Population One channels Fortnite with free-to-play switch, graphical upgrades

It’s one other yr, one other quarter, and, like clockwork, Population: One is getting a brand new replace to maintain issues recent for gamers. The ever-popular VR battle royale sport has been topping the charts on Quest since its debut a number of years in the past and is now transferring to a model new enterprise mode: free-to-play.These modifications come scorching on the heels of the Sandbox replace (opens in new tab) which launched late final yr and debuted a brand-new stage editor that permit gamers create their very own ranges, debuting with over 1,000 deathmatch maps for gamers to roam on. There’s a purpose it stays one of many best possible Quest 2 video games (opens in new tab) you may play in the present day.Now, with this subsequent replace, developer BigBox VR is hoping to herald extra gamers than ever earlier than by lowering the entry value to zero on Quest 2 (opens in new tab) and Quest Pro. Players who benefit from the sport and wish to preserve incomes in-game rewards should buy the All Access move for round $10. As the title of the article suggests, this replace additionally features a graphics replace for Quest in addition to a bunch of different issues.I bought to interview the crew at BigBox VR and bought all the main points on what’s coming. Here’s what you may anticipate from the March 2023 Population: One replace when it launches on March 9.Population: One goes free-to-play(Image credit score: BigBox VR)The greatest headliner of the replace is, after all, the brand new free-to-play enterprise mannequin. On Quest, you can obtain the sport for precisely zero {dollars} and start enjoying instantly. Mimicking what we noticed when Gorilla Tag lastly launched on the Quest retailer final yr, Population: One will stay $20 on the PC.As was the case with that sport, the Population: One builders advised me that that is primarily to discourage pretend accounts which can be straightforward to make on the PC platform. To make up for the price, gamers who purchase the sport on the Steam or Rift shops will obtain precisely $19.99 in in-game foreign money (Bureau Gold).Existing gamers get unique skins and rewards that may’t be earned or purchased every other manner.As a part of the transfer, BigBox VR has completely overhauled the in-game retailer. Instead of simply shopping for a set of featured gadgets for a set time frame, gamers will get to browse a catalog of choices together with character fashions, gun wraps, and extra.Over 100 new gadgets are being added on March 9 with the launch and gamers can nonetheless use Silver to purchase various kinds of gadgets from the Seeker Silver retailer. In different phrases, gamers pays for some gadgets whereas others should be earned with in-game tokens.(Image credit score: BigBox VR)Similarly, current gamers will obtain a wealth of things for his or her loyalty to the sport, all of which can’t be bought or earned every other manner. On March 9, all current gamers will obtain The Original Banana Bundle which incorporates:Legendary “PJ Potassium” Character Pores and skinLegendary “Prestige” Character Skins (4 skins)Rare “Prestige” Full Gun Set (14 skins)Exclusive Title: “Original Banana”Exclusive Calling Card: “Celebration”Exclusive Spray: “I Was Here”1,000 Bureau GoldThe All Access PassAs Kaden “bagel-bytes” Nugent from the crew advised me “our core users are super, super important to us. They’ve made the game what it is today, so we want to reward them correctly.”The $10 All Access Pass is bought with in-game foreign money for everybody else — 750 Bureau Gold, to be actual — which implies PC gamers primarily have it included with the $20 worth of the sport; they will simply have to make use of their Bureau Gold to unlock it in-game first. All Access is a one-time buy and never designed to be a “season pass” as video games like Fortnite have, so there is not any must preserve shopping for it each few months.Going free-to-play ought to assist deliver plenty of new gamers onboard.BigBox VR advised me the transfer to a free-to-play mannequin was to encourage additional progress. Population: One has been one of the vital profitable video games within the VR panorama and dropping the price of entry to zero ought to additional improve that standing.Since the crew is targeted on increasing the sport’s viewers, I needed to ask the apparent query: will we see Population: One on any VR platforms like PSVR 2 (opens in new tab) or Pico?Nugent’s reply was fairly clear, albeit a bit hopeful. “Obviously, we want to be on every headset eventually…but that’s not something we’re going to be focusing on in the near future.” Emphases added by me.Graphics improve(Image credit score: BigBox VR)For seasoned gamers, the very first thing you will undoubtedly discover are the shadows. Every character and object within the sport now casts its personal shadow. Yes, that even means you will be seeing shadows for individuals flying round, so it is loads tougher to get a pinpoint drop on somebody with a sword.It’s completely wonderful what this one “little” change does to immersion and realism. You will not understand how flat every little thing appeared earlier than till you see this replace for your self. I wasn’t allowed to take images or video of my play session however BigBox VR offered me with this picture to showcase the brand new shadows and better decision textures.