‘Starship Troopers: Continuum’ Blasts Onto Meta Quest With Epic Bug-Fighting Action, Out Now

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The first and only official Starship Troopers VR game has finally arrived! Starship Troopers: Continuum from developer XR Games is a continuation of the cult-classic sci-fi film from 1997 that pits players against the deadly and democracy-threatening bugs we all know and love (to defeat). Featuring a massive campaign that can be enjoyed either solo or online with friends and over 20 different weapons, this is an epic battle for liberty you won’t want to miss.

To learn more about the game’s development, we took some time to catch up with Bobby Thandi, founder and CEO of XR Games.

This is such a great IP with so many fans even still all these years later. What was it like getting to work with something this iconic and bring it to VR for the first time?

Bobby Thandi: It’s been an incredible experience to work with the Starship Troopers IP! I absolutely loved the original movie as a student and this is such a cherished universe with a dedicated fanbase that has kept the story alive and relevant for decades. Bringing Starship Troopers to VR for the first time felt like both an exciting challenge and an amazing opportunity—there's something truly unique about VR that lets players dive into these intense, fast-paced battles as if they were right there on the frontlines.

Our goal was to stay true to the spirit of Starship Troopers and its iconic moments, while also taking full advantage of VR to bring fans closer to the action than ever before. It’s been an honor to work on something so iconic, and we can’t wait for players to jump in and experience the world of Starship Troopers like never before.

Do you need to be familiar with the movie and franchise overall to enjoy this game, or can newcomers jump right in as well?

BT: You definitely don’t need to be familiar with the Starship Troopers movie or franchise to enjoy this game! We designed it so that newcomers can jump right in and immediately feel the excitement of battling against alien bugs in intense, high-stakes missions. For fans of the franchise, there are plenty of nods and iconic moments to enjoy, but the gameplay itself is built to be immersive and accessible for anyone looking for an action-packed VR experience. Whether you’re a long-time fan or a newcomer, you’ll find yourself right in the heart of the action, ready to make a difference on the frontlines!

Having the actor from the film reprise his role for such a memorable character is a big deal. What was it like getting to work with him?

BT: Becoming friends with Casper Van Dien himself has been a genuine highlight of making this game. He’s a true legend and clearly loves this IP. One memorable moment from development was playing the game with Casper himself! Showing him the final version of the game and taking down the Tanker Bug boss together with Rico felt like a dream come true. Casper was blown away and loved it so much that he plans to play the game after launch. So, keep an eye out—he’ll be in the game as “GeneralJRico” on Meta Horizon. Add him as a connection and you might get to team up with the real Rico! 🫡

Also, a special shout out to Brett Harrelson and Marie Westbrook who also had big VO parts in the game. Brett did such an amazing job playing his brother–Woody–in Zombieland: Headshot Fever, we just had to bring him back for this game too.

Starship Troopers has such a defining sense of humor with its satire. What was it like incorporating that into an immersive VR game format?

BT: Incorporating the unique satire and ruthlessly funny tone of Starship Troopers into an immersive VR experience was both a fun and creative challenge! The franchise’s blend of intense action and sharp humor is what makes it so iconic, so we wanted to stay true to that spirit while fully immersing players in the action. Sony Pictures teamed up our talented narrative writer, Richard Boon, with an American writer to ensure we hit all the right notes, capturing that mix of satire, irony, and bravado fans know and love. In VR, you’re right there on the battlefield, so we used every opportunity—from mission briefings to character interactions and environmental details—to infuse that signature satire. It’s a thrill to feel like you’re part of the Starship Troopers universe, and we think fans will love catching those familiar tones and themes as they’re busy taking down bugs!

Starship Troopers: Continuum seems to be designed in a way that’s really scalable with lots of missions, weapons, and even support for both single player and co-op. How did you decide the framework and gameplay flow for a game like this?

BT: Our Creative Director, Richard Boon, and VP of Games, Chuan Liu, deserve the credit here for shaping the game’s core vision and structure, along with the support of the entire Starship Troopers: Continuum VR team at both XR Games and Sony Pictures VR. Special mention goes to Riley Cooper, Vice President of Production, Virtual Reality at Sony Pictures VR, whose insight was invaluable in making sure we balanced the action-packed intensity with the depth and variety players expect. Together, we focused on ensuring the game’s progression and mechanics felt satisfying, whether you’re playing through single-player missions or teaming up in co-op battles.

XR Games is a studio that has a lot of experience making VR-first experiences. What are some examples of ways you’ve developed this title to really make players feel present and immersed in the action around them?

BT: Guns, guns, guns! At XR Games, we’ve drawn on our extensive experience in VR-first design to make players feel truly immersed in the action around them. We started with the solid foundation we built for Zombieland: Headshot Fever, which meant we already had a fantastic base for achieving realistic, satisfying weapon mechanics. Thanks to the exceptional work of our VP of Games, Chuan Liu, the feel of the weapons in Starship Troopers: Continuum is something special. I’d ask Chuan for months, “What’s your focus on the game right now?” and he’d always say, “Working on the weapons.” His dedication shows—when I’m holding a two-handed weapon, it genuinely feels like I’m gripping an actual weapon, not two separate controllers. This immersion has to be experienced firsthand to be fully appreciated.

The response from VR influencers in their early impressions has been incredibly validating. Many are echoing this feeling, describing just how real it all feels in the heat of battle—a true testament to the presence and intensity players will feel once they dive in.

Finally, do you have any tips or advice for players before they take on those nasty bugs for the first time?

BT: Absolutely! When I'm playing and the battle heats up, my heart is pounding—especially when the bugs swarm from all directions, on the ground and in the air. One key skill is mastering manual reloading, which gives you an extra buff for each bug shot. So, before you head into combat, spend some time in camp at the shooting range. Practice until manual reloading becomes second nature, so that in the thick of battle, you’re reloading without even thinking—just pure muscle memory.

As the Navy SEALs say, "Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast." Taking a steady, methodical approach in practice will pay off in combat, helping you avoid costly mistakes under pressure. I’ll be honest—when things get really intense, I sometimes switch to automatic reloading if I fumble my reload! But putting in that practice with manual reloads really makes a difference.

And where can people go to find out more about the game and studios that worked on it?

BT: The game’s official website is the main place to go here. Our company, XR Games, also has a website, Twitter/X, Threads, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn page, and you can also find Sony Pictures XR at their official website, Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn as well.

Starship Troopers: Continuum is out now on the Meta Horizon store for the Meta Quest platform! Prepare to fight for democracy!

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