Hello everyone from the Los Angeles area! I’m back in the US for AWE, and I’m very excited to start this new adventure today! As usual, I will be your eyes there and I will report to you everything interesting that I see there. If there is something you are curious about, let me know, and I will tell you if I can check it out for you!
And now let’s see the most relevant XR pieces of news of the week.
Top news of the week
Apple announces very interesting features for Vision Pro at WWDC
This WWDC, there has been no new Apple hardware announcement, but Apple has announced many new features coming to visionOS 26, and some of them are pretty cool. Let’s see some of them:
- Personas just got an upgrade. The look and feel of the “avatars” is much more realistic, and they also look less like ghosts. When I saw the trailer video of the new personas, I was genuinely impressed because they look very realistic. If Apple continues to improve Personas this way, the moment Meta releases its long-awaited Codec Avatars, their “wow” effect will totally be lost. This would be a huge blow to Meta
- Vision Pro is getting permanent Widgets that the user can put in his/her room. Apple will provide some standard widgets like the calendar, the weather, etc… and also an SDK, called WidgetKit, through which developers can build their own. I’m a big believer in these widgets because in the long term, we all will have AR widgets in our homes. Also in this case, Meta promised us the Augments, with their related SDK, but then there were delays, and they were never released. Apple beat Meta on time also for this
- Vision Pro is getting support for PlayStation VR2 controllers, as it was rumored for a long time. Thanks to this, it will be possible to have new types of games working on the headset. The device will also be compatible with Logitech Muse, which is a new pen that Logitech is releasing for this purpose and that looks very similar to the Mx Pen that works together with Quest
- Volumetric ‘Spatial Scenes’: basically thanks to some AI magic, the spatial photos for Vision Pro will become a little volumetric, and you will be able to move your head a bit and see the 3D photo from different points of view from the one it was shot from
- Vision Pro will also offer the ability to have colocated AR experiences, so multiple people wearing the Apple Vision Pro headset in the same space may be able to see the same augmentations in the same space and interact with them in a coherent way. Given the price of the device, it’s difficult that two people who have the headset are in the same space, so most probably this feature has been thought for companies and enterprises
- The new Safari will allow web developers to embed 3D models in web pages, and the user can “manipulate” these 3D models directly in the page. This is pretty cool for the future of the spatial web
- macOS Spatial Rendering: it will be possible to offload the execution of XR applications to a Mac, so that the XR experience may be executed by a faster chip than the M2 of the Vision Pro, and then streamed to the headset. This is basically Apple’s answer to the Meta Air Link.
These are just the most important announced features, there are also many others. I think it’s great to see Apple putting so much investment into the Vision Pro, even if the headset is not selling so well. One of the reasons we were all excited about Apple entering XR is that Apple relentlessly improves its products over the years and does not just abandon them, like, for instance, Google does. I’m very happy to see that we were right on this: the newly announced features are great, and I’m pretty sure they will also put pressure on Google and Meta to release similar features on their devices soon. Competition is good for all of us…
More info (All the most important features of VisionOS 26)
More info (MacOS spatial rendering)
More info (Support for PSVR 2 controllers)
More info (Spatial photos)
More info (Colocated AR experiences)
More info (Widgets)
More info (Personas upgrade)
Other relevant news
Meta is prioritizing “Puffin” over the Quest 4
A few weeks ago, some reports mentioned that Meta was working on two versions of the Quest 4, codenamed Pismo High and Pismo Low, to be released in 2026. Other rumors talked about Meta working on a very lightweight headset connected to an external puck, codenamed “Puffin”. According to new reports by Upload VR and the Wall Street Journal, the internal plans of Meta have drastically changed.
According to these new reports, the two versions of the Quest 4 have been canceled, and no version of Quest 4 is in sight anymore, at least until 2027. At the end of 2026, we should instead see the release of “Puffin”, in its variant codenamed “Loma”. Meta seems so to be starting to prioritize a lightweight form factor, for use cases that are more about productivity and media consumption than gaming. Probably, the not enthusiastic sales of Quest 3 and 3S, which have not been able to replicate the success of Quest 2, have made Meta apply a change of strategy.
Some interesting details about Puffin/Loma: the headset should weigh only 110g and resemble a pair of bulky glasses. It should have an open periphery design and should work through the look-and-pinch interaction mechanic. From the description, it looks like a clone of the Vision Pro. According to the Wall Street Journal, Meta is aiming for a price lower than $1000: if it succeeds in its purpose, it would put high pressure on Apple, because it would release a device with comparable features for a third of the price.
To put further pressure on the company from Cupertino, Meta is offering firms including Disney and A24 “millions of dollars” to provide “episodic and stand-alone immersive video based on well-known intellectual property”. The purpose is clear: creating a library of immersive content that can compete with the very high-quality videos that Apple is releasing on the Vision Pro.
If the rumors turn out to be true, I honestly would be a bit disappointed by Meta: after being the leader of the immersive space for around 10 years, it would basically reduce itself to copy the strategy set out by Apple, which has basically just entered the market. It would confirm what many Meta detractors said over the years, that is that Meta has no clear strategy for XR and it is going forward in a confusing and disorganized way. I honestly hope this is not true.
