Bang Out the Beat on Your Table in Mixed Reality with ‘BEATABLE,’ Available Today in Early Access on Meta Quest

Banging on a trash can. Drumming on a street light. Tapping on a table. When the music hits, sometimes you just gotta go with it. XR Games gets it—the developer’s new title BEATABLE combines great songs, your hands, and your table to make a rhythm game, and it’s available today in Early Access on Meta Quest.

With mixed reality on Meta Quest 3 and 3S, BEATABLE brings the rhythm right into your home, turning the flat surface of a table into the kind of interface rhythm game fans are familiar with. Prompts to tap, snap, slide, and clap in time with the music move down the table in different lanes, but instead of using your Touch Plus controllers to interact with them, BEATABLE’s hand tracking technology makes you the instrument.

The combination of hand tracking and MR makes BEATABLE intuitive to play, and the benefit of playing on a table means you get more than haptic feedback from controllers—you get to actually feel the beat as you drum it out. And BEATABLE also has a fully immersive VR mode, so you can still catch the rhythm on Quest 2.

We sat down with XR Games Founder and CEO Bobby Thandi, Creative Director Chuan Liu, and Head of Programming Jamie Healey to talk about BEATABLE’s unique approach to controls, the music it’ll feature, its release in Early Access, and the studio’s plans for its future.

Chuan Liu: I drum on tables, too! So I thought: Why not make a game for that?

I’ve always been into hardcore rhythm games. Growing up, arcades—especially in Asia—were packed with them. And even now, the genre is still going strong across different platforms. I thought this could actually work really well in MR.

The first rhythm game I ever played was called BM98. I absolutely fell in love with it. It’s basically a PC simulator of Beatmania, where notes fall down lanes and you tap buttons in time with the beat. For me, that style of rhythm game has always been the purest form of the genre.

But there’s a catch: the input devices. In arcades, those custom controllers with all the buttons feel incredible. That physical feedback is a big part of the fun. But in MR? There’s really nothing like that out there—at least not that I’ve seen. Then it hit me: Everyone’s got a table. What if that became the input device?

With modern hand tracking, especially on today’s headsets, it’s totally doable. That was the spark behind BEATABLE—a pure rhythm game that brings real-world physical feedback into MR.

CL: The key was breaking down a complex problem into smaller, solvable modules. Before we even built a prototype, I already had a good idea of the major challenges we’d face—the elephants in the room:

• Hand tracking delay
• Tap precision (detecting a table surface)
• Field of view limitations
• The need for real-world haptic feedback

From there, we tackled each issue individually with simple, elegant solutions. Complexity just adds noise—our goal was clarity.

We created a calibration function that samples the delay time and then offsets hit-check timing accordingly. This technique is actually quite common in consumer tech—think Bluetooth headphones or TVs. What’s nice is that, across supported devices, the delay is relatively consistent. So we can apply a default calibration that works for most players right out of the box.

A lot happens under the hood. We use the hand tracking data and mathematically calculate positioning information in a 3D space, velocity checks, and dynamically calculated actuation points. But the real key is knowing exactly where the table surface is. So we focused on building an intuitive, user-friendly way for players to help the game identify their table. Once that’s set, tap detection becomes reliable and accurate.

If your hands leave the headset’s camera view, tracking is lost. The solution isn’t technical—it’s design. We made sure the core gameplay always takes place within the camera’s field of view. If you don’t ask players to reach outside that area, the issue just disappears.

In most controller-based rhythm games, you’re waving your arms in the air. Even with haptics, it doesn’t feel satisfying because your hands don’t hit anything. That’s why we designed all of BEATABLE’s actions around real-world feedback: tapping the table, sliding your hands, clapping, and snapping your fingers. When you can feel what you’re doing, the magic clicks. It’s all about grounding the core gameplay in physical sensation.

Bobby Thandi: At the heart of BEATABLE’s design by Chuan is a simple but powerful principle: Every interaction must deliver real, tactile feedback.

That’s why the game is built around natural gestures like tapping a table, snapping fingers, or clapping hands. We experimented with alternatives—air gestures, sound cues—but they lacked the consistency and satisfying feedback players crave.

