The sequel to Schell Games’ popular VR puzzle game hit a major milestone just one week after going on sale.
In 2016 Schell Games launched their game I Expect You To Die on Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR, and SteamVR headsets. In this James Bond-esque adventure, players took on the role of a professional spy tasked with solving a variety of cinematic puzzles within a set period of time. Needless to say, the game was an instant hit, captivating VR players with its colorful setting and unique puzzle-solving mechanics.
Capitalizing on the success of the original game, Schell Games launched I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar in August of 2021. Now, less than a month after its release, developer Schell Games is claiming that its sequel title managed to surpass $1M in sales less than a week after launch. This is a huge milestone not only for the developer but for the VR industry in general.
I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar isn’t the first Oculus Quest game to generate more than a million in revenue. Games such as Population One, Beat Saber, and others have hit that mark in the past. Onward hit the $1M mark in four days and has currently made over $10M on the Quest alone, a fact made even more impressive when you consider the games developed by a one-man team
Currently, over 60 games on the Quest store have generated over $1M; that’s roughly one out of three apps. On top of that, social VR platforms like AltSpaceVR, RecRoom, and VRChat have seen their download rates increase drastically over the last few months.
In general, VR game developers are seeing an increase in sales and downloads across the board. VentureBeat recently reported that since the Quest 2 started shipping, apps like Supernatural have seen subscriptions more than double, while Resolution Games (Demeo, Balston!) saw a 500% increase in downloads of their VR titles.
Schell Games knew they had a hit on their hands with I Expect You To Die, which explains their high expectations for I Expect You To Die 2. Seeing these kinds of sales numbers shows that the VR audience is growing exponentially.
In an official press release, Jesse Schell, CEO of Schell Games said, “We have been blown away by the support of games and VR enthusiasts from all over the world. We’ve received countless heart-warming messages from our players sharing their stories with the game, and we are so grateful to our existing fans and new agents who used their creativity and cunning to put a stop to Zoraxis’ nefarious schemes.”
“This is an important milestone, not just for us and our business, but for the ever-growing VR market. VR-first franchises like I Expect You to Die can succeed and studios should pay attention to where the market is going.”
The sequel picks up directly where the first game left off. You must do everything you can to stop the uber-evil megacorp Zoraxis from taking over the world. This involves solving puzzles (some deadly!) across six different missions. You won’t have to count on your wits and creative thinking alone, as you’ll have access to some pretty awesome spy gadgets.
Along the way, you’ll be joined by John Juniper (voiced by actor Wil Wheaton), a celebrity extraordinaire who will assist you on your deadly missions. To inject an additional sense of drama to the game, I Expect You To Die 2 features a kickass opening theme from America’s Got Talent singer, Puddles Pity Party, that harkens back to the good old days of classic Hollywood spy films.
I Expect You To Die 2 is available now on the PlayStation Store for PlayStation VR (PS VR), Steam, Oculus Quest, and Oculus Rift for $24.99. For more information, visit the game’s official website and join the community Discord.
Feature Image Credit: Schell Games
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