Beat Saber co-founders step down from Beat Games
Ján Ilavský and Vladimír Hrinčár are leaving the studio they founded in 2018 and sold to Facebook in 2019.
On Thursday, Ján Ilavský announced his departure from the position of Creative Director at Beat Games. In his post on X, he looks back on the development of Beat Games.
"We managed to deliver countless music packs and introduce several amazing new features. The future looks even more exciting. I still feel like Beat Saber is just getting started."
I have some news to share with you!
I am announcing my departure from the position of Creative Director at Beat Games.
- Jan "Split" Ilavsky (@Split82) February 29, 2024
The reason given by Ján Ilavský for his departure is that he wants to work on innovative games again.
A few hours ago, Vladimír Hrinčár announced that he's graduating from his position as Head of Studio, and unlike Ilavský, he did so briefly and without giving any specific reasons.
Ola ola! I have some news to share. I'm graduating from Beat Saber and from my position as Head of Studio and will be leaving Beat Games. Big thanks to everyone on the team for all amazing things you do for the game, you guys rock and you got this! I wish Beat Saber all the best!
- Vladimir Hrincar (@LokimanSK) February 29, 2024
The third co-founder of Beat Games Jaroslav Beck left the studio in May 2023 to take on other projects.
An unprecedented VR success story
Ilavský, Hrinčár and Beck founded Beat Games in 2018. In the same year, Beat Saber was released in early access on Steam, and a year later on the Oculus Quest. At the end of 2019, Facebook acquired Beat Games for an undisclosed amount.
Beat Saber is one of the most successful VR games of all time and, for many people, is synonymous with VR gaming. The title has sold well over four million copies (as of February 2021) and, according to a Wall Street Journal report, has earned more than $250 million (as of April 2023). The game remains one of the top-selling VR titles in the Quest Store, Steam Store, and Playstation Store. More than 20 music packs have been released for Beat Games, including major acts like Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, and the Rolling Stones.
I met Ján Ilavský at GDC in San Francisco in 2018, at a time when Beat Saber was still largely unknown. On the occasion of the VR game's 4th birthday, I wrote an article about this encounter.
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