Stop the presses! There’s still more news from developers NotGames and publisher tinyBuild this week. It’s time to get your hands dirty in the editing room as you press those buttons, turn those dials and palm-slam in those ad tapes, as Not For Broadcast VR immerses players in the wild, chaotic and frequently hilarious world of live TV.
Launching on March 23rd, Not For Broadcast VR brings the cult PC hit (a finalist for the 2023 IGF grand prize with over 400,000 copies sold on PC) to VR on Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro and SteamVR. Check out the debut trailer below for a glimpse at just how strange a business television can be.
Not For Broadcast plunges players into the only-slightly-mad world of British live broadcast television. Set in alternate 1980s Britain where everything seems slightly off, players begin their job as editor for Channel One’s National Nightly News show. There’s no room for rehearsal, but the show goes on, no matter how temperamental the newscasters and their guests get. It’s your job to make sure it goes smoothly. Pick the perfect camera angles, bleep out any swearing (or dangerous ideas), and make some tough calls. No pressure, just remember: Your choices will come back to haunt you.
Despite the nerve-jangling job you’ll be doing, live news editing is made easy thanks to the patented Channel One editing deck interface, now reworked for VR! Use your digital digits to switch video feeds with a single button, clear up static with an easy tuner interface, and pick just the right sponsor’s tapes to run during breaks. Just keep an eye on the ratings – you’re in the business of attention, so keep those audiences on the edge of their seat.
Not For Broadcast VR turns the tension up to eleven by putting you directly in the editor’s chair. It might seem like a simple job at first—switch those camera angles and clean up the airwaves—but be prepared for anything. As the chaos mounts, you’ll be rerouting limited power supplies, frantically trying to cool down overheating electrics, avoiding electrocuting yourself on malfunctioning hardware and stranger things still. Nobody told you that news editing was a full-contact sport, but now you’re in the thick of it.
A huge indie hit on PC (with over 400,000 copies sold), Not For Broadcast VR launches on Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro and SteamVR on March 23rd, alongside the game’s debut on Xbox and PlayStation consoles.