Sega’s Space Channel 5 coming to VR

Dreamcast-era rhythm game series Space Channel 5 is coming to virtual reality. Sega and mobile provider KDDI will showcase Space Channel 5 VR "Ukiuki Viewing Show" at this year’s Tokyo Game Show — just don’t expect a full game or a port of the 1999 original Space Channel 5.

Sega and KDDI describe Space Channel 5 VR as a way for viewers to watch space reporter Ulala’s news broadcasts, and interactivity with the demo appears limited.

Space Channel 5 VR "Ukiuki Viewing Show" will be showcased at HTC’s Tokyo Game Show booth and playable on its Vive headset. The VR app is being developed by Grounding, which developed the Panzer Dragoon-like Crimson Dragon for Xbox One.

It’s not clear what Sega’s longterm plans for Space Channel 5 VR are, as the app’s release date, price and platforms are listed as "TBD" on KDDI’s Tokyo Game Show website.

The original Space Channel 5 was released for Sega Dreamcast. It was produced by Tetsuya Mizuguchi, whose other musical project from that era, Rez, is also making the journey to virtual reality. Sega released a sequel, Space Channel 5 Part 2, for Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 in 2002.