Sparc
More actions
| Sparc | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Developer | CCP Games |
| Publisher | CCP Games |
| Platform | PlayStation VR, SteamVR, Oculus Rift (Platform) |
| Device | PlayStation VR, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift |
| Operating System | Windows |
| Type | Game |
| Genre | Sports, Action |
| Input Device | PlayStation Move, Tracked Motion Controllers |
| Play Area | Standing |
| Game Mode | Multiplayer |
| Release Date | August 29, 2017 (PlayStation VR); November 16, 2017 (Rift, Vive) |
| Price | US$29.99 (PlayStation VR, launch); US$19.99 (PC, launch); no longer sold |
| App Store | PlayStation Store, Steam, Oculus Store |
Sparc is a virtual reality sports game developed by the Atlanta studio of CCP Games, the maker of EVE Online. Two players face each other online in a one-on-one match, throwing glowing balls at each other with motion controllers and dodging or deflecting the shots that come back. CCP called the game a "vSport"[1][2] and its "first wholly original IP" to be shipped outside the EVE universe.[3]
The game launched on PlayStation VR on 29 August 2017 for US$29.99, played with two PlayStation Move controllers.[4] Versions for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive followed on 16 November 2017 on Steam and the Oculus Store, with cross-play against PlayStation VR owners.[5] By then CCP was closing the Atlanta studio and stepping back from VR development.[6] By July 2022 it was no longer sold on Steam or the PlayStation Store, and its servers were shut down on 5 August 2022.[7]
Gameplay
The two players stand at opposite ends of a corridor-shaped court. Each holds a glowing ball and scores a point by hitting the opponent's body with it. A player under attack can dodge or bat the ball away with a deflector shield, which is only available while the player is holding their own ball. The shield breaks after one hit from the opponent's ball and comes back once the player's own ball has been thrown and returned.[8] CCP CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson said that after Gunjack for mobile VR and EVE: Valkyrie for seated VR, the studio wanted Sparc to "capitalize on the unique strengths of standing VR".[3][9]
According to UploadVR's review, the game had three rule sets at launch. Basic is a three-minute timed match won on points, with sudden death on a tie, and punching is allowed. Advanced is first to four points, and punching is not allowed. Experimental uses the Basic rules on a tilted arena with more angles for ricochets.[10] Road to VR reported that CCP added a "fair amount" of aim assist, which is reduced in the Advanced mode.[8]
Outside matches, CCP listed three arenas, solo challenges (timed events that test throwing and deflection accuracy), statistics on throws, deflections and accuracy, and avatar customization covering the cut of the compression suit, headgear and knuckle guards.[11][5] UploadVR described the challenges as target practice, deflection ranges and combined courses, with leaderboards based on speed.[10] A social area called Courtside lets players meet opponents, watch matches in VR and queue for the next match.[3][11] The game has no AI opponents or bots to practise against.[10][12]
Development
Sparc was made by CCP's studio in Atlanta, Georgia.[3][1] In an interview with VentureBeat at the Game Developers Conference in 2017, Pétursson said the Atlanta team started its experiments in 2013, first experimenting with Microsoft's Kinect and later moving to tracked controllers as they appeared. Asked about funding, he said: "This one we've mostly done on our own."[13] The game grew out of an experimental project called Project Arena, which CCP had shown the year before.[9][8]
CCP announced Sparc on 27 February 2017 for the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR, with a 2017 release planned.[3] Executive producer Morgan Godat of CCP Atlanta said the studio had "designed Sparc so that players can express and improve their skill through their physical actions".[3] On 12 June 2017 CCP said the game would come first to PlayStation VR in the third quarter of 2017.[1] It was shown at the PlayStation booth at E3 2017, and the release date was announced on the PlayStation Blog on 26 July 2017, with a Gamescom showing planned before launch.[4]
Release
| Platform | Store | Release date | Launch price |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlayStation VR (PlayStation 4) | PlayStation Store | 29 August 2017 | US$29.99, EUR 29.99, GBP 22.99[11] |
| Oculus Rift | Oculus Store | 16 November 2017 | US$19.99, CA$22.99, EUR 19.99, GBP 14.99[5] |
| HTC Vive, Oculus Rift | Steam | 16 November 2017 | US$19.99, CA$22.99, EUR 19.99, GBP 14.99[5][14] |
