Oculus Quest 2 games releasing in April 2023 and beyond

The Quest 2 is in its final year as the mainstream king of VR before the Quest 3 replaces it. While that means some devs are moving on to the next generation, plenty of them are rushing to release their projects to the tens of millions of Quest 2 owners before they move on.

That's why, even though the Oculus Quest 2 may not have the AAA franchises of the PlayStation VR2 — which just exploded onto the scene and claimed a lot of our favorite Quest 2 games — there are still plenty of new Quest 2 games coming out in 2023 in case you're running low on things to play.

We've assembled a sizable list of announced titles you can expect to play over the next few months, as well as new Quest 2 games coming out this month. We update the list regularly, so be sure to check back to see what's been added.

Just released

Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game

Love exploring the universe? Have you ever done it with your hands? We didn't think so, and this new spin-off of the popular Stelaris PC game will see players using their actual hands — or controllers, if you wish — to explore the universe and trade with or dominate aliens of all kinds. You'll discover new planets and help defend your homeworld in this sci-fi action roguelite. As I said in my review of the game (opens in new tab), Ghost Signal is the Stellaris roguelike I didn't know I needed.

The story revolves around the mysterious Ghost Signal emitting from the farthest reaches of space, requiring you to set out on a vast journey filled with mystery and intrigue in a way only space can bring. Developer Fast Travel Games has built a seriously powerful reputation in the industry and is set to transform what players think about space travel with intuitive VR controls, meaningful ship upgrades, bountiful journeys, and plenty of awe and wonder on the way.

Buy at Quest Store (opens in new tab)

Not for Broadcast

Ready to see how good you'd be at censoring the truth and editing propaganda for a political regime? It might not sound like your first choice for a fun gaming night, but Not for Broadcast was a critically acclaimed full-motion video (FMV) game with about 43 hours of footage for you to censor in real-time released in 2022. 

Now this VR port will bring the story of an alternate-history UK from the late 80s and early 90s to the Quest 2. It looks to be something entirely unique from what we've seen before on the console.

Buy at Quest Store (opens in new tab)

The Last Worker

As you might have guessed from the title, The Last Worker puts you in the shoes of, you guessed it, the last human worker for a giant corporation. Where did your other human friends go? Replaced by robots and AI, of course.

This first-person narrative action-adventure title aims to deliver novel-quality writing and an emotional story that's deep and rewarding, albeit maybe a bit depressing. With a unique comic book art style by none other than Mick McMahon, the guy behind the infamous Judge Dredd, you'll be immersed in a stylish world that looks as good as it feels.

Until, that is, you get replaced by a machine. Good luck!

Buy at Quest Store (opens in new tab)

Gambit!

Fans of classic heist movies or games will feel right at home in Gambit!, a 4-player co-op-friendly game with a 20+-hour-long story-driven campaign. As is the case with most co-op-friendly games, this one can be played completely solo or with 2-3 other players, if you so choose.

Gambit! spans nine levels and three chapters to create that 20+ hour campaign and sees you playing as one of four mercenaries in a "pre-apocalyptic" world." Choose from Cody, Frank, Kevin, or Udo and outfit yourself with a plethora of weapons that range from traditional guns and rifles to more unique weapons straight from the minds of the developers.

Levels include lots of climbing and parkour challenges on top of high-action combat scenarios. This one is structured a bit like Left 4 Dead or After the Fall, so you'll be moving from one safe house to the next as you progress through each narrated chapter. There are lots and lots of secrets, though, so keep on the lookout for collectibles and ways to unlock more guns.

You'll also find a PvP tournament for players who would rather battle against human players instead of alongside them. This one also has quite a bit of language and violence and looks like it earned that mature rating, for sure. If you really want to mute the language, it comes with a built-in profanity filter which is a nice touch.

Buy at Quest Store (opens in new tab)

Fruit Ninja VR 2

The original Fruit Ninja VR was a cute, casual experience that introduced a lot of people to the simple joys of swiping at things in VR. Now the long-delayed sequel is arriving with better graphics and the same basic premise: use your ninja skills to teach fruit a lesson!

