Space Junkies
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| Space Junkies | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| VR/AR | VR |
| Developer | Ubisoft Montpellier |
| Publisher | Ubisoft |
| Platform | SteamVR, Oculus Rift (Platform), PlayStation 4 |
| Device | Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality, PlayStation VR |
| Operating System | Windows, PlayStation 4 |
| Type | Game |
| Genre | Shooter, Action |
| Input Device | Tracked motion controllers (PC VR), DualShock 4 (PlayStation VR) |
| Game Mode | Multiplayer |
| Release Date | March 26, 2019 |
| Price | US$39.99 at launch |
| App Store | Steam, Oculus Store, PlayStation Store |
Space Junkies is a multiplayer virtual reality arena shooter developed by Ubisoft Montpellier and published by Ubisoft. Players fly with jetpacks through six zero-gravity orbital arenas and fight each other in free-for-all and team-based battles for up to four players.[1] It was announced at E3 2017 and released on 26 March 2019 for the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality headsets and PlayStation VR, with cross-platform multiplayer between them.[2][3][4]
Ubisoft ended development of the game later in 2019 and dropped a planned non-VR version after an open beta.[5] The online services for the PC version (HTC Vive and Oculus) were decommissioned on 1 September 2022; Ubisoft said that, as a multiplayer-only title, it could no longer be played after that.[6][7]
Gameplay
Space Junkies is a first-person shooter played in microgravity. Players move freely in three dimensions with jetpacks, use cover such as asteroids, and pick up weapons that float around the arena.[1][8] On PC headsets, players grab, wield and throw weapons with their motion controllers.[1] In Road to VR's review, matches started with a random gun, and fixed pickups in each arena supplied health, armor and stronger weapons.[9]
At launch the game had four player-versus-player modes.[3] Road to VR listed them as free-for-all, two-versus-two deathmatch, one-versus-one deathmatch and King mode, in which the position of the player holding the crown is revealed to the others.[9] Ubisoft producer Adrian Lacey wrote that the launch version had seven weapons, six equipment items and five characters. One-handed weapons can be dual-wielded, players can carry up to two weapons, and a weapon that runs out of ammunition turns into a grenade.[10] Weapons listed in Road to VR's review include pistols, machine pistols, a shotgun, an explosive slingshot, a sniper laser, a mini-gun and a homing rocket launcher.[9] The game also uses positional 3D audio to help players locate enemies and teammates.[10]
Character presets change health, stamina and speed. Experience points unlock cosmetic loot boxes, and the game had no microtransactions at launch.[9] In UploadVR's review, Jason Coles described a strong class called the Juggernaut, which can be played as a tank with a shield, and a faster one called the Buzzkill, along with gadgets such as a sonar and a medi-kit.[11]
Controls and comfort
On the Rift and Vive, the game shows a full-body avatar driven by inverse kinematics, and players reload with gestures such as twirling or pulling back the gun.[9] The PlayStation VR version supports only the DualShock 4 controller, which the game turns into a single 6DOF controller. Its hands stay locked in a gamepad-holding pose, and dual-wielded guns cannot be aimed independently.[9] Ubisoft said the PlayStation VR version has its own navigation system for flying through the arenas.[1]
Comfort options include a cockpit-style helmet that frames the view and can be switched off, and an optional field-of-view vignette during fast head movement. Snap turning is available on all platforms, while smooth turning is limited to PC VR.[9]
Development
Space Junkies was made by Ubisoft Montpellier, the studio Ubisoft identifies as the developer of Rayman.[2] Ubisoft revealed the game at E3 on 12 June 2017 as a PC game for the Oculus Rift with Oculus Touch and the HTC Vive, planned for early 2018.[2] At that stage it offered one-versus-one and two-versus-two matches.[2][12]
The game was shown with Brigitte, an in-house Ubisoft VR engine and development system that lets developers design and adjust levels from inside VR.[8][12] Game Informer, which tried the E3 demo, reported "full embodiment" of the player's body, including hands and legs, and a spherical playfield.[8] UploadVR compared the concept with Lone Echo, which was due the following month.[12]
