VR Design Unpacked: Why ‘Embodiment’ is More Important Than ‘Immersion’

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Our series Inside XR Design examines specific examples of great XR design. Today we’re looking at the game Synapse and exploring the concept of embodiment and what makes it important to VR games.

Quest’s Leaked Theater Environment Suggests Meta Could Be Gunning for Social VR’s ‘Bigscreen’

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Image courtesy Bigscreen

Meta announced in January it was working on a home theater environment for Horizon OS, which would let Quest users view content on a massive screen in a proper theater setting. Now, a leaked prototype of the environment shows that it’s focusing on multiplayer too, making it look a bit like VR’s most popular shared viewing app, Bigscreen.

Meta Acquired 9 Leading VR Studios Starting in 2019: What’s Happened Since

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Meta Quest 3S | Image courtesy Meta

Between 2019 and 2022, Meta went on a veritable shopping spree of experienced studios to help push its VR game portfolio, culminating in nine VR studios acquired to date. Here we take a look what’s happened over the past six years, including everything from recent successes to outright shutdowns.

‘Eldramoor: Haven in the Mist’ Kickstarter Hits $100K Milestone with No Signs of Stopping

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Image courtesy Resolute Games

Resolute Games launched a crowdfunding campaign late last month to kickstart a VRMMO called Eldramoor: Haven in the Mist. Now the campaign has officially crossed the $100,000 mark, and it’s not showing any signs of stopping.

Meta Leak Suggests Smart Glasses With Display is Nearing Launch, Includes Wrist-worn Controller

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Image courtesy Luna

Meta recently unveiled Oakley Meta HSTN, the company’s latest smart glasses created in collaboration with EssilorLuxottica. Now, data miner and serial leaker ‘Luna’ has obtained images of what appears to be Meta’s next pair of smart glasses, this time including a built-in display and wrist-worn controller.

Apple Reportedly Has Numerous XR Headsets & Glasses Coming Between Now & 2028

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Image courtesy Apple

Independent tech analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports that Apple’s XR and smart glasses roadmap will feature multiple XR devices, including a spec-bumped Vision Pro slated to release later this year. At the far end of the spectrum, Kuo also says Apple is making AR glasses, reportedly coming in 2028.

‘PianoCafe’ is a Wildly Creative Approach to Gamifying Piano Lessons

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Image courtesy Plai Technologies Inc

As with any instrument, learning the piano can be intimidating when you first start out. But indie developer Plai Technologies is developing an interesting approach to gamifying piano lessons with its upcoming mixed reality app, PianoCafe.

‘MYST’ Studio Cyan Announces Second Layoff Round This Year

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Image courtesy Cyan

Cyan, the indie studio behind VR-supported revivals of classic puzzle adventures MYST (1993) and RIVEN (1997), announced a second tranche of layoffs following a round in March that reduced the company by half.

Quest 3S Xbox Edition Sells Out in Just Days From Meta, Availability Remains at Retailers

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It’s been less than a week since Meta launched the Quest 3S Xbox Edition headset, but the “limited edition” device is already out of stock if buying from Meta directly. However, it’s still available at third-party retailers.

Bigscreen Beyond 2 Starts First Wave of Shipping, Aims for Immediate Fulfillment by September

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Bigscreen Beyond 2 | Image courtesy Bigscreen

Bigscreen announced it’s officially begun shipping the first production units of Beyond 2, the company’s latest slim and light PC VR headset.

HTC Slashes Price of Vive Pro 2 for a Limited Time, Including Headset & All-in Bundle

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HTC Vive Pro 2 | Image courtesy HTC

HTC launched Vive Pro 2 in 2021, and it’s been the company’s flagship PC VR headset ever since. Now, for a limited time, Vive Pro 2 is cheaper than ever.

Former Oculus Execs Are Jumping Back into Wearables with Sesame Smart Glasses

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Image courtesy Sesame

Oculus co-founder Nate Mitchell announced he’s joining former CEO Brendan Iribe and hardware architect Ryan Brown at Sesame, the smart glasses startup that exited stealth earlier this year.

Xiaomi Unveils China’s Answer to Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses with a Few Killer Features

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Image courtesy Xiaom

Today at Xiaomi’s ‘Human x Car x Home’ event, the Chinese tech giant revealed its answer to Meta and EssilorLuxottica’s series of smart glasses: Xiaomi AI Glasses.

‘The Invisible Hours’ Creator Aims to Bring Immersive Mystery to Modern VR Headsets, TV & Film

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Image courtesy Rob Yescombe

Rob Yescombe, co-creator of immersive VR mystery game The Invisible Hours (2017), recently regained the rights to the game, which he says could led to a remaster across modern VR headsets, as well as TV and film.

New ‘Kayak VR’ DLC Lets You Go Cave-kayaking with a Friend in a Beautiful Yet Terrifying Locale

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Better Than Life has released a new paid DLC environment for its multiplayer kayaking game Kayak VR: Mirage (2022), this time taking inspiration from Yucatán, Mexico for some lush cenotes and mysterious caves.

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