Developer Ready at Dawn`s next game, Echo Arena, aims to be one of the first real sports games in virtual reality--and this weekend, you can check it out for free.Echo Arena`s open beta started today, and it`s available to anyone who has an Oculus Rift headset. You can download it here. The game consists of four vs. four matches of a sport that`s essentially a mix of ultimate frisbee and rugby in zero gravity. You have hand jets and a boost that let you move around the arena, and you can also grab objects and throw yourself over them.Your goal is to pick up a disc and throw it into the other team`s goal. However, players also have the ability to punch enemies, which locks their armor and forces them to drop the disc if they`re carrying it.I was able to play a match last week at E3 2017, and I came away very impressed with how it felt like a real, physical sport. It was exciting to race around the arena and take swings at other players. If you`re interested in learning more about it, read my preview here.Echo Arena officially launches on July 20 for Oculus Rift, and the full game will be free. If you can`t play it this weekend, the developer promises that there`ll be more open betas before its full release. It`s a standalone spinoff of another Ready at Dawn-developed VR game, called Lone Echo, which is a single-player, narrative adventure game. Lone Echo also launches on July 20, and it`ll cost $35.
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