Wands is a VR spell-flinging success — now, its studio wants more

Cortopia has been playing with magic since 2016. Its virtual reality dueler Wands started out on Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream, but since then, its wizarding empire has expanded to Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and, most recently, Oculus Go in May. PlayStation, one of the leading platforms for VR, is missing from that list, and that’s due to the challenge of porting between platforms. For now, the studio is focused on deepening the gameplay, reaching a broader audience, and fostering its nascent esports scene.

Wands is a 1-vs.-1 battler in a 19th-century steampunk world where magic is alive — and so is dueling. Players face off by casting spells and flinging fireballs. The Swedish studio released an update on June 26, Sanctum of Sahir, that includes new characters, more customization options, and a new map that centers on the tomb of an ancient king. It also features a new onboarding process, which Cortopia CEO Andreas Skoglund says is key to the studio’s strategy moving forward.