Despite launching in mid-November, developers are still catching up when it comes to optimizing their games for the new PlayStation 5 console. Now, Hello Games says No Man’s Sky (2016) will soon see some improvements to the game’s resolution and performance when playing in VR mode on PS5.
Ahead of the launch of IO Interactive’s PSVR-compatible stealth assassin game Hitman 3, the studio has released a slick new trailer which promises a world rich with interactivity, far-flung set pieces, and a bunch of immersive narrative to boot.
Long-time Valve VR programmer Joe Ludwig, working in his own capacity, is building an open-source platform to bring AR-like utilities into virtual reality. The project, called Aardvark, is something of an evolution of an extension of VR dashboards as we know them today, bringing new functionality into interactive and spatially-aware ‘gadgets’ that can run inside any VR application.
If you aren’t paying close attention to VR, you’d have no idea that some insanely futuristic stuff is already happening today. Case in point: VRChat is host to a growing community of people strapping on motion-trackers to have live dance battles in virtual reality.
Ubisoft announced late last year that acclaimed stealth shooter franchise Splinter Cell is getting a made-for-VR game. Now, an Ubisoft job posting strongly suggests the studio is creating a multiplayer component for the game.
Wave, the virtual venue & virtual event production company formerly known as TheWaveVR, has moved away from virtual reality over the last two years in favor of distributing its virtual performances to a broader audience through non-immersive media channels. The company today announced that it has “de-prioritized” its VR app, which will officially shut down at the end of March. Wave says the move will allow it to focus on bringing “more fans [to] experience our virtual events on popular streaming platforms.”
Throughout 2020, Valve’s Index headset has been at times significantly backordered or out of stock entirely. Heading into 2021, Index stock appears to be strongly returning, with all regions presently estimating shipment within two weeks for most kits.
2020 was a big year for VR on Steam with the release of new headsets, Valve’s flagship VR title Half-Life: Alyx, and the Coronavirus pandemic which drove large increases in gaming. These factors combined pushed monthly-connected VR headsets on Steam to pass the 2 million milestone for the first time.
Facebook announced that its long-awaited support for multiple user accounts and device-specific app sharing is heading to Oculus Quest 2 starting next month.
Easily joining my list of ‘things I didn’t foresee VR being used for’, Fencer is a virtual reality fencing trainer which uses a real fencing sword attached to an Oculus Quest controller to help would-be fencers learn the underlying strategies and movements.
Valve today shared a handful of new stats revealing the growth of VR on Steam over the course of 2020.
PlayStation has released the top 10 list for most-downloaded PS4, PS5 and PSVR games of 2020. It should come as no surprise to anyone that two of the VR industry’s most successful games have nabbed the top two spots: Beat Saber and Job Simulator.
Having started production on its first title even before the original Oculus Rift DK1 development kit was sent to developers, Canada-based Cloudhead Games is one of the world’s most veteran game studios dedicated to virtual reality. The studio has staked its very existence on its ability to build compelling VR games. With three prior games under its belt, Cloudhead poured its hard-won expertise into its latest, Pistol Whip, which has propelled the studio new levels of success.
