Townsmen VR is the first Quest game exclusive to Quest 3.
Developed by HandyGames, Townsmen VR combines strategic city-building with ‘god-sim’ elements reminiscent of flatscreen classic Black and White. It's not "exclusive" in the way Resident Evil 4 VR was on Quest 2 at launch, having previously reached Rift, Steam, PSVR 2 and Viveport. However, excluding MR tutorial First Encounters, this is the first main Quest Store game only on Quest 3.
Previously, Meta advised Quest 3 wouldn't have any exclusives until 2024 and before Connect 2023, a spokesperson stated, “We don't have any specific Quest 3 exclusives, so everything that launches this holiday season until the end of the year will also be available on Quest 2.” While we've seen exclusive features for Quest 3 versions of games, like MR support in Neko Atsume Purrfect, that evidently held true, even if it only took four days into 2024.
We previously recommended Townsmen VR in our 2022 review, praising its impressive detail and welcoming approach for newcomers.
Fans of God-sims and city builders will find a lot to enjoy in Townsmen VR, and even newcomers to those genres will appreciate how well the extensive tutorial guides players through the process of creation and combat. The ability to change perspectives and enjoy the world from different levels provides a new level of immersion for this genre that is very welcome.
Townsmen VR is out now on most major VR platforms. We've contacted HandyGames to clarify if future Quest 2 or Quest Pro support is planned and why they've made it a Quest 3 exclusive. We'll update this article if we learn more.
Rebecca Hills-Duty
