As Carnival celebrations draw to a close in Italy, the streets are alive with joy and festivities. Today, I’m joining in the merrymaking in my own way, indulging in delicious seasonal treats. But that’s not the only reason I’m in high spirits. I recently discovered that Feedspot has ranked my blog as the third-best site among the top 60 Virtual Reality websites, based on authority. Being just behind the giants like Road To VR and Upload VR feels surreal. Now, while the rankings might have their quirks—like mentioning the discontinued Oculus website—and I personally know there are platforms like MIXED that deserve a nod, it doesn’t dampen my excitement. I might not truly deserve the third spot, and maybe not the fourth or fifth either, but that won’t stop me from enjoying this moment. It’s a testament to the countless hours I’ve poured into this blog over the past eight years. A heartfelt thank you to all of you for your unwavering support!
Highlights of the Week
Let’s dive into some intriguing updates from the virtual reality realm.
Valve Deckard Possibly Launching in 2025 at $1200
A new whisper in the VR community suggests the Valve Deckard could grace us with its presence in 2025, priced at around $1200. This speculation comes from the data miner "Gabe Follower", known for reliable tidbits. Accompanying this device, Valve is allegedly preparing to launch games or demos tailored to Deckard, including a potential Half-Life demo teased by Tyler McVicker of Valve News Network. The headset is expected to run on SteamOS, ensuring compatibility with Steam Deck flat-screen games on a VR big screen. The use of Roy controllers, with their gamepad-like controls, supports this feature. The premium price tag suggests high-end specs, delighting any classic Valve enthusiast.
Sony’s Permanent Price Cut on PSVR 2
Sony has made a welcome move by permanently reducing the PSVR 2 headset’s price to $400 (€450 / £400 / ¥66,980). Similar pricing applies whether you’re purchasing just the headset or the bundle with Horizon Call of the Mountain—making you wonder why anyone would opt for the standalone headset. The hefty initial price, more than the PS5 itself, hampered sales, but the recent discount sparked renewed interest. Now at a reasonable $400, and with a decent library enhancing its appeal, PSVR 2 could see an ecosystem boost, though not an immediate sales spike.
Shift Towards Free-to-Play for Meta Quest
With Meta Quest drawing a younger audience, Meta suggests developers focus on free-to-play models. A recent post notes over 70% Quest usage time involves free experiences. Developers are embracing this trend, with Fast Travel Games making Mannequin free and Owlchemy Labs’ Dimensional Double Shift, which reached 500K downloads, further validating the approach. However, there’s no transparency on revenue, raising questions on the profitability of such models. It’s plausible some statistics, especially given Gorilla Tag’s vast popularity, might paint a skewed picture. Developers need clarity on median revenue figures to truly assess the viability of free-to-play.
Meta’s Introduction of Aria 2 Glasses
Meta’s unveiling of Aria Gen 2 builds upon its predecessor, not for commercial sale, but crucial in AI data collection. Enhanced with upgraded sensors like RGB cameras, spatial microphones, and Meta-specific silicon, the glasses promise advanced on-device capabilities. Notably, Aria Gen 2 boasts a mere 75g weight, offering 6–8 hours of use. While limited to close partners currently, broader availability for research centers is anticipated later this year.
Educational and Enterprise Updates from Meta
Meta has revitalized its university and corporate offerings. The Meta For Education initiative, now widely accessible post-beta, aids schools in managing headsets and provides access to educational content. Concurrently, "Horizon Managed Solutions" replaces "Quest For Business", offering businesses device management options in harmony with existing third-party systems. Slightly pricier than consumer versions, these enterprise solutions bring operational efficiency, especially for education sectors looking for “lifetime” access deals.
News Worth Mentioning
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HTC’s VIVERSE Worlds Platform: HTC launches a web-based platform aiming to revolutionize 3D content like a “YouTube of 3D Content”. Utilizing Vive Polygon Streaming technology, it promises a seamless experience by optimizing what’s rendered.
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AMD’s New Graphics Cards: AMD’s RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT are coming soon, aligning with NVIDIA’s offerings but with AMD’s hallmark technology, promising exciting VR gaming possibilities.
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Playing Windows Games on Pico 4 Ultra: A neat twist from Virtually Real on YouTube shows how the Windows emulator Winlator can run games like Crysis on the Pico 4 Ultra. This could open doors for more retro gaming in the VR world.
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Horizon Store Scrutiny: A community uproar over the Horizon Store’s curation reveals concerns about the surge of shovelware, particularly repetitive Gorilla Tag clones.
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Meta Ends Quest Move Support: Meta’s Move app, initially launched to compete with YUR’s fitness service, will unfortunately cease, marking the end of an era for fitness on Quest.
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Meta Showcases Realistic Avatars: Collaborating with Munich University, Meta unveils Avat3r, capable of creating strikingly realistic avatars from just a handful of photos.
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VR’s New Flavor Pursuit: Ohio State University is exploring taste emulation in VR, introducing an e-taste interface that could revolutionize sensory experiences.
- Launch of ‘The VR Critic’: Dr. Luke Buckmaster’s new website promises deep insights into VR experiences with a vast library of reviews to explore.
Exciting Content & Reviews
A myriad of VR content awaits, from Steam Next Fest’s demos to the upcoming GORN 2 game. Game reviews point out promising experiences like Orion Drift and Retronika, while others offer room for improvement. The VR landscape continues to expand with options that suit varied tastes.
Final Thoughts
In a lighter note, Cause+Christi’s "SHIP HAPPENS" and quirky XR memes provide delightful breaks from the week’s updates. As always, I encourage support for causes like the Red Cross, extending aid to those affected by conflicts worldwide.
Your support has been invaluable, and as we dive into these new adventures in VR, I am filled with gratitude for this community’s strength. Let’s keep exploring together!