You now have a new bow-and-arrow mode, a rhythm-slicing mode that'll remind you of Beat Saber, a social hub for hanging with or challenging other players, and other new mechanics and secrets.

Release date: Spring 2023

Quest 2 games releasing in April 2023 and beyond

Kill It With Fire VR

Gamers with arachnophobia will know that many games involving spiders are often the creepiest sort. While some games like Grounded have an arachnophobia safe mode (opens in new tab), Kill It With Fire proposes an entirely different kind of solution for dealing with those creepy crawlies: burn them all!

Kill It With Fire is one of my personal favorite Android games (opens in new tab) because it's just so darn chaotic and entirely ridiculous. Throughout the game, you'll be searching around for the source of the goosebumps on your arms, squashing, burning, slicing, and otherwise destroying the house you're in just to rid it of your eight-legged foes.

This VR version of the classic is developed by the same person who made the original, so you know it'll hold up to that game's original feel. Just, of course, with the extra immersive power of VR.

Release date: April 13

Breachers

I had a chance to play Breachers at GDC 2023 briefly, and was blown away with the graphical performance and depth of gameplay, from the number of weapons and gadgets to the accurate tracking. It's no wonder Breachers, which evokes Counter-Strike, already has tens of thousands of players in its Discord.

I played horribly, but my teammates stayed in close communication as they breached enemy defenses or held off foes, carrying us to victory. The devs told me they're doing their best to keep the community civil, and because you can never hear the opposing team, it keeps a lot of the trash talk to a minimum. 

Generally speaking, this is a game of teamwork and careful infiltration rather than flashy heroics, which could help it maintain a large user base. The next round begins quickly after one ends, so you'll never have to wait around for long for redemption. 

Release date: April 13 (Pre-order on Quest Store (opens in new tab))

A Knight in the Attic

This relaxing VR puzzle game has you, Guinevere, sneaking up to your grandmother's attic to solve puzzles and defeat the evil Mordred. Along with that classic ball-rolling/ hole-avoiding game most people know from their childhoods, it appears that you'll also control characters in miniature worlds using tilt controls. This looks to be a charming option for first-timers to avoid motion sickness, since you'll be planted in the attic without any artificial movement.

Release date: April 13. Wishlist at Quest Store (opens in new tab)

AMID EVIL VR

Fans of classic PC shooters like Quake, Heretic, and Hexen will feel immediately at home with AMID EVIL VR, a total remake of the game AMID EVIL that was released on  Steam in 2019. AMID EVIL was developed by Indefatigable and New Blood Interactive of DUSK fame, a group that creates retro-style shooters in the vein of 90s classics.

This one should pack in hours of classic PC FPS gameplay filled with frags, gibs, spells, and crazy weapons that come to life like never before thanks to the immersive power of VR. This one is landing on Quest and Steam so you can choose your favorite platform to play it on.

Release date: April 20. Wishlist on Quest Store (opens in new tab)

Everslaught Invasion

Everslaught Invasion is the Quest port of the popular PC VR title, bringing brutal medieval combat to Quest with a co-op focus. Players will take on hordes of monstrosities in fast-paced combat which sees players not only hacking and slashing, but also dashing, double jumping, cliff diving, and grappling their way through the game's detailed cities.

Players will choose from one of three classes and level their way up through the adventure. You'll gather loot and experience, getting new weapons and skill upgrades along the way.

Release date: April 2023

Propagation: Paradise Hotel

You've been trapped in the kitchen of a hotel in the aftermath of some sort of zombie apocalypse with no way to tell time or what's happened on the outside world. You and the security guard are the only two known survivors — that is, until you hear a scream on the radio one day that sounds an awful lot like your twin sister, Ashley.

In Propagation: Paradise Hotel, you'll play as Emily the friendly bartender and square off against unfriendly, hellish fiends of all kinds as you attempt to make your way to the roof and meet up with your sister. Will you and the security guard, Owen, survive?

