It’s great to be back in the groove, and I’m thrilled this newsletter is right on schedule again! The past week has been a mix of exciting work announcements and personal joy for me—I’ve broken some significant news regarding camera access on Android XR (more on that later), and on a personal note, I successfully whipped up some classic Italian pasta for friends here in China, thanks to a few ingredients I brought along from home. Here’s hoping the upcoming week is full of great moments for all of us!
Top news of the week
The Meta Quest ecosystem is in a delicate phase
Henry Stockdale from Upload VR has penned an insightful piece about the challenges currently faced by the Horizon Store. After combining the main store with App Lab and tweaking the UI for the Meta Horizon OS along with its mobile app—where Horizon Worlds tends to hog the spotlight—Quest developers are finding it increasingly difficult to get their games noticed by users. This lack of visibility has led to a drastic drop in revenues, with some studios reporting a 50–80% decline since their heyday in 2023. Developers have been voicing their concerns for weeks, and I even touched on this issue in a previous, more personal piece on my blog. What’s urgently needed from Meta is a store update that prioritizes the discoverability of quality titles rather than spotlighting shovelware like Gorilla Tag clones, which seem to get all the limelight on Horizon Worlds. Instead, Meta responded with a blog post that painted a rosy picture of the year for Quest 3 and Quest 3S (a sentiment echoed by Steam data) and pointed out changing store demographics. Notably, two-thirds of headsets purchased this year are in the hands of new users, who tend to be younger and drawn to free-to-play games. Meta is catering to this growing audience, often ignoring developers of premium content.
Reading Meta’s blog post left me bewildered. While it’s true that more kids are entering the XR space, which is fantastic for expanding the technology’s future, this doesn’t mean there isn’t room for both free-to-play and premium titles. As a platform making a significant cut from each transaction, Meta should strive to benefit all creators, not just those making free-to-play games. The influx of younger users began around 2022, but developers only noticed major revenue drops after the store’s recent changes in mid-2024, suggesting the store’s structure is the issue, not the user base.
Amidst recent VR studio layoffs, including at SideQuest and nDreams, I’m curious about Meta’s future plans. If the situation doesn’t improve, developers might shift focus to elsewhere, like Android XR, because the current platform doesn’t look sustainable. If Meta only desires low-cost content, it risks losing the vibrant Quest creator ecosystem it took years to cultivate. The developer community largely supports this view, with Reddit threads urging users to invest in premium games and uninstall Horizon Worlds to reduce its search dominance.
Adding to the turmoil, Mark Rabkin, VP of XR at Meta, has left the company due to family commitments. This managerial shakeup only complicates finding swift solutions to these pressing issues.
Other relevant news:
Andrew Bosworth states 2025 will be a pivotal year for XR
One of the most buzzworthy topics of late was Andrew Bosworth’s memo to Meta employees. His words were intended as a rallying cry, encouraging the team to double down on efforts to make XR succeed. A particularly provocative claim was that 2025 would be the critical year for XR. However, I’m not convinced that’s entirely accurate. XR remains in its infancy, and with Android XR headsets entering the fray, aside from Samsung’s high costs, sweeping changes aren’t likely just yet. Meta’s billions of dollars in investment, with plans extending to the 2030s and projected XR spending possibly hitting $100B this year, suggest the timeline has more elasticity than the memo implies. Bosworth mentioned that "this year likely determines whether this entire [XR] effort will go down as the work of visionaries or a legendary misadventure.” This sparked speculation that he might already be foreseeing failure, prepping for further VR budget cuts. Some believe Meta might pivot more towards smart glasses. Yet, I disagree—no manager would foreshadow doom to their team. Where the Ray-Ban Meta did sell about a million units, it’s not enough to declare mainstream traction. Moving away from VR towards an uncertain venture would be unwise. Bosworth also hinted that “half a dozen wearables” were on the horizon, likely referencing upcoming smartglasses, smartwatches, and neural smartbands. John Carmack reviewed Bosworth’s memo favorably but pointed out a couple of reservations. He felt “MR” should have included support for both VR and MR and was critical of the preoccupation with Horizon Worlds on mobile, which could sidetrack Meta’s broader goals.
