Project Hail Mary is coming to mixed reality next week, and you'll work alongside Rocky
Project Hail Mary: Journey Among the Stars will put players aboard the Hail Mary on November 12, with a new mixed-reality story about keeping the spacecraft alive alongside Rocky. Developer Maze Theory says the experience is coming to Meta Quest 3 and 3S and Pico 4, with a free VR update to follow after launch.
The experience casts you as Ryland Grace, the astronaut at the center of Andy Weir's novel and its film adaptation. Instead of simply retelling the story, Maze Theory describes an original chapter in which failing ship systems give Grace and Rocky a problem to solve together.
There is a useful distinction for headset owners: the November 12 release is the mixed-reality version. The studio says a VR update will follow shortly afterward, but its official game page does not give that update a date.
Image: Maze Theory / Amazon MGM Studios
You and Rocky have a damaged spacecraft to keep running
According to Maze Theory, players diagnose problems, improvise solutions and use science and engineering to keep the Hail Mary functioning. Rocky is part of that process, with the story centered on the developing relationship between the human astronaut and the alien intelligence.
Image: Maze Theory / Amazon MGM Studios
The developer calls the experience a narrative-driven adventure involving cooperative problem-solving. That refers to working alongside Rocky in the story; the announcement does not say that a second human player can join.
Mixed reality is designed to bring the virtual ship into the space around the player using a headset's view of the real environment. That makes the surroundings part of the presentation, while the announced later VR update gives the project a separate fully virtual direction.
The game's Meta Quest store page has additional information on the experience. The developer's platform list names Quest 3 and 3S and Pico 4, while saying other platforms are to be confirmed. Headset owners should check their own store's compatibility listing rather than assume every Quest or Pico model is included.
Image: Maze Theory / Amazon MGM Studios
This story expands the book and film
The studio describes the mission as a new narrative set during an untold chapter, created specifically for mixed reality. Fans of the book and film will recognize Grace, Rocky and their ship, but the developer is presenting a separate experience rather than a direct adaptation of every scene.
Maze Theory has also shown gameplay footage of ship interiors, interacting with equipment and the emergency players are expected to tackle. Those materials show the intended experience; they do not establish its final length or how every puzzle will work.
For anyone planning to play next week, check the store's supported-headset list and whether your intended mode is available. Players who prefer a fully virtual presentation will need to wait for the separately announced free update.
