XR weekly round-up: Microsoft kills XR, WMR PC VR glasses become useless & Meta and Luckey make peace again
Meta and Oculus founder reconcile, new mixed reality headsets from DPVR, promising VR games in October and the farewell to HoloLens 2 — the week's top XR news.
In our weekly “XR Update” overview, you will always find the most essential 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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Content
XR hardware: The latest on VR, AR and mixed reality headsets
“Made for Meta” haptic vest: Is the bHaptics TactSuit X16 worthwhile for Meta Quest?
The bHaptics TactSuit X16 is a haptic vest that improves the VR experience through precise feedback. It impresses with its high-quality workmanship and good wearing comfort, but has minor weaknesses in the Bluetooth connection and software.
DPVR presents new mixed reality headset with 4K display
Chinese manufacturer DPVR has unveiled the P1 Pro Cam, a new mixed reality headset specifically for the education sector. It has a 13 MP camera for mixed reality, a 4K display and a battery life of 4000 mAh. The ergonomic design is intended to ensure long-wearing comfort.
New W11 update makes Windows VR headsets unusable
The Windows 11 update 24H2 removes support for Windows Mixed Reality, rendering the corresponding VR headsets unusable. Users will either have to do without the update or switch to Windows 10 to continue using their WMR devices.
Buy Meta Quest 3S or Meta Quest 3? A decision-making aid
Our detailed comparison between the Quest 3S and Quest 3 will help you decide which one to buy. Both headsets use the same chipset and offer similar mixed reality capabilities. Quest 3 scores with better lenses and greater wearing comfort, while Quest 3S is more attractively priced.
XR market and business news
VR studio makes 20 million dollars in sales with just one VR game
The VR extraction shooter Ghosts of Tabor from Combat Waffle Studios has broken the 20 million dollar sales mark. The game is characterized by long play sessions of over 100 minutes on average and has built up a large, dedicated community.
HoloLens 2 to be discontinued, no successor in sight
Microsoft has confirmed that HoloLens 2 will be discontinued. The AR headset will only be sold while stocks last. Software support will officially end on January 1, 2028. With this step, Microsoft will no longer produce its own VR or AR hardware and will instead focus on software collaborations.
After Hitman 3 VR debacle: 72 redundancies at struggling VR studio
The British VR studio XR Games is facing restructuring following the disappointing launch of Hitman 3 VR: Reloaded. 72 employees from various departments are to be made redundant. The announcement comes shortly after the announcement of a cooperation with Sony Pictures Virtual Reality for a new VR game.
The Oculus founder and Meta have reconciled
Palmer Luckey, founder of Oculus, and Meta have reconciled after seven years. Luckey was invited to Meta's headquarters to test the Orion AR headset. Meta's chief technology officer Andrew Bosworth publicly apologized for earlier remarks about Luckey's time at Oculus.
Meta's Head of Engineering: “Quest Pro paved the way for Quest 3S”
Andrew Bosworth, Meta's head of engineering, defends the development of the Quest Pro as a necessary interim step for upcoming headsets such as Quest 3 and 3S. Although Quest Pro did not sell well, it enabled innovations in pancake lenses and eye and face tracking, according to Bosworth.
VR games and XR apps: all the latest news
Square Enix ports popular tactical RPG to VR with mixed reality mode
Square Enix is releasing the successful strategy RPG Triangle Strategy for Meta Quest 2 and 3 on October 31, 2024. The VR version offers an improved tactical combat system and supports Passthrough mode on Quest 3 for a more immersive gaming experience.
Meta Quest 3: What to expect from the new Amazon Prime Video app
Amazon has released a new Quest app for Amazon Prime Video. The app offers 2D streaming with Passthrough support and 1080p playback quality. A special feature is the ability to download videos and watch them offline. The app does not require immersive environments, but allows you to place a large virtual screen in the room.
You can look forward to these 9 VR games in October 2024
Several promising VR games will be released in October 2024, including Max Mustard for PSVR 2, Just Dance VR for Meta Quest, the remake of Arizona Sunshine, Maestro, Starship Troopers: Continuum, Batman: Arkham Shadow exclusively for Meta Quest 3 and 3S, Vendetta Forever, Triangle Strategy and Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate.
We tried Tomb Raider VR from a first-person perspective
An unofficial VR port of the first Tomb Raider game is now available. The port, called “Beef Raider XR”, offers improved graphics and different perspectives, including a first-person perspective and a diorama view.
Meta Quest: Next-gen avatars are here — we tried them out
Meta has introduced a new avatar system for Quest headsets. The avatars now look more lifelike and adult, with more pronounced facial features and more customization options for body shapes. However, size and age cannot yet be adjusted. The new avatars are available in Horizon Home, Worlds and Workrooms.
Meta Quest: Nintendo 3DS simulator CitraVR is back
CitraVR, a 3DS emulator for Meta Quest, has received an update after a long break. Version 0.5.0 brings a new user interface and improvements in immersive VR mode.
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