PAYDAY: Aces High, Fast Travel Games’ licensed VR HEIST for Meta Quest and SteamVR, now has a firm OPEN PLAYTEST date. Meta’s Connect games announcement says the public TRIAL starts OCTOBER 19 on Quest 3 and Quest 3S, with CROSS-PLAY against PC VR and an exclusive Kitty Mask for participants when the full game ships later this year.
That CALENDAR is the NEWS. The title itself debuted earlier in 2026 — Fast Travel and Starbreeze revealed it at The VR Showcase in March, then ran a CLOSED community playtest in August. Connect did not invent the HEIST; it LOCKED the NEXT public WINDOW and confirmed Quest 3 / 3S as the first headset targets Meta is selling hard before winter.
What Meta Promised at Connect
Per Meta’s Connect 2026 games post, Aces High puts you on a team of elite HEISTERS targeting a criminal titan. PLAN the JOB, case the TARGET, and sneak inside with your CREW. Trigger an ALARM or get spotted by a security camera and the score flips into a FIGHT to shoot your way out with the LOOT. You can go SOLO or team up with up to THREE friends, including pals on PCVR thanks to CROSS-PLAY.
Mixed-News (Sep 24) and UploadVR’s Connect games roundup match that framing: open playtest OCTOBER 19, reward reward for joining, full LAUNCH still listed only as later this YEAR / Autumn 2026 / Q4 2026 depending on the storefront you read.
Four Roles, Loud When It Breaks
Fast Travel’s pitch keeps the PAYDAY fantasy INTACT in VR. After being framed by business titan Warren Jupiter, players case banks, museums, and a luxury PENTHOUSE, then choose when to go loud. LOADOUTS mix weapons, gadgets, and SKILLS. The studio’s feature list names four ACES: Mastermind, Ghost, Technician, and Enforcer — Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds, and Spades in the franchise’s card metaphor.
The Meta Horizon Store listing, as summarized by Mixed-News, rates the game 18+ for extreme violence and strong language, flags in-game purchases, and requires an INTERNET connection. That is a different product posture from the free-to-play card and puzzle titles Meta also stacked for Meta VR Glasses this week.
Why the Playtest Matters Now
Connect week flooded the Horizon Store NARRATIVE with hand-tracked glasses demos and spring 2027 launch windows. Aces High is one of the FEW Connect calendar items you can actually QUEUE for in the next MONTH. Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2 also got a firm Quest date (NOVEMBER 12), but that title already has a dedicated Metaverse Watcher write-up. PAYDAY’s October playtest is the nearer public stress test for a big licensed CO-OP SHOOTER on Quest HARDWARE.
Fast Travel’s August closed playtest was limited. The October OPEN PLAYTEST is Meta’s bid to widen that feedback loop — and to seed the Kitty Mask as a RETENTION HOOK for the full Autumn / Q4 launch window. Steam’s store page for app 3456660 still lists Q4 2026; Meta’s own copy says “later this year.” Neither source has published a day-accurate ship date beyond the playtest.
Platforms and What to Watch
At launch Meta is selling Quest 3 and Quest 3S first, with CROSS-PLAY to PC VR. SteamVR REMAINS on Fast Travel’s ROADMAP from the March reveal. Meta also reminded developers that every Quest game will be playable on Meta VR Glasses with Touch Plus controllers when that headset arrives in spring 2027 — so a healthy Quest heist library is inventory for the glasses era, even if Aces High is not a hand-tracking-first glasses splash.
Wishlist and store pages to watch: the Meta Horizon Store listing, Steam, and Fast Travel’s official news. Registration details for the OCTOBER 19 OPEN PLAYTEST should firm up on those channels as the date approaches. Until then, the Connect TAKEAWAY is simple: the next time the public gets into a PAYDAY VR heist is OCTOBER 19, not “sometime in Q4.”
Sources: Meta Connect 2026 game announcements; Mixed-News (Sep 24, 2026); UploadVR Connect games roundup (Sep 23, 2026); Fast Travel Games playtest news; Steam and Meta Horizon Store listings.