Not many game studios start with two brothers trying to stay connected during lockdown. But that’s exactly how Sol and Tam Tahirli, founders of Montreal’s Hidden IO, began creating their new VR game ZIX, which they showed off for the first time on November 19, 2024.
The Tahirli brothers came to Canada as refugees from Azerbaijan. Growing up, video games became their comfort zone. Sol got into making games and art, while Tam learned to code by creating mods for games like RuneScape and Grand Theft Auto. These childhood hobbies eventually led them to jobs at big gaming companies like Unity and Ubisoft.
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Zix: From Pandemic Connection To Game Development
When COVID hit, the brothers couldn’t hang out and play games together like they used to. They tried VR games to feel closer, but as Tam explains, something was missing: “When the pandemic hit, it took away our ability to sit side by side, sharing the joy of our favorite games and feeling each other’s presence. We turned to VR for that connection, and while we better felt each other’s presence, there wasn’t enough depth to keep us playing in the few co-op games available.”
In 2021, after more than ten years working in the game industry, they decided to make their own game. Taking inspiration from games they loved, like Risk of Rain 2, Enter the Gungeon, and Binding of Isaac, they created ZIX. What started as a way to play together grew into something bigger. In ZIX, players become Acolytes, space agents spreading chaos across the universe for a mysterious figure named Zix.
Innovation In VR Gaming
One of the game’s main features lets players reshape their experience as they play. Instead of leaving everything up to chance, players can mix and match different pieces of the game world. Don’t like fighting a certain enemy? Swap it out for one from another world. Can’t reach a hidden area? Change the gravity to get there. Players can build their own challenges through these choices.
The controls are built specifically for VR. The brothers created what they call the First Instinct system, which lets players move naturally with VR controls. You can run, jump, and use weapons, from swords to bows to grenades, without ever having to look down at your controllers.
The game grows with you as you play. By mixing elements from three different worlds, players unlock new powers, find secret areas, and discover ways to change how the game works. Each time you play, you can stack different upgrades to create different playing styles.
Playing with friends was a priority for the team. Which is why ZIX works for solo players and supports up to three people playing together. It doesn’t matter if your friends have different VR headsets either, the game works across Meta Quest 3 and Steam VR. Anyone can join in, no matter what system they’re using.
Building A Future
The project caught some important attention early on. Meta backed the game through their Oculus Publishing program, and the Canadian Media Fund pitched in too. This support helped the small studio grow while staying true to their original ideas. The team now includes several industry veterans who’ve been making games for over a decade.
Both brothers bring different skills to the table. Sol handles how the game looks and plays, while Tam works on the code that makes everything run. Their early days of modding games helped them understand what makes games fun and keeps players coming back for more.
ZIX takes familiar gaming ideas but reshapes them for VR. Each run through the game offers new combinations of world elements and abilities to try. The game balances being approachable for new players while offering deeper systems to explore. This goes for the multiplayer too. Friends can drop in and out easily while still making progress on their own as well.
The game comes out in 2025, but players can already add it to their wish lists on Steam and the Meta Quest Store. Hidden IO keeps players updated through their Discord community, and shares news on YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter).
ZIX started in 2021 when two developers wanted to feel close again during isolation. Now it’s grown into a full game that aims to give players what the brothers couldn’t find back then, a VR game built for playing together.
Roguelite
Virtual Reality
co-op
- Platform(s)
- Meta Quest 3 , Steam VR
- Released
- 2025
- Developer(s)
- Hidden IO
- Publisher(s)
- Hidden IO
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Number of Players
- 1 to 3