Ghosts of Tabor introduced a new map, boss and more in today's major update.
Following its recent relaunch, the latest Ghosts of Tabor patch takes us beneath the streets of Matka Miest. Dubbed 'The Collector's Awakening,' this update adds underground map sees you exploring sewers, subways, and subterranean environments as you navigate tight tunnels. Within the museum's depths lies a new boss, The Collector, who has a habit of storing his victims' bodies, and defeating him awards exclusive loot.
Today's new Ghosts of Tabor update also introduces two new weapons. The XM250 Light Machine Gun has a collapsible bipod and built-in canted iron sight, while flashbang grenades are now available for distorting your opponent's sight and sound. Elsewhere, Silencers were adjusted for greater realism, now requiring you to twist and click them on.
Finally, Combat Waffle Studios also introduced a new 'Streamer Camera' that's presently that's only available on PC VR. This adds stabilized FOV alongside a helmet cam, barrel cam, and reticle cam, also letting you dynamically switch perspectives when aiming down sights.
Ghosts of Tabor is available on SteamVR, Rift and Quest for $24.99. Pico and PSVR 2 releases are also planned, though release dates remain unconfirmed.
While March is looking slightly quieter right now, there's still a good selection of new VR games on the way. You can find our more comprehensive upcoming VR games list here and, as always, be sure to bookmark this page. We'll update this list as more VR games get confirmed release dates across each major platform, also removing entries if they get delayed.
Right now, here are the biggest new VR games coming to Quest, PC VR and PSVR 2 this March.
Rainbow Reactor: Fusion - Remastered - March 1 (PSVR 2)
Initially released in 2019, Rainbow Reactor: Fusion is a color-matching puzzle game that's seen gradual iterations across the years. Following on from Steam and Quest launches, it's now being remastered for PSVR 2, featuring an upgraded resolution and 90fps performance without reprojection.
OVRDARK: A Do Not Open Story - March 7 (PSVR 2)
OVRDARK: A Do Not Open Story is a new VR horror game coming to PSVR 2 and Steam. A VR-focused sequel to Do Not Open, you play as George Foster, an investigator that visits the mansion after what happened in the first game, faced by the malevolent presence of Mike Goreng.
Swarm 2 - March 7 (Quest)
Previously released on Pico, Swarm 2 is a roguelike shooter to 2021's Swarm. Armed with a grappling hook and pistol, you're tasked with fending off the Swarm to save Earth across new environments, and it also features online leaderboards. That's now reaching Quest.
The Pirate Queen - March 7 (PC VR, Quest)
Winner of the Immersive Storyscapes Award during last year's Tribeca Festival, The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend is a narrative adventure game by Singer Studios, focused on puzzle solving and exploration. Starring Lucy Liu as Cheng Shih, who sailed the South China Sea with the Red Flag Fleet, that's coming to Quest and Steam.
Akka Arrh - March 8 (PSVR 2)
Released last year for most flatscreen platforms, Akka Arrh is an arcade shooter with tower defense elements, taking inspiration from Tempest 2000. Developed by industry veteran Jeff Minter through Llamasoft and published by Atari, your aim involves destroying enemies through a command center, triggering chain reactions with bombs.
Stilt - March 8 (PC VR, PSVR 2, Quest)
Developed by Rekt Games, Stilt brings a colorful adventure inspired by classic platformers to Quest, Steam and PSVR 2. Requiring "quick reflexes and problem-solving skills to progress through the levels," you're tasked with collecting missing gift packages and stamps as you progress, navigating through chasms, avoiding traps and fending off enemies. Online multiplayer is also supported.
System Critical 2 - March 8 (PSVR 2)
Developed by Old Formulas, System Critical 2 is a "retro style run and gun platformer shooter." A direct sequel to last year's System Critical: The Race Against Time, that reaches PSVR 2 this month, following prior launches on SteamVR and Quest App Lab.
