‘Animal Company’ Tops 100K Reviews on Quest, Striving to Beat ‘Gorilla Tag’ as Most Popular Game

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Animal Company, the free-to-play early access game on Quest, has been at the top of the platform’s highest-earning games multiple weeks in a row own, with long-time favorite Gorilla Tag sitting right behind it. And the Lethal Company-inspired game isn’t showing any signs of waning in popularity either.

Animal Company crossed a boundary only one other game has managed to do; Another Axiom’s Gorilla Tag was the first to garner over 100,000 user reviews on Quest, doing so last March—making it by far the most successful game on the platform, both in review numbers and revenue generated.

Now, Wooster Games’ Animal Company, which includes Gorilla Tag’s arm-based locomotion and action from hit survival game Lethal Company, has crossed the 100K user review mark, nearly doubling user reviews since the studio announced it had topped 1 million monthly active users (MAU) last month. And it’s done so remarkably fast.

This time last month, Animal Company was sitting around over 60,000 user reviews on the Horizon Store, while Gorilla Tag was just above 140,000. This past month alone, Animal Company has rocketed to over 108,000 user reviews, while Gorilla Tag has only tallied 6,000 more over the course of the month.

According to figures obtained by independent data aggregator VRDB, there was a big boost in user reviews starting in mid-March:

Image courtesy VRDB

Provided the game continues its current trajectory, Animal Company could conceivably unseat Gorilla Tag as Quest’s most popular game when it comes to user reviews, although there a few more metrics to account for.

Consistent daily active users (DAU) and MAU metrics are pretty important too, which is why Gorilla Tag is still the most popular game on Quest week-in and week-out—although Animal Company is now right behind it.

Ultimately, this ongoing explosion of users also needs to translate into growing revenue for the studio, something Wooster hasn’t shared since it first turned on microtransactions in September—meaning there’s no telling how that success has translated into real-world revenue.

Last month, Wooster Games did tell Road to VR however the launch of in-app purchases has left the studio in “a strong and healthy position.”

“Since launching monetization in September, our revenue has grown consistently month-over-month, more than doubling since December,” the studio told Road to VR in March. “The real standout stat, though, is our player base—Animal Company now has over 1 million MAU, a 4x increase since December.”

This comes as the Quest platform is seeing a growing demographic shift spurred on by the release of Quest 3S, Meta’s $300 mixed reality headset. Meta confirmed earlier this year that the rise F2P content and younger players is seeing a boom in revenue generated from in-app purchases—like the ones you’ll find in Animal Company or Gorilla Tag.

The key question now is whether this momentum will translate into sustained engagement and revenue growth over time. We’re eager to hear those revenue numbers, when and if Wooster Games ever releases word, which will give us a clearer picture of just how Quest’s top-earning titles are currently faring. If it’s anything like Gorilla Tag’s most recent figure released last June, it may already be in the millions.

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Meta’s Next-gen Smart Glasses Reportedly Set to Include a Display & Wrist-worn XR Controller

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Meta is reportedly working on a version of its Ray-Ban smart glasses which will include a single display for viewing photos and apps. Now, according to a new Bloomberg report from Mark Gurman, the company is aiming to introduce it sometime later this year alongside its wrist-worn XR controller for hand-gesture input.

As per a previous Bloomberg report from January, the device is allegedly codenamed ‘Hypernova’. Citing Meta employees, the device could cost between $1,000 and $1,400, although the final price likely still hasn’t been decided.

The price increase over the company’s $300 Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, which don’t include displays of any sort, is reportedly driven by the inclusion of a single display visible in the lower-right quadrant of the right lens.

Unlike augmented reality glasses, which correctly place digital images in the user’s field-of-view, the device as described would be closer to Google Glass in function. Find out more about the differences between Smart Glasses and AR Glasses in our full explainer.

Bloomberg’s latest report now maintains Hypernova will include dedicated apps for taking pictures, viewing photos and accessing maps. This also includes notifications from phone apps, such as Messenger and WhatsApp, the report maintains.

Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, Image courtesy Meta, EssilorLuxottica

It’s said Hypenova will rely “heavily on the Meta View phone app,” and may not include its own on-board app store despite running a customized version of Android—suggesting it’s more akin to a smartphone peripheral and not a standalone platform as such.

It is however said to include many of the same features of Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, such as capturing images and video, accessing AI via built-in microphones and pairing with a phone for calls and music playback.

Additionally, it’s said Hypernova is getting a spec bump in the camera department. The latest version of Meta Ray-Ban comes with a 12-megapixel camera, similar to an iPhone 11 (2019) in quality. Instead, Hypernova is hoping to “rival the iPhone 13 from 2021,” according to people familiar with the matter.

