GDC 2025 Session Viewer

Going head-to-head, armed with a sword in virtual reality – what could go wrong? Plenty. While player-versus-player melee combat in VR seems attractive, there are serious challenges in making this mechanic playable and fun. This talk is a postmortem of Broken Edge, a VR sword fighting game with a devoted and healthy player base. The case study presents how we overcame issues such as lack of physical feedback, the disconnect between input and real-life movement, and latency. We’ll illustrate how skill-based mechanics and positive reinforcement led to the growth of the community and the emergence of a vast array of fighting techniques. Finally, we’ll reflect on a significant milestone: the realization that gameplay characteristics that are unique to Broken Edge as a video game are, in fact, common to all martial arts.

Takeaway

By examining the iterative problem-solving process for creating a successful PvP VR combat game, attendees will gain insight into translating VR challenges to gameplay design elements that keep players coming back for more.

Intended Audience

Game designers and engineers working on VR, especially those interested in PvP combat, melee combat or other physically-based VR mechanics