Writer: Jakub Mirski, Manager (Producer), Split Light Studio
We’re thrilled to share what we’ve been working on for the past few years! Pirates VR: Jolly Roger, a cinematic and immersive single-player adventure will officially drop anchor on PlayStation VR2 on May 15th 2025.
From the swaying palms of sun-soaked beaches to the pitch-black depths of ancient underwater tunnels, Jolly Roger is our love letter to classic pirate tales, brought to life through modern technology and the power of PlayStation VR2.
A Pirate’s Life in Full VR
Pirates VR: Jolly Roger is a visually captivating VR experience that balances exploration, puzzles, and action. You’ll climb rugged cliffs, dive through shimmering underwater caves, zipline across jungle canopies, and fight off cursed skeletons, all while chasing the mystery of Davy Jones and the secrets buried across a forgotten Caribbean island.
Built from the ground up for VR, we’ve paid close attention to how the player interacts with the world. You can grab, climb, swing, slash, and swim using intuitive, physical gestures that feel natural and immersive. Whether you’re a seasoned VR adventurer or stepping into the headset for the first time, Jolly Roger offers an accessible yet rewarding gameplay loop.
Our Favorite Features
Exploration & Puzzles: Nothing says “pirate” like hunting for treasure! Explore the island, solve clever puzzles, decipher clues, and piece together hidden secrets!
The Lantern: Your best friend in the game’s darkest corners, from winding caves to eerie dungeon cells. It’s not just a light source, it’s a mystical tool that wards off enemies with radiant blasts, guiding you through danger with glowing power.
Combat with Cursed Pirates: The further you travel, the weirder (and more dangerous) things get. Skeletons with rusted swords evolve into smarter foes with advanced weapons and tricks. You’ll need quick thinking and steady hands to survive!
Climbing & Ziplining: Gain a whole new perspective by scaling the island’s mighty cliffs and trees, and launch into adrenaline-pumping zipline rides with wind and physics-driven realism.
Swimming: Explore the surrounding ocean waters and winding tunnels in first person, but look out for danger! We spent countless hours prototyping to ensure swimming felt smooth and natural, with just the right balance of realism and fun.
The gorgeous visuals are a big part of the game’s charm. We used the highest settings on PC as the base, optimized both the resolution and the render scale to match with the horsepower of the PS VR2 and we dare say the result looks amazing. The game runs on native 90 fps, so no reprojection needed.
The PS VR2 version has also been enriched with an exclusive intro sequence that sets the stage for the adventure to come. This narrative touch adds depth and intrigue from the very beginning.
To further heighten immersion, the game makes full use of PlayStation VR2’s haptic technology. Enhanced feedback through the controllers, headset vibrations, and adaptive triggers create a more tactile and visceral experience. It is very cool feeling vines (and bats, also) going past your head while exploring the caves of the island!
From Afterlife to Adventure
Split Light Studio, based in Poland, began work on Pirates VR: Jolly Roger back in 2020, right alongside the development of Afterlife VR, our psychological horror game released in 2023. While Afterlife focused on tension and atmosphere, Jolly Roger gave us the chance to stretch our legs into larger open-world designs and layered VR mechanics. We took everything we learned from our first VR title and channeled it into crafting an atmospheric, thrilling, and approachable pirate adventure that anyone can enjoy.
Why Pirates? Why Now?
There’s a timeless magic to pirate stories. They speak to freedom, rebellion, and the thrill of discovering something no one else has found. In Pirates VR: Jolly Roger, we wanted to capture that sense of wonder and mix it with just enough danger and mystery to keep players guessing what’s around the next bend!
We can’t wait to see what paths you carve, what treasures you uncover, and what legends you create when Pirates VR: Jolly Roger launches on PlayStation VR2 on May 15th 2025. Keep your compass steady, and your lantern close! 🏴☠️