I’m back in Italy for a few days. The trip to Helsinki was amazing and now I can spend some days eating pasta before I take the plane to the US to attend AWE! I will stay a few days in the Valley and a few days in LA… in case you want to meet me, get in touch!
This week I’m also going to publish two exciting articles, one will be my hands-on Vision Pro, and the other one… a surprise. Stay tuned on this channel so as not to miss them! But for now, let’s talk about the most important XR news of the week…
Top news of the week
Official PSVR 2 Adapter for PC is coming on August, 7th
Sony has confirmed in a blog post the details of the official PSVR 2 adapter for PC and its release date. During the week we understood the announcement was close when the usual Brad Lynch found that the device had been certified in Korea, but maybe we were not expecting it to be this close.
The official PSVR 2 adapter for Windows PCs is a little black box you connect to the USB port and the DisplayPort of your computer. The DisplayPort 1.4 cable is not included in the box and the user has to purchase it separately. The user can then connect the PSVR 2 headset to the box and launch the PlayStation VR2 App and the SteamVR App from Steam. After that, the headset will work as every other SteamVR headset, of course, provided that you have a VR-ready computer.
We were all wondering which features of PSVR 2 could work on PC, and Sony clarifies it very well in the blog post: “PS VR2 was designed from the ground up specifically for PS5 — so you’ll notice that some key features, like HDR, headset feedback, eye tracking, adaptive triggers, and haptic feedback (other than rumble), are not available when playing on PC. However, other high-fidelity and sensory immersion features of PS VR2 are supported, including 4K visuals (2000 x 2040 per eye), 110-degree field of view, finger touch detection, and see-through view, as well as foveated rendering (without eye tracking) and 3D Audio in supported games”
The best experience of using PSVR 2 remains on PS5. But users can decide to use it also on PC to have not the full experience, but still a great headset with 2K per eye resolution and OLED displays with true black levels.
The official PlayStation VR2 PC adapter will be available starting on August 7th, priced at $59.99 / €59.99 / £49.99. It will be possible to buy it through select retailers and direct.playstation.com. I’m curious to see how many PCVR users will be interested in it. Honestly, I think it won’t be a huge hit because there are other PCVR headsets with higher resolution and a smaller form factor (see Bigscreen Beyond), but it is also true that PSVR 2 is cheaper than them.
More info (Official PSVR 2 adapter launch post)
More info (PSVR 2 adapter for PC — Road To VR)
Other relevant news
The name Quest 3S may have inadvertently been confirmed by Meta
We all know Meta has to launch a very affordable version of the Quest 3 this year. Initially, it was supposed that this headset may have been called “Quest 3 Lite”, but a leak a few weeks ago pointed to the name “Quest 3S”. An entry on the Meta Quest Store may seem to confirm the later one.
The page of the game Alo Moves XR mentions “Quest 3S” among the headsets that support it. We can so speculate that this is the official naming: other times that a similar leak happened, soon after a headset with that name was announced. However, there is still a small probability that it is a placeholder codename that has been used in some tests. I guess we will discover this very soon: either Meta will announce the headset before WWDC (as I think) or will do that at the next Meta Connect this fall.
Immersed to demo its headset in September
The startup Immersed has been able to create a bit of hype around its upcoming Visor premium headset dedicated to productivity, but at the same time, it also fostered skepticism, because no one has been able to try the headset and the company plans have had a few unexpected changes. This week it has been announced that finally on September, 19th in Austin, Texas, the company will demo the headset at an event of its own. Soon after that, the shipping of the preorders will start, while the general shipping will happen from March 2025 on.
In a trailer video that Immersed released, it is also possible to learn that the displays of Visor are manufactured by BOE, the eye tracking by Tobii, and the assembly is performed by Pegatron. These are all companies that are well-known in the industry, which gives us more trust in the reliability of the final device. Still, we are all curious to see what will be shown in September: AR and VR headsets have to be tried to be evaluated, and what is on paper counts up to a point.
In case you are interested in this device, I remind you that Visor can be preordered for $1050 or with a $400 deposit plus a $40/month two-year subscription or a $60/month one-year subscription.
The controllers of the next Pico device have been leaked
The usual Luna has leaked on X (Twitter) a picture of the controllers of the supposedly upcoming Pico device, which should be called Pico 4S or Pico 5. They look like the controllers of the Pico 4 but without the tracking rings. They are clearly inspired by the design of the new controllers of the Quest 3. There’s no news about when this new device will be announced, but usually from when we start seeing this kind of leaked images to the final release is a few weeks timespan…
News worth a mention
Google starts a strategic partnership with Magic Leap
Google and Magic Leap have started a strategic partnership. The companies say the partnership will combine Magic Leap’s “leadership in optics and manufacturing” with Google’s “technology platforms”. If I have to speculate, to me this means that Magic Leap will start using Android XR or at least integrate the Google services on its device, while Google will exploit Magic Leap’s amazing knowledge about manufacturing hardware to create one of its future XR glasses. Considering that Google invested in the past half a billion in Magic Leap, this seems to me a quite logical collaboration.