A big problem with most hand-tracked games is that they feel a bit hollow. There’s no physical response to your actions. In contrast, think about typing on an iPhone. Your fingers brush the screen, you see the letter pop up, and you hear a soft click. It’s a multi-layered feedback loop—tactile, visual, and auditory—that your brain immediately understands.

That’s exactly what we’ve done in BEATABLE. Every move gives you something real in return. And that’s what makes it feel intuitive, fun, and immersive in a way that most hand-tracked games don’t.

CL: Honestly, not really—and that was a welcomed change compared to some of our previous projects!

I had a pretty clear idea of what the key challenges would be from the start: hand tracking delay, table surface detection, field of view limitations, and the need for physical feedback. I’d already thought through potential solutions for each, so when it came time to prototype and build, there weren’t any unexpected surprises on the technology or design front. It was actually a really smooth process for once.

BT: We knew getting music licenses from well-known artists was going to be tricky—but we didn’t expect just how tough it would be. At first, no one wanted to take the call! It was pure hustle.

Thankfully, we’ve got a great network, and we were able to lean on some well-connected friends to open doors. We started small, working with up-and-coming talent like Jamie Vice. Then we moved to locally famous artists like Tom Zanetti and RDB (who’ve collaborated with Snoop Dogg!), and eventually reached global icons like the Beastie Boys. Once you build those friendships, the opportunities that open up can honestly make you stop and pinch yourself. But you have to grind for it—relentlessly.

Another surprise? Just how much of a workout BEATABLE gives you! A 30-minute session on normal difficulty is like a light cardio workout. But crank it up to the harder levels, and you’ll really feel it in your arms. Forget the gym—just play BEATABLE and have way more fun!

CL: Yeah, there are definitely a few ideas I’ve been thinking about. One that really excites me is multiplayer in the same physical space. Imagine playing BEATABLE with your friends like a band—everyone around the same table, tapping in sync. You’d hear each other’s taps in the real world, layered over the music that’s perfectly synchronized in-game. It could be an incredibly fun and social experience.

Another idea is using real drums as your input device. If the game could calibrate to actual drum surfaces, it could guide you to play like a pro—teaching real drumming techniques through gameplay. It’s a whole new way to blend rhythm gaming with real-world instrument learning.

CL: With the other games I’ve worked on, I was usually following someone else’s vision—I was told what to do or which intellectual property I’d be working on. BEATABLE was the first time I had complete creative freedom to build my own vision from scratch and for a genre that I’m very passionate about.

What I learned is that I’m capable of more than just executing someone else's ideas. I can be the vision holder and create and lead a project from scratch.

I’ve been fascinated by hand tracking ever since it was introduced on the original Quest. I always saw the potential, but I never had the chance to develop anything with it—until now. So when the opportunity finally came along, I knew exactly what I wanted to explore.

From our previous projects, the biggest lesson I’ve brought into BEATABLE is understanding scope. Don’t overcomplicate things. Stay true to your core concept, and make sure that it fits your time, budget, and team. Simplicity, executed well, always wins.

BT: We’ve taken a hybrid approach to the BEATABLE soundtrack—combining original music with licensed tracks to create a diverse and exciting lineup.

For the original music, we partnered with our long-time friends at PitStop Productions—they’ve handled music and SFX on some of our other titles like Starship Troopers: Continuum and Zombieland: Headshot Fever. Early on, we brought them in to play with the first prototype of BEATABLE. From there, with every major update, we’d meet up again, and they’d iterate on the music based on what we all felt worked best—whether it was claps, finger snaps, or table taps.

As PitStop themselves put it: “Writing music for games is always exciting, but a rhythm game is on a whole different level. Here, the music isn’t just background—it’s the heartbeat of the gameplay. Every note, every beat has to land just right as you tap to the rhythm.”

We also wanted to make sure the game appealed to as wide an audience as possible. That’s why we’ve built a soundtrack that spans EDM, rock, pop, country, Latin, metal, and more. One of the highlights is our signature track, “Unbeatable,” which we worked closely on with PitStop. We’ve spent a lot of time refining it, and next we’re going to add vocals to take it to the next level. You can have a sneak peek at that vocal remix in our launch trailer.

