The Worst Game on the Horizon Store Now Runs Better Than Any Other on Quest 3

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The Unity Cube is an objectively terrible game (it’s literally just a floating cube, after all) that was built to test the limits of what Quest content Meta would allow into its uncurated App Lab program. After Meta dissolved App Lab, The Unity Cube moved to the main Horizon store and showed that Meta would stay truly hands-off when it came to the scope or quality of what’s listed in its VR game store. The experiment continues to prove its worth; The Unity Cube has now been updated to give users a way to experience Quest 3’s newly unlocked 207Hz refresh rate.

Update (September 2nd, 2026): The Unity Cube’s latest update allows the game to tap into the newly unlocked 207Hz refresh rate of Quest 3. If you have a Quest 3 and are running Horizon OS 2.7, you’ll be able to experience the fluidity of 207Hz, which is nearly three-times as fast as the average Quest game which generally runs at 72Hz. As far as we know, The Unity Cube is the first fully published Quest game with this capability.

And it might even remain that way for quite some time. Although Quest 3 can now technically run up to 207Hz (or even 240Hz with developer access), actually matching a game’s framerate to such a high refresh rate is extremely difficult with the limited processing power of a standalone headset. But The Unity Cube is up to the task, thanks to it rendering only a single 3D asset (well, three actually, if you count your hands).

The Unity Cube developer Tony “SkarredGhost” Vitillo documented the process of updating the app to enable the 207Hz mode, and shared some thoughts on what the jump in refresh rate actually feels like:

“It’s hard to describe the feeling: you feel like the virtual world is more reactive; it’s smoother. The first time you try it, it even feels a bit weird because you are not used to it: it is a bit like trying VR under a heavy dose of caffeine. Then the more you play with it, the more you get used to it. The virtual reality feels more real, more reactive. When you get back to 72Hz again, it feels like things are like “scattering”. You understand how immersive these framerates are when you go back to the normal 72Hz and you think that VR is not smooth, is more limited.”

Read on to learn more about the origins of The Unity Cube.

Original Article (August 26, 2024): For a long time the only official way to distribute an app on Quest was to submit it to Meta for manual review. But Meta would only accept applications which met opaque quality criteria, like how much content the app offered and whether it was appropriately polished. This made it difficult for developers to get smaller or experimental apps in front of the Quest audience, leading to significant developer outcry for a more open process.

That prompted the creation of ‘App Lab’, an alternative distribution approach for Quest which allowed developers to submit applications for distribution without any judgement on quality or scope. But it came with the caveat that App Lab apps wouldn’t be shown in the main Quest store, leaving it up to developers to point their audience to the app’s page.

To test whether Meta was going truly hands-off when it came to the quality of App Lab apps, developer Tony “SkarredGhost” Vitillo created The Unity Cube.

Behold, The Unity Cube! | Image courtesy Tony Vitillo

As the name implies, the app is simply a blank Unity environment with a grey cube—that you can’t even interact with. Even at the great price of free, this app would have never stood a chance of making it onto the main Quest store. But could it make it onto App Lab?

Indeed, Meta allowed The Unity Cube into App Lab, proving it would let just about anything into the program, as long as technical requirements were met and content guidelines were respected (ie: no adult or illegal content).

It was good news that developers could submit any app to App Lab for distribution on Quest without worrying that Meta would block an app on the grounds that it wasn’t complete or polished enough. But sentiment remained that having this ‘unlisted’ Quest store made it unnecessarily difficult for developers to find customers.

After several years of App Lab, developer pressure finally pushed Meta to dissolve the program, ultimately merging the App Lab store with the main Quest store. This meant anyone could submit an app of any quality to the main Quest store where it would be visible to customers through browsing and searching.

Last week The Unity Cube completed its journey and became listed on the main Quest store, along with other App Lab apps, again proving that Meta would be truly hands-off on curation.

And though it’s still possible for developers to mark their Quest apps as “Early Access”—to tell customers to expect something experimental or incomplete—The Unity Cube’s creator joked that “it’s not even in Early Access because it is perfect as it is!”

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Steam Frame is Getting a Color Passthrough Camera Upgrade Add-on

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Steam Frame isn’t here yet, and we’re no closer to knowing the price or release date, although the component supplier behind the headset’s built-in camera tracking system is officially producing a color passthrough module for Frame.

Steam Frame only includes monochrome passthrough, which the headset primarily uses for computer vision tracking in addition to letting the user to check their surroundings, albeit in a less immersive way than with a full color sensor.

Komodo Station, Valve’s hardware vendor in Asia, appears to have published a product page a little too early showing off an official color passthrough module for Frame, which is built by Arcturus Industries, the third-party computer vision specialists behind Steam Frame’s camera tracking system.

