OrbusVR Returns as Free Community Editions for Classic and Reborn

OrbusVR is back in a community-run form after shutting down last year. Riley, also known as Orrbain and one of the original developers, has released community editions of both OrbusVR Classic and OrbusVR Reborn through GitHub repositories, letting players download and play the VR MMO for free.

The release goes further than a simple client dump. The included license allows players to redistribute the game, mod it, and run their own community servers. Server operators are also allowed to accept payments tied to running those servers, if they choose.

It sounds like getting both versions into a usable state took some work. Riley said the effort took several months of free time, including using an eight-year-old PC and an older version of Unity to get OrbusVR Classic compiling again.

OrbusVR was one of the earlier attempts at a full VR MMORPG, with the original game later followed by the rebuilt Reborn version. Its closure wasn’t a huge shock given the slow pace of updates and the financial issues around developer Ad Alternum, but it still left players without access to a game many had spent years in.

Players who want to return can use the GitHub instructions for the community editions, while those looking for others to play with are being pointed toward the game’s Discord community. For now, the important part is simple: both major versions of OrbusVR are playable again, and the community has permission to keep them alive.