Facebook Cancels F8 Developer Conference Over Coronavirus Concerns
Facebook today announced that its annual F8 developer conference isn’t happening this year due to concerns over the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
‘The Room: A Dark Matter’ Coming to All Major VR Headsets in Late March, Trailer Here
Fireproof Games, the studio behind popular puzzle title The Room (2014), today announced its first VR entry into the franchise—The Room: A Dark Matter—is slated to arrive next month on PC VR headsets, Oculus Quest, and PSVR.
Mind-bending VR Art Showcase ‘Museum of Other Realities’ Exits Early Access
The Museum of Other Realities (MOR) first launched into Early Access on PC VR headsets in June 2019, bringing with it a curated selection of multi-sensory art pieces from some of the medium’s most talented illustrators, animators, and engineers. Now, the group of artists behind the space has officially released MOR out of Early Access with its 1.0 update.
Hellish VR Shooter ‘A-Tech Cybernetic’ is Making Its Way to PSVR Next Month
Hungary-based indie studio XREAL Games today announced its Early Access VR shooter, A-Tech Cybernetic VR, is headed to PSVR sometime next month.
Sketchfab Launches Public Domain Program so Museums Can Share Cultural Relics in 3D
Sketchfab is a great resource for developers looking for a place to share and download 3D models—all of which can be viewed in VR headsets. Now, the company has launched a new program that makes it easier for museums and like-minded organizations to display and freely share 3D scans of their objects of cultural heritage.
Microsoft Says it Hasn’t Given up on the VR Side of Windows Mixed Reality
While Microsoft has been full steam ahead on the augmented reality side of Windows Mixed Reality via HoloLens, the company has had very little to say in the last year about the VR side of its platform. While it may look like Microsoft has largely given up on the effort, the company tells us that it remains committed.
Facebook Acquires the VR Studio Behind ‘Asgard’s Wrath’, Sanzaru Games
Just a few months after the acquisition of Beat Saber studio Beat Games, Facebook today announced the acquisition of Sanzaru Games, the studio behind the Oculus-exclusive Asgard’s Wrath and a handful of other VR titles. Sanzaru will join Facebook’s VR game division, Oculus Studios, but continue to be run as an “independently operated studio.”
Qualcomm Reveals New Reference Designs for XR2-powered VR & AR Headsets
Qualcomm today revealed new reference designs for VR and AR headsets powered by its new Snapdragon XR2 chip. Complete with hand-tracking, magnetic controller tracking, eye-tracking, and more, the Qualcomm reference designs are a glimpse of what’s to come in AR and VR over the next year or two.
‘FREEDIVER: Triton Down’ Arrives on PSVR & Quest Today in New ‘Extended Cut’
More Than 100 VR Games Have Exceeded $1 Million in Revenue
While VR is still young, it crossed an important milestone at the start of 2020: more than 100 VR games have exceeded $1 million in revenue.
Preview: ‘The Room: A Dark Matter’ Sets a New Bar for VR Puzzle Games
The Room: A Dark Matter is an upcoming VR puzzler from Fireproof Games, the same minds behind The Room (2014), its beloved predecessor for PC and mobile, and VR shooter-adventure Omega Agent (2016). With the fresh VR entry in franchise, Fireproof has shown a new level of mastery with the medium with this engaging, wondrous world of puzzles and arcane magic—something that truly sets a new bar for the VR puzzle genre.
Vive Cosmos Elite Pre-orders Start Today, Release Date Set for March 18th
Last week HTC announced the full Vive Cosmos lineup which saw the introduction of three new variants which each use faceplates with different capabilities. Cosmos Elite, the high-end variant which uses SteamVR Tracking, opens for pre-orders as of today, with a release date of March 18th.
Oculus ‘Designing for Hands’ Document Introduces Best Practices for Quest Hand-tracking
Hand-tracking on Quest rolled out as an experimental feature in late 2019, but Oculus is letting it gestate before it will accept third-party apps with hand-tracking. In the meantime, the company has published fresh developer documentation which establishes best practices for working within the limitations of Quest hand-tracking.
‘Until You Fall’ Dev Focuses on Supporting More Headsets, Quest & PSVR Likely Considered
Until You Fall launched in Early Access on Steam and Oculus back in August 2019; the game impressed us with its excellent VR melee combat system. Despite consistently high reviews, the game hasn’t attracted a critical mass of players, pushing developer Schell Games to shift development focus toward support for new headsets. With most PC VR headsets already covered, the studio is likely considering Quest and PSVR.
