The Turtles are heading to virtual reality for the first time ever. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Empire City launches April 30 on Meta Quest, Steam VR, and Pico at $24.99, bringing the franchise's signature brawling action into first-person VR with full four-player co-op support.
Developed by Cortopia Studios, Empire City casts players as one of the four iconic brothers — Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, or Michelangelo — each with distinct fighting styles and weapons that take full advantage of VR's motion controls. Swinging Leo's katanas or spinning Mikey's nunchucks in real space is the kind of fantasy that VR was made for, and the studio's hands-on demos at recent showcases have earned consistent praise from outlets who have tried it.
The game features a full narrative campaign with story consultation from Tom Waltz, the writer behind over 100 issues of IDW's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and the acclaimed The Last Ronin storyline. That pedigree suggests Empire City is aiming for more than just a branded minigame — this is a genuine TMNT adventure with a proper story to tell.
Co-op is cross-platform across all supported headsets, meaning Quest and SteamVR players can team up seamlessly. The campaign can also be played solo for those who prefer to go it alone. Pre-orders on Meta Quest currently include a 20 percent discount, bringing the price down to $19.99.
For a franchise that has thrived in the beat-em-up genre for decades, the jump to VR feels like a natural evolution. If Cortopia can nail the feel of the combat and deliver a story worthy of the Waltz pedigree, Empire City could become the VR game that TMNT fans did not know they were waiting for.
