With many VR multiplayer video games going free-to-play, Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss is a curious exception going the other way.
A PvP MOBA-like spin-off of Moss and Moss: E-book 2, Polyarc’s Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss duties you with destroying an enemy’s ‘Glass Stronghold’ by choosing a group of three Champions with distinctive skills. Following 2023’s free-to-play open beta, information had gone quiet for Glassbreakers after this resulted in January final 12 months. Now, it is not too long ago re-emerged with a late 2025 launch window.
Greater than a 12 months with out main information is a very long time for any recreation to go silent after an open beta, which left many followers questioning what’s been occurring. Earlier than final week’s look within the VR Video games Showcase, Polyarc had begun releasing developer diaries throughout July protecting topics like development and new Champions.
So, what precisely’s been occurring all this time? Polyarc’s Design Director, Chris Bourassa, defined extra throughout a latest video name interview, however not earlier than diving into Glassbreakers’ historical past. It is an concept that goes again to the studio’s early days when the sport was initially often known as ‘Crimson.’
“Danny Bulla, one of many studio’s founders, was my school roommate. He began this in 2017, he had me come up and go to. Danny was like, ‘I want you to come back assist me make this recreation,’ and we performed Glassbreakers.”
Although Polyarc put the concept on maintain, believing the VR multiplayer market wasn’t developed sufficient but, the studio revisited this prototype after ending the unique Moss. Giving it a facelift and up to date controls, the studio started pitching to traders following the launch of Brass Ways, basing a lot of Glassbreakers’ motion mannequin on the real-time technique recreation.
“I spent lots of time attempting to duplicate their motion mannequin. So we up to date that and seemed round, however the curiosity wasn’t totally there but. We then took a while, labored on a couple of different prototypes, after which ended up with a deal for Moss E-book 2.”
Work on Glassbreakers continued within the background throughout Moss: E-book 2’s growth, and multiplayer curiosity began gathering as Rec Room’s reputation grew. Roughly 3/4 of the way in which via the sequel’s growth, Bourassa started ramping up a smaller group to get Glassbreakers transferring, coming into full growth after E-book 2 was completed.
Come 2023, Glassbreakers’ open beta arrived on Quest’s now-defunct App Lab platform with an meant free-to-play mannequin earlier than getting a Steam launch practically two months later. Bourassa tells me its reception was largely constructive to the purpose the place some Discord server members nonetheless focus on the open beta’s metagame, calling this “a extremely large driving power” for the group.
Bourassa states the group “realized a ton” from this usually “brutally trustworthy” suggestions, which he describes as being welcome. Nevertheless, as a studio with slightly below 50 employees members and a number of tasks, Polyarc realized {that a} free-to-play mannequin is not sustainable for its group.
“We started to grasp the expectations of what players have for free-to-play in opposition to the group dimension that we had. We rapidly realized that we’re not going to have the ability to meet this. We hit that junction level within the street… We realized comparatively rapidly that it wasn’t going to be sustainable for us.”
As such, Glassbreakers finally shifted from free-to-play right into a paid recreation. Provided that we have seen many VR multiplayer video games take the alternative strategy, Brazen Blaze and Model being latest examples, was this a threat? Realizing free-to-play wasn’t the appropriate alternative made it a better pivot.
“We had already had conversations about it being a premium recreation. It was like, we’ll use the open beta time to do that out. If it does not work, now we have a plan to pivot again to this.”
Persevering with additional, Bourassa states utilizing a free-to-play mannequin means you usually have to gate unlockables behind components like time and a grind, utilizing battle passes for unlocking cosmetics. He defined this “type of handcuffs me a bit bit” when working inside a sure mannequin; free-to-play did not enable him to craft a development curve that he preferred.
By comparability, a premium expertise lets him extra simply give attention to being a designer. The present unlocking technique is that you just play as a Champion to unlock different Champions, letting you earn a ‘Mastery’ pores and skin for them after reaching stage 20 or attempting out totally different characters alongside the way in which.
The intent is to have everybody play every Champion “a bit bit,” beginning off with extra simple Champions earlier than introducing ones with extra advanced skills, Rees being one of many first unlocks. Bourassa explains how this layered strategy to constructing group compositions is not one thing free-to-play would enable, since individuals would purchase those they need instantly.
“It is good to have the liberty to craft an expertise with a premium mannequin.”
This does not imply Glassbreakers is a one-and-done deal, both. Publishing director Lincoln Davis confirms that seasonal occasions are being deliberate with new cosmetics to unlock, additionally mentioning contests and tournaments are coming. Whereas Bourassa does not verify if there will be any post-launch DLC, the choice is not dominated out, both.
Anybody acquainted with the earlier beta will discover the core gameplay stays the identical outdoors balancing tweaks regardless of these development adjustments, although the complete launch provides three extra maps the place some Champions could be stronger than others.
This comes down extra to positioning than any particular environmental tips, since every map makes use of a hex-based format. Utilizing one of many beforehand launched Champions referred to as Mojo for example, Bourassa says each map provides a small puzzle for gamers to unravel.
“One of many maps, the one which Mojo is robust in, has all of the gear positioned within the middle on an island. Two characters can shut the door, and no different enemies can get into all of the gear. If we wish to get it, now we have to undergo them. Or in Mojo’s case, he can simply hook them throughout gaps and pull them out of the way in which, which is likely one of the causes that he is fairly robust there.”
There’s additionally a brand new 2v2 choice referred to as “Buds Mode,” the place you and a good friend can group up in opposition to different gamers or combat in opposition to/with an AI participant. He compares this with Archon Mode in Starcraft 2, that means that each gamers collectively command the identical group of three Champions fairly than having 6v6 matches.
Bourassa states the popular meta right here is for the higher participant to regulate two Champions, whereas the opposite handles one who wants extra micromanaging. This permits the particular person dealing with the singular Champion to “play it extra like a standard MOBA,” and it is the way in which Buds mode is being performed internally.
Glassbreakers at launch will characteristic 12 totally different champions. Polyarc desires to develop the Moss universe by introducing additional characters for the primary time. Some are ones we have beforehand met, like Sahima from Moss: E-book 2. Given a fairly notable exclusion, I needed to ask. Will we ever see Quill seem as a Champion? Proper now, it is unlikely.
“Once we began constructing Glassbreakers, Quill was the prototype Champion, however we do not wish to for a few causes. Her journey is strictly in Moss, she’s received her personal factor occurring, and we did not wish to probably confuse gamers who’re actually into Moss. Glassbreakers is just not Moss: E-book 3.”
Presently, Glassbreakers is confirmed for Steam and Quest – particularly, Quest 3, 3S, and Professional. When requested about Quest 2 not showing on the shop web page, Davis suggested that Polyarc is engaged on platform help proper now throughout the board. Although it isn’t a affirmation, Polyarc is at the moment “exploring” releases on PlayStation VR2 and different platforms.
Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss arrives later this 12 months on Quest and Steam.