This solo horror game will test your will to survive as you make your way through the hotel, scavenging anything you can find. Just be careful because there are only so many items to find along the way, so you'll need to be extra smart in order to survive.

Release date: May 4

The Signifier VR

Step into the dreams and memories of the deceased with the Dreamwalker machine in The Signifier, a VR adaptation of the tech-noir mystery adventure PC game. This VR remake of the title will put players right in the middle of the fray as they investigate the murder of the vice president of the world's largest tech company. What dark secrets will you uncover as you dive into the deep recesses of the human brain?

Release date: Early 2023 (delayed from February 2023)

Rogue Ascent

Hand tracking is one of those VR features that's about as hit-or-miss as you can get. But while the technology can be spotty at times, a game's design goes a long way to ensuring that gamers have a good time despite a tech's shortcomings. That's where Rogue Ascent comes in.

Rogue Ascent is a procedurally-generated sci-fi shooter controlled entirely by your hands — not your Quest controllers. While this sounds like a potential disaster in the making, the developers have created the game's gesture system with care to ensure that you're going to have a great time and feel really cool doing it thanks to hand tracking.

Rogue Ascent is graduating from App Lab and heading to the official Quest store in May 2023. In the meantime, you can try the game for free (opens in new tab) right now on your Quest.

Release date: May 2023

Crimen: Mercenary Tales

Crimen follows eight legendary tales of swashbuckling and grandeur, sending tasking players with completing cunning puzzles and exhilarating combat scenarios set in the 17th century. The game prides itself on a strange combination of comic book visuals and historically accurate weaponry, dashed with plenty of comic relief along the way.

Each tale is narrated by what the developers call "charismatic personalities" and Slavik folk music, lending more authenticity to each tale. The trailer takes a thrilling look at the game which seems like a narrative gold mine of one-liners and highly choreographed fights that look like they'd be a blast to play.

Release date: May 2023

X8

X8 takes the concept of a hero shooter — like Overwatch — and turns it on its head. This 5v5 team-based multiplayer shooter takes place after a "digital cataclysm" that ejected heroes from different FPS franchises and brought them back to their "ancestor game engine."

Basically, it's a way for the developers to create lots of interesting characters without having to worry about fitting them into a single narrative or theme. As you might expect from other hero shooters, each character has its own abilities and weapon load-outs, each of which can be customized before each match. Funds earned during matches can be used to level their characters up and earn new armaments.

Multiple game modes are planned for the future but X8 will launch with a search-and-destroy-style mode that sees attackers arming bombs throughout the map while defenders are tasked with defending and, subsequently, defusing the bombs if they are armed.

Release date: Spring 2023 

Join the beta now (opens in new tab)

Warp Lab

Ever since modern VR headsets debuted in 2016, gamers have been wishing for a VR remake of the classic Portal games from Valve. While Valve still hasn't delivered the goods, one other developer seems brave enough to try its hand at matching up to the gaming classic.

Warp Lab takes the portal concept from Portal and adds in sentient beings, guns, and a host of other environmental challenges that attempt to not only bring Portal in VR but to one-up its action sequences with plenty unique ones of its own.

Release date: Spring 2023

Cosmic Overdrive

Fly through an obstacle-strewn portal to its end in Cosmic Overdrive. Its gameplay reminds us a bit of the asteroid fields and warp zones of Star Fox 64, only in first-person and without the talking animals. You'll need to dodge some obstacles with your reflexes and lateral thrusters while blasting away others in procedurally-generated on-rails courses. 

Release date: Spring 2023

We Are One

Sometimes, it's hard getting things done by yourself. That why, in We Are One, players can clone themselves in We Are One to get multiple tasks done at once. It's not unlike the concept in The Last Clockwinder (opens in new tab), except We Are One expands that to bigger environments and introduces plenty of combat scenarios, as well. Can you be your best tool as you forge through the game's winding story and comic book-styled environments?

