Every lightsaber toy I ever had as a kid let me down. Telescoping plastic tubes with half-hearted sound effects just couldn’t measure up to the Jedi fantasies I had in my head. But now a new experience coming to the HTC Vive is shaping up to make 8-year-old Joe’s dreams come true.
Star Wars – Trials On Tatooine: A Cinematic Virtual Reality Experience is coming soon to the HTC Vive.
The first thing most people think of when they see the Vive’s hand tracked controllers is “that could be a lightsaber.” Well that wait is finally over. This Star Wars experience drops you onto the harsh desert wasteland of Tatooine. With a little help from R2-D2 (who is still the best droid in the galaxy I don’t care what you think about BB-8) you’ll draw your lightsaber and fend off waves of attacking storm troopers.
Just to be clear, this title is clearly labeled as an experiment. It is not a full game. Don’t expect there to be space-flight, lightsaber duels, or any content beyond the slice shown off here. But still, VR Star Wars is VR Star Wars.
The presence of a licensed VR game from what is arguably the most powerful single entertainment property in the world is a huge get for VR. It is also a huge get for the HTC Vive.
As these headsets become available for purchase it is their respective content offerings that will sway potential consumers. The Vive may be pulling the greatest Jedi mind trick of all on the market by bringing a Galaxy Far Far Away to a retailer near you.
