Steam Controller, Valve’s next-gen gamepad, is slated to launch on May 4th for $100, although you shouldn’t expect to see a big ‘buy’ button next to Steam Frame or Steam Machine.
Speaking to Polygon, Valve revealed that it’s only releasing Steam Controller next month for a pretty important (and slightly obvious) reason: Steam Controller “doesn’t have RAM in it,” Valve hardware engineer Steve Cardinali told Polygon.
“We wanted to build up quantity so that we could try to address everybody who wants one at launch,” Cardinali maintains.
Image courtesy Valve
Notably, Steam Machine is set to include at least two bundling options: one with a Steam Controller and one without, which could put a kink in Valve’s supply efforts to produce enough Steam Controllers, as Machine specifically features built-in support for the gamepad in an effort to make it more of a living room console.
Image courtesy Valve
In an IGN interview, Valve’s Pierre-Loup Griffais spoke circumspect about why the company isn’t pushing out all three products as previously planned.
“For us, the controller is something that stands out on its own and we want to make sure that we can get that to customers in parallel to anything that might be happening with Steam Machine.”
While Griffais doesn’t specifically talk about issues with component sourcing, which have spurred RAM and storage prices to exponentially increase over the past year, Valve confirmed as much in February, noting the company had to “revisit” the pricing and release dates of both Steam Frame and Machine.
That said, Giffais again echoed that Valve doesn’t have exact details about the timeline (or price) for Steam Frame or Steam Machine, although he says the company is “hard at work on trying to get them out the door. I think we are definitely expecting to roll out some news soon about that, but in general, I think things are going well.”
Images and specs for Samsung’s upcoming smart glasses have reportedly leaked, showing off what could be the South Korean tech giant’s answer to Ray-Ban Meta.
The images, which were obtained by Android Headlines, don’t appear to be leaked marketing images as such, but rather “based on real-life pictures of a testing unit of these smart glasses,” Android Headlines says—ostensibly done to obscure the leak’s source.
The report also included a brief spec sheet for the company’s first smart glasses, which, much like Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, don’t include a display of any kind.
Samsung ‘Galaxy Glasses’ Specs (reported)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1
Battery
155mAh
Camera
12MP Sony IMX681
Connectivity
WiFi, Bluetooth 5.3
Weight
~50g
Audio
Directional speakers; bone-conduction tech in patents
Lenses
Photochromic transition lenses
Platform
Android XR with Gemini AI
Image courtesy Android Headlines
While we’re still waiting for the full reveal, which could come in July for Samsung’s next Unpacked product showcase, it seems Samsung isn’t breaking any molds here as it appears to offering up a very Ray-Ban Meta-inspired design and spec sheet.
Granted, the reported spec sheet above is far from comprehensive—it doesn’t include information on photo/video capture resolution, frame rate, expected battery life, charging case, or even the onboard mic array.
Still, provided the specs are authentic, it will be packing (the same or similar) 12MP camera sensor, Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 chipset (very likely also Gen 1), and a battery close to Ray-Ban Meta’s.
Image courtesy Android Headlines
A notable inclusion are also photochromic transition lenses, which are optional paid add-ons for all of Ray-Ban Meta’s frame styles, which include Wayfarer, Skyler, Headliner, Blayzer and Scriber models.
Going by Android Headline’s images, one big difference appears to be the unit’s more prominent camera bumps—a possible stylistic choice so people nearby can more easily tell the user is essentially wearing camera glasses.
Notably, Meta is currently facing a class action lawsuit in the US over privacy concerns tied to its Ray-Ban smart glasses, as it’s been accused of sending private camera footage to an offshore subcontractor for manual review in effort to train its AI models.
Android Headlines also echoed rumors that Samsung’s smart glasses will be priced somewhere between $379 and $499, which happens to be Ray-Ban Meta’s exact price range for the models mentioned above (without optional add-ons).
Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) | Image courtesy Meta
While many are calling the device ‘Galaxy Glasses’, there is currently no indication this will be the final naming scheme, despite previous trademarks for the name filed in 2023.
That said, Samsung’s smart glasses won’t be only pair running Google’s Android XR operating system. Google announced last year it’s working with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker to create multiple models for release sometime this year, some of which may include displays.
Gucci parent company Kering also recently announced it’s working with Google to create Gucci-branded smart glasses, ostensibly also running Android XR.
Code named ‘Haean’, unconfirmed rumors suggest the display-clad Samsung glasses will arrive sometime in 2027, and be priced somewhere between $600 and $900.
XR glasses maker VITURE announced the launch of VITURE Beast, its third-gen flagship XR glasses that release today, priced at $549.
Targeting casual content consumption and productivity, the Beast offers up a 3DOF-tracked virtual screen estimated to be 174 inches when viewed at 4 meters, which connects via USB-C to PCs, phones and portable game consoles, like Steam Deck or ROG Ally.
Similar to Viture’s previously released Luma series, the Beast sports bird bath-style optics, however offers a 57-degree field-of-view (FOV) stereoscopic Sony displays rated at 1,250 nits brightness, making for the company’s brightest optics and widest FOV to date.
Viture Beast | Image courtesy Viture
Viture says Beast is the company’s first flagship model to feature built-in VisionPair screen customization, 3DOF audio, and dynamic 9-level electrochromic tint controls, all of which is housed in a full-metal aluminum-magnesium frame.
It also sports a single front-facing RGB camera for taking video and photos, which the company says will be updated via software to allow for 6DOF tracking, as well built-in Harman audio, and microphone.
Viture Beast | Image courtesy Viture
Notably, its VisionPair screen customization allows you to spatially anchor a virtual screen to a specific point in your view, smoothly follow your view, and an ultra-wide mode that creates a panoramic display for multi-window productivity.
Viture Beast is available starting today on Amazon, bestbuy.com, and viture.com, priced at $549. It’s being offered in two sizes to account for individual interpupillary distances (IPD), a regular model for 64.0±6.0 mm and large for 68.0±6.0 mm.
This marks the first time Viture Beast is fully available across multiple channels; the company started taking pre-orders in July 2025 and began shipping limited-run early batches in December.
Viture also provided a comparison sheet between leading competitors XREAL One Pro and RayNeo Air 4 Pro, seen below:
French luxury group Kering announced it’s working with Google to bring Gucci-branded smart glasses to market sometime next year, potentially becoming the segment’s first luxury brand.
Kering, which also owns a host of brands including Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, and Bottega Veneta, has been working to revive Gucci following a sharp decline in revenue—roughly 19–22% in 2025 alone—which also prompted the company to fire Gucci creative director Sabato De Sarno.
Gucci’s new strategy marks a return to classic designs as well as increased investment in eyewear and jewelry, a smaller segment which actually grew amid Gucci’s downward trajectory.
Speaking to Reuters, Kering CEO Luca de Meo also revealed the Gucci parent company is now working with Google to release a pair of smart glasses, noting that a pair could launch “[p]robably next year, 2027.”
Ray-Ban Meta ‘BLAYZER’ model | Image courtesy Meta, EssilorLuxottica
Notably, this would put Kering in more direct competition with EssilorLuxottica, which extended a multi-year partnership to 2030 with Meta to produce Oakley and Ray-Ban smart glasses.
And business has been good. EssilorLuxxottica announced in February it sold over seven million smart glasses in 2025, effectively tripling lifetime smart glasses revenue since the release of Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 1) smart glasses in 2023.
Granted, that revenue bump accounted for multiple frame styles, including a hardware refresh of its popular Ray-Ban Meta glasses (Gen 2), Oakley Meta HSTN, Oakley Meta Vanguard, and its $800 Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, the first to include a heads-up display.
