Whether or not VRChat qualifies as “free-to-play” for you probably rests on whether you already own a virtual reality headset like the Oculus Rift/Rift S or the HTC Vive/Vive Pro. If not…well, this might be the most expensive game you ever play.
But for those who do own a VR headset, VRChat is one of the best things to hit the platform so far. It’s the promise of Neuromancer and Snow Crash’s virtual hangout spaces, except it turns out the reality is more like the world’s stupidest message board than the slick cyberpunk future people expected. Think Second Life except somehow…weirder.
Virtual reality is full of interesting free experiences, actually, which helps offset the cost of the hardware. They’re short, for the most part, but experiment with VR in some interesting ways. If you’re looking for more, might I recommend Google Earth VR, Taphouse VR, VR Flush, Desert Bus VR, Nefertari, or some of the Google Spotlight Stories?