Powerwash Simulator studio ends VR development, but at least there are no layoffs happening

Powerwash Simulator VR screenshow - about to clean off a spraypainted image of a big smiling cat, I guess — (Image credit: FuturLab)

Powerwash Simulator was a surprise hit when it popped up in 2022, earning critical plaudits, enviable player numbers, crossovers ranging from Spongebob Squarepants to Warhammer 40,000 and even an academic thumbs-up from Oxford. Despite all that success, it hasn't been able to crack the thick-skinned nut that is virtual reality, and today FuturLab has announced that it's giving up.

"I am sorry to let you know that we won't be continuing support of Powerwash Simulator VR," FuturLab CEO Kirstey Rigden said in a message posted to Bluesky. "We absolutely love and believe in VR, so this doesn't mean we won't support it in the future but we aren't able to continue with support right now.

"We have been faced with a crossroads: We have a truly excellent and kind VR team who were working on a platform which costs us more than it makes, while also having a list of job openings that were looking to be filled on other projects. We took the decision to redeploy our VR team into those other projects/roles. Whilst I would love to live in a world where we could support Powerwash Simulator on every platform going, I will always choose job security for my team."

&quot;I am sorry to let you know that we won't be continuing support of Powerwash Simulator VR. We absolutely love and believe in VR, so this doesn't mean we won't support it in the future but we aren't able to continue with support right now. We have been faced with a crossroads: We have a truly excellent and kind VR team who were working on a platform which costs us more than it makes, while also having a list of job openings that were looking to be filled on other projects. We took the decision to redeploy our VR team into those other projects/roles. Whilst I would love to live in a world where we could support Powerwash Simulator on every platform going, I will always choose job security for my team. — (Image credit: FuturLab)

It's undoubtedly disappointing for VR supporters, but not all that terribly surprising. VR remains extremely niche—Steam users with VR headsets continue to hover around 2%, according to the latest hardware and software survey numbers, which isn't universal but certainly a barometer—and Powerwash Simulator VR may have suffered further from being a Meta Quest exclusive, meaning no VR on Steam.

Even so, Rigden is earning some praise on social media for being frank about the reason for the end of Powerwash Simulator VR support—no money in it—and for reassigning developers to other projects rather than simply cutting the VR team loose.

FuturLab clarified in a followup post that the base game and currently released DLC will remain available for purchase and play, there just won't be any further support or new content for it.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.