Fox to scare the piss out of gamers with an Alien: Covenant VR experience

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

Throughout the years, digitally re-creating the overwhelming sensation of dread that comes when a vicious xenomorph moves to strike the back of your skull with its second set of razor-sharp teeth has proven, time and again, to be a difficult task. Honestly, I can count the amount of engaging ‘ALIEN’ video game experiences I’ve had in my lifetime on one hand. There’s ALIEN 3 and ALIEN VS. PREDATOR for the Arcade, Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis, ALIENS: EXTERMINATION – the awesome on-rails arcade shooter, and the more recent ALIEN: ISOLATION which was released for all manner of current-gen gaming devices.

Now, as a part of their promotional materials for the upcoming ALIEN: COVENANT film, Fox has announced (via this year’s Computer Electronics Show event) that they plan to bring the dark, HR Giger-inspired world of the ALIEN franchise to VR! Directed by David Karlack with Ridley Scott as the project's executive producer, Fox Innovation Lab alongside RSA Films and Technicolor’s MPC VR will unleash “a dread-inducing journey into the depths of the Alien universe. Viewers will discover the true meaning of terror as they navigate through horrifying alien environments and a story where every decision could mean the difference between life and death.” I hope your local convenience store sells Depends adult diapers, because you’re probably going to need them.

When asked about what the ALIEN: COVENANT VR experience would entail, Fox stated that it would “play” very much like Wild- The Experience – a VR promotional app which starred Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern. If that’s not specific enough to pique your curiosity, Fox Innovation Lab is also responsible for the release of The Martian VR Experience – available now for the Playstation VR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive virtual reality platforms. The goal here is for Fox to not only produce a worthwhile tie-in to their highly-anticipated film, but to also give consumers more of an incentive to invest in the virtual reality boom that is currently flooding the games and interactive media markets.

VR in the home has certainly been an interesting experience, thus far. As an owner of the Playstation VR unit, I can tell you that, so far, I’ve been very pleased with my purchase. Rez: Infinite, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, Harmonix VR, and Resident Evil: Biohazard are all incredible VR experiences and should be played by anyone who is on the fence about the technology and its capabilities. The fact of the matter is that, as long as it’s properly supported, VR has a very strong future in the world of interactive and immersive media.

ALIEN: COVENANT will be scaring the pants off of theatergoers when it hits theaters on May 19, 2017.