Humanity - March 14 (Quest)
Released last year with optional VR support on PS5 and PC, Humanity now makes its way to Quest. The latest game from Tetris Effect and Rez Infinite publisher Enhance, this third-person puzzle-action game takes inspiration from Lemmings. Playing as a Shiba Inu, you must guide the mindless masses to reach the exit.
Little Cities: Bigger! - March 12 (PSVR 2)
Developed by Purple Yonder, Little Cities: Bigger! features all the updates previously released on Quest - Sandbox, Snowy Islands DLC, Attractions and Little Citizens. With the PSVR 2 version, publisher nDreams confirms this port features an enhanced frame rate, 4K resolution, eye tracking and haptic feedback support.
Monkey Doo VR - March 14 (Quest)
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Monkey Doo VR is a free-to-play VR game that sees you swinging through jungles as you race others to collect bananas. Previously released via App Lab and Steam, that's now coming to the official Meta Store, and the PC VR version will be updated on the same day.
Paint the Town Red VR - March 14 (PC VR, PSVR 2, Quest)
Previously released on flatscreen platforms, Paint the Town Red VR calls itself a "chaotic" first-person melee combat game with voxel visuals. Set across different time periods and locations, enemies "can be punched, bashed, kicked, stabbed and sliced completely dynamically using almost anything that isn't nailed down." That's coming to Quest, Steam and PSVR 2.
Lawn Mowing Simulator VR - March 21 (Quest)
Developed by Skyhook Games, Lawn Mowing Simulator first appeared for flatscreen platforms in 2021. Announced by publisher Curve Games, it's now receiving an official VR adaptation, tasking you with garden management across different locations on Quest.
Max Mustard - March 21 (Quest)
Max Mustard is a VR platformer from Richie's Plank Experience developer Toast Interactive. Much like Moss, you embody a character that looks down on the game's environments, manipulating elements to assist Maxthrough this world. Featuring 40 levels and four bosses, it's reaching Quest first, while PC VR and PSVR 2 versions are planned for mid-2024.
MADiSON VR - March 23 (PC VR, PSVR 2)
Released for PC and consoles in 2022, MADiSON VR adapts the flatscreen first-person survival horror game for PSVR 2 and SteamVR. As Luca, who wakes up in a dark room with his hands covered in blood. Going up against the eponymous demonic ghost, there's no weaponry and players must depend on an instant camera to solve puzzles.
Following on from Quest and PSVR 2, Dyschronia: Chronos Alternate brings MyDearest's episodic trilogy to Steam with flatscreen support. Set in the artificial marine city of Astrum Close, you play as supervisor Hal Scion as you investigate a murder. You can check out our previous thoughts on Episode 1, Episode 2 and Episode 3.
Medieval Dynasty: New Settlement - March 28 (Quest)
Medieval Dynasty New Settlement is a survival, resource-gathering VR game that tasks you with creating a lasting dynasty, one that involves building construction, cooking, crafting, hunting and more across an open-world environment. It's coming to Quest this month.
If you've got an update for a VR game we should know about for this article or future updates, you can use our contact page or email tips@uploadvr.com with details.
Interested to learn about more upcoming VR games? Check out our complete list below, which covers upcoming Quest 2, PC VR, Pico and PSVR 2 releases across 2024 and beyond:
Guardians Frontline adds new enemies and an increased level cap in version 1.5 on Quest and Steam.
Released last March by Virtual Age and Fast Travel Games, Guardians Frontline merges first-person shooter gameplay with real-time strategy. Following July's 'New Enemies and Power-Ups Update' with mushroom foes and air strikes, Update 1.5 adds an evolved version of the Arack, a spider-like enemy who can burrow underground. A new Siege Sentinel is also available that can dodge freeze attacks and fire long-ranged projectile attacks.
Elsewhere, version 1.5 increases the Level Cap from 40 to 50, providing new ranks you can earn up to Supreme Commander. Reaching the top rank unlocks a new Guardian skin with 30% extra protection against explosive damage. Otherwise, the Ak20 weapon has a new attack. Editor Mode has been updated and you can also expect various bug fixes and tweaks.
