FuturLab Hits the Pause Button on Enhancements for Powerwash Simulator VR

Powerwash Simulator VR will no longer receive support from FuturLab, announced CEO Kirsty Rigden.

In a statement, she mentioned that the studio is unable to keep working on the port, which was launched in 2023 for Meta Quest 2 and 3. Both the faulty port and the latest DLC will still be available for purchase and play, and players’ saves have been deemed “secure.” However, additional DLC for the port is not on the horizon.

Rigden described VR as a platform that “costs us more than it generates,” and expressed that FuturLab found itself at a “crossroads.” She chose to redirect its “exceptionally talented and dedicated VR team” to different projects or vacant positions rather than continue supporting Powerwash VR. She also emphasized that the studio “truly loves and believes in VR,” but frankly stated that FuturLab can no longer sustain support for that particular title at this moment.

“I would love to remain in a scenario where we could enhance Powerwash across all platforms, [but] I must prioritize job security for my team,” Rigden continued. “While I understand you must feel incredibly disheartened, I also know that if you were in my place, you would have made a similar choice.”

Cannot wash away the VR blues

The VR industry, much like the rest of the gaming sector, has encountered significant financial challenges leading to layoffs and studio closures.

Last October, Mojang announced it was ceasing support for Minecraft’s VR port on devices like the Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR. Throughout 2024, several VR developers such as Archiact, XR Games, and Ready at Dawn either shut down or were preparing to lay off employees. Microsoft also halted production of its own mixed reality device, the Hololens 2, with no follow-up seemingly in the works.

Last fall, Meta ended production of the Quest Pro, Quest 2, and 128 GB Quest 3 to focus on the then-new Quest 3S. As of last week, final supply for the previous three headsets appears to have completely run out.

In a survey from last year, 56 percent of developers felt that the VR gaming market was in a state of stagnation or decline. Among those surveyed, fifty-three percent of non-VR developers believed their studio would likely avoid the technology in the next five years.

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