How Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow Brings Iconic Stealth Series to PS VR2
Eidos’ iconic Thief franchise returns later this week with Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow. PlayStation LifeStyle spoke with Vertigo Games Principal Designer Nick Witsel and Eidos-Montréal Creative Director Steven Gallagher to learn more about the PS VR2 game. It arrives on PlayStation 5 tomorrow, December 4, 2025.
“Step into the shadows in Thief VR. You are Magpie, a cunning thief orphaned by Baron Northcrest and shaped by the streets. Use VR mechanics to steal, evade, and outsmart the City’s forces. Your goal? A relic in Northcrest’s vault, which uncovers a far greater artifact with a powerful legacy,” says the official description.
Check out our discussion with the duo below, plus some exclusive concept art from the stealth game.
PlayStation LifeStyle: One of the reasons why the original Thief games were so innovative was the freedom players had in how they chose to approach gameplay. How does Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow give players agency in how they choose to play and engage with enemies?
Nick Witsel: Indeed, Thief’s approach has always been about providing players with obstacles and a multitude of methods to overcome them. Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow continues this tradition. Levels are provided with multiple paths to your objective, where you need to cleverly figure out which way works best for you. Guards pose the biggest threats, and while you have plenty of tools in dealing with them, everything carries risk. For instance:
- Using your blackjack requires that you get close and also leaves you with an unconscious body that might be found.
- Throwing an object to create a distraction could result in unwanted attention from other guards.
- You could unlock a nearby door and go around, but you might be spotted while picking the lock.
And it’s in weighing these options and deciding what to do that you immerse yourself into the role of the Master Thief.
VR adds a real tactility to the action, especially getting to use the different tools, and sneaking around feels very natural. How does that immersion help the stealth gameplay?
Steven Gallagher: VR is awesome for peeking around corners or over walls, but it’s especially good at quickly checking your surroundings without needing to stop focusing on whatever sneaky business you’re up to. Let’s say you’re trying to quickly pick a lock and slip through a door before a pesky guard you can hear nearby spots you. This is a vulnerable position for a thief to be in with your back to potential danger and unable to quickly check if you’re alone.
Playing a first-person stealth game like this on a screen like a TV or a monitor, you’re usually forced to just hope for the best or disengage and turn your body to be sure you’re still safe. VR, however, allows you to naturally look around as you would in real life while keeping your hands and intention focused on what you’re doing. I find being stealthy in Thief in VR to be a very intuitive way to play, which is a big reason why it’s so enjoyably immersive.
The Thief lore is surprisingly rich, as fans know. What was Maze Theory’s approach to the game’s story and getting to view this world in a new, more up-close way?
Witsel: Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow is a game made by fans of the franchise. There were a lot of elements we wanted to cover, whilst also ensuring new players wouldn’t feel lost. Telling the story from Magpie’s perspective, who is relatively new to the City and still has plenty to learn, allows us to introduce players to the setting in a natural way, while also allowing us to involve some familiar faces and voices to guide their way.
It was so exciting to hear Stephen Russell in the trailer. How was it working with Stephen to get Garrett’s sense of humor into this game and bring back such a beloved character?
Witsel: He’s still got it. Garrett was back. It was like this big puzzle piece that completed the picture. It’s been an incredible privilege to work with him.
Thief veterans will know what to expect, but what’s your best advice for newcomers who are checking this out first because it’s in VR?
Gallagher: I guess remember that you’re a thief, not a fighter. You can defend yourself if the worst happens, but it’s better to be one step ahead of trouble so you don’t find yourself in it. The immersive nature of VR gives you all you need to be a master sneak thief, so stay sharp, keep your eyes open, and stick to the shadows. They’ll never see you coming.
The original PSVR hardware led to a lot of ports that weren’t as good as the PC counterparts. What impressed the team the most about PlayStation VR2 hardware?
Witsel: The OLED lenses are fantastic at conveying the strong and moody atmosphere of Thief’s lighting. Light and dark play a crucial role in the experience, so we can definitely recommend the PSVR2 Headset for this game.
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