Virtual & Augmented Reality News - Page 1

HP's new Reverb G2 is a next-gen iteration of its previous Reverb VR HMD, and sports features like dual 2160x2160 lenses and four built-in cameras.

Today HP announced the Reverb G2, a new PC-powered virtual reality headset that packs serious power in a lightweight design. The HMD was built in tandem with Microsoft for the Windows Mixed Reality platform, but Valve also helped design the lenses and ensured Steam VR operability.

The Reverb G2 starts at $599 and is a wired headset, so it's not standalone and requires a PC to operate. On paper the Reverb G2 is similar to the original Reverb VR headset. The G2 sports include dual 2160x2160 LCD panels to deliver 4320x2160p resolution for gaming, four built-in cameras with 6DoF inside-out tracking with an "infinite" tracking area, and a lightweight 1.1lbs HMD frame with adjustable velcro straps and face cushions. The HMD runs at 90Hz refresh rates and has a 114-degree field-of-view, just like the original headset.

Iron Man VR is shaping up to be a blast for PlayStation VR owners, with the PS VR exclusive now available to download in demo form from the PlayStation Store right now. First, check out the Iron Man VR gameplay video that was just released:

The video is very detailed on how the game works, how you fly and use your blasters, and how the developers created the game to not just let you fly around in some form of glorified tech demo -- but actually act like a hero. In this particular part of Iron Man VR dubbed the 'Out of the Blue' Stark Jet mission, your mission is to save Pepper Potts from a plane flying through the clouds.

Instead of just blasting bad guys out of the sky, you will fly up to the plane and have to repair panels, pull debris out of the way, and more. It is much more immersive than a traditional superhero game and that is all thanks to VR. The developers have done a great job there, and even the graphics don't look too bad for a game running on a PlayStation 4.

Oculus has been working on the Oculus Quest 2 for a while, and the project is reportedly code-named Del Mar. A new report has surfaced the claims the Oculus Quest 2 is still in the works, but it may not arrive this year as expected. According to the new report, the Facebook-owned company has delayed the Oculus Quest 2 until 2021 or later.

The report comes from industry experts cited by Bloomberg claiming that the Oculus Quest 2 was originally set to launch at the Oculus Connect conference expected late in September or early in October. The sources claim that shipping delays and logistical issues are likely to prevent that launch until 2021.

For now, all we have to go on are rumors of what the Del Mar VR headset will bring to market. Compared to the original Oculus Quest, the Del Mar device will reportedly bring more RAM, longer battery life, a faster processor, and ergonomic changes. Those ergonomic changes are expected to make the headset more comfortable to wear and include smaller size and reduced weight.

HP just confirmed its new higher-end PC-powered VR headset is in the works, but exact specs remain unknown.

With Half-Life: Alyx's release today, all eyes are on VR right now. It's the perfect opportunity to stealthily tease a new next-gen VR headset, and that's exactly what HP has done. The company is teasing a new next-gen VR headset that delivers 'no compromises' PC-driven virtual reality gaming. HP is making the headset in tandem with Valve and Microsoft to ensure optimum compatibility with Steam VR and Windows, bringing to mind a new level of the somewhat-abandaoned Windows Mixed Reality platform.

"The next generation HP Virtual Reality HMD-developed in collaboration with Valve and Microsoft-delivers an immersive, comfortable and compatible VR experience. It's the new standard in VR," reads the Steam page.

HTC has just announced that it is including a free copy of Valve's upcoming Half-Life: Alyx with each of its new flagship Vive Cosmos Elite VR headsets.

The new announcement is pretty hot, and totally out of the blue -- a free copy of what should be the flagship VR game to lead them all, now free with the newly-released Vive Cosmos Elite headset. Half-Life: Alyx itself launches on the PC exclusively on Steam and exclusively in VR on March 23.