With the addition of Gucci, it could potentially allow Google’s Android XR operating system to cover a much wider price range than either Meta or Apple, the latter of which is reportedly preparing a number of smart glasses styles for release in late 2026 or early 2027.
Samsung is reportedly working on a pair of smart glasses that could be more advanced than its forthcoming competitors to Ray-Ban Meta.
Android Authority maintains it’s found evidence of a third pair of smart glasses in the source code of Samsung’s upcoming One UI 9 firmware, revealing a new model number: ‘SM-O500’, code named ‘Haean’.
Notably, two model numbers are already known: ‘SM-O200P’ and ‘SM-O200J’, code named ‘Jinju’, which are likely to be associated with the Android XR-based smart glasses Samsung recently confirmed will release sometime this year.
Those are expected to be similar to Ray-Ban Meta, in that they’ll essentially be ‘audio-only’, including microphones, camera, speakers, but no form of display.
Prototype Android XR smartglasses | Image courtesy Google
As SM-O500 follows the same numbering and lettering scheme as those two known smart glasses models, it could indicate Samsung is already working on ecosystem support for the ostensible next-gen device.
Based off prior rumors, SamMobile further suggests it may even be a display-clad version coming in 2027, similar to Meta Ray-Ban Display ($800) released late last year in the US.
Granted, as Android Authority notes, its source code sweep of One UI 9 isn’t a smoking gun. APK teardowns of the sort can be useful in revealing future releases, but may also not make it to a public release.
What we do know thus far: Google, the creator of Android XR, announced last year it was partnering with Samsung as well as Gentle Monster and US-based eyewear brand Warby Parker to release the company’s first generation of Android XR-based smart glasses.
Google also hopes to release a model with built-in displays for visual output. The company showed off two prototypes last year, including both a monocular and stereoscopic model to demonstrate Android XR’s ability to adapt to multiple hardware configurations.
Still, there’s no release date in sight for any of the Android XR-running smart glasses. The inclusion of ecosystem tie-ins in One UI 9 (based on Android 17) could mean we’ll find out more soon, however. Android 17 is expected to release in June 2026, with One UI 9 expected a month later, which could hold more clues.
Forefront has been in early access for only a few months now, although Breachers (2023) developer Triangle Factory is releasing the game’s 1.0 update on April 23rd, which includes a new map, a few new weapons, class perks, and more. While it’s not a truly massive content drop, Forefront is still one of the best VR takes on Battlefield yet.
Brimming with fellow journos, YouTubers and Triangle Factory staff—most of whom I would say have spent a lot more time aiming down the game’s realistic iron sights—I can say with no hesitation that I had my ass absolutely handed to me last week in the three 20-minute matches I played in preview of the upcoming 1.0 release.
Granted, while it wasn’t my first time playing Forefront, my kill-death ratio certainly made it seem that way in the game’s 16v16 mass battles, which also gave me an opportunity to try out the game’s new map and all of the new gear before it releases tomorrow.
If you’ve played the early access version, here’s what’s coming. If you haven’t, consider this a mini-review of the game, and why Battlefield fans might consider picking it up.
You’ve Played Before (even if you haven’t)
Maybe you haven’t played Forefront before, although if you’ve ever played any of the Battlefield games over the past 20 years, you know the score: four main classes, gads of unlockable progression-based weapons, and plenty of vehicles to jump into, like Apache helicopters, Humvees, self-propelled anti-aircraft armor, and even four-wheelers for quick getaways.
Let’s put the new stuff at the forefront though for those of you who have, and want to know what the 1.0 update is all about.
The first addition you’ll notice when jumping in is ‘Clearwater’, the new expansive map that makes for another smart addition to the game’s lineup of seven maps, most of which can be played in Rush or Conquest mode.
Image captured by Road to VR
At its core is a flooded town, flanked by high vantage points, mountainous terrain, and industrial wreckage from the ongoing battle between the two factions. There are a ton of areas to hide in and around, giving players an opportunity for close-quarters combat and long-distance blasting, with a lot of it converging in the water-logged town center.