Road to VR wrote at the PlayStation VR launch that the game was exclusive to that headset "for now".[8] On 30 October 2017 Road to VR, citing the Icelandic publication MBL, reported that CCP would close the Atlanta studio and sell its Newcastle studio, moving its focus from VR to PC and mobile games, and that about 100 employees would be affected. In a forum post quoted in an update the next day, CCP said Sparc "isn't going anywhere any time soon" and that its servers would stay up.[6] The PC release followed on 16 November 2017. Godat said that cross-play "between PS4 and PC means everyone can experience Sparc from their platform of choice".[5] Road to VR noted that apart from support for more headsets, the PC version added no new content.[15] The Steam listing names CCP as both developer and publisher.[14]
Later support
CCP held a free weekend for Rift owners on Oculus Home that ended on 4 February 2018.[16] On 9 July 2019 it released the Championship Update, which CCP called the game's first major update. It added Quick Play, Custom games with optional passwords for players and spectators, and a cross-platform Ranked mode that uses the Advanced rules. Ranked players are unranked until they finish 10 matches, after which they are placed in one of five tiers (Legend, Diamond, Gold, Silver and Bronze) at a position from 1 to 100; the Legend tier is reserved for the top 10 players worldwide. The update also let spectators join Custom games as "headless" observers who take no player slot, cannot be seen by players or other spectators, and can switch between preset cameras or fly freely.[17][18] At the time it was sold for US$20 on Steam, the Oculus Store and the PlayStation Store.[18]
In March 2020 CCP brought Sparc to the Springboard VR management and distribution platform for VR arcades. Asked by Road to VR whether it would port the game to the standalone Oculus Quest, CCP answered "no comment".[19] In October 2020 the game's North American servers went down from 24 October and the European servers from 28 October; CCP announced on 10 November 2020 that both were back online.[20]
Shutdown
In July 2022 MIXED reported that Sparc was no longer sold on Steam and could not be found on the PlayStation Store, and that its servers, like those of EVE: Valkyrie, would be shut down on 5 August 2022.[7] Road to VR confirmed the 5 August 2022 shutdown date.[21] As of October 2026 the Steam page states that Sparc "is no longer available on the Steam store".[14]
Reception
On Metacritic, the PlayStation 4 version has a Metascore of 74 ("mixed or average") based on 16 critic reviews.[22] OpenCritic lists a Top Critic Average of 73, with 50% of critics recommending the game.[23]
| Publication | Platform | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Metacritic (aggregate) | PlayStation 4 | 74/100 (16 reviews)[22] |
| OpenCritic (aggregate) | All | 73 (Top Critic Average)[23] |
| Destructoid | PlayStation 4 | 8/10[12] |
| TheSixthAxis | PlayStation 4 | 7/10[24] |
| Game Informer | 7/10[23] | |
| Push Square | PlayStation 4 | 7/10[23][22] |
| PlayStation LifeStyle | PlayStation 4 | 8/10[23][22] |
| Gaming Trend | HTC Vive, PlayStation VR | 80/100[25] |
| PlayStation Official Magazine UK | PlayStation 4 | 60/100[22] |
Reviewers generally liked the core game and criticized the amount of content around it. Chris Carter of Destructoid played on PlayStation VR and found the core game engaging, while calling the Move controllers "simply outdated and cheap by comparison" with newer hardware and noting that there was no AI training mode, no bots and no campaign.[12] Jim Hargreaves of TheSixthAxis praised "smooth, accurate body tracking" and the game's ease of play, but said it "feels very limited beyond multiplayer matches" and has no bot or training matches.[24] David Jagneaux of UploadVR called it "one of the most visceral and intense multiplayer VR games" he had played; he wished for more arenas and match settings and called the lack of AI practice opponents "a huge missed opportunity".[10] Ron Burke of Gaming Trend called it "the best VR workout I've ever had", while listing cross-play with PlayStation VR as "a chore" and writing that "this fantastic base needs more content".[25]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "CCP Games' Sparc to Launch Exclusively on PlayStation VR This Year". CCP Games news (Fenris Creations). CCP Games. 2017-06-12. https://fenris.com/news/2017/ccp-games-sparc-to-launch-exclusively-on-playstation-vr-this-year. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ Brittany Vincent (2017-02-27). "CCP Games Announces Full-Body VR Sport Game Sparc". Shacknews. https://shacknews.com/article/99200/ccp-games-announces-full-body-vr-sport-game-sparc. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "CCP Games Announces Sparc, A Full-Body Virtual Sport Only Possible in Virtual Reality". CCP Games news (Fenris Creations). CCP Games. 2017-02-27. https://fenris.com/news/2017/ccp-games-announces-sparc-a-full-body-virtual-sport-only-possible-in-virtual-reality. