The Boys: Trigger Warning
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| The Boys: Trigger Warning | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Developer | ARVORE |
| Publisher | Sony Pictures Virtual Reality |
| Platform | Meta Horizon OS, PlayStation VR2 |
| Device | Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S, PlayStation VR2 |
| Type | Game |
| Genre | Action, Stealth |
| Input Device | Tracked motion controllers |
| Play Area | Seated, Standing |
| Release Date | March 26, 2026 (Meta Quest); June 9, 2026 (PlayStation VR2) |
| Price | US $29.99 (Meta Horizon Store, PlayStation Store) |
| App Store | Meta Horizon Store, PlayStation Store |
| Website | https://arvore.io/games/the-boys |
The Boys: Trigger Warning is a stealth-action virtual reality game set in the universe of the television series The Boys. It was developed by the VR studio ARVORE and published by Sony Pictures Virtual Reality.[1] The player controls Lucas Costa, an original character who gains superpowers after a family day at the Voughtland theme park ends in tragedy, and who then works with Butcher and the Boys against the Vought corporation.[2][3] ARVORE describes it as the first game based on The Boys.[2]
The game was announced on 8 December 2025 and released for Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S on 26 March 2026. A PlayStation VR2 version followed on 9 June 2026.[1][4][5] Critics gave it mixed reviews. UploadVR and Road to VR praised its portrayal of the show's characters and criticized its enemy AI; UploadVR also faulted its flat environments and limited physical interaction.[6][7][8]
Story
Lucas Costa's family day at Voughtland ends in violence after he uncovers a secret of the Armstrongs, a washed-up family of Supes propped up by Vought.[1][9][3] The Boys recruit him and give him superpowers through injections of Temp V, and he sets out for revenge against Vought and its Supes.[3][5] The PlayStation Store description adds that Lucas must rescue his daughter alongside Butcher and the Boys.[10] ARVORE's game page places the story between the fourth and fifth seasons of the TV series.[2]
The Armstrongs were created for the game as its main antagonists. ARVORE CEO Ricardo Justus told 80 Level that the studio "worked very closely with the show's writers and showrunners to ensure everything felt authentic."[11]
Gameplay
The game is played in first person with motion controllers. Missions can be approached through stealth or open combat.[4][2] Lucas's main power is telekinesis, which lets the player reach, grab, break, pull, crush and fling enemies.[3] Other abilities include an X-ray view that UploadVR calls "TK sense" and a long-range teleport, which is unlocked after the first mission. Temp V injections grant temporary powers.[7] Road to VR lists three of these: Bone Blades, Active Camouflage and Laser Eyes.[8] Players can also sneak up behind enemies and kill them with telekinesis.[7][8]
Movement is stick-based. The game supports teleport and smooth movement, snap and smooth turning, vignette settings, seated and standing play, artificial or real crouching, subtitles and adjustable player height. Road to VR noted that it has no difficulty setting.[8][7] UploadVR reported that a vignette is forced on when crouching and cannot be turned off.[7]
Estimates of the campaign's length vary. Justus said it runs "around seven to eight hours long, depending on how you play".[11] Road to VR's reviewer finished it in about four hours, while UploadVR's reviewer reported roughly ten hours.[8][7]
Development
The Boys: Trigger Warning was developed by ARVORE, the Brazilian studio behind the Pixel Ripped series, and published by Sony Pictures Virtual Reality.[1][12] Justus told 80 Level that it took about nine months of discussions with Sony, Meta and PlayStation to get everything aligned. The three companies funded the game, and it became the biggest project the studio had worked on, with around 50 developers at its peak.[11] The game is built in Unity. Justus said the studio is "engine-agnostic" but has a lot of experience with the engine.[11]
In the announcement, Justus said the studio "wanted to build an adaptation hand-in-hand with the people who defined this universe". Lance Sloane, senior vice president of virtual reality at Sony Pictures Entertainment, said that "Having the show's creators involved in shaping the experience allows us to push the boundaries of immersive storytelling".[12]
Voice cast
Four actors from the series are in the voice cast: Laz Alonso as Mother's Milk, Colby Minifie as Ashley Barrett and P.J. Byrne as Adam Bourke. Jensen Ackles plays what was announced as a "twisted interpretation" of Soldier Boy made for the game.[1][12] Karl Urban and Antony Starr, who play Butcher and Homelander on the show, did not take part. Voice actors Gary Furlong and Jake Green voice those roles instead.[8]
Release
Pre-orders opened on the Meta Horizon Store with a limited-time price of US $23.99, compared with the standard price of US $29.99. UploadVR noted that the game arrived weeks ahead of the fifth and final season of the TV series.[4] After the Quest launch, ARVORE released a patch in April 2026 with performance improvements and bug fixes.[13]