Release date: May 2023

Pixel Ripped 1978

The first two Pixel Ripped titles referenced classic arcade titles indirectly; you played as young children in 1995 and 1989 who helped arcade character Dot fight evil foes across video game dimensions. Now, because ARVORE has partnered with Atari for Pixel Ripped 1978, the game can directly use game mechanics from Atari arcade classics like Pong, Breakout, Missile Command, and so on. 

I had the chance to play a Pixel Ripped 1978 at GDC 2023 on the PS VR2, and found it to be just as charming as the original games, with a graphical upgrade and new mechanics. You don't need to play the originals to understand what's happening, and ARVORE devs assured me the campaign will be much longer than the first two games as well. Any fan of classic arcade games should absolutely keep this on their radar.

Release date: Summer 2023

Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable

While little information is known about Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable, the premise is likely as "simple" as you might expect. We imagine taking down a titan as a regular-sized human would be a great time. The teaser above doesn't reveal anything about the gameplay, but there's an indie SideQuest experience (opens in new tab) that you can play right now that gives a low-res, unauthorized sneak peek of what the game could be like.

Release date: Summer 2023

Crumbling

Crumbling is a VR roguelike action-adventure in which you use hand tracking (or the Touch controllers) to control a miniature action figure. You'll "fight against an onslaught of plastic monsters in hack'n'slash combat that is all about timing." It looks like a cute family-friendly RPG, and you can try the App Lab demo (opens in new tab) now if you're interested.

Release date: Summer 2023

The Foglands

Coming to the PS VR2 and SteamVR as well, The Foglands is yet another dungeon-crawling roguelike, though it looks a heck of a lot prettier than Ancient Dungeon. As a Runner in this sci-fi/ Western world, you'll put your shooting, throwing, and dodging skills to the test. 

Along with scrounging for supplies and gaining new permanent skills over time, you'll also interact with characters to progress the story, which we hope will keep us invested from one run to the next.

Release date: 2023

Another Fisherman's Tale

A Fisherman's Tale is one of our all-time favorite VR puzzle games because of its ability to channel the puzzle-within-a-puzzle concepts of Inception in a palpable way. Another Fisherman's Tale looks to take some of the trippy formula of the original and channel an entirely different movie this time: The Addam's Family.

Specifically, The Thing — that's the hand that walks around on its fingers. Players will find themselves in a wooden body with parts that can be easily disembodied. Toss your hand through a broken window and control its movements as its scurries along to get the door open, attach a hook to your arm a la Captain Hook from Peter Pan, or just drive your ship under the water as you face the mighty Kraken.

As in the original, expect plenty of mind-bending puzzles and surprising narratives as this rich story-driven title when it launches later this year.

Release date: 2023

Eye of the Temple

While many VR games encourage players to physically move around as much as possible, few games actually require players to move around. That's what makes Eye of the Temple so unique! It's a spatial platforming puzzle game that actually requires a 2 x 2 meter (6.5 x 6.5 ft) play space to actually play the game.

I reviewed Eye of the Temple (opens in new tab) back in 2021 when it came out for PC VR and loved the unique take on the traditional platformer as it means you're actually the character that needs to balance on objects and move from platform to platform as you traverse the impressively large and detailed world.

The undeniable Indiana Jones influence means your main weapon and puzzle-solving tool is a handy whip that actually moves like a real whip, meaning you'll need to get some practice in to confidently swing it around. With plenty of gems to collect and a fascinating story to uncover, Eye of the Temple will have you walking around in your play space in a way you've probably never experienced before in VR.

Release date: 2023

Yupitergrad 2

Yupitergrad 2 is taking the formula from the original to the next level with Metroidvania-style levels, combat encounters, an AI-backed narrative, and the same amazing suction cup-swinging locomotion from the original.

You'll once again be in the shoes of an astronaut with suction cup gloves, but this time you're tasked with finding the secrets of the lost space station and escaping its maze-like design before your untimely death arrives. The original game is one of the most fun adventure platformers in VR because of its unique locomotion — you're essentially a Cosmonaut Spider-Man — and the additions here look like they'll fill in the gameplay even more.