According to the leaked page captured by Reddit user ‘gogodboss’ (seen below), the official Arcturus Vision Camera for Steam Frame will include dual 32 megapixel sensors, 10 bit HDR capture, and a 64mm interpupillary distance (IPD).

Courtesy gogodboss

The page notes it’s capable of capturing 5K 4,928 × 2,464 capture (stereo 2,464 × 2,464) native at 60 FPS, and up to 72 FPS and 144 FPS with special configurations and software.

And it’s set to do a lot more than just give users a full color view of the world though, as the device is said to do real-time environment mapping, spatial video recording, and also support Gaussian Splatting with tools.

Notably, that 64mm IPD is intended to be similar to typical eye spacing, meaning images are captured in 3D; according to the page says will offer a field of view (FOV) of 125 x 105° binocular, and up to 125° vertical with software updates.

Check it out in action below, videos courtesy Brad Lynch:

Setup

Color Passthrough

Environmental Capture – Gaussian Splatting

Much like Valve Index, Steam Frame is being built with modability in mind, as the headset features a Gen 4 PCIe (1x) slot alongside two MIPI connectors and support for dual 2.5 Gbps bandwidth lanes.

Valve says they’ll also release official CAD files at some point so the community can easily design their own accessories, one such hypothetical possibility being facial tracking.

That said, here’s the usual proviso you’ll find appended to any scrap of Steam Frame news right now: we still don’t know the price or release date of Valve’s first standalone headset.

What we do know is that we seem to be awfully close: the company has imported tons of the headsets, FCC filings are done, the full slate of setup and unboxing videos leaked, and free promo copy of Half-Life: Alyx (2020) is reportedly coming too.

Looking for more Steam Frame news?

Hands-on: Steam Frame Reveals Valve’s Modern Vision for VR and Growing Hardware Ambitions: We go hands-on with Valve’s latest and greatest VR headset yet.

Valve is Open to Bringing SteamOS to Third-party VR Headsets: Steam Frame is the first VR headset to run SteamOS, but it may not be the last.

Steam Frame vs. Quest 3 Specs: Better Streaming, Power & Hackability: Quest 3 can do a lot, but can it go toe-to-toe with Steam Frame?

Steam Frame vs. Valve Index Specs: Wireless VR Gameplay That’s Generations Ahead : Valve Index used to be the go-to PC VR headset, but the times have changed.

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Bigscreen Drops ‘Beyond 2’ Headset Price to $959, Halo Mount Resumes Production

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Bigscreen announced it’s permanently lowering the price of its slim and light PC VR headset, Bigscreen Beyond 2, which now starts at $959. The long-awaited Halo Mount is also now in production, with shipping estimated to largely take place in October.

Despite inflation and rising component costs, Bigscreen is knocking a few bucks off its Beyond 2 series PC VR headsets, now bringing Beyond 2 to $959 (previously $1,019) and Beyond 2e to $1,159 (previously $1,219), the latter of which includes onboard eye-tracking.

The company says in a recent update that the standard Beyond 2 now ships with the Universal-Fit Cushion, a thin silicone light seal that comes in both soft and firm varieties. Notably, at the headset’s launch in June 2025, users would need to submit iPhone facial scans to obtain a custom facial interface. It was only until November of that year that the Universal-Fit Cushion was introduced.

Additionally, Bigscreen announced production of the headset’s Halo Mount has now resumed, which follows a major redesign after initial negative tester feedback late last year, compounded by a further delay in June due to production issues the required a minor redesign of the device’s “sledge link” component.

Designed to better distribute the headset’s admittedly light weight (107g), the company says that as production ramps up, it expects the largest volume of Halo Mounts to ship in October, and to “fully catch up on the Halo Mount preorder backlog in November.”

“Based on the early results, we anticipate no further engineering changes or delays. By November, Halo Mounts will be in inventory and ship within 1-2 business days. We can’t wait to hear what you think,” the company says.

That said, Bigscreen says that recent high demand and a delayed freight shipment has caused “very low inventory” of both Beyond 2 and 2e headsets, with some orders still shipping within the same day of placing an order, while other may take up to two weeks to ship. The company expects to resume its regular 1-2 business day shipping by September 14th.

