Today marks the grand finale of the Carnival festivities here in Italy, with the streets lively and bustling with people reveling in the celebration. As for me, I’m indulging in some delightful Carnival sweets to partake in the joy. There’s another reason I’m in high spirits: Feedspot has honored me with the third position in their list of the top 60 Virtual Reality websites, ranked by authority. I find myself in the esteemed company of Road To VR and Upload VR, two highly respected sites. Despite spotting some quirks in the rankings—like the mention of the now-defunct Oculus website—and knowing that some other fantastic publications (like MIXED) deserve a spot too, I’m taking a moment to enjoy this recognition. It’s a testament to the hard work I’ve put in over the past eight years as a blogger. A heartfelt thanks to all of you for your unwavering support!
Top News of the Week
Valve Deckard May Be Launched in 2025 for $1,200
A fresh rumor about Valve Deckard is stirring up excitement. This time, the source is a data miner known as Gabe Follower, who has shared reliable leaks before. According to him, Valve Deckard is set for a 2025 release with a price tag around $1,200. Gabe Follower also suggests that Valve plans to accompany the launch with games or demos “already done” specifically for Deckard. Tyler McVicker of Valve News Network hints at a possible Half-Life universe demo application too. The device will likely run on SteamOS, similar to the Steam Deck, which will enable playing flat-screen SteamDeck games on a large VR display. The included Roy controllers mimic gamepad controls, adding to its versatility. It’s noteworthy that despite the hefty $1,200 price tag, the device is rumored to sell at a loss, hinting at high-end specs that will surely excite Valve enthusiasts.
For more details, check here (Valve Deckard to be released in 2025 for $1200) and here (The headset could come with a Half-Life demo app).
Other Relevant News
Sony Permanently Reduces PSVR 2 Price
Sony has made a strategic move by permanently lowering the PSVR 2 headset price to $400 (€450 / £400 / ¥66,980). Whether you choose just the headset or opt for the bundle with Horizon Call of the Mountain, the price remains the same. The significant price cut comes after earlier discounts led to a noticeable increase in sales. Although the PSVR 2 doesn’t boast a vast library of exclusive titles, it does feature a variety of games, and with a PC adapter, it can run Steam games too. While I don’t expect sales to skyrocket, this could help strengthen the PSVR 2 ecosystem.
Find out more.
Quest Embraces Free-to-play
Meta is doubling down on free-to-play experiences for the Meta Quest, targeting younger audiences. According to a new post on X, over 70% of time spent on Quest is on free-to-play games. Developers are taking note, with Fast Travel Games making Mannequin free-to-play, and Owlchemy Labs reporting 500K downloads for their free game, Dimensional Double Shift. However, Meta should provide revenue statistics to give developers a clearer picture of the financial viability of this model. What is the median revenue for a free-to-play game on the Horizon Store? That’s the crucial question for developers.
Learn more here (Free-to-play accounts for 70% of the time people spend on Quest), here (Mannequin), and here (Dimensional Double Shift downloads).
Meta Unveils Aria 2 Glasses
Meta has unveiled Aria Gen 2, the successor to Project Aria, designed for research purposes. The glasses come with an enhanced sensor suite, featuring an RGB camera, position-tracking cameras, spatial microphones, and more, now including a PPG sensor for heart rate and contact microphones. The standout feature is its powerful Meta chip enabling on-device tracking and recognition capabilities. Despite all these enhancements, Aria Gen 2 weighs just 75g and offers 6-8 hours of active use. Currently, it’s only available to close partners, but broader availability for research centers is anticipated later this year.
For more information, check out the write-up on Aria Gen 2 glasses on Road To VR and Upload VR.
Meta Revamps Enterprise and Education Offerings
Meta has launched the newly refined Meta For Education program, now accessible after an extended beta phase. This initiative allows educational institutions to acquire headsets along with management services for device fleets and educational content. Meta’s collaboration with VictoryXR has also resulted in over 30 "metaversities" utilizing the Engage XR platform. Statistics provided by Meta indicate increased student engagement and improved academic performance thanks to VR. Additionally, the refreshed business solution, now dubbed “Horizon Managed Solutions,” integrates with third-party MDM solutions, a much-needed upgrade for corporate users.
More details are available on Meta For Education from Meta blog, Upload VR, and Road To VR, as well as Horizon Managed Solutions from Meta Blog and XR Today.
