System Shock remake is getting a VR version — but who will actually play it?

Nightdive Studios has announced System Shock VR, a virtual reality adaptation of its acclaimed 2023 System Shock remake. The original remake scored 80% in PC Gamer's review and was later named Best Remake of 2023 in the outlet's Game of the Year awards. The VR version is being developed by Flat2VR Studios, known for bringing flat-screen games to VR.

According to the Steam listing, System Shock VR is a direct translation of the original game into virtual reality rather than a spin-off in the style of Half-Life: Alyx. The story remains the classic one: you were caught hacking into TriOp, Edward Diego offered you a deal, you took it, and six months later the whole Citadel Station incident kicks off.

The announcement raises an obvious question: who is this for? VR adoption remains minuscule. The Steam Hardware and Software Survey, which Valve says helps with decisions about technology investments and products, consistently shows that well under 2% of Steam users own a VR headset. While System Shock VR will also support Meta Quest and PSVR2 headsets, even including those platforms, it represents a tiny fraction of the overall gaming audience.

The author draws a comparison with Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow, another VR adaptation of a beloved classic. That game looked decent — for a VR title, at least — but it faced the same fundamental problem of a limited market. Nightdive hasn't announced a release date or further details yet, and the studio's confidence in the project seems to rest on the strength of the original material rather than proven demand for VR conversions of older PC games. Still, for the small but dedicated community of VR enthusiasts, the chance to face SHODAN in first-person VR might be exactly what they've been waiting for.