Other new things include a pilotable drone for the Engineer class, which is by far my favorite addition, if only because, hey. It’s a dang drone. The drone comes with a single slot for cargo, so you could airlift a medkit or ammo box to your buddies below. It also gives Engineers a minor role as a scout, letting them suss out where enemies are amassing when helicopters are all taken up or respawning. Yes, I tried to put a C4 charge on it. No, it didn’t get it to work. Quest 3 footage below:
There’s also a new combat bow for Recon. It’s stupid powerful. While it probably gives you a more stealthy approach, I think it’s mostly bragging rights that you killed someone with a pointy stick. Just remember to grab an arrow from your chest inventory slot, knock the arrow and aim carefully.
If you’re a dyed-in-the-wool Forefront player, I don’t need to tell you there’s definitely fun to be had exploring this admittedly modest content drop. Still, I can’t say I wasn’t expecting a little more in the class-based gadgets department.
While primary and secondary weaponry are all the same (save the bow), the 1.0 drop does include a new training ground so you can get to grips with everything the game has to offer, as well as a quick matchmaking function that wasn’t previously available. It’s something I wish I had before heading into my first match, which left me more wrecked than my hands-on with the 1.0 preview.
Here’s a look at Clearwater from the pilot seat of an Apache on Quest 3 to get a sense of the map’s size and its general perf. New to the game is also manual in-cockpit controls for helicopters, which give you two sticks: a main stick for direction and a elevation stick to raise or lower:
Notably, the Quest version of Clearwater (and the rest of the game) feels detailed enough when you’re playing, as maps seem to be built around the headset’s rendering ability by using clever terrain changes that keep a good amount of the action fairly close.
Trees and texture loading are pretty noticeable though when in a quick vehicle in addition to a slightly less detailed landscape overall. It’s nothing game breaking, although I could see the potential for some unwelcome surprises as Quest users go head-to-head with PC VR users, which have better overall rendering ability. To boot, the 1.0 update also brings dynamic shadows and better visual effects to the PC version.
Now for the SteamVR version on my desktop running—a fairly middling RTX 3060 (12GB) and 16 GB of RAM, which is admittedly in need of an upgrade eventually. For clarity, I’m using Steam Link to my Quest 3.
As a whole, it looks… actually pretty alright, considering it has to play cross-platform with both Quest and Pico standalone headsets. The dynamic lighting does increase immersion, and the overall sharpness of the visuals definitely make it my preferred way to play, although you’ll still see some geometry popping here and there.
If that were it, I’d say this a fairly small update. Maybe not even enough to be called a 1.0 release on its own. One thing I didn’t expect going in though was a healthy chunk of the update centers around four new perks for all classes. More ammo, increased movement speed, increased grenade throwing distance, the ability to reduce repair rate on vehicles—it’s a long list of new things that could measurably change combat moving forward, and give you a chance to better customize your soldier. I’m interested to see this in action tomorrow when everyone gets 1.0 though to see just how much of an effect it has on gameplay in the long-term.
For a deeper dive, Gamertag VR, who was in the same lobby as me, does a great job of explaining each perk in his full 20-minute preview, including his general impressions of the game and 1.0 update. You might even see one of my many deaths (and maybe a kill or two).
Conclusion
When I say you’ve played this before, I think it’s pretty clear I don’t mean Forefront is some sort of glorified VR mod of Battlefield. It’s a real VR native that makes some smart choices when it comes to translating the genre, maps, weapons, everything into something that works in VR.
That said, it doesn’t have a massive player pool by traditional shooter standards (more on that below) even if it’s cross-play between standalone and PC VR. That also means it also doesn’t do ranked matches. The handful of official global servers are it for now.
Still, that’s not such a massive drawback. The most important thing you should know before hitting the buy button though is shooting in VR is a serious skill check, and doubly so (or triply) since Forefront treads the all too familiar line between arcade shooter and military sim.
