Zombieland VR: Headshot Fever Opens Competitive Esports Events

If you’ve ever thought “I could do better than that,” when it comes to blasting holes in the undead, look no further. Zombieland VR takes place in the same universe as the popular Zombieland films. The films were successful, thanks in part to both subverting zombie film conventions and playing them straight. Last Saturday, during IGN’s SXSW Gaming Awards, four content creators duked it out to determine the first Zombieland Invitational champion.

If you’ve played House of the Dead, the Resident Evil rail shooters on the Nintendo Wii, or WARP’s D2, you likely have a basic idea how Zombieland VR plays. Mixing lightgun gameplay with Trackmania-inspired time-chasing, it’s both frantic and entertaining to watch. During SXSW, the four creators took part in knockout speedrun attempts, competing for the fastest clear time. Sometimes referred to as “races,” these mini-competitions typically push players to their limit with a variety of challenges. The “speedrunning” aspect is baked into Zombieland VR, where players must chain quick kills for the best score and to activate the Adrenaline mechanic. This mechanic functions much like Killing Floor’s Zed Time, letting players aim carefully to inflict maximum carnage on their foes.

Following the conclusion of the mini-tournament, XR Games announced a series of official Zombieland Invitational esports events throughout the year. XR Games will cooperate with the VR Master League (VRML) to open the events to any would-be zombie headhunting champion. If you think your headshots are up to snuff, you can sign up for the events via the official website.

Zombieland VR, created in Unity, it uses the iconic characters and Rule X: Y format that endeared the Zombieland films to many. You can catch a truncated version of the tournament (and its results) on the XR Games YouTube channel. Until then, good luck, and happy zombie hunting.