Skyrim VR coming on April 3rd to the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift!

That sound you heard across the land is thousands upon thousands of hungry PC VR gamers celebrating with excitement over the idea that Skyrim VR is headed our way, and much sooner than we could have ever anticipated. Skyrim VR was released on Sony's PlayStation VR platform last November 17th. Most assumed that Sony had worked out a one year exclusivity window with Bethesda Game Studios. Turns out instead of waiting till much later in the year, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive gamers will be traversing the lands of Tamriel starting this April 3rd!

The surprise announcement caught the entire VR gaming industry by surprise, not the least of which is many VR publishers and developers that were planning to release their new VR games early this Spring. The arrival of a huge megahit like Skyrim VR could throw their plans into a tailspin, because the game is likely to command the vast majority of both gamers attention spans as well as their gaming budgets for the month. The game is being sold for the full $59.99 price, similar to the PSVR version, as well as Bethesda Game Studios other huge release, Fallout 4 VR.

While $60 VR games are an extremely rare breed, Skyrim VR is exactly the type of game that can get away with commanding such a premium. While we have many various PC VR "dungeon crawlers" like Vanishing Realms, The Mage's Tale and Karnage Chronicles , none of these games offer anywhere close to the full breadth of a package like Skyrim. We're talking about quite literally hundreds of hours of gameplay and thousands of miles of walk-able countryside to explore and pillage. Not only that, but a game like Skyrim VR is perfectly tailored for the ideal VR experience. All of the big PC VR platforms feature a pair of motion controllers for the player to use. The idea of holding a sword in one hand, and a shield in another hand makes perfect sense. The player feels a part of the world, more so than many other VR games.

Then you have to consider the biggest individual character featured in the game. Quite literally the thousands of square miles of Tamriel that the player is free to explore. It's the world of Skyrim VR that will be the true treat for PC VR players. Having played and enjoyed the PSVR version of the game last November, I can assure you that many players will be completely blown away by the experience. There's something magical about walking through a dangerous forest, on guard for any approaching enemies, with the wind swirling in the background and raindrops slowing begining to fall. The music is stirring in the background, and the rain begins to fall a bit harder and harder. The next thing you know, you're in the middle of a full-on downpour. It's moments like these that are almost indescribable with mere words. You really need to be there and feel it.

We'll continue to follow this game closely until it's release on April 3rd, which is only a mere 18 days away at the time of this article!