And there’s more on the way! We’ve got a Japanese anime-style tune in the works, featuring a well-known anime singer, plus additional licensed music from big-name artists. So whether you’re into headbanging riffs or infectious dance beats, BEATABLE’s soundtrack has something for everyone.

CL: We’ll be releasing a public roadmap as soon as we’ve learned what’s most important to our players. Our goal is to listen, adapt, and evolve BEATABLE based on real feedback. We’re building the foundation now—but the community will help shape where it goes next.

BT: Learning from the community is absolutely key. As developers, we can make educated guesses about what we think will be fun—but it’s only when players get hands-on and share feedback that we gain the insights needed to truly shape the future of the game.

Working with Naysy has been a huge part of that process. She’s one of the top rhythm-action VR influencers, and her deep understanding of what resonates with her audience has been instrumental. Her input has directly shaped our roadmap in ways we hadn’t anticipated.

It was Naysy who suggested we include a Japanese anime-style track to appeal more directly to the Asian market. She also made our teaser trailer (with a sprinkling of magic pixie dust from our Art Director, Victor Santos) and gave feedback on the bhangra track by RDB, which she loved. Most of the lyrics are in Punjabi, and it really opened my eyes to the wider appeal of bhangra. Thanks to Naysy’s reaction, we’re now doubling down with more bhangra music. Most importantly, she was the first person to call BEATABLE the “next era of rhythm gaming”—and that validation from such a respected voice in the VR space was incredibly motivating for the team.

Honestly, I’d strongly recommend involving influencers from day one. Their insights can help shape your game and provide the kind of honest, outside validation that’s hard to come by—and incredibly valuable.

Jamie Healey: There are a few big features we’re really excited about:

• Support for community-made songs and levels: Giving players the tools to create and share their own content is a top priority. We know how passionate rhythm game communities are, and we want to empower that creativity.
• Customization options: We’re working on ways for players to personalize their experience, whether it’s the user interface, gloves, or even the virtual table you play on.
• A fully interactive tutorial: We want onboarding to feel fun and seamless, especially for players new to rhythm games or hand tracking.

BT: We’re progressing deals with well-known musicians, creating fresh original tracks, and even exploring collaborations with other game titles that have iconic soundtracks.

Very importantly, we’re listening closely to our Discord community. That’s where we get real-time feedback and ideas directly from players, and it’s helping shape the future of the game in meaningful ways. We’re building BEATABLE with the community—and for the community.

CL: While current hand tracking is solid, it still has its limitations. With a scan rate of 50 – 60Hz (even with prediction), it might not fully satisfy the most hardcore rhythm game players—those who expect pixel-perfect precision. That said, we’re already seeing improvements. For example, the Quest 3S has upgraded sensors, and they’re a noticeable step up. You can really feel the difference.

We want to be part of that evolution—pushing hand tracking to its limits so more people can enjoy and trust this tech. As interest grows, we’ll see better sensors, better tracking, and more games built around it. We’re just getting started, and we’re excited to see how far we—and the industry—can take it.

BT: Our commitment to tactile feedback lines up perfectly with where the industry is headed. Look at Meta’s Orion, Snap’s Spectacles, or Apple’s Vision Pro—they’re all betting on hand-based interaction over controllers. We’ve leaned into that future, building BEATABLE as the “next era of rhythm gaming” for AR glasses and MR headsets—without needing extra hardware.

It’s all about making interactions feel natural. In the physical world, our brains are wired to expect tactile feedback from everything we touch. By replicating that sensation through actions like taps, claps, and snaps in MR and VR, we’ve created something that just feels right. That combination of real-world interaction and immersive gameplay is what makes BEATABLE so satisfying and fun to play.

Start tapping, snapping, and sliding to the rhythm in BEATABLE right now—it’s available on the Meta Horizon Store for $9.99 USD. You can also join XR Games’ Discord server to join the BEATABLE community.