We recommended Guardians Frontline in our review last year, calling it a successful mix between these genres.
Guardians Frontline is an ambitious attempt to combine the best elements of two disparate genres that succeeds in creating something truly original for the Quest platform. Through a mix of clever UI design and a focus on solid gaming fundamentals, VirtualAge manages to achieve something unique, intuitive and completely immersive.
Guardians Frontline is available on the Meta Quest platform and SteamVR.
Following this week's PSVR 2 launch, Beat the Beats gets a Quest App Lab demo today.
Created by Parallel Circles, Beat the Beats is a VR rhythm game with minimalist visuals. Inspired by Beat Saber and Tetris Effect, it uses real boxing moves like jabs, hooks, uppercuts, rolls and blocks to hit incoming objects. Featuring global leaderboards, daily challenges, unlockable new genres and an "extra challenging" b-side for songs, you can see gameplay below:
We enjoyed Beat the Beats in our PSVR 2 review. Believing it "could become one of VR's best new rhythm games," we had high praise for the gameplay and presentation, though we criticized its lacking extras.
By using boxing moves, Beat the Beats' core mechanics make great use of VR's physicality, and I'm enjoying it more than Synth Riders. Instead of simply moving your arms toward a specific area, making those swings as you hit targets feels more satisfying... the developers have a big canvas to build on in the future and there are strong core mechanics here for very satisfying active VR sessions.
Beat the Beats is out now on PSVR 2 for $19.99. PC VR and Quest releases are coming "soon," though Steam and App Lab demos are available now.
Notice: This article, initially published on February 19, 2024, was edited on February 29 to reflect the game's PSVR 2 launch and subsequent Quest demo.
The Meta Quest+ subscription service is introducing a new "games catalog" with Demeo, Walkabout Mini Golf, and more from Friday.
Reminiscent of catalogs seen with flatscreen gaming subscription services like Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus Extra, Meta Quest+ is introducing a new VR "games catalog" accessible to all Quest+ subscribers while they stay subscribed. Meta says it plans to "rotate in and out" these titles regularly but for now, here's the full library subscribers can play from March 1:
A Township Tale
Demeo
Espire 1: VR Operative
Fruit Ninja
Hand Physics Lab
Jurassic World Aftermath Collection
Moss
Onward
Red Matter
Sports Scramble
The Climb
Until You Fall
Walkabout Mini Golf
We also learned March's Quest+ monthly titles. While you can still redeem February's two picks - I Expect You To Die and Dyschronia: Chronos Alternate - Episode 1 until February 29, March offers multiplayer military VR shooter Contractors alongside a story-driven puzzle game starring Patrick Stewart, Shadow Point. These non-catalog monthly titles must be redeemed during the month they're available, and continue to be accessible as long as you stay subscribed.
Meta Quest+ costs $8 per month or $60 annually, with the first month free, and anyone purchasing the 512GB model Quest 3 receives a free trial for six months. Additionally, Meta is running a new offer from March 1 until May 31 giving new annual subscribers $25 in Quest Store credit.
VR battle royale shooter Contractors Showdown enters open beta this week.
A follow up to 2018's Contractors, Caveman Studio confirmed the Contractors Showdown open beta will be available for SteamVR and Quest 2, Quest Pro & Quest 3 users. Beginning on March 1, that's taking place across three consecutive weekends - March 1-3, March 8-10 and March 15-17.
Set across a 16 square kilometer map, Contractors Showdown lets you dive in with doubles, trios or solo, supporting up to 45 people per match. Everyone can activate three types of perks per match for strategic advantages, which Caveman Studio didn't detail. As for progression, you can earn resource points, fulfill contracts, unlock blueprints, obtain cosmetics and more.
For more details, here's an official gameplay description:
Navigate the high-stakes arena using an array of tactical props, including airstrikes and UAVs. These game-changing elements elevate the intensity, offering players the opportunity to unleash powerful tools and outsmart their opponents. Plan your moves, coordinate with your squad, and deploy these strategic assets to dominate the battlefield.