More info (Google and Magic Leap’s partnership — Road To VR)
More info (Google and Magic Leap’s partnership — Upload VR)
Sightful unveils Spacetop G1 AR Workstation
Sightful has finally unveiled the final design of its Spacetop G1 workstation, a laptop meant for productivity that instead of having a display has a pair of AR glasses (manufactured by XREAL). The idea is to have a laptop with a big virtual display in front of you wherever you are. I tried myself this device at AWE last year and I have to say that it is not bad at all.
Spacetop G1 can be reserved for $100 at sightful.com, and should ship in October this year for $1,900.
More info (Sightful Spacetop G1 — Road To VR)
More info (Sightful Spacetop G1 — Upload VR)
Horizon Workrooms receives a complete overhaul
Meta has released a major update to Horizon Workrooms which represents a bit of a revolution for the VR collaboration platform. The good news is that the software had a big upgrade on the user experience that makes its interface more modern and usable. But on the other side, it has also lost some flagship features, like the white whiteboard or the support for tracked keyboards. This pivot may be the beginning of a new journey for Workrooms, based on more solid foundations, or the sign of a confused strategy in Meta about it. Only time will tell.
XREAL launches Beam Pro
XREAL has launched in China the XREAL Beam Pro, a device that can power your XREAL glasses. XREAL Beam Pro looks a lot like a smartphone, but it is not exactly a smartphone. It runs “nebulaOS”, which is Android 14 tuned for AR tasks. The device can run AR apps and turn itself is a 3DOF controller. it also features a pair of stereo cameras on its back, so you can record stereoscopic content for your glasses.
The Xreal Beam Pro is currently on sale in China, but you can already reserve a unit. The price starts from 1,300 yuan ($180/€165).
Connect your Quest as a monitor
Voland’s Reality has published a very interesting YouTube video in which he shows that you can connect your Quest to your PC via HDMI to use it as a display for your computer. With his method, you can even see the BIOS of your PC in your Quest, because the connection is a low-level one via HDMI, it’s not a custom streaming via USB like the Quest Link is.
Two reviews of two PCVR headsets
This week via Reddit (and the tips of Rob Cole), I’ve been able to watch the video reviews of the Pimax Crystal Light and the Varjo XR-4. The review of the Pimax Crystal Light is rather positive and shows how it is a good device for running simulation games. The one about the Varjo XR-4 is instead pretty harsh and highlights many of its imperfections.
More info (Pimax Crystal Light review)
More info (Varjo XR-4 review)
Raindance Immersive is back
The 9th Raindance Immersive will happen both in real life and in VRChat. The virtual VRChat festival has already started on June 1, while an in-person Immersive Summit will take place on June 18–19 in London. An Immersive Showcase will follow from June 21–23, aimed at how developers, XR filmmakers, and more can utilize Apple Vision Pro. This year’s edition will be curated by Mária Rakušanová, Joanna Leigh, Mary Lee Desmond, and Tropi Ginger.
Sony discounts PSVR 2
In occasion of the “Days of Play”, Sony is offering some discounts on is products. First of all, PlayStation Plus premium members are getting up to six PSVR 2 games. But especially, Sony is discounting $50 off PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition and $100 off PlayStation VR2 and PlayStation VR2 Horizon Call of the Mountain Bundle. There are also many more offers related to non-VR games.
More info (PlayStation VR discounts — Road To VR)
More info (Official blog post with all the PlayStation discounts)
Some news about content
- Behemoth and Alien: Rogue Incursion showed their first glimpse of gameplay during PlayStation’s State of Play
- Boneworks campaign is now entirely playable on Quest thanks to a Bonelab mod
- Owlchemy Labs’s Job Simulator and Vacation Simulator are now on Vision Pro
- Job Simulator now supports hand tracking on Quest
- Les Mills XR BODYCOMBAT just got its first paid DLC, called Power Strike, and priced at $8
- Asgard’s Wrath 2 got an update to improve its graphics on Quest 3
- BlackForge: A Smithing Adventure, a fantasy VR blacksmithing game, is coming to Quest and PC VR headsets on June 13th, priced at $20
- The racing game Mudrunner got a VR spin-off available on Quest 2/3/Pro on the Quest Store and priced at $20
- The VR version of The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter will be delisted from Steam
- Alo Moves is a mixed-reality fitness app using volumetric capture for 3D instructors, and it’s coming exclusively to Quest 3 this year
- Original Tomb Raider is now playable in mixed reality on Quest 3
- Taiko Frenzy is a new VR percussion rhythm game available on the Meta Quest platform and PC VR
- Upload has written its usual ICYMI post with some minor VR pieces of news
More info (Behemoth and Alien: Rogue Incursion)
More info (Boneworks)
More info (Job Simulator and Vacation Simulator on Vision Pro)
More info (Job Simulator on Quest with hand tracking)
More info (Les Mills Bodycombat)
More info (Asgard’s Wrath 2)
More info (Blackforge)
More info (MudRunner)
More info (The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter)
More info (Alo Moves)
More info (Tomb Raider)
More info (Taiko Frenzy)
More info (ICYMI)
Some reviews about content
- Both Upload VR and Road To VR went hands-on with “What If…” on the Vision Pro and found it made with astonishing quality. But Road To VR criticizes that its interactions just feel like random gestures and are not immersive enough
- Job Simulator working only with hand tracking proves that it is now possible to make complex good games without the need for controllers
- According to Upload VR, Phoenix Royale offers major new reasons to install, or re-install, Population: One because it brings many new intriguing mechanics.
