The next entry in the Five Nights at Freddy’s universe, Help Wanted 2: Secret of the Mimic, is nearly here. But if you were expecting to dive into it in VR on day one, you’ll need to wait a bit longer.
The game is launching soon as a flatscreen title, with Meta Quest VR support set for a later update. That puts it in an unusual spot for the series, which has leaned heavily into VR since Help Wanted.
Launching first without VR
Secret of the Mimic is officially releasing first as a standard non-VR experience on PC and consoles. While the game is built in Unreal Engine and still carries the studio’s signature tension and eerie atmosphere, it won’t initially support Meta Quest 2 or 3.
VR integration is planned, though. The developers have already confirmed a future Quest update is in the works, so it’s not a question of if, just when. No specific timeline has been shared, but the phrasing suggests it’ll be a post-launch patch rather than a distant sequel.
This approach is relatively new for the franchise. Both Help Wanted titles emphasized VR as a core feature. Holding it back for this entry signals a shift—maybe in how the team is handling development cycles or prioritizing releases across platforms.
What the delay could mean
Launching flatscreen-first could help with pacing. The studio has been juggling fast turnarounds, DLC support, and multiple spin-offs. Rolling out a traditional version before layering in VR may give them more control over QA and performance tuning, especially with Quest hardware limits in play.
It also opens the door for broader player feedback. Launching without VR means the team can refine systems, fix bugs, and respond to the community before porting that experience into a more demanding medium.
That said, this isn’t just a “flat then VR” trend. Other horror IPs, like Resident Evil Village, launched on flatscreen before pushing VR versions months later. It seems to be a way to hedge against tech debt while still reaching the widest audience early on.
Still targeting Quest 2 and 3
While PS VR2 wasn’t mentioned, Meta Quest 2 and 3 are the clear targets for the upcoming VR patch. That makes sense given the series’ audience and past support on Quest headsets. The question is whether the final version will offer a full, room-scale VR experience or opt for a more limited seated mode like in Help Wanted.
Nothing suggests the game is being rebuilt for VR from scratch, so it’s safe to assume we’ll see a ported experience rather than a separate version. Whether that leads to performance concessions or a streamlined interface is something to watch for once the update drops. Until then, Secret of the Mimic is shaping up as a return to the series’ narrative-driven puzzle horror roots, only with a delay on the immersive side.
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