Despite an annual 15-year history, for some reason Ubisoft’s Just Dance franchise has never gotten a virtual reality release until now. That changes with Just Dance VR: Welcome to Dancity this fall, on Meta Quest’s currently supported lineup (Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, and Meta Quest 3).
Just Dance has been a death-and-taxes staple of Ubisoft’s publishing calendar, going back to 2009, a tenure that compares to a sports video game franchise like NBA 2K or EA Sports FC. And like those games, Dancity will let players customize avatars with an array of body shapes, hairstyles, genders and outfits, then head off to da club to get their groove on with other players in an online world.
And in Just Dance VR: Welcome to Dancity, players also have a virtual “apartment” where friends can come over and not just dance, they can play pop-a-shot basketball. Other social features are included, including emote stickers and voice chats. But the star of the show is you. The setlist includes 25 pop hits at launch, including Starships by Nicki Minaj, Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen, and Carly Rae Jepsen’s 2011 bubblegum banger Call Me Maybe.
Just Dance has been taken for granted as a Ubisoft showcase announcement for more than a decade. And yet, it’s managed to outlast both Guitar Hero and Rock Band as an annual series or live service game. Ubisoft also is a publicly-traded company, the kind that are quick to jettison things that can’t grow an audience. Yet somehow, Just Dance’s fanbase still thrives.
So, heck, maybe we should all finally admit that video game dancing is just a fun thing a lot of people love. Just Dance VR: Welcome to Dancity launches October 15.
