Sword Art Online : The Beginning VRMMO ?

Back in February, IBM Japan revealed a rather interesting VR project based on the Sword Art Online series called Sword Art Online: The Beginning. The project, labeled as a VR MMO, sounds very interesting on paper, but very little of it has been seen in the past few weeks. A few hours ago, however, a new video including some short gameplay sequences has been shared online.

The new Sword Art Online: The Beginning video mostly focuses on the technology powering the project, but also features some short gameplay sequences like interactions with other characters and some short combat sequences. The project definitely looks a bit rough as of now, but things will surely improve as work on it continues. You can check out the new video right below.

Some pictures taken during the Sword Art Online: The Beginning alpha test as well as some screenshots have emerged online last month. The alpha test, which ran from March 18th until March 20th, was apparently quite popular, with over 100,000 applicants. Of them, only 208 have been selected for the alpha test.

Back when it was revealed, IMB Japan confirmed that Sword Art Online: The Beginning would be played without a traditional controller, with players having to use their whole body as seen in the popular anime SAO. Additional features also make the environment feel like the real world, such as the Cognitive System and Softlayer. It’s not yet known if this project will eventually lead to a commercial release of a VR MMO, but its features make it feel like the future of video gaming is indeed here .