Virtual & Augmented Reality News - Page 1

In a bizarre move, Facebook has removed the ability for Oculus Quest users to cast their gameplay experience directly to-checks notes-Facebook from the headset. You now require a computer to stream your Quest.

Facebook started rolling out the v30 update for Oculus Quest and Quest 2 users last week. The new update brings a handful of new features, including multitasking in Infinite Office and tools for people who have trouble seeing specific colours. But, strangely, the update also removed the button to cast your gameplay directly to your Facebook feed.

A Facebook representative provided a statement to UploadVR that confirms the change but doesn't adequately explain the reason. Facebook said that its users prefer to use local casting tools, so it is increasing its focus on local casting tools.

Cyan Worlds today announced the PC VR release window for the total overhaul of its classic puzzle mystery game, Myst. Unfortunately, we don't have an exact date, but we know it's coming in the next three months.

Cyan released the remake of Myst on the Oculus Questlate last year, and since then, the company has been quiet about when we might expect a PC VR version. Of course, we knew it would eventually be available, but until now, we had no idea when. Now we know the game will be available in Q3 2021.

The PC version is currently listed on Steam, and you can put it on your wishlist today to make sure you don't miss the launch. The Steam version of the game will be playable in both 2D and VR modes. There will also be a Mac version that doesn't support VR because Apple doesn't currently support VR headsets on its computers.

Last week, Facebook announced a plan to introduce advertisements in VR content. The idea was presented as a way for small developers to increase revenues to help reach profitability. As you might expect, the announcement drew immediate ire from VR fans which prompted the only developer involved in the plan to back out.

Facebook said it would implement a small-scale pilot with a select few developers to test its in-game advertising system. Multiple studios are said to be involved in the pilot, but Facebook named only one game, Blaston, in the announcement, and that didn't go well for the developer. Within a day of the announcement, Blaston's user rating got blasted with a review bomb. As a result, Resolution Games did an about-face and backed out of the plan to advertise in Blaston.

After listening to player feedback, we realize that Blaston isn't the best fit for this type of advertising test. Therefore, we no longer plan to implement the test. We look forward to seeing you in the arena and hope you try the Crackdown Update that went live today!

HP's Reverb G2 is one of the highest resolution VR headsets on the market today. The headset usually sells for $599, but Walmart is currently offering a hefty $200 discount on the headset, so it's a great time to buy one if you were thinking about it.

HP's Reverb G2 VR headset boasts dual 2160 x 2160 RGB LCD panels, translating to one of the best visual experiences in a VR headset. The Reverb G2 also includes a pair of off-ear headphones, like those that come equipped on the Valve Index headset.

When HP released the Reverb G2 late last year, the headset received mixed reviews. While the visual experience was just about as good as it gets, the tracking quality didn't get such glorious praise. The Reverb G2 is a Windows Mixed Reality device, which means it gets its tracking from cameras on the headset instead of base stations like SteamVR-based headsets do. HP's inside-out tracking leaves blind spots where it loses the controller tracking at times.

Sony recently revealed that it is in the process of developing the next-generation PSVR headset. Sony hasn't said much about the new headset except that it will get fancy new controllers, although some details have begun to leak about the upcoming device. The most recent leak comes courtesy of Bloomberg.

In a new report about Japan Display Inc., which is making a pivot from manufacturing iPhone displays to building LCD panels for the VR market, Bloomberg noted that Sony Group Corp remains as "one important holdout" from adopting LCDs for its VR headset. Citing "people with knowledge of the matter," Bloomberg stated that Sony's upcoming PSVR2 would feature OLED panels from Samsung.

This new information about Sony opting for OLED panels follows a series of recent information leaks. In May, we learned that the PSVR 2 may include haptic feedback for your face and that the headset would likely include dual screens that offer 2K resolution per eye. The headset is also supposed to come with eye-tracking cameras to enable foveated rendering and lifelike interactions with virtual characters.

Oculus started rolling out update v30 to Quest and Quest 2 today. The latest platform update brings new accessibility features, multitasking in Infinite Office, and expands Air Link support to the original Quest.

Oculus added a new color correction system, which allows you to change the system-level color settings. The company said the update would "increase legibility of color that art commonly difficult to differentiate." The color correction option gives you three color presets; Deuteranomaly (green-red), Protanomoly (red-green), and Tritanoomaly (blue-yellow).

The new update also includes a new feature called Raise View, which allows you to adjust the height of your vantage point by up to 16-inches, enabling you to play standing games from a seated position.

Pimax revealed to its Kickstarter backers and community members that it is nearing the production of the Pimax Sword motion controllers. The company is in the last stage before final production starts.

Pimax has been working on its VR motion controllers for years now. The company first revealed plans to make Pimax-branded SteamVR-tracked motion controllers during its Kickstarter campaign in 2017. The controllers were meant to be a component of the Pimax 8K or 5K full package. And when the campaign reached $4 million in funding, Pimax said it would sell two varieties; one with a trackpad and one with a thumbstick. Kickstarter backers who opted for the full kit have since received Valve Index controller to fulfil their purchase, but the Pimax controllers are still coming.

The Pimax controllers have undergone several redesigns and iterations since the 2017 campaign. In 2019, Pimax revealed the controller's name, dubbed Sword, and showed an early rendering of what they would look like. Finally, it appears Pimax is getting ready to bring the Sword controllers to the market.

Facebook has gobbled up yet another top-tier VR developer. This time, BigBox VR, the studio behind the increasingly popular VR shooter, Population: One, was the subject of Zuckerberg's sights. The studio is now part of the Oculus brand.

Population: One launched just nine months ago, but in that short period the studio has captured the hearts of many VR gamers. The studio has continued to pour resources into the game's development, and it regularly adds new content for its continuously returning player base. Evidently, Facebook's executives took notice and liked what they saw. On Friday, BigBox VR gave up its independence to become part of Facebook's team.

With Facebook's resources behind the game, Population: One is sure to continue to grow and likely in ways that wouldn't have been possible independently. With the resources of Facebook and Oculus Studios behind them, BigBox VR should be able to pour gas on the fire and accelerate the growth path for the game.

Schell Games revealed the sequel to I Expect You To Die with more elaborate puzzles and even more sticky situations to get yourself out of. The next edition is coming out this summer.

I Expect You To Die is one of the oldest VR games on the market, and to this day, it remains an excellent source of entertainment. If you like puzzles, especially of the escape room variety, I Expect You To Die, and its upcoming sequel I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar, are sure to tickle your fancy.

I Expect You Tu Die 2 adds new missions in new locations but keeps all the danger. One wrong move, and as the name suggests, you're not going to make it. Every puzzle in this game has fatal consequences for every mistake.

Aldin dropped a surprise announcement about its flagship game, Waltz of the Wizard, over the weekend. The game's next expansion, Natural Magic, brings more than just new spells to learn. The developer has added "hours of entertainment" to Waltz of the Wizard, giving you new locations to explore, and enemies to put your new skills to the test.

Waltz of the Wizard is one of the most successful VR titles, with over 400,000 unique players. Aldin has created a unique interactive experience in Waltz of the Wizard, that lets you experiment with spell craft and magic casting. The new expansion, Natural Magic, takes you out of the wizard's quarters and into the world where you must put your magic powers to practice.

The new expansion includes an exterior courtyard where you can explore the new "natural magic" skills the expansion brings to the table. Once you've learned the basics, you can put your new magic powers to the test against magical enemies in a mysterious hidden fortress.