The PlayStation VR2 release date was announced in May 2026. It is marked as PS5 Pro Enhanced, and the studio promised "improvements the community requested" without giving details.[13] It launched on 9 June 2026 at US $29.99, with a limited-time PlayStation Plus price of US $23.99.[5] The PlayStation Store lists it as requiring PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers, with sitting and standing play modes and English voice and text.[10]
| Platform | Release date | Launch price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S | 26 March 2026 | US $29.99 | US $23.99 pre-order price[4] |
| PlayStation VR2 (PlayStation 5) | 9 June 2026 | US $29.99 | US $23.99 limited-time PlayStation Plus price; PS5 Pro Enhanced[5][13] |
The Meta Horizon Store lists the game under the title "The Boys", with the genres Shooter, Fighting, Narrative and Action and an 18+ age rating for extreme violence and strong language.[14] The PlayStation Store lists an ESRB rating of Mature.[10]
Reception
On Metacritic, the Meta Quest version has a score of 67 ("mixed or average") from five critic reviews: one positive and four mixed.[6]
| Publication | Platform | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Loot Level Chill | Meta Quest | 80/100[6] |
| CGMagazine | Meta Quest | 70/100[6] |
| ComicBook | Meta Quest | 70/100[6] |
| Worthplaying | Meta Quest | 60/100[6] |
| COGconnected | Meta Quest | 55/100[6] |
| UploadVR | Meta Quest 3 | 3/5[7] |
In its review, UploadVR concluded that the game "mostly plays it safe, delivering a run-of-the-mill stealth game lifted by the world it is set in". The review found the telekinetic sneak kill "very satisfying" and liked the portrayals of Butcher and Homelander. It criticized flat environments, glitches such as floating blood, and the small number of objects the player physically handles.[7] Road to VR, which gave no numeric score, praised the substitute voice actors and the level layouts with hidden areas. Its reviewer called the enemy AI "so bad it's funny" and the characters "robotically animated", and noted there are only two boss fights. It concluded that the game felt "both rushed and curbed in service of becoming a brand engagement vehicle".[8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Ian Hamilton (2025-12-08). "The Boys: Trigger Warning Comes To PlayStation VR2 & Quest 3 In 2026". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/the-boys-trigger-warning-psvr-2-quest/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "The Boys". ARVORE. ARVORE Immersive Games. https://arvore.io/games/the-boys. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Scott Hayden (2026-03-17). "'The Boys: Trigger Warning' Comes to Quest Next Week, Gameplay Trailer Here". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/the-boys-vr-game-quest-psvr-2-release-date-trailer/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 James Tocchio (2026-03-17). "The Boys: Trigger Warning Coming To Quest 3 Next Week". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/the-boys-trigger-warning-coming-to-quest-3-next-week/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 James Tocchio (2026-06-09). "The Boys: Trigger Warning Is Out Now On PlayStation VR2". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/the-boys-trigger-warning-is-out-now-on-playstation-vr2/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 "The Boys: Trigger Warning Critic Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-boys-trigger-warning/critic-reviews/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Mike Johnson (2026-03-28). "The Boys: Trigger Warning Review: Uninspired Stealth Boosted By Source Material". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/the-boys-trigger-warning-review-uninspired-stealth-boosted-by-its-source-material/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 Scott Hayden (2026-03-26). "'The Boys: Trigger Warning' Review - A Bloody Power Fantasy That Pulls Too Many Punches". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/the-boys-trigger-warning-review-quest-psvr-2/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ "Games". ARVORE. ARVORE Immersive Games. https://arvore.io/games. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "The Boys: Trigger Warning". PlayStation Store. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://store.playstation.com/en-us/concept/10017892/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 David Jagneaux (2026-03-26). "Inside The Boys VR: Trigger Warning's Gameplay, Story, and Tech". 80 Level. https://80.lv/articles/inside-the-boys-vr-trigger-warning-s-gameplay-story-and-tech. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 David Carcasole (2025-12-08). "Sony Pictures VR and ARVORE Announce The Boys: Trigger Warning, Coming to PS VR2 and Meta Quest 3 in 2026". Wccftech. https://wccftech.com/the-boys-trigger-warning-sony-pictures-vr-arvore-psvr2-meta-quest-3-2026/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Scott Hayden (2026-05-14). "'The Boys: Trigger Warning' Comes to PSVR 2 in June, Promising "community requested" Improvements". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/the-boys-vr-psvr-2-release-improvements/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ "The Boys". Meta Horizon Store. Meta Platforms. https://www.meta.com/experiences/the-boys/5661258417332116/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.