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Morgan Godat (2017-07-26). "Sparc, the Fast-Paced Virtual Sport from CCP, Launches on PS VR August 29". PlayStation.Blog. https://blog.playstation.com/2017/07/26/sparc-the-fast-paced-virtual-sport-from-ccp-launches-on-ps-vr-august-29/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "Sparc Now Available for PC, Playable Cross-Platform on All High-End VR Headsets". CCP Games news (Fenris Creations). CCP Games. 2017-11-16. https://fenris.com/news/2017/sparc-now-available-for-pc-playable-cross-platform-on-all-high-end-vr. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Scott Hayden (2017-10-30). "CCP to Shelve VR as It Shutters Atlanta Office, Sells Branch Behind 'EVE: Valkryie' in Newcastle". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/ccp-shelve-vr-shutters-atlanta-office-sells-branch-behind-eve-valkryie-new-castle/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Josef Erl (2022-07-07). "Online VR games EVE: Valkyrie and Sparc - servers are shut down". MIXED. https://mixed-news.com/en/online-vr-games-eve-valkyrie-and-sparc-servers-are-shut-down/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Dominic Brennan (2017-08-29). "'Sparc', the 1v1 VR Sport From CCP Games, Launches Today on PSVR". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/ccp-games-sparc-to-launch-exclusively-on-playstation-vr-this-year/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 David Jagneaux (2017-02-27). "GDC 2017: Sparc is a New Tron-Like VR Sport from CCP Games". UploadVR. https://uploadvr.com/sparc-new-tron-like-vr-sport-ccp-games/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 David Jagneaux (2017-11-17). "Sparc Review: Get Ready To Sweat In This Tron-Like Battle Arena". UploadVR. https://uploadvr.com/sparc-review-tron-battle-arena/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "CCP Games Launches Sparc for PlayStation VR, Making Full-Body VR Gameplay a Reality". Cosmocover newsroom. CCP Games. 2017-08-29. https://www.cosmocover.com/newsroom/ccp-games-launches-sparc-for-playstationvr-making-full-body-vr-gameplay-a-reality/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Chris Carter (2017-08-29). "Review: Sparc". Destructoid. https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-sparc/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ Dean Takahashi (2017-03-04). "CCP pushes deeper into virtual reality with Sparc virtual sports game". VentureBeat. https://venturebeat.com/business/ccp-pushes-deeper-into-virtual-reality-with-sparc-virtual-sports-game. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 "Sparc on Steam". Steam. Valve. https://store.steampowered.com/app/601770/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ Ben Lang (2017-11-17). "'Sparc' Comes to Vive & Rift with Cross-play Support for PSVR". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/sparc-htc-vive-oculus-rift-release-date-cross-play/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ Scott Hayden (2018-02-02). "Play VR Sport 'SPARC' for Free on Rift This Weekend". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/play-vr-sport-sparc-free-rift-weekend/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ "CCP Games Release Championship Update for Sparc, the World's First Full-Body Virtual Sport". CCP Games news (Fenris Creations). CCP Games. 2019-07-09. https://fenris.com/news/2019/ccp-games-release-championship-update-for-sparc-the-worlds-first-full-body. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Scott Hayden (2019-07-09). "CCP Games Releases First Major Update to 'SPARC' Despite 2017 VR Pullback". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/ccp-games-championship-update-sparc/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ Ben Lang (2020-03-04). "'Sparc' Comes to Arcade Platform Springboard VR, but CCP Remains Silent on Quest Port". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/sparc-springboard-vr-oculus-quest-port/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ Scott Hayden (2020-11-10). "[Update 'Sparc' Servers Now Back Online Following 2 Weeks of Unplanned Downtime"]. Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/sparc-servers-offline-week-theres-no-fix-sight/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ Scott Hayden (2022-08-02). "CCP is Finally Pulling the Plug on VR Pioneers 'EVE: Valkyrie' & 'Sparc'". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/ccp-eve-valkyrie-sparc-shutdown-date/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 "Sparc". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/sparc/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 "Sparc". OpenCritic. https://opencritic.com/game/4786/sparc. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Jim Hargreaves (2017-09-12). "Sparc Review". TheSixthAxis. https://www.thesixthaxis.com/?p=299271. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Ron Burke (2017-12-05). "Virtual Calvinball - Sparc VR Vive / PSVR review". Gaming Trend. https://gamingtrend.com/reviews/virtual-calvinball-sparc-vr-vive-psvr-review/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.