Like the company’s display-less Ray-Ban Glasses, the report maintains users can control Hypernova using capacitive touch controls located on the temples, allowing to scroll through media.

Wrist-worn XR Controller seen with Orion | Image courtesy Meta

It seems however Meta is looking to finally productize its wrist-worn XR controller, which uses electromyography (EMG) sensors to detect things such pinching and hand rotation for UI selection. Hypernova is said to come bundled in the box with the wrist-worn controller, which we’ve also seen in action with the company’s internal Orion AR glasses.

Bloomberg maintains a second-gen ‘Hypernova 2’ is already in the works, which is said to include a binocular heads-up display system (again, smart glasses, not AR) with people familiar with the matter maintaining it’s currently planned for release in 2027.

Granted, anything could happen. Meta regularly shelves products late in development, such as its allegedly canceled variant the device without a camera—a move targeting lower costs and increased user privacy.

Still, Hypernova likely won’t be the next smart glasses device Meta releases. The report maintains Meta is finalizing ‘Supernova 2’, which function like Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, but houses inside a sportier Oakley design.

All of this is leading up to the release of Meta’s first true AR glasses. The company revealed its internal developer kit Orion in late 2024; Meta CTO and Reality Labs chief Andrew Bosworth has said an AR device based on their work with Orion could come before 2030, priced “at least in the space of phone, laptop territory.”

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‘Zombie Army’ Coming to All Major VR Headsets Next Month, Trailer Here

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Rebellion announced it’s getting ready to release Zombie Army’s first VR game, bringing its co-op campaign to all major VR headsets next month.

Coming to Quest 2 and above, PSVR 2 and SteamVR headsets May 22nd, Zombie Army VR brings the franchise’s zombie-ganking madness, enlisting you among the Deadhunters, an elite squad fighting to end the apocalypse.

“Fight your way through undead hordes near the bombed-out city of Nuremberg to help Captain Hermann Wolff, the Deadhunter’s legendary leader, find his scattered family, and fight to free Europe from the zombie apocalypse,” Rebellion says.

Image courtesy Rebellion

Promising a “full-length, story-driven campaign,” playable solo or in two-player co-op, the game is again bringing an authentic loadout of World War II weaponry, such as sniper rifles, submachine guns, pistols—which you can dual-wield and manually rack.

You’ll also be able to earn XP to level up your Deadhunter and use Weapon Upgrade kits to modify the range, accuracy, scope, and capacity of your weapons.

And you’ll be up against more than just your standard Nazi walkers, boasting all of the franchise favorites: Armored Giants, Suiciders, Sniper Zombies, and more. What’s more, like Rebellion’s Sniper Elite VR (2021), the X-ray Kill Cam is making an appearance in Zombie Army VR, allowing you to relive long-range kills in slow motion.

You can now pre-order Zombie Army VR over on the Horizon Store for Quest 2 and above, the PlayStation Store for PSVR 2, and Steam for PC VR headsets, where it’s currently priced at 10% off its regular $30 price tag.

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‘Train Sim World’ Arrives on Quest, Letting You Take on the Mean Rails of New York City

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Train Sim World is finally here on Quest, bringing its realistic train driving experience to VR for first time.

Called Train Sim World VR: New York, the game lets you become a train driver on New York’s MTA Harlem Line, which includes a Career Mode tasking you to carry out instructions from Rail Traffic Control and complete challenges along the way.

There’s also a Journey Mode, where you can hop out of your train and visit all the stations along the Harlem Line, letting you explore for collectables, and interact with the environment.

And when you’re not busy shuffling commuters around and walking the Harlem Line, there’s also your very own New York apartment, which you can decorate. It’s a little too large and centrally-located to truly believe, but maybe you got lucky and snapped up a rent-stabilized units.

The game was developed by series developer Dovetail Games and VR veteran Just Add Water, known for its work on Dig VR (2024) as well as Rebellion’s Sniper Elite VR (2021). According to user reviews, one of the early gripes with the game is the inability to adjust in-game seat height. The studio says however “in-game height adjustment is coming.”

You can find Train Sim World VR: New York exclusively on the Horizon Store for Quest 2 and above, priced at $32.

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Sandbox VR’s ‘Squid Game’ VR Attraction Hits $30 Million Milestone, Expands with New Mini-game

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Sandbox VR, the location-based VR destination, announced it’s generated $30 million in ticket sales for its official Squid Game VR attraction. Additionally, Sandbox VR says it’s expanding Squid Game with the addition of a new mini-game.

Called ‘Repeat Racers’, the new mini-game was inspired by the games from season two of the series, tasking you with solving puzzles and getting to the finish line. Points are awarded based on finishing position, and players who don’t reach the finish line are eliminated from the game.

