Memoreum Director’s Quest Game: Patreon & Sideloading Strategy
▼ Summary
– Hivefall is a VR sci-fi action game in Early Access, available via Patreon and SideQuest, and is heavily inspired by Starship Troopers.
– The game is a base-defense shooter where players prepare for and withstand massive waves of alien bug assaults, including large boss enemies.
– It is currently distributed as an early alpha build specifically for Quest 3, requiring sideloading through SideQuest for paying Patreon subscribers.
– The solo developer states the project’s future, including potential co-op, depends on financial sustainability and may be their final VR venture if unsuccessful.
– The developer’s previous title, Memoreum, was ambitious but had rough spots, and Hivefall is described as a work in progress with missing or incomplete features.
For VR enthusiasts seeking ambitious, large-scale sci-fi action, a new project called Hivefall is emerging through an unconventional early access path. The game, created by Memoreum director Wim Buytaert, draws heavy inspiration from the intense bug-squashing warfare of Starship Troopers. Currently, the only way to play this base-defense shooter is by supporting the developer on Patreon and sideloading the build via SideQuest, a method that tests the dedication of its potential audience.
Access is exclusively managed through Buytaert’s Patreon page. Subscribers receive a link to a Google Drive file containing the game, which must then be installed onto a Meta Quest 3 headset using the SideQuest application. This early build is specifically optimized for the Quest 3’s capabilities. In Hivefall, players command a military corporation whose terraforming operations accidentally awaken a hostile alien organism. Gameplay revolves around preparing defenses across colorful planetary landscapes before enduring massive assaults from swarms of alien bugs, culminating in challenging boss fights.
The current version offers the first three missions and features a fully functional progression system that unlocks various skins. As a solo developer, Buytaert plans to update the project with new content on a monthly basis, provided there is sufficient community support. He describes the shooter as embodying everything he ever wanted from a Starship Troopers experience in virtual reality.
This distribution model, while not entirely new to the VR scene, does present a barrier. The process requires users to be comfortable with sideloading, which may limit its initial reach. After going through the setup, it’s clear the game is in a very early alpha state. Many planned features are still in development or absent, and the visual fidelity, particularly for the enemy bugs, remains pixelated and unrefined in this first release.
The project carries significant personal weight for its creator. In correspondence, Buytaert stated that Hivefall represents years of experience and belief in immersive technology, but also acknowledged its make-or-break potential. He noted that if the game cannot achieve financial sustainability, it may realistically be his final venture in the VR industry, despite his passion for creating within the medium.
His previous project, the survival horror title Memoreum, was recognized for its ambitious scope even as it faced criticism for not fully meeting expectations. The future development of Hivefall, including regular episodic campaigns and a potential online co-op mode, is directly tied to the level of support it garners from the community through this early Patreon phase.
(Source: Upload VR)