(Image credit score: BigBox VR)If that weren’t sufficient, BigBox VR has improved the decision of each texture within the sport, from roads to buildings, characters to weapon fashions, and every little thing in between. Objects now look higher outlined and weapons look extremely detailed and much more life like.Textures and general decision have been improved, and all objects now solid shadows.Lastly, the sport has seen a notable enhance in decision and general readability that is certain to be understood whereas enjoying battle royale. That, after all, is as a result of now you can see objects within the distance so a lot better than earlier than. The horizon is now not one thing that you will have to squint to see!All of that is potential due to the truth that the unique Oculus Quest {hardware} is now not supported, giving BigBox VR the power to make use of the Quest 2 {hardware} to the fullest extent. PC gamers may also see higher constancy, though there aren’t any further “advanced” graphics choices at launch.Sandbox involves battle royale(Image credit score: BigBox VR)While Sandbox has been restricted to only permitting gamers to host deathmatch, crew deathmatch, or haunt periods up till now, that is all altering with this newest replace. This is occurring in two new methods, the primary begins on March 9 with the addition of a well-liked sandbox map to the prevailing battle royale map.Sacred Village shall be changing Outpost Hill in the primary battle royale mode a lot in the way in which we noticed The Frontier (opens in new tab), Kingdom (opens in new tab), and Metropolis (opens in new tab) exchange current components of the map. BigBox VR advised me that that is just the start of what it is calling the evolving battle royale map and that we’ll see extra sandbox content material seem on this bigger map all through 2023.While loads of gamers welcome the change, gamers who’re feeling nostalgic for the unique map shall be completely happy to know {that a} model new battle royale mode — Classic Squads — is launching with the March 9 replace that features the unique Population: One map at the start started to vary.In brief, gamers can select from one among three multiplayer modes on March 9: traditional map battle royale, evolving map battle royale, or deathmatch sandbox.The important battle royale map will proceed to evolve all through 2023, beginning with the addition of Sacred Village.Later within the month on March 30, BigBox VR is bringing battle royale mode to sandbox maps, permitting gamers to affix and design their very own battle royale experiences utilizing new or current sandbox maps.Aside from the dimensions variations you may discover in a sandbox map versus the sport’s personal battle royale map, sandbox battle royale periods will not see gamers dropping right into a map by way of drop ships as they do now. Instead, map makers can resolve the place gamers will spawn when a spherical begins.Sandbox itself can also be getting a little bit of an improve within the type of selectable participant counts and added weaponry. Hosts can now choose 12 or 24-player rooms and may also deliver the rocket launcher in to play in sandbox lobbies. Yes, meaning you are able to do rockets-only!Better matchmaking and a slew of different modifications(Image credit score: BigBox VR)As with any main patch, BigBox VR is tweaking sure features of the gameplay to raised even issues out for gamers throughout the board. That begins with matchmaking which is able to now kind gamers into lobbies of similarly-skilled gamers. While BigBox VR has its personal talent rating methodology that sits below the hood, gamers will usually be sorted into one among two teams: decrease talent stage/newcomers, and all people else.On high of that, bots have been improved a lot that the crew is assured sufficient to permit them into lower-skill multiplayer lobbies that have not crammed up but. These two issues mixed ought to considerably assist lower-skill and newbie gamers alter to the sport’s mechanics and ranges with out getting immediately killed by a stage 60-something participant.Beginners will now be positioned into lower-skill lobbies so they do not get immediately killed by veteran gamers.With that mentioned, when you’re a lower-skill participant and occur to social gathering up together with your stage 60-something good friend, they will should play a little bit of protection as you will be partnered up in a foyer that matches the participant with the very best talent rating. Additionally, bots won’t populate higher-skill lobbies.If you are simply beginning out and would relatively strive your hand at a sport with simply bots, a brand new single-player mode will put you in lobbies with simply bots. Those bots can then alter issue based mostly in your abilities over a collection of 20 matches. Once you full all 20 matches, you will earn a “top character skin prize” which you could’t get every other manner.Bots will now fill newbie lobbies and gamers can sit up for higher moderation instruments o ward towards poisonous gamers.BigBox VR can also be revamping the moderation instruments, making it simpler to mute and report gamers who’re being obnoxious or poisonous. That’ll be an enormous reduction to anybody who’s ever run throughout somebody like this in a multiplayer sport.Lastly, are a slew of tweaks to vary issues up a bit. BigBox VR says it has adjusted gun harm and vary values to correctly categorize weapons as shut, medium, or long-range.Players can now solely carry one banana of their backpacks however it’ll immediately heal 100 well being — that is against 50 well being per banana, beforehand.Items that heal over time will see a therapeutic interruption as soon as a participant takes harm. That ought to shut the loophole the place gamers would chug sodas and get shot seemingly endlessly with out dying.You’ll additionally discover that ghost gamers can transfer round extra rapidly which ought to boost battle royale even additional.