System Shock 2 is Coming to Virtual Reality

One of the legends of PC gaming is coming to one of the most immersive formats there is. System Shock 2 will be getting Virtual Reality support in the upcoming Enhanced Edition.

This information comes from a tweet by NightDive Studios, the team working on a modern System Shock Reboot and an enhanced edition of the original System Shock 2. The tweet reminds their followers that System Shock 2: Enhanced Edition is still in development (it was announced back in 2019). It also came with a video showing a VR controller working in-game, a wrench on screen moving in coordination with the controller.

System Shock 2 originally released in 1999. It was a smash hit, helping popularize the first person RPG shooter as a mainstream game genre. The player, trapped aboard a space station, has to use a combination of weapons and genetic modifications to fight against a rogue AI wanting to destroy all humans. Originally developed by Irrational Games, it helped pave the way for the studio to create even more games based on similar ideas, like BioShock.

The announcement came as a complete surprise to us. The team at NightDive has, as far as we could tell, been focusing mostly on developing the System Shock 1 remake. Enough focus was on this project that we actually forgot that the System Shock 2: EE was still a thing.

Either way, adding VR support is a wonderful idea. The retro graphic style means that it will run well on even lower end VR-ready PCs. Having it part of the normal mode (like how Resident Evil 7 did it) is a fantastic way to bring sales in for non VR fans while also hooking in new sales for those wanting to try it in VR.

System Shock 2: Enhanced Edition does not have a price and release date at this time. Though we suspect it might be soon. Platforms are not confirmed either, but the video shows them using a Valve Index controller, so it will likely be available via Steam VR. It might be lightweight enough to run on an Oculus Quest even. Just make sure you don't mind sharing your Facebook data.