A new Beat Saber mod is in the making, which aims to bring the addictive, music-fueled rhythm game to people without VR equipment. The mod named DeckSaber is designed to support any Steam-compatible game controller, and bring the multi-million unit-selling Beat Saber to people without VR. It is still in early development, but a trailer has been posted to show what it will look like and how it works once it's finished.
Beat Saber is undoubtedly one of the most popular and highly-acclaimed VR titles ever. The popularization of modern virtual reality headsets with the introduction of PlayStation VR gave Beat Saber the perfect launch pad. After its release in 2019, Beat Saber has introduced countless DLCs that add new songs and rhythm patterns to the game. Those DLCs include music from artists such as Skrillex and Lizzo, and most recently The Weeknd joined Beat Saber.
Unfortunately, the amazing rhythm game has been only available to those with VR, either through a PlayStation VR, Meta Quest, or Windows PC with a supported VR headset. This is about to change, thanks to a project by a modder called Pink. The mod will support all Steam-compatible controllers, which includes the handheld gaming console Steam Deck. Pink has posted a trailer for the upcoming mod on Reddit, where the thumbstick-based control scheme is showcased with a short glimpse into the gameplay.
The mod is not quite finished yet, and one of the more important aspects of the game, the scoring system, is still under work. According to the developer, this style of gameplay is going to have its own leaderboards, separate from standard Beat Saber. The release date hasn't been confirmed yet, but the developer believes it will be released later this month or early December. Developer builds are already accessible for those that have supported the project via Patreon. There's no word whether the mod will have multiplayer like Beat Saber on PSVR, but the developer is looking into having support for a map editor.
It is an interesting variation on Beat Saber, which is a VR game that is not only fun but can definitely be considered exercise, especially on higher difficulty levels. The higher the difficulty level determines the speed at which Beat Saber presents different blocks to cut. The DeckSaber mod seems to be more aimed toward fans of the game that want a new way to challenge themselves on the leaderboards while enjoying the music, not necessarily getting exercise. Most importantly, the developer sees this as a way to give gamers who haven't had the opportunity to enjoy the game.
Beat Saber is available now for Meta Quest, PC, and PSVR.