Pickleball Update: Desktop Play, Cross-Play and a Smarter Bot

This update opens Pickleball up to more ways to play. You can now play on PC without a VR headset, share one screen with a friend, and play online against players on PICO and mobile. We've also reworked how the AI opponent moves and hits, and fixed a long list of online multiplayer issues.

Play without a headset

• Desktop mode. Play the full game on PC with keyboard and mouse or a gamepad. No VR headset needed.
• Local multiplayer. Two players on one PC, both on screen, or one in VR and one on the desktop.
• Steam Input. Controllers are supported through Steam Input, so you can remap them the way you like.
• Easier menus. The menu now opens in your view and points correctly, and you can keep moving while it's open. A help panel shows the controls.

Online multiplayer and cross-play

• Cross-play with PICO and mobile. Steam players can now match with players on PICO headsets and on mobile.
• Full-body opponents. Players who aren't in VR appear as full-body avatars that walk, get ready for your serve, serve and swing. They hold the paddle properly and stand upright while preparing to serve.
• More reliable matches. We fixed dropped packets, scores and serves getting out of sync, freezes and failed connections. If you lose the connection mid-match, the score and serve resync when you're back, and the match waits 30 seconds for a dropped player before ending.
• Serve timer. Every serve now has a timer, so nobody is left waiting for the other player to serve.

A smarter AI opponent

• Better timing. The bot now times its swing to the ball, so the paddle actually meets it, and it plays a soft dink swing on low balls.
• Gets down to low balls. It bends its knees and brings the paddle down instead of folding over at the waist.
• Smoother reaches. Lunges ease in and out, and the bot no longer reaches for balls that are going into the net.
• Better returns of serve. It predicts the bounce more accurately and stands where the ball will actually arrive.

Polish and fixes

• New celebration. After a match, the AI opponent can now celebrate by pumping its paddle overhead.
• Lighting. Softer shadows and a brighter sky.
• Readable messages. Notifications now face you, wherever you're standing on the court.
• Store items. All in-game items are unlocked on Steam, as intended.

Thanks for playing

Thank you to everyone who sent in bug reports and feedback. Many of these fixes came straight from you. If you find something that isn't right, or have an idea for what we should add next, let us know in the Steam discussions. See you on the court!