Contractors Showdown targets a Q2 2024 launch on the Meta Quest platform and Steam.
A prominent supply chain analyst claims mass production of the successor to Apple Vision Pro will begin in late 2025 or early 2026.
Ming-Chi Kuo, who has been reporting on Apple's supply chain for more than 10 years, released a report today with a number of claims about Vision Pro's success and Apple's future plans for it and future models.
Back in January Kuo claimed Apple would only have 60,000–80,000 units available for launch day, and that Apple had 160,000–180,000 US preorders.
Kuo says he expects Apple to ship a total of 200,000–250,000 units overall this year, and predicts Apple will launch Vision Pro, currently only available in the US, in more countries before June.
For comparison, in October Kuo claimed Meta would produce 2.5 million Quest 3 headsets by the end of 2023.
Kuo also reports that despite some media sensationalism about widespread returns, refurbishment line sources suggest Vision Pro's return rate is less than 1%, matching Apple's other products.
While previous reports from Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman have mentioned Apple working on a cheaper non-Pro Vision headset, Kuo now says Apple hasn't yet advanced this project to the stage of talking with suppliers or assemblers, suggesting that headset is still very early in development.
On the other hand, Kuo reports Apple is already planning production of a Vision Pro successor with Foxconn, the Taiwanese company that manufactures iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks, to begin in late 2025 or early 2026.
Kuo claims this Vision Pro successor will focus on "improving the efficiency of production and supply chain" to reduce costs and increase production capacity, rather than adding new features or making significant spec changes. Mark Gurman has previously said Apple's top priority for the Vision Pro successor is making it smaller and lighter. The heavy weight and resulting poor comfort is arguably the biggest downside of the current Vision Pro, as we discussed in our review.
Given the production timeline, this Vision Pro successor could launch in the first half of 2026, around two years after the current Apple Vision Pro.
Rock and Roots, a new VR fantasy adventure, reaches Quest and Steam today.
Created by XOCUS (Z-Race, Presentiment of Death), Rock and Roots describes itself as a story-driven adventure. Following his lordly father's sudden murder, you play as a young heir that finds himself framed for this crime by a jealous younger brother. Escaping to the enchanted woods following this betrayal, we're soon granted the ability to summon creatures called Springs.
What follows is an adventure to reclaim your home, and Rock and Roots promises strategic battles against knights who've lost their honor. As the eldest heir, you can deploy Springs into battle by picking cards on your left hand, wielding weapons like spears, twin daggers, axes, and more. Defeating these knights earns you soul fragments, which can be used to unlock new abilities for each Spring.
Rock and Roots launches today on the Meta Quest platform and Steam for $14.99.
Beat the Beats could become one of VR's best new rhythm games. Read on for our full review:
When Beat Saber and Synth Riders continue showing significant longevity, new VR rhythm games have a tough job standing out in this crowded market. Developed by Parallel Circles, I consider Beat the Beats one of the strongest competitors in recent years. By swapping lightsabers and orbs for boxing gloves, it takes a more directly fitness-driven approach and I quickly found my rhythm.
Beat the Beats - The Facts
What is it?: A VR rhythm game that uses boxing moves. Platforms: PSVR 2. Quest & SteamVR ports coming in 2024. Release Date: February 27, 2024 Developer: Parallel Circles Price: $29.99
While I don't wish to keep bringing up Beat Saber, it's an easy comparison. Beat the Beats scores you by hitting incoming targets and dodging obstacles, though points are awarded for precise hits over vertical slices. I've never been much of a boxer, though using jabs, hooks, uppercuts, and blocks makes for a pleasing alternative, all introduced through an easy-to-learn tutorial. Finishing songs awards you a rank, and online leaderboards add a nice competitive touch.
Successive hits gradually build up a multiplier, but you don't progressively restore health by doing this. Five mistakes end your run, though you can recover HP after clearing segments. A small grace period after missing means this isn't as punishing as it sounds and, initially anyway, I wouldn't call this particularly tough. I enjoyed the gradual difficulty curve as I progressed through arcade mode, while unlockable 'B-Sides' made those earlier songs suitably more challenging.
