December 6 saw the release of Vertigo Games' highly anticipated VR zombie game, "Arizona Sunshine." What could have been a perfect launch was tainted by several complaints from the Reddit VR community, crying out why some of the game's features would only work with Intel's Core i7 chips.
"Arizona Sunshine" Fans Cry Foul Over Vertigo Games' Exclusivity Deal
Vertigo Games previously hinted that "Arizona Sunshine" would favor specific processors over others, as per Tom's Hardware. As seen on the game's promo video, a developer explains that some of the game's advanced physics features would only work with an i7 processor.
The announcement then caused a commotion over at Reddit, specifically in the Oculus community. Redditors accused Vertigo Games of selling out to Intel, in bid to "sell more i7s." "Arizona Sunshine's" next development update then included an explanation, which states the need for a multi-threaded and multi-core CPU to avoid becoming GPU limited when running the game at 90FPS.
"Because of the advanced physics involved to make the game feel as immersive and realistic as possible, we recommend gamers use a CPU like the Intel Core i7 processor," said Vertigo Games. The company's explanation seemed to have satiated most players, but "Arizona Sunshine" rolled out and the same laments were heard.
"Arizona Sunshine" On Core i7 Isn't About The Money, Dev Says
Vertigo Games did try, though. After several rants and refund requests all over Steam, the company responded with a kiss-and-make-up sort of move, by making both surprise game modes available for anyone to try. The developer was adamant still that a strong processor is needed to experience the best of "Arizona Sunshine."
What fans need to understand is that Intel didn't lock the game down for specific hardware. Yes, it did help Vertigo Games out, but the goal is to push the recommended config in its market, which simple isn't possible on a lesser hardware. VR content should push the limit of today's CPUs, and Vertigo Games taking a risk and raising the bar is highly commendable.
