What X8 is
X8 is a free-to-play VR hero shooter built around 5v5 battles. A rogue mod called X8 has pulled characters out of different game franchises and set them against each other, with the goal of assembling worthy opponents and opening a path back to their worlds. The cast includes a crossover with the Contra series, bringing its run-and-gun style into VR. It's in Early Access, so expect the game to keep changing as it develops.
How your group plays together
Teams are five players, so a full Discord group can fill a side and queue up as a unit. Matches support crossplay, which means friends on Quest or PICO can join the same lobby without anyone needing to switch platforms. Everyone picks a hero and combines gunplay with that hero's abilities: turrets, tripwires, smokes and other tools that change how a fight plays out. Loadouts are customizable, with weapons and armor to pick from, so two players on the same hero can still build for different roles. Communication matters here — calling out where you placed a turret or where you dropped smoke is what turns five individual shooters into a coordinated team.
Demolition Mode
Demolition is the tactical mode: teams take turns attacking and defending by planting or defusing the Syphon. The maps are built to reward creative approaches rather than straight firefights, so expect to plan routes, hold angles, and time your pushes around the objective. If your group likes round-based, plant-and-defuse play with abilities layered on top, this is the mode to start with.
Before you start
X8 is a VR game, so everyone needs a headset that runs it, and the Steam features list controller support alongside online co-op and online PvP. There's a singleplayer tag as well, so you can play on your own when the group isn't online. As an Early Access title, balance, heroes and maps may shift between sessions — a loadout that dominates one week can feel different after an update. Since abilities and guns both matter, give yourself a few matches to learn what each hero brings before judging a pick.