Apple still working on integrating PSVR 2 controllers
Mark Gurman reports that Apple is steadily moving forward with plans to allow integration of PSVR 2 controllers with the Apple Vision Pro. These controllers, sold separately, offer an optional gaming extension for Apple Vision Pro users. Currently, Sony doesn’t sell the controllers without a headset, but this might change once the partnership solidifies. Although the exact timing for this rollout remains unclear, previewing VisionOS 3 at June’s WWDC might be an opportune moment.
Android XR to guarantee camera access
Google confirmed that Android XR will provide camera access akin to mobile phones. After obtaining user permission, developers can access both the front and back cameras, a great stride for those creating mixed reality experiences. The front camera will serve as the headset’s vision of the external environment, while a virtual reconstruction of the user’s face will emulate the selfie camera—keeping user control at the forefront, just like with mobile devices.
News worth a mention
Quest Game Optimizer reaches 100K users
Amid often grim XR news, here’s a heartening story: Quest Game Optimizer, an app enabling optimum performance for Quest applications, now boasts 100,000 users, despite requiring sideloading and not being in the store. Hats off to its creator on this impressive feat!
John Carmack stated that for XR, Beat Saber was more important than Half-Life: Alyx
On X, John Carmack made a strong case that "standalone VR" was a landmark achievement for VR adoption, and Beat Saber was pivotal beyond even Half-Life Alyx. While Beat Saber indeed drove mainstream VR engagement, Alyx played a crucial role for dedicated gamers and exhibited VR’s potential for deep immersion.
Ray-Ban Meta ads for the SuperBowl are out
Meta unveiled Super Bowl ads featuring stars like Chris Hemsworth to showcase Ray-Ban Meta glasses. While not outstanding—the jokes and pacing fell a bit flat—they still aim to bolster visibility for smart glasses.
Spatial.io is now making a game
Spatial.io, a company known for its many pivots from enterprise meetings to NFT showcases, has found success with Animal Company, a game reminiscent of Gorilla Tag. It’s delightful to see their adaptive journey leading to positive outcomes.
Civilization VII is coming to VR
Exciting news for fans—Sid Meier’s Civilization VII is planned to launch on Meta Quest with both MR and VR options. While I’m unsure if it aligns with the current Quest audience’s preferences, it certainly brings nostalgia for those who spent endless hours with Civilization II.
Some news about content
Various games and updates are coming to the XR platforms:
- Synth Riders celebrates the Super Bowl with a Kendrick Lamar Experience on Apple Vision Pro.
- FRENZIES kicks off a Super Bowl-themed event on Quest.
- Gorilla Tag celebrates its fourth anniversary with a Birthday Bash event.
- Harpagun, a new shooter game, launches in early access on Quest on February 13.
- Project Aeroes, a new MR game, is now available on Quest.
- Boxed Out, a VR puzzle game, hits Quest on March 24.
- Aim Assault by DIVR Labs releases a VR demo on February 13.
- Duet, a cooperative indie game about silent communication, is under development.
- Upload VR releases its comprehensive XR News Round-Up.
Some reviews about content
- COLD VR offers a unique spin on SUPERHOT, though some levels need fine-tuning for optimal enjoyment.
Other news
- Steam now alerts players if early access games have gone a year without an update.
- Stereopsia and AWE Europe combine into UnitedXR, a premier event in Brussels.
- Meta is developing a “Desk Mode” for Meta AI on Quest, but its release is unconfirmed.
News from partners (and friends)
Support XR developers during these challenging times. Buy apps, leave positive reviews, share them on social media—your efforts make a significant difference!
Some XR fun
Who knew the UEVR mod would be used so whimsically? Check out these entertaining links for a good laugh!
Donate for good
This week again, consider supporting those affected by war in Ukraine rather than my blog. Kindly donate to the Red Cross to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis there. A heartfelt thanks to all my Patreon donors who continually support my work:
(List of donors)
And here’s the link to donate: Support The Red Cross in Ukraine
(Header image by Meta)
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