Beat the Beats nails what I'd consider the most crucial aspect of this genre: a solid sense of rhythm. Every time I've jumped on, I can feel myself getting in the zone with each song, throwing punches almost instinctively as new targets come toward me. That's helped by a pleasingly energetic soundtrack, which sadly doesn't include any big-name artists, though what's here is good.
I'm also really impressed by the presentation. The minimalist aesthetic feels clean and focused, though my highlight is how Beat the Beats handles song transitions. Stages don't fade to black after exiting a song, maintaining a seamless environment. That does wonders for immersion as this always keeps you in the experience, even briefly - something I recently criticized Orbeats for.
By using boxing moves, Beat the Beats' core mechanics make great use of VR's physicality, and I'm enjoying it more than Synth Riders. Instead of simply moving your arms toward a specific area, making those swings as you hit targets feels more satisfying. Subtle haptic feedback from the PSVR 2 Sense Controllers enhances this further, while the headset haptics kicking in as you dodge large red arrows further complement the immersion.
Comfort
Beat the Beats doesn't have many comfort settings, though it's not the sort of VR experience that needs it. This is a pretty comfortable game since you remain in one place while playing each stage. You can select your dominant hand, activate a colorblind mode, adjust haptic vibration strength, and change your height.
My biggest criticism is that I want more - the extras are somewhat lacking. Beyond Arcade Mode, you've only got two options and unfortunately, Quick Reaction isn't that exciting. It's a mini-game where you press buttons as quickly as possible, and you can clear everything in less than five minutes. Daily Mix is more interesting as that merges several songs into a longer stage for a unique challenge.
I'd also like more options for the main gameplay. Expanding the difficulty settings would be welcome, whether that's through modifiers like a one-miss fail or reduced health, or more pre-determined difficulty levels. Different colors for blocks/gloves could go a long way, too.
Beat the Beats Review - Final Thoughts
Beat the Beats makes great use of VR's physicality to deliver some of the most enjoyably fresh rhythm gaming I've experienced in recent months. While the extras don't go particularly far, the developers have a big canvas to build on in the future and there are strong core mechanics here for very satisfying active VR sessions.
UploadVR uses a 5-Star rating system for our game reviews – you can read a breakdown of each star rating in ourreview guidelines.
Team Beef is developing an unofficial Tomb Raider VR mod for Quest and Pico.
Announced last week, modding group Team Beef revealed it is planning to adapt the original Tomb Raider game using the unofficial #OpenLara remake by Timur Gagiev, also known as "XProger." This upcoming port adds a first-person viewpoint, full 6DOF tracking, motion-triggered actions and dual-wielding for weapons.
Once completed, Team Beef will release this mod publicly and anyone who subscribes to the group's Patreon can access the beta version. While further details remain unconfirmed, the group usually releases its Quest mods via SideQuest, so we'd expect the same here. Just like its other projects, you must also own the original game to play.
The developer of early demos for the Rift DK1 and DK2 has brought one of modern consumer VR’s very first demo experiences to Apple Vision Pro — Proton Pulse.
Justin Moravetz initially released a Proton Pulse demo to the Oculus forum in April 2013 in the days before Oculus Share. The demo arrived just as DK1 was shipping to Kickstarter backers. Moravetz was still employed at Sony at the time, causing him some grief later, but he was on the path to becoming an indie VR developer.
“So I turned in my notice,” Moravetz told me over direct message. “I wanted to develop VR games.”
Remarkably, more than a decade later, Proton Pulse is one of the few fully immersive VR apps on the $3500 Apple Vision Pro. In the years between DK1 and Vision Pro, Proton Pulse has seen release on practically all major VR headsets with the exceptions of PSVR 2 and Quest headsets.
“I saw the most success on Google Play and the Apple App Store,” Moravetz wrote, with cardboard-compatible releases for iOS and Google Play.