The release slipped from the original 2018 target. A closed beta for PC players with an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive ran from 26 September to 1 October 2018.[13] In February 2019 Ubisoft dated the game for 26 March 2019 on PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, Windows Mixed Reality and HTC Vive, and opened pre-orders on Steam and the Oculus Store on 12 February and on the PlayStation Store on 20 February.[1] An open beta with cross-play between PlayStation VR and PC VR ran from 21 to 25 March 2019.[14]
Release
| Platform | Release date |
|---|---|
| PlayStation VR (PlayStation 4) | 26 March 2019[4] |
| Oculus Rift | 26 March 2019[3] |
| HTC Vive | 26 March 2019[3] |
| Windows Mixed Reality | 26 March 2019[3] |
Road to VR reported that the PlayStation Store version went live first on launch day, ahead of the Steam and Oculus versions, and that the game cost US$40 with cross-platform multiplayer across all supported platforms.[4] Road to VR's review listed the PlayStation Store for PlayStation VR, Steam for Vive and Rift, and the Oculus Store for Rift.[9] UploadVR gave the launch price as US$39.99.[11] Private and team matches drew on players' Uplay friends lists.[9] A separate Space Junkies Arcade version was released for VR arcades before launch, and the Virtual Athletics League ran an international arcade team competition from 19 February 2019.[1]
Post-launch support and non-VR beta
Ubisoft promised regular content updates with new modes, maps, weapons and customization items.[3] From 25 July 2019 it ran a non-VR open beta on PC through Uplay, initially announced to run until 7 August. It supported mouse and keyboard or a gamepad and included cross-play with VR players. Road to VR then listed the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Valve Index, Windows VR headsets and PlayStation VR as supported VR devices.[15]
In a blog post on the game's website, Ubisoft Montpellier then said it would close the non-VR open beta on 28 August 2019 and that "the current plan, however, is to not release the non-VR version of the game." The studio called this "the end of our journey in terms of development of the game" and said the servers would stay open for players who had bought the VR version.[5][16] Road to VR noted that the game had been part of Season 3 of ESL's VR League.[5]
Shutdown
In early July 2022 Ubisoft announced a list of older games whose online services would be decommissioned on 1 September 2022. It included Space Junkies for PC (HTC Vive, Oculus), with the note: "As a multiplayer only title, you will be unable to play the game going forward."[7][17] On 31 August 2022 Ubisoft moved the shutdown of most titles on the list to 1 October, but stated that "Space Junkies will continue with its planned decommission on September 1."[6] Delisted Games, writing on 1 September 2022, quoted Ubisoft's support announcement that the PC version would be decommissioned that day as planned.[17] Ubisoft's notices name only the PC version.[7][6]
Reception
| Aggregator or outlet | Platform | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Metacritic | PC | 77/100 (7 critic reviews)[18] |
| Metacritic | PlayStation 4 | 63/100 (12 critic reviews)[19] |
| OpenCritic | All platforms | Top Critic Average 69, 33% of critics recommend[20] |
| Road to VR | PC (Rift, Vive) | 7.7/10[9] |
| CGMagazine | PlayStation VR | 8.5/10[21] |
On Metacritic, the PC version received "generally favorable" reviews and the PlayStation 4 version "mixed or average" reviews.[18][19] Scott Hayden of Road to VR called it a "technically proficient arena shooter that hits it out of the park in many aspects," but noted that it "relies solely on multiplayer, which is still a very delicate thing in VR," and questioned how long players would stay engaged.[9] Jason Coles of UploadVR, reviewing the PC version, wrote that "it effectively replicates the halcyon days of multiplayer shooters in VR."[11]
Road to VR, which reviewed the game on Rift and Vive and also previewed the PlayStation VR version, found that the DualShock 4 scheme kept dual-wielded guns from being aimed independently.[9] Zubi Khan of CGMagazine gave it 8.5 out of 10 and called it "a must try for owners of the PSVR headset," while warning that its smaller selection of maps and weapons could shrink the player pool unless Ubisoft added content.[21]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Mikel Reparaz (2019-02-12). "Space Junkies Launching on VR Platforms on March 26". Ubisoft News. Ubisoft. https://news.ubisoft.com/en-us/article/5FKeeouHM7ZJw64XgoePJb/space-junkies-launching-on-vr-platforms-on-march-26. