Meta’s PC VR Dominance Continues as Quest 2 Passes New Milestone
Quest 2 quickly rose to become the most-used VR headset on Steam, but last month it crossed a new milestone as the majority of headsets used on the platform.
Preview: ‘Red Matter 2’ is Raising the Bar on Quest 2 Graphics & Doubling Down on Interactivity
Due out in just two weeks, Red Matter 2 is promising to up the ante over its already well regarded predecessor, this time being built from the ground up to look as good as possible on Quest 2. We got to sample the game to see how it’s shaping up ahead of release.
The Design & Implementation of Hand-tracking in ‘Myst’
Using Presence Platform’s upgraded Hand Tracking API, we introduced Hand Tracking with our most recent update to Myst on the Meta Quest Platform, titled ‘Hands & More’. We’re super excited to finally let folks play Myst on Quest without physical controllers! In this post, we’ll discuss the evolution and iteration of implementing hand tracking in Myst—and in particular, adding more support for it in Unreal Engine 4.27.2.
Quest v43 Update May Include Long-awaited 16:9 Recording Mode
Quest’s v43 software update has already rolled out on the Public Test Channel, however now it seems Meta is getting ready to unlock a number of long overdue video capture options, like the ability to record in 16:9 aspect ratio. Additionally, it appears some settings specific to the company’s upcoming headset Project Cambria have cropped up as well.
Quest’s Most Popular Basketball Game on App Lab ‘Gym Class’ Secures $8M
IRL Studios announced that Gym Class, its popular VR basketball game on Meta Quest App Lab, has raised $8 million in a seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) with participation from Y Combinator.
Rare Conjoined Twin Surgery Aided by VR Training, Bridging the Gap Between Two Continents
Practice makes perfect, especially when it comes to life-saving procedures that deal with extreme edge cases like separating conjoined twins. Now a UK-Brazilian team have done just that, which is thanks to detailed planning sessions which allowed the surgical team to model and rehearse the operation in VR from two different continents.
Meta Says New Prototype Will Put Its Cutting-edge R&D in a Market-viable Headset
Back in June Meta revealed its latest XR R&D efforts through a handful of different prototypes designed to prove out various concepts. The next step, the company says, is to bring it all together into a single package that could one day reach real users.
CCP is Finally Pulling the Plug on VR Pioneers ‘EVE: Valkyrie’ & ‘Sparc’
EVE: Valkyrie (2016), the sci-fi dogfighter from CCP Games, used to be one of most talked about titles in VR thanks to its cross-platform multiplayer, high visual polish, and position as one of the first games on Oculus Rift and PSVR. Starting August 5th, CCP is shutting down its servers for both EVE: Valkyrie and and sci-fi sports game Sparc (2017), putting a definite end to an era.
Here’s a Breakdown of the Newly Increased Prices of Quest 2 & Official Accessories
Now that August is here, Meta has made good on its promise to raise the price of Quest 2 and its accessories. Here’s a quick look at how the company has increased prices for its most popular VR headset yet.
Xiaomi Unveils Consumer Smart Glasses with 50 MP Camera & Micro OLED Display
Chinese tech giant Xiaomi today unveiled a pair of smart glasses that the company is positioning as an addition to an active lifestyle, targeting consumers at 2,499 yuan (~$370).
Report: Pico 4 Controllers Appear in Leaked Images, Revealing New Ergonomic Design
ByteDance’s Pico Interactive is getting ready to launch a new line of standalone VR headsets soon looking to compete with Meta, dubbed Pico 4 and Pico 4 Pro. Now a leak has allegedly revealed Pico 4’s controllers, and they look to be a significant step forward in terms of ergonomics.
Microsoft’s Battlefield AR Headset in Jeopardy After Deep Budget Cuts
‘Walkabout Mini Golf’ Releases New Course Based on ’80s Classic ‘LABYRINTH’
Walkabout Mini Golf (2020) always seems to rank among the top games on Quest, which is no doubt thanks to its uncommonly high degree of polish and consistently fun gameplay. Now developers Mighty Coconut have finally released the long-awaited paid DLC inspired by Jim Henson’s ’80s classic LABYRINTH (1986), letting you dive head first into a course set in a magical world filled with memorable characters and iconic scenes from the fantasy film.
‘COMPOUND’ Review – A Retro Roguelite Shooter That’s An Instant Classic
COMPOUND is a roguelite shooter fresh out of Steam Early Access that unabashedly owes a lot of its DNA to classic first-person shooters like Wolfenstein 3D (1992) and Doom (1993). Far from being just a version of those old school games translated to VR, Compound brings its own stylish take to the genre and integrates VR-native mechanics at its core, which makes it feel right at home in the 21st century.
