The formative PC VR game Boneworks is coming officially to Meta Quest 3
Boneworks shaped modern VR games through its advanced use of physics. The PC VR classic is coming to Meta Quest 3 with big improvements.
The co-founder of Stress Level Zero, Brandon J Laatsch, shared the studio's plans for the year.
He announced that the studio aims to bring Boneworks to Quest 3 and 3S later this year, but he didn't say exactly when.
Stress Level Zero is also working on a new iteration of the Marrow physics engine that the Quest version of Boneworks will use. The goal is to release Marrow 2, 2.1, and 2.2, along with the corresponding Bonelab updates 7, 8, and 9.
'25 goals: Release Patch 7, 8, 9 for Bonelab with Marrow 2, 2.1, 2.2. Bring Boneworks to Quest 3 in parallel on Marrow 2. Pre-production for the next game. By x-linking Marrow, we're aiming for compatibility. Boneworks is the nearest kin but is still tricky. Godspeed, SLZ! pic.twitter.com/siesw8yP6o
AdAd- Brandon J Laatsch (@BrandonJLa) January 1, 2025
Lautsch says the improved Marrow engine will bring more changes to Boneworks than a simple port.
The studio is using the inside-out upper body tracking of Quest 3 and Quest 3S (called IOBT by Meta) for Boneworks. Laatsch has referred to this feature as a game changer in the past. He shared a short clip showing IOBT in action.
Laatsch also confirmed that the studio will start preproduction on the next VR game this year.
What is Boneworks?
Boneworks took a more sophisticated approach to physics than other VR games at the time, influencing many VR titles that followed, including Half-Life: Alyx. Stress Level Zero simulated the inertia of weapons, objects, and the player's own virtual body, allowing for new and more realistic forms of interaction between the world and the player.
Boneworks has already been unofficially ported to Meta Quest: Two modders released the complete Boneworks campaign as a free Bonelab mod in 2024. Bonelab (2022) is the spiritual successor to Boneworks (2019), released for Meta Quest and PC-VR, which offers extensive mod support. The studio will not remove the mod, even though they are working on an official VR port.
Interested in VR and AR? Then follow us on Facebook or X or share your experience in the comments. For feedback, topic suggestions, or other ideas, please email us at hello@mixed-news.com.
Note: Links to online stores in articles can be so-called affiliate links. If you buy through this link, MIXED receives a commission from the provider. For you the price does not change.
