HTC Announces ‘Vive Focus’ Standalone VR Headset
Today during the Vive Developers Conference in Beijing, HTC revealed the Vive Focus, a standalone VR headset with inside-out positional tracking. The headset is positioned for the Chinese market.
Windows VR Headsets Can Play Oculus Exclusive Games via Revive
The announcement that Steam will support the forthcoming Windows VR headsets was big news which means that owners will eventually have a strong library of VR content to draw from while Microsoft builds up its own library of VR games and apps on the Windows store. Some of VR’s best games however are exclusive to Oculus’ content library, though savvy Vive owners know that the unofficial ‘Revive’ workaround opens the door to playing Oculus games on the Vive, and the same could be true for the Windows VR headsets.
‘From Other Suns’ Review
If FTL: Faster Than Light (2012) and the Borderlands franchise had a baby, the freakishly hard offspring would invariably be From Other Suns, a first-person shooter/spaceship management sim from Gunfire Games, the makers of Dead & Buried (2017), Chronos (2016) and Herobound: Spirit Champion (2016). Like its procedurally generated spiritual progenitor FTL, FOS will leave you gasping for breath at every turn, never sure if the two to three hours you spent fighting pirates, aliens, or zombies will amount to a win, or (more likely) a soul-crushing loss.
PSVR Titles ‘The Inpatient’ & ‘Bravo Team’ Delayed Until Early 2018
Supermassive Games has delayed two of its upcoming PSVR titles originally expected for Q4 releases, Bravo Team and The Inpatient. Both games are now set to launch in Q1 of 2018.
LG Patent Shows Unique Split Design for VR Headset
LG revealed its prototype VR headset using Valve’s Lighthouse positional tracking earlier this year, and while it isn’t certain what will become of the headset—or if it’ll be named “UltraGear” as a recent trademark filing suggests—it’s clear LG is thinking long and hard about the future of VR. A new patent, first reported by Dutch publication LetsGoDigital, shows a prospective LG headset sporting a unique spring-loaded grommet system that allows the headset to split in two.
Tune in Monday for ‘Skyrim VR’ Gameplay Stream from Bethesda @12:30 PM ET
Bethesda’s VR version of Skyrim (2011) is nearly here, launching on PSVR Friday this week. If you’re itching to see more gameplay before pulling the trigger on the full-priced game, Bethesda is running a live stream starting Monday, November 13th at 12:30pm ET (your time here) so you can get another peek at what’s poised to be an instant fan favorite.
Popular SteamVR Shooter ‘Onward’ Launches for Oculus Rift in Early Access With Cross-play
Onward (2016), the popular VR FPS known for serving up its ‘no-frills’ squad-based action, is now in Early Access on the Oculus Store. The tactical mil-sim shooter, which aims to appeal to fans of traditional shooters like Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, or Counter-Strike, now features cross-play between both versions of the game—purchased through either Oculus or Steam.
‘Haptic Shape Illusion’ Allows VR Controllers to Simulate Feel of Physically Larger Objects
In a study lead by Eisuke Fujinawa at the University of Tokyo, a team of students created a procedure for designing compact VR controllers that feel physically larger. Exploring the concept of ‘haptic shape illusion’, the controllers have data-driven, precise mass properties, aiming to simulate the same feeling in the hand as the larger objects on which they are based.
Oculus: EA’s Acquisition of Respawn Entertainment Will Have No Impact on Studio’s VR Title
Titanfall developer Respawn Entertainment has announced plans to join EA, one of the world’s largest and most influential videogame publishers. The acquisition of Respawn, which will cost EA up to $455 million, won’t impact the studio’s recently announced VR title, says Oculus.
‘Shooty Fruity’ Coming to All Major VR Platforms December 19th, Launch Trailer Here
UK-based studio nDreams, the minds behind The Assembly (2016) and producer of Bloody Zombies (2017), and Near Light today announced that its upcoming tongue-in-cheek shooting game Shooty Fruity is slated to simultaneously launch on PlayStation VR, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift on December 19th, 2017.
Sony Cuts Price of PSVR & PS4 Console by $100 for Week-long Black Friday Sale
With major US retailers already greasing the wheels of their shopping carts in preparation for the yearly scramble we call Black Friday, Sony today announced on the US PlayStation blog that it’s temporarily lowering the price of all PlayStation VR bundles as well as the PlayStation 4 1TB console, each by $100.
‘Pokémon GO’ Makers Announce Harry Potter AR Game, Releasing 2018
Niantic, the minds behind Ingress and the smash hit Pokémon GO, have partnered with Warner Bros and WB Games to bring a new location-based Harry Potter-themed AR game to mobile phones. Called Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, the game will let you battle fantastic beasts in the same sort of world-scale arena as Pokémon GO.
Walmart Black Friday Sale Brings VR Ready Desktop to $500, Deep Discounts on VR Devices
Walmart just published their Black Friday deals, and while the actual selection of VR devices isn’t Earth-shattering, you might just be able to stitch together your new VR system with the help of one or two of the company’s big discounts.
‘Serious Sam 3 VR: BFE’ Launches on Steam Today
Croteam, the minds behind the Serious Sam franchise, has released its fourth Serious Sam-themed VR game: Serious Sam 3 VR: BFE (2017) for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.
VR Coaster and Sensics to Create All-in-one VR Headset for Theme Parks
VR Coaster and Sensics today unveiled RideVR, a new all-in-one VR headset built especially for use on high-flying theme park rides.