The developer told me he gave a demo of Proton Pulse and Vanguard V — a game he’d like to finish with funding support — at the first Oculus Connect conference for folks from Google.
“I later found two boxes at my house,” Moravetz wrote. “They had shipped me 150 cardboard units.”
Proton Pulse is a bit like spatial Pong or Breakout with your head movements redirecting a paddle around the room to break blocks on the far end. You can find more about Proton Pulse and other projects from Moravetz’ Zero Transform here as well as the App Store for Apple Vision Pro.
Proton Pulse, originally created for the Oculus Rift DK1 development kit in 2013, has been re-released on Apple Vision Pro this week. Practically untouched from its original head-tracked input scheme, the game marks a soft reset in XR game development as developers assess how to approach Vision Pro’s lack of controllers.
Created by developer Justin Moravetz, Proton Pulse was first built for the Rift DK1, the very first headset released by Oculus for developers. The game was also released on Google Cardboard, Google Daydream, Samsung GearVR, Oculus Go, and the Oculus Rift consumer headsets.
The game was able to seamlessly span a decade of XR headsets because it was designed around gaze-based input. Without the need to rely on controllers, hand-tracking, or eye-tracking, Proton Pulse has remained highly adaptable from one headset to another without any core changes to the gameplay.
And at this very early stage in immersive gaming on Vision Pro, Proton Pulse stands out as one of the best games you can play on the headset at the moment. While many other games on the platform feel closer to board games, Proton Pulse is a fully immersive experience that takes over your whole environment—like most VR games on other headsets.
The game’s launch on the Vision Pro points to a broader moment in the VR industry: interested developers are experimenting to figure out exactly what works best on the headset. Apple’s decision to exclude controllers from Vision Pro has undercut much of the XR game design knowledge that’s accumulated over the last decade. Working within those limitations is forcing a back-to-basics approach for many.
As for this particular experiment, developer Justin Moravetz tells us that he’s “strongly considering an all-out sequel if this does well.”
Apple announced that its Major League Soccer Season Pass (through Apple TV) will include new immersive video content covering the 2023 playoffs.
Apple TV is the exclusive provider of online Major League Soccer broadcasts via the MLS Season Pass subscription. The company recently announced the kickoff of the 2024 MLS Season. It will include new Apple Immersive Video footage with content from the league’s 2023 playoff series.
“Coming soon,” the company says, “all Apple Vision Pro users can experience the best of the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs with the first-ever sports film captured in Apple Immersive Video. Viewers will feel every heart-pounding moment in 8K 3D with a 180-degree field of view and Spatial Audio that transports them to each match.”
This will add to the company’s small handful of Apple Immersive Video content that first became available at the headset’s launch. Some of that content is available for free, but most requires an Apple TV+ subscription.
It’s unclear exactly what the new Apple Immersive MLS content will cover. It could be full games, game summaries, or just highlights of key moments throughout the playoffs. It’s implied, but not quite clear, if the MLS Season Pass is required to view the new content, or if it will become available to “all Apple Vision Pro users” as the statement reads. We’ve reached out to Apple for clarification.
The 2024 MLS Season Pass is priced at $15 per month or $100 for the season, or for Apple TV+ subscribers, $13 per month or $80 for the season.
The Blair Witch VR will be relisted soon on Quest after being "mistakenly deactivated."
Released in 2020, Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition adapted Bloober Team's flatscreen horror game for VR. However, fans recently spotted that it had been delisted from the Quest Store, though the Steam and Rift ports remain available. Asked why it had been delisted and if the PC VR versions would follow, Bloober Team informed UploadVR this was a mistake. Here's the statement.
The game was mistakenly deactivated, and it will reappear in the store in a day or two. In other stores, it is still available, and we do not plan to remove any of our games from sale.
We enjoyed Bloober Team's horror adaptation in our Blair Witch VR review, praising the "solid" scares and considering it an improvement over the flatscreen release.
