Studio Vertigo Games Behind ‘Metro Awakening’ Sells Virtual Reality Arcade Platform SpringboardVR

Vertigo Games, known for the successful Arizona Sunshine series and Metro Awakening (2024), recently made headlines by announcing the sale of SpringboardVR, a platform dedicated to distributing location-based entertainment (LBE) VR content. This move signifies a shift for the studio that initially acquired SpringboardVR back in 2021, expressing high hopes for its role in boosting VR’s growth at that time.

Fast forward to now, SynthesisVR, a key player in virtual reality LBE management, has taken the reins from Vertigo Games by acquiring SpringboardVR. Although the details of the transaction remain confidential, the transition is set to complete on February 1st, 2025. According to a joint press release from the companies, “This acquisition strengthens the industry by providing a future-proof foundation for arcade operators and developers, setting the stage for sustained growth and innovation in the next era of VR.” Both SpringboardVR and SynthesisVR will continue to operate independently, but their alignment under Deploy Reality highlights a long-term commitment to enhancing location-based VR experiences, offering more choices and resources to operators.

Vertigo Games, hailing from the Netherlands, is credited for a slew of VR hits, such as Metro Awakening (2024), Arizona Sunshine Remake (2024), Arizona Sunshine 2 (2023), along with LBE iterations of popular games like Space Pirate Trainer, and multiplayer favorites Eclipse and Ghost Patrol VR.

While Vertigo Games is stepping back from its direct connection to SpringboardVR, it isn’t withdrawing from the LBE VR scene altogether. The company remains “deeply invested in the future of location-based VR through its renewed long-standing partnership with SynthesisVR.” The plan is to keep delivering top-notch LBE VR experiences in tandem with consumer-oriented content for home users.

Richard Stitselaar, CEO of Vertigo Games, expressed the company’s vision, stating, “Vertigo Games is fully committed to the evolution of VR arcades. With this transition, we are setting a course for the future—one where Vertigo Games can focus on content innovation and creativity while SynthesisVR drives platform advancements. By strengthening our long-standing collaboration, we’re ensuring that both operators and developers benefit from more powerful, forward-thinking solutions so we can offer audiences truly immersive, next-generation entertainment.”

The announcement doesn’t hint at financial distress, but it does emerge amidst economic shifts impacting the virtual reality sector. Recent layoffs have plagued the industry, affecting Swedish studio Fast Travel Games, known for recent VR titles like Action Hero (2024) and Mannequin (2024), as well as Drop Dead’s studio Soul Assembly.

In late 2023, economic challenges led to job cuts at established XR studio nDreams, famous for VR games like Frenzies (2024) and Vendetta Forever (2024), and XR Games, the studio behind Hitman 3 VR: Reloaded (2024), which significantly trimmed its workforce. Similar challenges faced by the Canadian studio Archiact, known for the VR port of DOOM 3 (2021), and social VR platform VRChat, resulted in substantial staff reductions as well.