“We’re thrilled to expand our Squid Game Virtuals experience with this exciting new minigame that captures the intensity and competitive spirit of the series’ second season,” said Steve Zhao, Sandbox VR CEO. “Repeat Racers offers players another way to immerse themselves in the world of Squid Game and test their skills in a high-pressure, adrenaline-pumping environment.”

Repeat Racers joins a host of other six-player mini-games available in ‘Squid Game Virtuals’, including the series’ iconic ‘Red Light, Green Light’ and ‘Cross the Glass Bridge.’

It’s been so popular, Sandbox VR says the experience has now topped $30 million in ticket sales since its launch in September 2023.

Sandbox VR operates in over 57 locations worldwide, with a majority of locations in North America. It also has locations in the UK, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, China, Singapore, and Australia.

The company says each of its locations attract over 100k players monthly, where it hosts a number of in-house developed games, including ‘Rebel Moon: The Descent’, ‘Deadwood PHOBIA’, ‘Unbound Fighting League (UFL)’, and ‘Amber Sky 2088’.

You can see if a Sandbox VR location is available near you here, which also includes the ability to reserve your spot in advance.

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PSVR 2 Gets Another Hand-tracking Game as Devs Slowly Tap Into New Feature

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Hand-tracking support came to PSVR 2 back in December, letting developers update their games to use the headset’s on-board tracking cameras for controller-less interactions. And it turns out casting magic is one of the most immersive things you can do with your bare hands.

Studios COVEN and ALBYON have released the long-awaited hand-tracking update for Masters of Light (2024) on PSVR 2, letting you blast beams of light, summon shields, and control energy as you combat against dark celestial enemies.

“Every flick of your wrist, every precise movement, translates into real-time spellcasting, making battles feel more intuitive, immersive, and exhilarating than ever,” game director and Coven co-founder Celine Tricart says in a PS blogpost.

While the game now has feature parity with the Quest version, which launched on Quest 2 and above last May, it wasn’t as simple as flipping a switch, with Tricart calling the game’s latest feature “an incredible challenge, but also a dream come true.”

To bring hand-tracking to the PSVR 2 version of Masters of Light, Tricart credits porting team VR Monkey, which has worked on a number of ports, including Into the Radius, Ghosts of Tabor, Vendetta Forever, and Synth Riders to name a few.

VR Monkey says it took two and a half months to accomplish, owing to Unity’s lack of PSVR2 ’s hand-tracking support, which required the studio to create an in-house plugin—likely a big contributing factor in why we’re not seeing many hand-tracked games on PSVR 2 today.

To boot, besides Masters of Light, there’s only one other hand-tracked game on PSVR 2. Aldin Dynamics was the first to enable hand-tracking on its PSVR 2 version of spell-casting game Waltz of the Wizard back in February. And we’re still waiting to see whether other studios will follow suit.

In the meantime, you can find Masters of Light over on the PlayStation Store for PSVR 2, and on the Horizon Store for Quest 2 and above, priced at $20. It’s also slated to arrive on Steam “soon” for PC VR headsets, where its currently available to wishlist.

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New Feature in ‘Microsoft Flight Simulator’ Boosts VR Performance, Extra Eye-tracking Gains Coming Soon

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Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 supports PC VR headsets, although you’ll also need a pretty beefy rig to even run it. Now, players are getting the much-requested fixed foveated rendering feature, saving on compute and boosting performance.

Microsoft Flight Sim fans have been waiting for native support for foveated rendering for some time now, and now developer Asobo Studio has pushed its ‘Sim Update 2’ beta which brings both fixed foveated rendering to the game.

Foveated rendering is a technique that lowers the resolution in your peripheral vision, reducing your GPU’s workload and upping frames per second (FPS) you can render. When activated in the VR Settings menu, it uses Quad View rendering, which can add to your CPU overhead, the studio warns.

Image courtesy ‘IceManDBB’

While fixed foveated rendering is available to all PC VR headset users who opt-in to the beta update today, there’s no word on when to expect dynamic foveated rendering, which allows users with eye-tracking even more performance gains.

Dynamic foveated rendering does this by only rendering where you’re looking at the highest quality, leaving all else outside of your focal vision to be rendered at low resolution. Of course, a PC VR headset with eye-tracking is required for this, which in similar applications can double performance.

It does seem to be in the works though, as Asobo says in the settings screen above “it can be used with Eye-Tracking when available for best use,” although the company hasn’t provided a timeline when it will turn on the feature.

That said, Asobo is working with Pimax, which has been an official peripheral partner for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 since November, to bring this and other VR-specific features to game.

Notably, we haven’t seen mention of any of this in the official Sim Update 2 changelog, so we’ll be keeping an eye on YouTuber ‘VR Flight Sim Guy’, who regularly dives into MFS2024, and was also one of the first to report the new fixed foveated rendering feature. You can check out his video below showing off the new performance gains.

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