As far as ports of non-VR games go, Blair Witch VR is quite great as it manages to be better than its non-VR predecessor in basically every way. Frankly, this setting fits VR like a blood-soaked glove and I hope to see more Blair Witch games in VR after this. Horror naturally lends itself to the immersive realms of a VR headset and it doesn’t get a whole lot more unsettling than the iconic Blair Witch franchise.
Blair Witch VR is available now on PC VR, while the Quest version is due to return this week.
According to a report from South Korean outlet The Korea Economic Daily (Korean), Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will be in-country this week to finalize a deal with LG regarding a previously rumored competitor to Apple Vision Pro, which is reportedly set to be jointly built by the two companies for release in early 2025.
Citing unnamed industry sources, the report maintains Zuckerberg will be in South Korea to meet LG Electronics CEO William Cho on Wednesday, February 28th to discuss plans related to the joint development of XR headsets. Key executives from LG Group’s IT component subsidiaries are also said to be in attendance.
The report, which was first picked up by UploadVR, also alleges the two companies plan to release “the highest-performing XR headset in the first quarter of next year,” positioning it to compete with Apple Vision Pro.
These aren’t the first rumors to come out of Korea regarding a possible Meta-LG XR headset manufacturing partnership however. A separate report from South Korea’s Maekyung (Korean) in September maintained Meta and LG were planning on releasing two new headsets, a low-cost Quest model that will be priced at “less than $200” coming in 2024, and the presumed ‘Pro’ model Quest mentioned above.
South Korean tech outlet The Guru (Korean) reported in January 2024 that LG will release a commercially available XR headset as early as next year.
Whatever the case, Zuckerberg is currently in the neighborhood. According to jet tracker ZuckerbergJet on Instagram, Zuckerberg’s Gulfstream G650 private jet is in Tokyo, Japan, having landed there just two days ago.
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Reports aside, we really won’t know what’s on the horizon, although we already have a pretty good idea what a potential Quest Pro 2 could look like provided Meta really intends on going toe-to-toe with Apple.
Douglas Lanman, Senior Director of Display Systems at Reality Labs Research, held a guest lecture at the University of Arizona late last year wherein he talked at length about his own (re: not Meta’s) next-gen ‘Mirror Lake’ headset prototype. In it, Lanman explained that, with already available components, such a headset could include a bevy of wishlist items, such as holographic optics, multi-view eye-tracking, varifocal display, reverse-passthrough, and baked-in prescription.
Whether those things are actually go into a potential Quest Pro 2 is another matter, although if Meta wants to beat Apple at its own game, it’s certainly going to require some one-upmanship in both the hardware and software department.
A new VR startup wants to make a fitness-focused glove, and eventually a fitness-focused headset too.
Vi is being founded by XR entrepreneur Cix Liv, who previously cofounded the VR livestreaming tool LIV and the VR fitness tracker YUR. Liv was working on a mixed reality esports game called REK since 2022, but canceled it last year citing low audience interest as well as the technical and practical issues inherent in using headsets outdoors.
Joining Cix at Vi is engineer Eugene Nadyrshin, who designed a VR glove with haptic feedback back in 2018, and product designer Marcus Kane, who has experience with consumer electronics and previously produced renders of Quest Pro and Quest 3 before they were announced based on leaked CAD schematics.
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Vi fitness glove prototype being tested with Apple Vision Pro.
The Vi glove is designed for resistance training. It features a pressure sensor that can sense the weight of dumbbell you're lifting, and an IMU (a chip with an accelerometer and gyroscope) that can sense the number of reps. Vi claims the goal is to be able to track resistance bands, push ups, pull ups, dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, and more. It will support Apple Vision Pro first, communicating via Bluetooth as demonstrated in the video above. Vi says it's exploring Quest support, but that it may not be possible due to how Meta has locked down the Bluetooth stack.
The Vi headset on the other hand seems more of an aspiration than a solidified plan, at least for now. Liv tells UploadVR that it will based on Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 reference design headset, with a (non-lenticular) front display and a small battery in the rear strap to achieve a slim and balanced design. Vi is targeting 60-90 minutes of battery life, matching what Liv claims is the maximum typical VR fitness session. Liv tells us the headset shouldn't be expected until late 2025 or early 2026.
