• News

LA Noire Getting VR Case Files And Ported To Nintendo Switch

The game will have cases rebuilt from the ground up for VR and the original game will be ported to new consoles this November.

Charles Singletary Jr

September 7, 2017 6:13 AM

6

When Rockstar invests in an idea, they typically don’t half ass it. The most recent Grand Theft Auto is a prime example of this as it still has legs many years after launch. L.A. Noire is a game from Rockstar that is regularly the butt of gaming jokes, largely due to its unique design that required players to pay close attention to the facial expressions of digital characters, but it was a solid detective drama the likes we haven’t seen since 2011. Now, in a somewhat surprising move, L.A Noire has returned via virtual reality on the PS VR.

An L.A. Noire remaster was rumored earlier this year and VR integration was even mentioned, but it looks like Rockstar decided to invest a bit more into their official VR debut. Reported by UploadVR, L.A. Noire: VR Case Files is a VR spin-off of the original game that will arrive on the HTC Vive November 17, 2017. The original game will also be ported to Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch and released on that same day.

VR Case Files will feature seven cases pulled from the original game but rebuilt from the ground up for VR. Despite the jokes, L.A. Noire’s animation and investment in live-action actors provided an immersive addition to gameplay as players attempted to spot the lie when investigating cases. Immersion is key with virtual experiences and the investigative foundation of the game translates really well to the VR platform.

With bigger names in game development like Rockstar and Bethesda, who's launching three VR games before the year ends, invested in VR, consumers will be treated to a gaming ecosystem with more notable experiences that are bound to capture their eye. We'll update this story as more information is made available.

Update: HTC's blog post for the announcement includes a few more details on just what players will be able to do in the VR version of L.A. Noire:

"With each of the seven cases rebuilt for virtual reality, players can use real world physical motions including grabbing, inspecting and manipulating individual clues or using the detective’s notebook to make notes or draw freehand. Experience first person driving in VR with additional real-world vehicle interactions including steering, operating car doors, changing radio stations, shooting from vehicles and much more."

Charles Singletary Jr

News Editor

Charles Singletary Jr keeps the updates flowing as the News Editor, breaking stories while investigating the biggest topics in gaming and technology. He's pretty active on Twitter, so feel free to reach out to him @The_CSJR. Got a hot tip? Email him at Charles.Singletary@Shacknews.com.