MicroProse Developing Multiplayer VR Bomber Sim

Strategy
MicroProse Developing Multiplayer VR Bomber Sim

Ancient strategy and sim publisher MicroProse rose from the grave earlier this month after 20 years. And now another game is about to be added to the mix, one that straddles the line between classic sim and modern novelty.

One of the last games MicroProse released before being shut down by Infogrames was B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th is a World War II bomber sim. In this game, you flew around in a B-17 as part of a crew of 10, doing everything from tail gunner to navigator; MicroProse's new game, The Mighty Eighth, is similar, but this time with multiplayer and VR.

Imagine a Star Trek bridge crew, all crammed into a fragile metal tube. But if it's anything like the last one, it will be much more complex than flying through space with your buddies. You'll have to work with human and AI crews to drop bombs on the right targets, navigate bombers through long flights and dark nights, keep in touch with your squadron and headquarters, and deal with enemies trying to stop you from dropping the aforementioned bombs.

B-17 Flying Fortress was stressful enough if you were only thinking about yourself and the AI, but mix in up to nine other players and things get a lot more tense. And that's in VR. Much panic and tense friendships are to be expected.

It's a "VR first project," but MicroProse says it can be played without VR. We don't want to be immersed in that experience while being shot at in a cramped cabin.

No release date or gameplay screenshots yet, but you can browse the gallery of assets and interiors below the announcement text. See, there's a cozy-looking little room and a giant MicroProse logo. And if this gets you excited, check out the selection of the best VR headsets currently available.

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