Release date: 2023 

Stack

You and up to nine other players can duel it out in a Mad Max-inspired post-apocalyptic world where your only weapon is a razer disc that you'll sling at other players. Use your parkour moves and in-hand shield to block and dodge other players' discs from the makers of Against and Stride.

Play the beta now (opens in new tab)

Release date: 2023

I Expect You to Die 3: Cog in the Machine

I Expect You to Die 2 was a charming James Bond-meets-escape-room game that challenged your brain and cartoonishly murdered you in equal measure. So we're thrilled that Schell Games, fresh off its Among Us VR success, will continue its winning formula this year with telekinetic puzzle-solving. While it continues the story of your spy facing down the villainous Dr. Zor, new players who don't want to play the first two games should have no trouble diving in.

Release date: 2023

Stride Fates

Parkour-heavy game Stride (opens in new tab) finally gets a story mode that looks and feels as Mirror's Edge as the original sandbox release did. This long-awaited story mode is finally coming and it looks absolutely fantastic, adding in quality voiceover work and an intriguing story that's filled to the brim with action and parkour.

The original release date was December 15, 2022 but the team took feedback from customers and decided to put it back in the oven a bit longer. Originally, Fates was designed to be a one-hour story-based adventure but the extra development time means the team is now shooting for a 5+ hour gameplay time. Delays are never fun but this sounds like it'll be worthwhile.

Release date: 2023

(opens in new tab)

Stride takes your parkour dreams and makes them come true. Run, jump, slide, grapple, grab and shoot your way to victory among the rooftops of a beautiful cityscape in a race against the clock. Play with friends in the unique multiplayer mode or enjoy the story in the upcoming Fates update.

$14.99 at Oculus (opens in new tab)

Red Flowers

Red Flowers sounds like a nice, peaceful title from the onset, but that instantly turns brutal the moment you dive into the trailer. The game seems to share at least some minor similarities to the Ubisoft-developed Red Steel games back on the Nintendo Wii, except with the accurate and visceral combat needed to bring an action title into VR.

Developer Joy Way games has made a name for itself in recent years with games like Against and Stride, and Red Flowers looks to take the studio's pedigree for fast action-packed games and add in a katana and plenty of building hopping parkour to go along with it.

Release date: 2023

Ancient Board Games

If you've ever wondered what people of ancient times did to pass the time, you're about to find out. Ancient Board Games is exactly what you would imagine, packing a series of historical board games into one VR game that lets you battle against your friends using the knowledge of the ancients.

From what we can gather from the trailer, you'll be visiting various regions throughout ancient Mesopotamia, enjoying scenic views while you defeat friends and foes alike with your newfound skills.

Release date: 2023

Divine Duel

Divine Duel looks like a fantasy/sci-fi mash-up of the popular Blaston, a 1v1 PvP game that sees players standing across from each other in fantastical arenas dueling to the death. Divine Duel attempts to eschew the ordinary by using over 40 fantasy weapons including many unorthodox ones like weaponized musical instruments, mythical creatures, and environmental hazards.

Release date: 2023

Survival Nation

From the beginning of the trailer, you might expect this to be some survival sim akin to Rust. But, as you're minding your own business and scavenging for what's left in the world, things quickly take a turn for the worse as the zombie horde shows up.

Survival Nation looks very much like a VR version of Day Z, which should put zombie survival fans in a tizzy of excitement. We don't know much about this one other than what's in the trailer above, but it looks like you'll have to survive more than just zombies and hunger as you brave the poor conditions of the post-apocalyptic world.

Release date: 2023

Call of the Sea VR

When Norah's husband goes out on an expedition and is never heard from again, she takes it upon herself to go to the South Pacific to find out what has become of her love. This VR adaptation of the popular PC adventure mystery game sets players in the 1930s on that lush island paradise to solve puzzle and unravel the mystery of what happened to Harry and his expedition.

Release date: 2023

Next Player Please

Next Player Please sees players sitting around a physical table, passing the headset to one another to complete minigames with just their hands. The trick here — at least based on the trailer — is that the VR headset doesn’t have a strap and players don’t use controllers.