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Mikel Reparaz (2017-06-12). "Space Junkies Brings High-Speed Jetpack Battles to VR - E3 2017". Ubisoft News. Ubisoft. https://news.ubisoft.com/en-us/article/30iQqwqWe9kl74otjs6bSZ/space-junkies-brings-highspeed-jetpack-battles-to-vr-e3-2017. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "Space Junkies Out Now". Ubisoft News. Ubisoft. 2019-03-26. https://news.ubisoft.com/en-us/article/346097/space-junkies-out-now. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Scott Hayden (2019-03-26). "Cross-platform Shooter 'Space Junkies' Launches on PSVR, Vive & Rift Today". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/space-junkies-rocket-onto-psvr-vive-rift-next-month-trailer/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Scott Hayden (2019-09-04). "Ubisoft Ends Post-launch Development for 'Space Junkies', Scraps Non-VR Version". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/ubisoft-space-junkies-pc-update/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Decommissioning Some Online Services: An Update". Ubisoft News. Ubisoft. 2022-08-31. https://news.ubisoft.com/en-us/article/hSeUzlOfqN8ZLYSIw6u34/decommissioning-some-online-services-an-update. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 BossMac Suba (2022-07-05). "Ubisoft Shutting Down Servers for Older Games". Back2Gaming. https://www.back2gaming.com/news/ubisoft-shutting-down-servers-for-older-games/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Matt Miller (2017-06-12). "Ubisoft Fires Off First Look At Space Junkies". Game Informer. https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2017/06/12/ubisoft-fires-off-first-look-at-space-junkies.aspx. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 Scott Hayden (2019-03-26). "'Space Junkies' Review - Reviving a Bygone Era of Arena Shooters with VR". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/space-junkies-review-reviving-bygone-era-arena-shooters-vr/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Adrian Lacey (2019-02-12). "Space Junkies Launches on PS VR March 26". PlayStation.Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2019/02/12/space-junkies-launches-on-ps-vr-march-26/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Jason Coles (2019-03-28). "Space Junkies PC VR Review: Ubisoft's Space Shooter Is More Unreal Than Echo VR". UploadVR. https://uploadvr.com/space-junkies-pc-vr-review-ubisofts-space-shooter-is-more-unreal-than-echo-vr/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Jamie Feltham (2017-06-12). "E3 2017: Ubisoft Showcases New VR Engine Brigitte In Space Junkies". UploadVR. https://uploadvr.com/ubisoft-showcases-new-vr-engine-brigitte-space-junkies/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ Mikel Reparaz (2018-09-14). "Space Junkies Closed Beta Brings Jetpack Combat to VR September 26". Ubisoft News. Ubisoft. https://news.ubisoft.com/en-us/article/47Hiz1dfELOf6QcTVLMlSf/space-junkies-closed-beta-brings-jetpack-combat-to-vr-september-26. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ Mikel Reparaz (2019-03-20). "Space Junkies Open Beta Starts March 21". Ubisoft News. Ubisoft. https://news.ubisoft.com/en-us/article/6uqjRFhJJemasWWPQq4ACO/space-junkies-open-beta-starts-march-21. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ Scott Hayden (2019-07-25). "Ubisoft Launches 'Space Junkies' Non-VR Open Beta Today". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/space-junkies-non-vr-beta/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ Kayleigh Partleton (2019-09-10). "Ubisoft is not releasing the non-VR version of Space Junkies". PC Games Insider. https://www.pcgamesinsider.biz/news/69648/ubisoft-is-not-releasing-the-non-vr-version-of-space-junkies/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 ShawnS (2022-09-01). "Ubisoft pushes DLC and Service Shutdowns back to October 1st, Anno 2070 remains online". Delisted Games. https://delistedgames.com/?p=18927. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Space Junkies critic reviews (PC)". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/space-junkies/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Space Junkies critic reviews (PlayStation 4)". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/space-junkies/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ "Space Junkies". OpenCritic. https://opencritic.com/game/7509/space-junkies. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Zubi Khan (2019-04-17). "Space Junkies (PSVR) Review". CGMagazine. https://www.cgmagonline.com/reviews/space-junkies-psvr-review/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.