Bigscreen Beyond 2 Specs

• Field of View: 116° diagonal
• Weight: 107 grams
• IPD: Adjustable, 48mm to 75mm (55mm to 70mm physically)
• Resolution: 2,560 × 2,560 per-eye
• Refresh Rate: 90Hz, 75Hz
• 6DOF Tracking: SteamVR tracking
• Tracking Requirements: SteamVR 1.0 and 2.0 Base Stations (not included)
• Eye Tracking: Yes, on Beyond 2e
• Full-body Tracking: Compatible with SteamVR trackers such as HTC Vive Trackers, Tundra Trackers (not included)
• Controllers: Compatible with SteamVR controllers such as Valve Index Controllers (not included)

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‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’ VR is Getting First Public Preview Sept 25 – Sign Up Here

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Pixelity Inc announced it’s hosting public demos soon in San Francisco for EVANGELION: Δ CROSS REFLECTIONS, the upcoming XR game based on the hit ’90s anime Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995).

Hands-on previews of EVANGELION: Δ CROSS REFLECTIONS are slated to kick off on September 25th, 2026, near Union Square in San Francisco, which will include early builds of both the game’s ‘Story Mode’ and ‘Battle Mode’.

Approximately 80 people will be selected by lottery from among general applicants and invited to attend free of charge, the studio says, noting that not only will it include the VR demo, but also “an AR experience featuring a major EVANGELION character” in addition to a VR recreation of memorable areas, such as NERV Headquarters.

EVANGELION: Δ CROSS REFLECTIONS is said to be “a new story that crosses paths with the world of NEON GENESIS EVANGELION,” which is of course set in Tokyo-3 and NERV Headquarters. As a NERV officer cadet, you interact with major EVANGELION characters as the game follows the player’s own story as they overcome struggles as an inexperienced member of the team. 

The game is slated for release sometime in 2027. The studio hasn’t announced specific platforms yet, however they say the game will use both VR and MR.

Event Details & How to Apply

• Date & Time: September 25, 2026; Start and end times will be provided directly to selected participants
• Location: San Francisco, California / Full address will be shared with attendees only
• Capacity: Approximately 80 participants ｜  Admission: Free
• Eligibility Criteria: Must be 18 years of age or older as of September 25, 2026
• Application Period: September 1, 2026 – September 8, 2026, 23:59 PT 
• How to Apply: Fill out this form, including all required fields and submit

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‘Gunman Contracts’ Turns Beloved ‘Half-Life: Alyx’ Mod Into a Full Game Next Week

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Gunman Contracts is one of the most full-featured mods for Half-Life: Alyx (2020), and now the indie developer behind the project is about to release the long-awaited, built from the ground-up game for PC VR headsets called Gunman Contracts – Stand Alone.

Arne Burkert (ANB_Seth) today announced that Gunman Contracts – Stand Alone is set to arrive in early access on September 10th, bringing an all new shooting experience to both PC VR and flatscreen users.

Unlike the original mod, which included Part 1 & 2 and required Half-Life: Alyx, Gunman Contracts – Stand Alone isn’t a Source 2 project, but rather a full-fledged game built in Unity from the ground-up, boasting new weapons and new contracts.

To boot, the game’s early access launch is slated to arrive with three story contracts, replayable score-based game modes and the gunman’s base for training. ANB_Seth says more contracts and content is slated to come in free future updates.

In case you haven’t heard of Gunman Contracts before: the game offers up an intense, action-movie-inspired single player shooting experience that sees you take on the role of ‘the Gunman’, a professional operative feared in the criminal underworld, working for an elusive order vowed to deliver justice in a world beyond the reach of the law.

Like the mod before it, Gunman Contracts – Stand Alone promises to let you go full John Wick against the game’s ruthless crime syndicate, called ‘the Collectors’, who kill and kidnap innocents, and who are by many accounts generally distasteful people.

Gunman Contracts – Stand Alone launches in early access on Steam on September 10th, and will be priced at $25. The studio says the price will increase as more contracts and content are added leading up to version 1.0, which is slated to include “at least 3 more contracts in new locations, new weapons and new features that come with them.”

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Steam Frame Reportedly Coming with a Copy of ‘Half-Life: Alyx’ for Free

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Valve hasn’t announced the price or release date of Steam Frame, its first standalone VR headset, although the company is reportedly getting ready with a promo that could bundle in its award-winning VR game Half-Life: Alyx (2020) for free.

The News

As first spotted by VR analyst and Valve watcher Brad Lynch, Valve appears to be actively working on the backend of Steam Frame’s store page, which now includes evidence the company may be giving away a copy of Half-Life Alyx to anyone who purchases a unit.

Lynch showed off a number of strings containing the following snippets: ‘AccountHardwarePromotions’, ‘HLAlyxPromoButtons’, and ‘Frame Alyx Promo’ among others, suggesting the $60 game will be bundled with Steam Frame as a part of a special promotion.

Courtesy Brad Lynch

Notably, Valve also gave away Half-Life: Alyx to those who purchased its PC VR headset Valve Index, which launched nearly a year before the game was released. That deal is still good even today, provided the headset isn’t out of stock.

