XR weekly round-up: A VR headset for everyone, AR glasses from the future and smart glasses with memory
Meta unveils the Orion AR headset at Connect and announces Quest 3S, while a VR blockbuster is delayed — the week's top XR news.
In our weekly "XR Update" overview, you will always find the most important XR news from the past week with a brief summary. If you are interested in a particular topic, click on the link to the full article in the relevant paragraph. As usual, we provide you with background information and opinions in addition to the facts.
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XR hardware: The latest on VR, AR and mixed reality headsets
Meta’s first real AR glasses has earned its name
Meta has unveiled its first AR glasses, which is characterized by a new type of technology and a surprisingly slim form factor. The Orion prototype is intended to show the direction the AR journey will take in the coming years.
Quest 3S is the price-performance hammer that VR needs
Meta has unveiled a new VR headset: Meta Quest 3S, which aims to follow in the footsteps of the Quest 2. While Quest 3 costs $500, Quest 3S is aimed at the masses with a competitive price of $300.
AI real-time translation and more: Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses will soon be able to do it all
Meta is equipping the Ray-Ban Smart Glasses with new AI functions and is launching a special limited edition with a transparent design and new transition lenses. Soon, the headsets will also be able to translate speech in real time.
Meta Quest 3S: These Quest 3 accessories are compatible
We have summarized for you which accessories are compatible with the Meta Quest 3S and which add-ons are exclusively available for the new standalone headset.
Meta Quest 3 now has 4 times more memory for the same price
If you wanted to buy a Quest 3 but have been hesitating, you can rejoice: the device is now available at a lower price or with significantly more memory for the same price. The 128 GB version now costs just 430 US dollars (Germany: 480 euros), while the 512 GB version has been reduced in price to $500.
For better mixed reality: Quest 3 can now be used with open peripherals
Meta is now selling a new facial interface for Quest 3 that leaves the sides open for a more immersive mixed reality experience. The "Open Headset Insert" costs 50 euros and is designed to merge the real world with the virtual world.
Meta Quest copies another cool feature from Vision Pro
Meta Quest will be able to automatically extend screen content from Windows 11 laptops to digital screens. A glance at the laptop should be enough to activate the digital monitor extension.
Meta avatars are coming to life: major graphics update coming next week
Meta is rolling out a major graphics update for its avatars in the coming week, which promises more customization options, details and expressiveness. The entire avatar system has been overhauled and developers will have a more detailed avatar skeleton at their disposal.
Meta teases photorealistic environments for Quest 3 & Quest 3S
Meta teases a future in which rooms can be scanned photorealistically with a smartphone and then shared and walked through in VR. US users can already explore the first environments in a demo app called Hyperscape.
XR market and business news
Quest 3 gets full-fledged game engine, completely in VR & without a computer
Godot Engine is now available for Quest 3. This allows you to develop 2D and VR games completely in VR, without an external computer. The Quest version supports all the features of the desktop original.
Meta Quest: New interface will unleash mixed reality
Meta will soon grant mixed reality developers access to the passthrough cameras, giving them completely new possibilities. According to Meta, the Passthrough API will be released in early 2025.
VR games and XR apps: all the latest news
Escaping Wonderland test: A small VR masterpiece that you definitely shouldn’t miss
In our review, Escaping Wonderland proves why it is an absolute must-have for VR fans with a Meta Quest or Pico. The magical VR adventure should not be missing from any library.
Metal: Hellsinger VR review — devilishly good rhythm shooter or cacophony from hell?
In our review of the PC version of Metal: Hellsinger VR, you can find out whether the VR version of the popular title is really worth it. The mix of first-person shooter and rhythm game is great at first, but monotony wins out over creativity in the long run.
Graphics update and discount for the Meta Quest 3S release for VR hits Moss & Moss 2
Moss and Moss: Book II are receiving improved graphics, a skip-combat function and quality-of-life improvements for the release of Meta Quest 3S. Both games are now available with a temporary discount of 25 percent in the Meta Horizon Store.
VR blockbuster Skydance’s Behemoth postponed to December
Skydance Interactive announces that the highly anticipated VR action-adventure Skydance's Behemoth has been postponed to early December 2024. The game was originally due to be released in November, but the new release date is now set for December 5.
Batman: Arkham Shadow will be released exclusively on Quest 3 & Quest 3S in October
Batman: Arkham Shadow will be released exclusively for Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S in October. You can even get the VR game for free with the purchase of a new VR headset.
Starship Home: Does the mixed reality hopeful deliver what it promises?
Starship Home transforms your living room into a spaceship that you can use to travel through space and explore planets. In the test, the mixed reality game proves that it creates a magical mixed reality within the limits of what is technically feasible today.
Playstation VR 2: Sony announces two new VR games
At the State of Play, Sony announced two new VR games and revealed the release date for Metro Awakening. Hitman World of Assassination will be released in December exclusively for PSVR 2 and The Midnight Walk takes you on a dark fantasy adventure.
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