Oxford VR Picks up $12.5M in Funding for Its VR-based Therapy Platform
Magic Leap is Giving Away More Hardware Soon, Dev Conference Coming to Florida HQ in May
Magic Leap recently announced some new programs that aim to get developers creating for the its AR headset, Magic Leap 1. The company additionally released dates for its developer conference, LEAP Developer Days, which will be held in May at Magic Leap’s headquarters in Florida.
2019 Was a Major Inflection Point for VR—Here’s the Proof
VR adoption is accelerating thanks to the Oculus Quest. We’ve seen over 100 VR titles break $1 million in revenue, growing the total VR software market by 3x in 2019. Top grossing VR titles have cleared $10 million in revenue, and can reach up to $60 million in sales given the current distribution of headsets in the market so far. Though still small, VR is a growing and sustainable platform for developers.
Humble VR Bundle Offers Up ‘Superhot’, ‘Space Pirate Trainer’, ‘Moss’ and More for $15
Recently picked up a PC VR headset and looking to add a handful of top rated VR games to your library? Between now and February 25th a special Humble VR Bundle is offering up Cosmic Trip, Smashbox Arena, Gorn, Budget Cuts, Space Pirate Trainer, SUPERHOT VR, and Moss for as little as $15.
‘Paper Beast’ Sandbox Mode Looks Like a Cross Between ‘Viva Piñata’ and ‘From Dust’
The curiously crafted PSVR exclusive Paper Beast got a new trailer today revealing a sandbox mode which looks like a cross between Viva Piñata (2006) and From Dust (2011).
‘Space Channel 5 VR’ Headed to PSVR This Month, PC VR & Quest Versions TBA
Space Channel 5 (1999) first launched on Dreamcast and PS2 over two decades ago, and now the long-dormant franchise is ready to reemerge on PSVR headsets this month with Space Channel 5 VR: Kinda Funky News Flash!
New SteamVR Tracking Dev Kit Aims to Make VR Controllers Cheaper, Easier to Design
Tundra Labs is releasing a new SteamVR Tracking hardware development kit. Featuring a tiny new module which condenses the necessary control, processing, and communication components into a mere 16mm × 10mm, the hardware development kit is smaller and cheaper, and aims to streamline the process of designing VR controllers and peripherals that use SteamVR Tracking.
Nreal Temporarily Halts Production of ‘Light’ AR Headset due to Coronavirus
Nreal, the creators of the Nreal Light AR glasses, today announced that shipments of its developer kit will be affected by the recent developments in Asia surrounding the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
VR Rhythm Shooter ‘Pistol Whip’ Gets Free Anime-inspired Level in ‘Akuma’ Update
Pistol Whip (2019), the rhythm-shooter from Cloudhead Games, just got a content update that brings a new level to the bullet hell-style VR title. Inspired by ’80s anime films Akira (1988) and the Ghost in the Shell franchise, the ‘Akuma’ update is now live on all supported platforms, which also brings with it some tweaks to the game’s scoring system.
Facebook Acquires Computer Vision Startup Scape Technologies
According to regulatory filings uncovered by Tech Crunch, Facebook has acquired Scape Technologies, a London-based computer vision startup.
Valve Plans to Release “SteamVR 2.0” This Year
Heading toward the release of Half-Life: Alyx in March, Valve has been steadily improving its SteamVR software to be more stable and easier to use. Now the company is teasing the forthcoming release of “SteamVR 2.0” sometime this year.
Mother Meets Recreation of Her Deceased Child in VR
South Korean TV broadcaster MBC recently aired a Korean language documentary that centers on a family’s loss of their young daughter, seven-year-old Nayeon. Using the power of photogrammetry, motion capture, and virtual reality, the team recreated Nayeon for one last goodbye with the family’s mother, Ji-sung.
Facebook Expects Coronavirus Will Have “additional impact” on Oculus Quest Availability
After being backordered by weeks in many regions, Oculus Quest is now “unavailable” from Oculus in 17 out of 23 regions where the unit is sold, including the United States, Canada, and much of Europe. Facebook says the Coronavirus outbreak is to blame.
‘Ven VR Adventure’ is an Adorable Platformer Coming to SteamVR, Rift & PSVR
Ven VR Adventure is an upcoming title from Poland-based indie studio Monologic Games. Built from the ground-up for VR, the plucky little platformer seems to be channeling some of its contemporaries such as Lucky’s Tale (2016), Moss (2018), and Astro Bot Rescue Mission (2018).
This WebXR App Helps You Visualize the Global Infection Rate of Coronavirus
Coronavirus, otherwise known as the 2019 novel coronavirus, is primarily affecting China. While it’s mostly been relegated to that country due to stringent quarantines and travel restrictions mandated by the Chinese government, you’ve probably heard that it’s also landed in several other countries too, albeit in fewer numbers. If you’re having trouble wrapping your head around the virus’ spread, this WebXR app may bring some much-needed insight.