More info (What If… — Road To VR)
More info (What If… — Upload VR)
More info (Job Simulator)
More info (Phoenix Royale)
Other news
Pimax has started a roadshow to show its headsets in various cities of the EU and US
Varjo is shutting down its Reality Cloud platform
Meta shared the numbers of the positive outcomes that Lufthansa had in showcasing its new seating experience with mixed reality
A new technology called “Metaholograms” may be a breakthrough in the AR/VR field
The craziest and most interesting experiment I’ve seen this week: an additional robotic thumb that you can attach to your hand and control with your feet
A picture of the camera that Apple uses to record the MLS matches in VR 180
Viture launched its Viture Pro glasses
News from partners (and friends)
Join the Immersive Storytelling Panel
On June, 20th, in London, there is going to be an event about VR storytelling called “The Future of Immersive Storytelling — Panel, Networking and Drinks”. It is free and it is going to feature a panel about VR storytelling with 4 very important people in the field. And then there will be drinks, which is always good. The event is promoted by the esteemed VR expert (and friend) Tom Ffiske.
Learn more
A new episode of the XR Developer Newsletter is out
Pieter Siekerman keeps writing every month its column with the most interesting pieces of news for XR developers. It is very original, because it is not much focused on news like the launch of a new headset, but goes deep on technical news, like the release of a new SDK for Unity. If you are an XR developer, have a look at it!
Learn more and get a ticket
Sponsored Area
No sponsorships for today… just a big hug from me… enjoy your life!
Discover the secret of true happiness
Some XR fun
I would just say that the gameplay was slow and a bit boring…
Funny link
Multitasking in VR and outside VR
Funny link
The correct name is “Virtual Reality”
Funny link
Donate for good
Like last week, also this week in this final paragraph I won’t ask you to donate to my blog, but to the poor people who are facing the consequences of the war. Please donate to the Red Cross to handle the current humanitarian situation in Ukraine. I will leave you the link to do that below.
Let me take a moment before to thank anyway all my Patreon donors for the support they give to me:
- Alex Gonzalez VR
- DeoVR
- GenVR
- Eduardo Siman
- Jonn Fredericks
- Jean-Marc Duyckaerts
- Reynaldo T Zabala
- Richard Penny
- Terry xR. Schussler
- Ilias Kapouranis
- Paolo Leoncini
- Immersive.international
- Nikk Mitchell and the great FXG team
- Jake Rubin
- Alexis Huille
- Raghu Bathina
- Chris Koomen
- Cognitive3D
- Wisear (Yacine Achiakh)
- Masterpiece X
- Dimo Pepelyashev
- Jennifer Granger
- Jason Moore
- Steve Biggs
- Julio Cesar Bolivar
- Jan Schroeder
- Kai Curtis
- Francesco Strada
- Sikaar Keita
- Ramin Assadollahi
- Juan Sotelo
- Andrew Sheldon
- Chris Madsen
- Horacio Torrendell
- Andrew Deutsch
- Fabien Benetou
- Tatiana Kartashova
- Marco “BeyondTheCastle” Arena
- Eloi Gerard
- Adam Boyd
- Jeremy Dalton
- Joel Ward
- Alex P
- Lynn Eades
- Donald P
- Casie Lane
- Catherine Henry
- Qcreator
- Ristband (Anne McKinnon & Roman Rappak)
- Stephen Robnett
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- Carol Dalrymple
- Sb
- Pieter Siekerman
- Enrico Poli
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- Caroline
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- Brian Peiris
- Francesco Salizzoni
- Alan Smithson
- Steve R
- Brentwahn
- Matt Cool
- Simplex
- Gregory F Gorsuch
- Matias Nassi
And now here you are the link to donate:
Support The Red Cross in Ukraine
(Header image by Sony Interactive Entertainment)