moss passed one million units sold across PSVR, PC VR, and Quest by July 2021, a milestone Road to VR estimated at roughly $22.5 million in revenue. Moss featured on Meta's list of the 50 best-selling Quest games published in 2025, and in a May 2026 follow-up analysis Road to VR reported that it had since been displaced from the current top 50 by newer action titles.