News Worth a Mention
HTC Launches “VIVERSE Worlds” Platform
HTC has introduced “VIVERSE Worlds,” aiming to become the “YouTube of 3D Content.” This web-based platform hosts VR experiences that can be embedded in websites via iFrame, promising seamless user engagement without installations. Experiences are optimized using Vive Polygon Streaming technology, making them lightweight and accessible.
Discover more here (HTC VIVERSE Worlds — Road To VR) and here (HTC VIVERSE Worlds — Upload VR).
AMD Is Launching New Graphics Cards
AMD is set to release its RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT graphics cards priced at $550 and $600 respectively. These cards will compete with NVIDIA’s RTX 5070 series and feature AMD’s second-generation AI accelerators, enhancing graphics performance for future VR headsets.
Read more on AMD’s latest launch here (AMD’s new graphics cards — Upload VR) and here (The Verge).
Winlator Brings Windows Games to Pico 4 Ultra
I stumbled upon a fascinating video on YouTube by Virtually Real demonstrating Crysis running on the Pico 4 Ultra, thanks to Winlator, an Android-based Windows emulator. Other older games like Fallout 3 were successfully played too, offering exciting possibilities for gaming on headsets.
Find out more here.
Community Concerns
Recently, there’s been a noticeable uproar about the Horizon Store being flooded with low-quality shovelware. Users on Reddit and X are sharing their frustrations, particularly with the 57 out of 126 games featuring "gorilla" or "tag" in their titles.
Check this for more info (BMFVR showing the status of the store) and (57/126 games are clones of Gorilla Tag).
Other Industry Updates
Meta is discontinuing the Move fitness app, citing reliance on outdated technology, which led to limited resource allocation. Despite this, the demise of Move leaves the impact of YUR’s outcompeted business in questioning.
Explore more here.
Meta Reality Labs and the University of Munich revealed Avat3r, a research system that crafts realistic avatar heads using just a few iPhone photos. The results, even from a single image, are impressive, pushing avatar realism boundaries further.
Dive deeper here.
A novel research initiative from Ohio State University is experimenting with virtual taste, using an interface that releases flavor particles to simulate tastes like lemonade and coffee, paving the way for more immersive experiences in VR.
Delve into the details here (Taste emulation experiment) and (The research paper describing this experiment).
Discover The VR Critic
For VR enthusiasts who live for in-depth reviews, Dr. Luke Buckmaster, an Australian VR aficionado, has launched “The VR Critic.” After four years in development, the website launched last week featuring over 100 reviews of various VR experiences. Best wishes for its success!
Explore further here.
Content News Updates
The latest in VR content includes over 20 free VR demos from Steam Next Fest, the upcoming launch of Stratogun, releases like Sportvida CyberDash and Orion Drift, and much more. Each brings its own flavor to the vibrant VR landscape, ensuring something for everyone.
For all the juicy details, check the following: Steam Next Fest, Stratogun, Sportvida Cyberdash, Orion Drift, Symphoni, Beat Saber, GORN 2, and more.
Game Reviews
Recent reviews discuss the highs and lows of new VR content, from technical glitches in Steam Next Fest demos to the promising potential of Orion Drift, and the delightful variety offered by Retronika and Detective VR.
Find more insights here: Steam Next Fest, Orion Drift — Upload VR, Orion Drift — Mixed, Retronika, and Detective VR.
In Other News
GTA 6 is eyeing a future as a metaverse platform with its ambitious “Project Rome.” VR technology’s ability to facilitate lucid dreaming has been explored, while Stress Level Zero emphasizes the financial challenges of targeting only PC VR. Plus, Lumus unveiled a waveguide promising a high-quality, glasses-compatible display.
Find more on each here: GTA 6, VR gaming studios, lumus’s new waveguide, and more.
Partner Updates
Cause+Christi, with HTC VIVERSE, has launched “SHIP HAPPENS,” an exciting free-to-play WebXR escape room experience available now. Set in 3025, this immersive game awakens players aboard a disordered Loot Transport Ship. Dive into this space escapade today!
Learn more and play here: Discover SHIP HAPPENS and Play the game.
Some XR Fun
For a light-hearted twist, check out these funny links: Trusting OpenAI, Culinary talents revealed, and Horizon Worlds buzz.
Support a Good Cause
While I appreciate the support through my Patreon, this time I encourage donations to the Red Cross for the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The link is available below. A massive thank you to my Patreon supporters for their generous backing:
[List of supporters]
And for supporting a crucial cause, please donate to the Red Cross here.
(Header image by Afference)
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