Dante Buckley, Founder and CEO of Downpour Interactive, has stood out over the last several years as a source of inspiration within the VR industry.
Onward launched as a multiplayer game long before social became a breakout VR trend and, accordingly, Downpour Interactive leads the VR industry as a best-in-class example of a developer working in tandem with its loyal community to create the best possible social and gaming experience. Today, I’m honored to share that Downpour Interactive is joining Facebook.
Onward is Dante and Downpour Interactive’s first game, a multiplayer masterpiece full of challenges, tactics, and teamwork. And, as Downpour has grown, they’ve remained humble, accessible to the community, and open to feedback. We’re eager to support Dante and Downpour Interactive in growing Onward as one of the foremost multiplayer VR games, as well as its community support across Rift, Quest, and Steam.
As part of the Oculus Studios team, Downpour Interactive will expand upon its ethos of creating stand-out games that evoke the human spirit and give players a “downpour” of emotion. We’re so happy to welcome them to the family.
Why was Downpour Interactive acquired?
We’ve seen great success with Onward on the Oculus platform for several years—first on Rift and more recently on Quest. Becoming part of the Oculus Studios family will give Downpour Interactive the opportunity to cultivate both the Onward community with the full support of Oculus Studios resources, and, in the future, pursue other projects.
The entire Downpour Interactive team will be joining the Oculus Studios team in some capacity.
How will Downpour Interactive maintain its culture as it becomes part of Facebook?
The team’s focus on cultivating passionately engaged communities is one of the foremost aspects of Downpour Interactive we are committed to maintaining.
What will Downpour Interactive be working on as part of Oculus Studios?
Downpour Interactive has exciting plans for future Onward updates and future projects. We hope to bring those experiences to as many people as possible, but we’re not ready to share details at this time.
Will Onward be removed from non-Oculus platforms?
No, Onward will continue to be supported on all its current platforms.
Do you plan to acquire other studios? What else are you doing to accelerate VR?
We’re exploring many ways to accelerate VR, including investments in third-party content, AAA IP, hardware, and more, and we have awesome and innovative plans for the next few years of gaming. We are thrilled to have Downpour Interactive join our team.