Pico Confirms Acquisition by TikTok Parent Company, Rumored $775 Million Purchase Price
Following rumors that it was poised to be acquired by TikTok parent company ByteDance, VR headset maker Pico has confirmed the purchase, according to reporting by Chinese VR publication Nweon. The acquisition price hasn’t been officially announced but is rumored to be ¥5 billion (~$775 million).
Reality Might Be a Simulation, Scientists Think It’s Possible to Find out for Sure
If you’re interested in VR, you’ve probably thought at least once or twice about the simulation hypothesis—the idea that we might actually already be living in a virtual reality world. Many people are passingly familiar with the idea, especially thanks to films like The Matrix, and it’s been a topic among philosophers—in some form or another—for perhaps more than a millenium. But did you know that scientists actually think it may be possible to experimentally verify if we’re living in a simulation?
This VR Documentary is Filming Outside of the ISS so You Can See Space With Your Own Eyes
Space Explorers: The ISS Experience is a multi-part VR documentary from Felix & Paul Studios and TIME that lets you see what life is like aboard the International Space Station. The first two episodes transport you to the rarefied air of the ISS interior, however the studios today announced that they’ve begun filming episodes three and four outside of the ISS, letting you virtually experience the edge of space via 3D, 360 video.
Quest Users Can Play a Library of Top PC VR Games for Free for a Month with This Promo
Looking for some free PC VR games to play on Quest? Viveport, HTC’s storefront for VR games and apps, is throwing out free promo codes to owners of Oculus Quest and Quest 2 which will let you play all of the games enrolled in its Infinity program for a whole month.
‘Jurassic World Aftermath: Part 2’ is Set to Land in September, New Trailer Here
Jurassic World Aftermath: Part 2 is now set to launch on September 30th on Oculus Quest, less than a year after Part 1. And we’re glad it’s coming soon—the original was a quality game but felt like it got cut short with a serious cliffhanger.
Some of the Best PSVR Games Are 50% Off Right Now During a Huge Summer Sale
Looking for some Summer fun in VR? If you’ve got a PlayStation VR headset then you’re in luck. Sony is hosting a huge sale with more than 200 games discounted, including 50% off of some of its best exclusive titles through September 8th.
‘Space Pirate Trainer DX’ to Bring Massive Arena Mode to Quest September 9th
Space Pirate Trainer (2017) is getting a truly massive expansion next month on the Oculus Quest platform that will bring two new modes including the previously revealed Arena mode, which requires a sizable playspace. Belgium-based developers I-Illusions hopes it will give users “a glimpse at the future of VR.”
Quest v32 Update Combines Facebook & Oculus Friends, Improves App Gifting & More
Oculus Quest software v32 is now rolling out to users, and includes a few things aimed at improving Oculus Move, app gifting, friends lists, and file syncing for local headset media.
The Co-founder of One of Gaming’s Most Lauded Studios Believes XR is the Future
Jason Jones is the co-founder of Bungie, the legendary gaming studio behind franchises like Halo and Destiny. In a pre-show interview ahead of today’s Destiny 2 Showcase, Jones professed a sincere belief that AR and VR (XR) technology is going to radically disrupt smartphones and TV hardware.
‘I Expect You to Die 2’ Review – A Worthy Sequel to VR’s Deadliest Spy Puzzler
I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar is a single-player puzzle game that, true to its name, is a direct extension of the hit spy-flavored VR puzzler launched in 2016, tasking you again to foil the evil machinations of the shadowy Zoraxis corporation. Like the first, it offers up engrossing multi-step puzzles in a surprisingly fleshed out universe that feels much larger than the half-dozen rooms the game actually serves up. Owing to its clever and intuitive puzzle design and high production value, I Expect You to Die 2 makes for a fun few hours to spend for VR newcomers and pros alike.
XR Training & Gaming Startup Touts $5.2M Investment and Lamar Jackson Partnership
XR startup StatusPRO has announced it has raised a $5.2 million seed investment. While the company hasn’t fully revealed its product, it says it’s using AR and VR to create immersive sports training and gaming experiences. Teasing a partnership with NFL quarterback Lamar Jackson, the company claims its tech will usher in “a new era of football.”
‘Skyrim VR’ Has Made Great Strides in Immersion Thanks to Mods
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR (2018) isn’t what you’d call a lazy VR port of the now decade-old open-world RPG, but it certainly leaves much to the imagination when it comes to the sort of immersion you’d expect to see in native VR titles. Like all things Skyrim, mods let you improve the experience in ways Bethesda simply won’t (like, ever), and a few mods in particular have done a lot for Skyrim VR on PC that will have you feeling much more at home in Tamriel.
PC VR Classic ‘Windlands’ Releases on Oculus Quest via App Lab
Windlands (2016), one of the founding pioneers of modern VR gaming, has made the quiet leap to Oculus Quest this past week where it lives on to finally serve up its dizzying heights and grappling hook-based movement scheme to the standalone headset.
SteamVR Update Lets You Float Desktop Windows Inside of Your VR Games
The latest update to SteamVR, version 1.19.7, adds a great new feature which lets you float desktop or application windows inside of your VR games so that they’re always in view.