If you need a Buyers Guide on the PC hardware and VR headsets recommended by TweakTown, then check out that article right here. For now, you'll need to splash down $899 for the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite VR headset to get that free copy of Half-Life: Alyx, which just sweetens that deal a little bit more against the flagship Valve Index headset.

Half-Life: Alyx is right around the corner with Valve releasing the VR-focused game set in the Half-Life universe, with its release on March 23 -- and its hype is driving Valve to sell out of its Valve Index VR headsets almost instantly. Valve also sold 103,000 of its flagship Valve Index VR headsets after it revealed Half-Life: Alyx.

Valve opened up a new wave of Index headsets on March 9, and within 30 minutes they were sold out. There were some customers who were locked out of their Index sales with issues on Valve's own website -- where they refreshed and lost their headset. I can't imagine the pain to their soul, as it would've crushed me, too.

The new wave of Valve Index headsets will be sent out in the next 8-10 weeks, while Index controllers will ship in 3-5 weeks. If you were looking at spoiling yourself and buying a Valve Index for Half-Life: Alyx on March 23, you'd be waiting until at least sometime in May before you're playing it on your Valve Index if you ordered your new VR headset today.

The most enthusiast VR headset on the market would have to be the Valve Index, created perfectly for Valve's own Half-Life: Alyx which is about to drop on March 23 -- but buying a Valve Index right now is near impossible.

Well, a Valve spokesperson has talked with Engadget to confirm that Valve will have more of its Index VR headsets on March 9 at 1PM eastern. The company expects "high demand" will see the Valve Index sold out virtually instantly, so if you miss this sale you could be waiting another couple of months before you get your hands (and eyes) into a Valve Index headset.

Half-Life: Alyx drops on March 23 so this is a just-in-time restocking of the Valve Index, which should be one of the best VR gaming experiences money can buy -- that is, if your money is quick enough to buy the Valve Index once it restocks on March 9.

Valve just revealed three meaty gameplay videos for its new VR-exclusive Half-Life game, which looks to be VR's must-have killer app.

On the heels of Half-Life: Alyx's launch later this month, Valve has released over 10 minutes of new Half-Life: Alyx gameplay footage that shows just how incredibly dynamic the game actually is.

The big features shown off are locomotion and basic first-person shooter mechanics. The game looks admittedly wonky insofar as an FPS. But that's to be expected as VR sensors are tracking your movements and translating in-game. Alyx can crouch, hide behind walls as cover, and use nearby objects as weapons. All in all the game looks like it could give you serious anxiety and the fights are pretty tense--especially with the total immersion of VR projecting you in the creepy Half-Life universe.

The global coronavirus infection continues disrupting critical technology supply lines, and this time Valve's proprietary Index VR headset is affected.

With the VR-exclusive Half-Life: Alyx on the way, everyone wants a Valve Index virtual reality headset. But there's just one problem: They're completely sold out, and have been for months. Now Valve says Index supplies will remain scarce due to the coronavirus, which sees China forcibly closing manufacturing facilities and plants in an effort to curb the contagion.

Valve confirmed the news to UploadVR with the following statement: "With Half-Life: Alyx coming March 23rd, we are working hard to meet demand for the Valve Index and want to reassure everyone that Index systems will be available for purchase prior to the game's launch.

However, the global Coronavirus health crisis has impacted our production schedules so we will have far fewer units for sale during the coming months compared to the volumes we originally planned. Our entire team is working hard right now to maximize availability."

HTC is on a roll today, unveiling their new prototype Vive Proton headset -- but also detailing 3 new versions of its Vive Cosmos VR family of headsets.

The new VR headsets that HTC unveiled at the Vive Cosmos Play, Vive Cosmos Elite, and Vive Cosmos VR -- each of these headsets will join the Vive Cosmos family. Each of the new Vive Cosmos headsets have the same make up as the original Cosmos, including the flip-up, head-mounted design, 1440 x 1700 resolution LCD displays with hardware IPD adjustment, and more.