Peter Hirschmann, the Respawn Entertainment director of Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, described the project as both a return to the series and an effort to preserve veterans’ first-hand accounts. The 2020 VR game casts players as an Office of Strategic Services (OSS) agent in wartime Europe; its story and production were shaped by interviews with veterans and captured 360-degree footage, according to Electronic Arts.
Hirschmann’s return to Medal of Honor
Electronic Arts announced Above and Beyond in 2019 as a VR entry developed by Respawn Entertainment. EA identified Hirschmann as the game’s director and framed the project as a return to the franchise’s focus on ordinary people confronting extraordinary circumstances.
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In EA’s announcement, Hirschmann said: “This franchise has always been about celebrating the everyday people who did extraordinary things in the face of overwhelming odds and Above and Beyond continues that tradition.” The comment explains the creative intention EA presented for the game; it is not an independent assessment of how successfully the finished game realizes that aim. Read EA’s announcement.
What the game asks players to do
The player takes the role of an OSS agent operating in wartime Europe, sabotaging enemy facilities, disrupting plans, and aiding the French Resistance. EA said the development team collected veterans’ first-hand stories through interviews and 360-degree footage, with the stated goal of preserving those accounts for future generations.
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Hirschmann described that intention in the launch announcement: “As we commemorate the 75th anniversary of World War II, it’s been a privilege to be able to preserve history in such a unique medium and retell the remarkable stories of these veterans and resistance fighters for generations to come.” The anniversary reference belongs to EA’s 2020 launch context, not to the present day. EA’s description documents the project’s approach and intent; it does not independently establish the historical accuracy of every mission.
How the team approached VR development
After trying the game, Shacknews interviewed Hirschmann about the development effort, adapting natural human movement to game controls, and the challenges and immersive effects of VR. He said, “We went all in 2.5 years ago.” That is Hirschmann’s account in the September 30, 2019 interview, not an audited production timeline or a statement that establishes the full development history. Read the Shacknews interview report.
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History Respawned published a separate Hirschmann interview on May 19, 2022. Its listed discussion topics include the history of the series, adapting it for VR, the game’s Gallery, its Oscar, and the continuing popularity of WWII games. Those topic listings provide context for the conversation, but not enough detail to attribute further statements to Hirschmann. See the History Respawned interview page.
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EA announced a worldwide release date of December 11, 2020, with launch availability through the Oculus Store for Oculus Rift and on Steam with OpenVR support and cross-platform play. These are launch-era details, not confirmation of current availability or service status.
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EA’s announcement listed 12 multiplayer maps and five modes:
- Deathmatch
- Team Deathmatch
- Domination
- Blast Radius
- Mad Bomber, which EA described as involving physical bomb placement and locating bombs through sight and 3D positional sound
The available information does not establish whether multiplayer services are active now. Steam’s general notice says EA may retire online features after notice, but it does not confirm the status of this game’s servers. Check the current store listing before buying if online play is essential. Check the Steam listing.
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- 2X GRAPHICAL PROCESSING POWER — Enjoy lightning-fast load times and next-gen graphics for smooth gaming powered by the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor.
- EXPERIENCE VIRTUAL REALITY — Blend virtual objects with your physical space and experience two worlds at once.
- 2+ HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — Charge less, play longer and stay in the action with an improved battery that keeps up.
PC VR requirements and the Quest 2 edition
For the Steam PC edition, the listing says VR support requires SteamVR or Oculus PC. Its published minimum specifications are Windows 10, an Intel i7 9700K-equivalent processor, 16 GB of RAM, an NVIDIA GTX 1080-equivalent graphics card, and 180 GB of available storage; the recommended graphics card is an RTX 2080 equivalent. Store specifications can change, so confirm the current listing before purchasing.
A Quest 2 adaptation was reviewed separately in 2022. It is a distinct edition, not a way to bypass the PC edition’s requirements: a headset by itself is not enough to run the Steam version. The available sources establish neither a complete feature-by-feature comparison nor present availability for both editions. Read the Quest 2 adaptation review.
If you are considering a PC VR headset for SteamVR, first check that your PC meets the game’s current requirements and that the headset and runtime are compatible with your setup. The game’s storage requirement and GPU baseline make the PC edition a substantial hardware commitment.
Store content notice
Steam categorizes the game as a World War II VR action title and its mature-content notice describes frequent violence or gore. That is the store’s content description; readers who are sensitive to such material should review the listing before playing.
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