EXOSHOCK Early Access: Co-op VR Shooter on Quest 3 & PC

One of the most anticipated VR shooters of the year is finally playable by everyone. EXOSHOCK early access launched on 29 October on Meta Quest 3 and 3S and on PC VR through Steam, priced at $19.99. It is a one-to-four player co-op shooter where you board hostile starships as a mercenary. Better still, flatscreen PC players can join the same squad as VR players.

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Below, I cover what is in the launch build, how it compares with other VR shooters, and who should buy it now rather than wait.

What EXOSHOCK is

EXOSHOCK comes from POLARITYONE and is published by VRAL Games. In an interview on the Meta Quest Blog, co-founder Nicholas Bechen says the core team is still just one developer and one artist. The game began as a spare-time, single-player project. After a strong response, the partnership with VRAL let the pair go full-time and add co-op.

The setting is industrial science fiction. You take corporate contracts to board ships in transit, sabotage systems, steal data or eliminate targets. Then you get out and return for the next job. Bechen says the focus is on stories that emerge through play, rather than a linear campaign.

According to the Steam store page, there are three starships of varying sizes. The developers describe some of them as among the largest maps ever built for VR. On top of that, semi-procedural objectives, six Resistance levels and Contract Complications aim to make each run feel different.

What you get in EXOSHOCK early access

The launch build already includes the core co-op loop. You can play solo with AI teammates or online with up to three friends. AI fills any empty squad slots. Solo play also works completely offline, which is rare for a co-op shooter and handy for travel.

Cross-play is a major selling point. VR and flatscreen PC players can share a squad across supported platforms. However, Metaverse Watcher reports that the studio’s launch notes describe flatscreen play as “at an earlier stage”. So VR is clearly the priority for now.

Weapons, roles and enemies

Bechen lists assault rifles, SMGs, LMGs, marksman rifles, pistols and shotguns, plus a beam rifle and a charge-up railgun. Loadouts shape your role. For example, a support player might suppress enemies with an LMG and carry healing grenades and bubble shields. Meanwhile, a technician could deploy sentry turrets, drones and seeker grenades.

Enemies are built to work together. There are three tiers of humanoid infantry that take cover, throw grenades and suppress you. Melee droids rush your position, while heavy mechs and turrets need weak-point hits. Flying drones attack from above. Bechen cites Halo: Combat Evolved as an influence on how these enemy types combine.

Progression comes through contracts. You earn currency, raise your Arsenal Level and unlock new weapons and items. You can also customise armour colours, patterns and patches.

Platforms, price and PC specs

On Quest, EXOSHOCK supports Quest 3 and Quest 3S only. Metaverse Watcher notes that Quest 2 is not on the supported list, so older headset owners should check before buying. On PC, it runs through SteamVR with Valve Index and Meta Quest headsets.

The minimum PC specs are modest. Steam lists an Intel Core i7-4790K or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X, 8GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GTX 970 or AMD RX 570. For the recommended level, you will want a Core i7-9700K or Ryzen 7 3700X, 16GB of RAM and an RTX 3060 or RX 5700 XT. Either way, it needs 12GB of storage.

Price matters here too. The developers say on Steam that EXOSHOCK will cost less during early access. They also expect the price to rise as content arrives on the road to version 1.0. In other words, $19.99 is likely the cheapest it will be.

How it compares with other VR shooters

VR already has plenty of shooters, so where does EXOSHOCK fit? Bechen names Insurgency: Sandstorm for gunplay, F.E.A.R. for firefights, and Deep Rock Galactic and Left 4 Dead for co-op. That mix points to a tactical PvE game rather than a twitchy arena shooter.

Most big VR shooters lean on either solo campaigns or competitive PvP. EXOSHOCK instead targets squad play against AI, with roles and teamwork at the centre. Its VR-plus-flatscreen cross-play is also unusual. That could make it easier to fill a squad, since friends without a headset can still join in.

The competition is about to get busier, though. Metaverse Watcher points to PAYDAY: Aces High, a four-player co-op heist shooter from Fast Travel Games, due on Steam on 5 November. It is also coming to Quest. So co-op fans will soon have two fresh options within a week.

Early impressions

UploadVR played the earlier Founder’s Edition build in April. At the time, its writer said EXOSHOCK was “shaping up to be one of the most exciting shooters VR has seen in a long time.” That is strong praise, but it came before the full early access build. At the time of writing, Steam showed too few user reviews to generate a score.

Caveats before you buy

First, this is early access, and the developers say so plainly. Bechen tells players to “expect rough edges” and admits some will prefer to wait. Second, the studio expects roughly 12 months in early access, but calls that a target rather than a fixed date.

Third, the team is tiny. Two people can only fix and build so much at once. Finally, some planned features did not make the launch build. Bechen mentions randomised starting locations as one example.

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Still, the roadmap is detailed. Steam lists Weapons 2.0, deeper character and VR embodiment work, larger environments, new enemy factions, an evolved Combat Director and more co-op objectives. Performance, stability and multiplayer fixes are part of that plan too.

Who should buy now

Quest 3 or 3S owners with a regular co-op group.
PC VR players with friends who only play on a monitor.
Solo players who want offline squad combat with AI teammates.
Anyone happy to give feedback while the game grows.

FAQ

When did EXOSHOCK early access launch?

It launched on 29 October 2026 on Steam, and Meta’s blog announced the Quest early access launch on 28 October.

How much does EXOSHOCK cost?

It costs $19.99 in early access. The developers expect the price to rise as they add content.

Does EXOSHOCK work on Quest 2?

No. The Quest version lists Quest 3 and Quest 3S as supported headsets.

Can I play EXOSHOCK alone?

Yes. You can play solo with AI teammates, and solo play also works offline.

Planning to grab it on Quest? You can use my promo code VRCGUY when you buy EXOSHOCK or any other VR game on the Meta Horizon Store.

Sources

Featured image: EXOSHOCK key art, courtesy of POLARITYONE and VRAL Games via Steam.

EXOSHOCK Early Access: Co-op VR Shooter Lands on Quest 3 and PC VR