Image courtesy Triangle Factory
Realistic iron sight shooting, manual reloading, and a body-worn inventory of gadgets all make it the sort of VR shooting experience genre fans will instantly click with, or conversely decide it just isn’t a right fit.
As glowing as my experience with Forefront has been, decidedly less immersive is the audio experience. Spatial audio seems to be fairly binary. You may have three friendlies behind you and three enemies in front, but all of it sounds like piped-in, in-your-ear chatter with no measurable directionality or distance fall off. Which is part of the reason I tend to not only mute my mic, but also all other players. Yeah, I’m that guy.
And while I had fun traversing the new map and playing with the new gear, tactically placed ziplines, and every core vehicle you can think of, I left feeling like the 1.0 update as a whole wasn’t such a massive value add.
Sure, it adds a measure of polish to the PC VR version and its new gadgets are fun, but I think the core of the argument is that Forefront is already a pretty full-featured experience to begin with. I’m not defaulting to my usual proviso with multiplayer VR shooters; there doesn’t seem to be any shortage of players on servers at any time I checked the last few days, so I don’t think low concurrents will be an issue in Forefront’s near-term if they keep pumping out maps and more reasons to come back like we’re seeing with tomorrow’s drop.
Whatever the case, the best matches you’ll ever find will undoubtedly be with a good group of people if you can wrangle them. There aren’t dedicated servers though, so I’ve found the ‘mute all’ option to be my number one defense from staying sane, as kids make up a good portion of the game’s player base. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
In the meantime, you can find Forefront over on the Quest Store, Steam and the Pico Store right now with its early access pricing of $24. Starting tomorrow, April 23rd, that price goes up to $28. There’s still no word on exactly when to expect it on PSVR 2.
Veteran director and writer Jon Favreau revealed he fully integrated Apple Vision Pro into the production pipeline for his upcoming Star Wars film coming out this May, The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Speaking to The Town’s Matt Belloni on stage at CinemaCon in Las Vegas this week, Favreau revealed he regularly used Vision Pro while filming The Mandalorian and Grogu, the upcoming Star Wars film which will be the first to hit cinemas in seven years.
“So I’m making an IMAX movie and I’m looking at a TV screen. No matter how big your TV screen is, it’s not an IMAX screen,” Favreau says, describing directing from traditional on-set monitors.
But Favreau saw the potential to leverage Vision Pro to drive a pre-production mocap and the pre-vis pipeline, he says, which included building a piece of software from scratch to view on-set action in a larger format.
“We built software so that I could pop on my Apple Vision Pro and be sitting in an IMAX movie theater and see the full aspect ratio when we’re lining a shot up and I could watch that take and see what people will see,” Favreau explains.
“There’s so much great consumer-facing tech that could be utilized for film making in just the planning process. Forget about whether you show it in the show it in the movie theaters on the big screen. That’s going to help collapse costs and it’s going to also help you get more precise creatively. And this is what the animation industry has understood from the beginning. Get it right before you ever paint a cell.”
Notably, Favreau’s television production company Golem Creations was behind a host of Star Wars shows filmed for Disney+, including The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
Besides having the requisite Star Wars chops, Favreau is also no stranger to VR. In his 2016, he produced two 360 promotional videos for The Jungle Book (2016) using Nokia’s OZO 360 camera rig.
That same year, Favreau’s Golem Creations partnered with WEVR to create Gnomes & Goblins (2020), an admittedly not-great fantasy adventure for PC VR that did manage to push the visual envelope at the time.
Concurrent to production on Gnomes & Goblins, Favreau also began using VR directly in the film production pipeline with The Lion King (2019), which used HTC Vive headsets to pre-visualize the scene, characters, and animations—something to make it easier to line up shots, rethink lighting, and make other changes as if the virtual set was entirely real.
You can catch the full interview below, timestamped during his chat on Vision Pro:
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