Vi's plan is to sell the hardware at cost and make the money on a subscription to its fitness service, which the headset will boot into, and the only application it will support at launch.
As always, we should note that mass producing and shipping consumer electronics is extremely challenging, and many (if not most) startups fail to deliver.
In this week's episode of the Between Realities VR Podcast, Alex and Skeeva host VR YouTuber Gamertag VR.
Gamertag VR dives into the highs and lows of creating VR videos for YouTube. Other topics include PC compatibility for PSVR 2, the struggles of VR game development, and the impact popular IP's can have on the VR gaming landscape.
VR news continues to be busy and once again, we're highlighting five stories we couldn't previously cover before. Here's a few additional updates:
Medieval Dynasty New Settlement Reaches Quest On March 28
Medieval Dynasty New Settlement confirmed its release date. Reaching Quest on March 28, this survival, resource-gathering VR game tasks you with creating a lasting dynasty. That involves building construction, cooking, crafting, hunting and more across an open-world environment.
VR Drumming Game Taiko Frenzy Receives Visual Overhaul
Taiko Frenzy, a free-to-play Japanese-themed VR percussion rhythm game currently in early access, received a major visual update on Quest App Lab. Calling this the 'Omagatoki Update,' this comes with a new mode, a UI overhaul, a height calibration tool and more.
X8 Adds Rush Respawn Mode And Gameplay Changes In New Update
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X8, Thirdverse's 5v5 multiplayer VR hero shooter, launched its third major update on Steam and Quest. That includes a new 'Rush Respawn' mode that turns 'Search and Destroy' into a respawn-enabled battle designed for newcomers with 3v3 combat. There's also a new task system for earning coins, enhanced tutorial and practice modes, simplified VR interactions and a new Demolition mode.
Onward added a new multi-mission PvE operation called Mercenary Mode, which lets you complete contracts and compete for the highest score. This update also introduced a visual update for the Bazaar map, adding updated textures, new palm trees, new vehicle assets, updated environmental audio and more.
Other Updates
Looking for further VR news stories? Here's what else we've seen this across last week:
Happy Hour Hero, a "flow-state VR bartending game" where you compete to become the town's best bartender, reached PC VR and Quest.
Niantic is teaming up with the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library for Rangers Wanted, an AR focused on nature conservation and outdoor exploration.
Is Vision Pro the superior headset? For hand tracking developer Dennys Kuhnert, not really. For testing, however, he does wear the Apple headset as his under-layer and hold the Quest 3 up as his outer-layer.
Yeah, you read that right.
The developer has taken to wearing Vision Pro and then holding Quest 3 up to the Apple headset as a secondary passthrough system to quickly eyeball software on both devices. It works.
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But why exactly does the Vision Pro get to be on the inside? Is it because of Apple's visionOS or the quick availability of his laptop in VR? Nope. Kuhnert just needs to quickly test the passthrough on both headsets and the Vision Pro's go-to-sleep functionality is a little smarter than Quest 3's. Quest 3 can be kept awake by covering its sensor with a sticker, while Vision Pro is a little harder for him to trick awake.
Started to fully use the Vision Pro as my main working station now and it became annoying to always switch headset when testing stuff on Quest 3.
Tried this and it works surprisingly really well!
Even stereoscopic view is good enough to quickly test stuff with one hand on Q3!
Kuhnert isn't the only developer playing around with both headsets like this, and this is far from the first time someone has tried to check out level two of a simulation by using a pair of VR headsets.
We should note, of course, that due to sensor placements, actually wearing both headsets at the same time wouldn't be useful for in-depth usability testing. But for glancing around inside VR quickly from the view inside of another headset? Yeah, that actually works.
Developer Alex Coulombe actually tried playing Beat Saber this way in a humorous walkthrough video embedded below.
"Gotta hold it in just the right spot on my face," Coulombe says while slicing.
