SimplePlanes is coming to VR, with a standalone VR application for PC and Quest that will let you download and pilot community-built planes.
The SimplePlanes application for PC released in 2015 and allows users to easily build and pilot custom plane models with a variety of different parts, which they can then upload online for others download and pilot themselves. The VR release will be a standalone app, separate to the existing PC release, but won’t feature any of the building and modelling capabilities. Instead, the VR version will focus just on piloting the custom planes, with the existing 500,000 community-made models on offer.
Here’s a description from the developers, posted on Reddit:
SimplePlanes VR a new, standalone game with full VR support and redesigned user interfaces where you can download airplanes from SimplePlanes.com and fly them. If an aircraft has a virtual cockpit, then you will be able to reach out and grab the virtual controls with your hands. If it doesn’t have a virtual cockpit, then you will still be able to fly it in first or third person camera views using your VR rig’s physical controllers. If you are playing on PC, then you can also use a joystick connected to your PC.
SimplePlanes VR is one of an increasing VR aviation apps releasing as of late. Customization and importing planes built in the PC app will obviously be a big draw for SimplePlanes VR, but Microsoft Flight Simulator‘s VR support has set the bar incredibly high with shocking visuals (sometimes at the cost of performance) and highly realistic simulation.
Likewise, Warplanes: WWI Fighters provides sublime aerial dogfighting combat on Quest and PC VR. Not only does Warplanes look visually impressive on both platforms, but it supports multiplayer with cross-play as well.
SimplePlanes VR is set for release later this year, available for $9.99 on Steam and Oculus Quest, with no word on whether it will be an App Lab or Oculus Store release.
