Tripwire Interactive released the rather good Killing Floor: Incursion last year for several headsets yet stayed quiet on any further virtual reality (VR) projects. Well it seems as though the studio has been busy on a collaboration instead, revealing a partnership today with Digital Lode on a VR stealth experience called Espire 1: VR Operative.

Digital Lode are looking to deliver the definitive stealth experience in VR, with Espire 1: VR Operative players taking control of remote drones to complete missions inside what the studio call the ‘ Control Theatre’.

Explaining how this works this team state: Any time a player performs any artificial locomotion, the game world shrinks down to the size of a floating tablet, with the Control Theatre visible in the player’s peripheral vision. This “VR within VR” system allows for precise full freedom of movement, maintains immersion, and also eliminates “VR motion sickness” for almost everyone.”

“We were blown away when Digital Lode first showed us Espire 1: VR Operative,” said Tripwire CEO and Co-Founder John Gibson in a statement. “Not only is the game amazing, but their Control Theatre movement system finally enables the dream we’ve all had of VR to become reality – full freedom of movement in VR that the masses can enjoy without motion sickness. We’re blown away to be able to work with Digital Lode to bring this game to the players.”

Tripwire Interactive began co-funding development of Espire 1: VR Operative last year, helping support development through Tripwire’s Producers, Marketing, Tech, Art and Audio leads.

“Tripwire is a publisher that has understood the challenges a fledgling independent development team faces and have been able to catapult our team forward,” said Digital Lode Founder Michael Wentworth-Bell. “Tripwire’s experience in VR development with Killing Floor: Incursion has helped save the Espire team countless hours of R&D. Espire 1: VR Operative has been a dream opportunity to establish a new stealth IP, while re-imagining stealth game mechanics in the unique medium of VR. Without Tripwire’s oversight, this dream would have remained out of reach.”

Espire 1: VR Operative will feature a complete single-player story in which players can use an arsenal of gadgets and weapons such as a tranquilizer pistol and deployable spy cameras. They’ll also be able to make voice commands and perform other actions simply by speaking.

No specific VR headsets have been mentioned in regards to support, but the trailer does note that the videogame is ‘Coming to VR systems in 2019’. As further details are released VRFocus will keep you updated.