Those two key points make it easy to pass the headset along to others quickly, as what appear to be Wario Ware-style minigames will likely be faster-paced than in other VR titles. 

Beta available now (opens in new tab)

Full Release date: 2023

Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord

This was perhaps the single biggest announcement during the 2022 Meta Games Showcase. Ghostbusters VR takes the iconic film franchise and puts it into the world of virtual reality. The game tasks players with running a new Ghostbusters HQ in San Francisco, all while taking down and capturing various ghosts in the process. 

Ghostbusters VR supports up to four-player co-op, and seems to be sticking pretty close to the spirit of the original films. However, we don't know much else about the game at this time. 

Release date: 2023

The Thrill of the Fight 2

We don't know much about this sequel, as the announcement video gives no release window and shows no new footage. But the original is one of the best exercise games on the Quest 2, and the sequel will be "co-developed" by original creator Ian Fitz and Halfbrick Studios (Fruit Ninja VR 2). They promise "to improve the mechanics to make fights feel more fair and more realistic."

Release date: TBD

Behemoth

Skydance Interactive, developers behind the Quest's best game — that's The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners — are back with a brand new, wholly original IP that looks to take Saints & Sinner's gameplay to a new level. The trailer above debuted at The Game Awards 2022 and showcased a plague-ravished snowy wasteland that Skydance says used to be a glorious empire.

Behemoth utilizes Skydance Interactive's unique physics system and takes it to a new level, opening up pathways to cause environmental destruction and take your enemies down along with it. As in Saints & Sinners, players will scavenge the land to survive and craft new armor, weapons, food, and other utilities that will help in the game's progression. The developers say the human AI has been leveled up this time around, so don't expect to just be slicing dumb zombies this time around.

Players will also have a grappling hook which will come in handy for traversal across the landscape and, of course, for climbing up those bulking behemoths that give the game its name. It's got some serious Shadow of the Colossus meets The Elder Scrolls vibes, and we're all here for it.

Release date: Late 2023 

Genotype

Bolverk Games describes Genotype as an atmospheric, escape-the-dungeon sci-fi adventure that takes place at an abandoned gene research facility in Antarctica. Recently entering Alpha, Genotype sounds quite ambitious: you'll use your GRAID gloves to "print," upgrade, and control monstrous creatures, which you'll then use to defend yourself from other monsters. 

You'll need to unravel the mystery of what happened, solve puzzles, make "tough moral choices," and use your printed allies to explore areas of the facility that you can't reach.

Release date: Q4 2023

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas VR

During Facebook Connect 2021, Mark Zuckerberg confirmed that a virtual reality game based on the extremely popular Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas will be released. 

While not too much is known about the title, we do know that Video Games Deluxe, the same studio behind the LA Noire: The VR Case Files port, will be working on it, with a release date set for sometime in 2023.

Release date: 2023

Assassin's Creed VR

We know nearly nothing about the Assassin's Creed VR game. Co-developed by Ubisoft Düsseldorf, Ubisoft Mumbai, and Ubisoft Reflections, this title will likely continue the ongoing lore that Ubisoft has established with Assassin's Creed, although it's unknown what aspect of Assassin's Creed players will get to experience.

Release date: TBD

Which VR game are you looking forward to playing?

After a crowded 2022 for Oculus Quest 2 games, 2023 started off with a sparse library of new Quest 2 games before starting to pick up the pace this spring. Many developers are likely starting to look ahead toward the Meta Quest 3 launching in 2023. 

Still, with major titles like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Assassin's Creed VR promised for the Quest 2, we can still hope that the aging console has plenty of life left in it with more major releases to come. That will help it to compete against the PS VR2, which has more powerful graphics but a much smaller gaming library than the Quest.

Even if the game you're waiting on doesn't have a set release date yet, there are still many other great Oculus Quest 2 games to check out right now! Or, if you want a good starting point, we've selected the five Quest 2 games to play first (with five backup picks) so you fill up your headset with the best games from the outset.