Now, six years since release, Half-Life: Alyx is still largely considered the benchmark for ‘AAA’ VR gaming, garnering a rare [10/10] review from Road to VR in addition to winning PC VR Game of the Year in 2020 among many other industry accolades.

It’s also spawned a number of mods, including arguably the most comprehensive to date: Gunman Contracts. Notably, the original creator of the free Gunman Contracts mod ANB_Seth went on to create the full-fledged VR game called Gunman Contracts – Stand Alone, slated to release on September 10th.

My Take

Valve said late last year it wasn’t developing any new first-party content for Steam Frame, which is a real shame. Steam Frame is probably going to be pretty expensive though, largely in part thanks to the storage/RAM/SoC crisis, making a software giveaway likely the only thing Valve can do to lessen the blow.

It raises the question though: is Valve really just giving away a PC VR game to Steam Frame users, who may or may not own a PC capable of playing it? It’s true Valve considers Steam Frame a PC-streaming headset first and a standalone platform second, although the company has made a point of certifying over 100 PC VR and flatscreen titles to work in standalone mode on day one, including the company’s own flatscreen hit Portal 2.

That said, you won’t find Half-Life: Alyx on that ‘certified standalone’ list, simply because it’s just too compute intensive to run on modern mobile chipsets in its current state. But I wouldn’t lose hope entirely. There’s been chatter of Valve experimenting with Half-Life: Alyx running in standalone mode.

Valve hasn’t explicitly promised anything, however last November the company confirmed as much to UploadVR, noting that they were hoping to get Half-Life: Alyx running smoothly in standalone. Whatever the case, the wait can’t be much longer to find out that and the other two most important bit of info still yet to be revealed: price and release date.

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Quest 3 Update Unlocks Huge Boost in Refresh Rate, Up to 240Hz

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Meta just pushed an update to Quest 3 that’s effectively boosted the headset’s refresh rate up to 240Hz—or 207Hz at the headset’s full resolution. Whether you’ll actually be able to make good use of it remains to be seen though.

The News

As first spotted by ‘Luna’ on X, Horizon OS 2.7 just added support for ‘Extended Refresh Rates’ on Quest 3, which means the display can now go up to 207Hz for regular users, and 240Hz when in developer mode. Notably, this update only affects Quest 3, not Quest 3S or Quest 2. Quest 3S uses a different display panel that tops out at 120Hz.

While exciting, Quest 3 content isn’t going to uniformly benefit, as native apps aren’t typically optimized to reach such high framerates. As it is, 120Hz has been possible since Quest 2 received its experimental refresh rate support update in April 2021, although even now very few apps are capable of making use of the headroom.

Note: 207Hz is the maximum at full resolution, as getting to 240Hz requires developer mode and display scaling, which reduces the resolution of the image sent to the panel before it’s upscaled.

Image courtesy Meta

One such tool that typically helps developer reach higher framerates may also be hamstrung—at least for now. Quest’s Application Spacewarp, which usually allows Quest developers to double their FPS with synthetically generated frames, doesn’t play nicely with Quest 3’s SoC at higher framerates, as it typically can’t handle extrapolation beyond 120 FPS, let alone 207 FPS.

Still, developers of PC VR games and apps are already making headway. Virtual Desktop developer Guy Godin notes on X that he’s already managed to add 144 FPS support to his app, which is used to stream your computer screen or play high-performance PC VR games wirelessly. That said, Godin says that video decoders have trouble beyond 144 FPS, noting that higher framerates probably aren’t likely for the Quest 3.

My Take

If anything, this is a good indication that Quest 3’s hardware was always unusually capable, but wasn’t unlocked for some reason. Still, it’s not uncommon though for companies to throw a bone or two at consumers as their hardware approaches end of life, if only to flush stock.

But I don’t think Quest 3 is gone just yet. Technically for the second time—the first being at the release of the Oculus Rift—Meta is set to compete on an even playing field with Valve, which is perpetually on the brink of announcing price and release date for Steam Frame. Valve’s standalone VR headset is not only capable of wireless PC VR streaming, but it can also download and play both VR and flatscreen games directly from Steam, which has already drawn comparisons to Quest 3.

My hunch: Meta didn’t unlock Quest’s framerate before now because the company was focused on serving up native Quest content, the most of which can’t even make use of 120Hz anyway. But now that Steam Frame is nearly here, Meta wants to show off just how much its $600 headset can do, as Steam Frame is surely going to be somewhere north of $1,000 while only supporting up to 144Hz in an experimental mode.

Anything Meta can do to make consumers draw obvious comparisons between the two can only help its bottom line, as Quest 3 will most definitely still be in stock when Steam Frame inevitably runs out shortly after launch—whenever that is.

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