More info (Meta to release “Puffin” in 2027 — Upload VR)
More info (Meta to release “Puffin” in 2027 — Road To VR)
More info (“Puffin” should cost less than $1000)
More info (Meta is looking for immersive video content)
New amazing VR content is coming, starting from Deadpool VR
This has been a pretty cool week for VR gaming. First of all, the long-awaited next entry into the critically acclaimed Thief series is coming to all major VR headsets this year. Thief is a well-appreciated game, and its stealth mechanics will surely be amazing in VR. Not everyone in the gaming industry appreciated that the new chapter of this famous saga is in VR only, but we in the VR ecosystem are actually pretty happy about that.
Ndreams has also announced a new game: Reach. This is an action-adventure game mixing parkour action, combat, and navigation in a pretty detailed world. The company defined it as its “most ambitious title to date.” From the trailer, it is possible to see how the game is very promising and should feature quite hectic action, in pure nDreams style.
But the biggest news of the week is, for sure, the announcement of Deadpool VR. Twisted Pixel, one of the studios owned by Meta, has announced this game, which, from the trailer, looks pretty cool. Deadpool is one of the most beloved heroes, and I’m pretty sure that some people will buy a headset just to be able to feel like him and live an adventure filled with dark humour and splatter action. The first previews of the game are encouraging: both Upload VR and Road To VR say that this game is nailing the vibes of a Deadpool movie, even if Road To VR underlines that there is still work to do to make the interactions feel truly native to VR. Curiously, the voice of Deadpool in the game is not by Ryan Reynolds, but by Neil Patrick Harris: Ryan Reynolds has so made a very Ryan Reynolds thing and released a video to make fun of his colleague. I really can’t wait to see this game released later this year!
(Thanks Rob Cole for the tip on Thief)
More info (Thief VR: Legacy Of Shadow)
More info (PC Gamer criticizing the VR-only release of Thief)
More info (Ndreams announced Reach)
More info (Meta announces Deadpool VR)
More info (Deadpool VR hands-on — Road To VR)
More info (Deadpool VR hands-on — Upload VR)
More info (Ryan Reynolds made a video about Deadpool VR)
News worth a mention
Meta shared more details on Project Aria 2
A few months ago, Meta announced the second iteration of Project Aria, the display-less glasses that are meant to collect data from the point of view of the user. This week, Meta has shared more details about them, and their improved sensors and Computer Vision capabilities. The weight is just 75g, which is not much, considering all the installed sensors. The company is also starting to showcase these glasses at CVPR 2025 in Nashville, hoping to get the interest of research centers.
More info (Project Aria 2 glasses — Road To VR)
More info (Project Aria 2 glasses — Auganix)
The Loop is a magnifying lens for AR
Robert Kalin, co-founder and former CEO of online marketplace Ets,y has founded a new startup, Dopple Works, which is building a new device for augmented reality. Not believing in cumbersome headsets, the company is building a device that resembles a magnifying glass, which in the center has a display to see augmented reality. On one side, I like the originality of the idea, on the other side, it seems to me a smartphone with a handle “with extra steps”. I am curious to see the final form factor before expressing my judgment on this.
More info (The Loop — Road To VR)
More info (The Loop — Lowpass)
The updates on Quest keep being a mess
Developers are keeping having issues with the latest updates of the Quest. Even VR Desktop’s Guy Godin took the stage on X to ask why the latest update to the device broke so many things. In fact now, while you play audio in your Quest application, sometimes the audio has interruptions or crackling. Meta needs to improve its QA…
Quest browser now supports colocated WebXR
Version 39 of the Horizon OS web browser, rolling out now, adds a new Shared Spaces experimental setting, and enabling it lets WebXR pages automatically create a shared coordinate space among headsets in the same room. This allows people to play multiplayer games happening in the same physical room. Meta also shared an opensource sample to teach developers how to properly implement it. As a supporter of WebXR, I’m very intrigued by this release.
Fanatical’s new VR bundle
Fanatical is proposing a crazy bundle of VR games called Wired VR Bundle: for just $5, you can get 5 SteamVR games, and also pretty good ones, like Dig VR or The Last Worker. It seems a great occasion, so…
Steam Next Fest to feature interesting VR games
Steam Next Fest starts today and for the next week, it will allow you to try the free demos of upcoming games. This edition of this initiative is featuring 32 VR games: Road To VR listed them all, so you can check them out.
Some news on content
- Slime Lab is a liquid physics simulator that lets you mix liquids to fulfill some orders. It is coming for Quest and SteamVR
- Resolution Games today showed off its first gameplay clip of the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons-themed version of Demeo, the hit VR-supported tabletop action RPG
- Lady Gaga’s Abracadabra is a new song available on Beat Saber
- Grand Theft Animals is a crime sandbox experience (clearly inspired by GTA and Gorilla Tag) coming to Quest on June 12
- UnLoop is a temporally twisted puzzle game arriving on Quest and Pico this fall. It is a game where you co-op… with previous versions of yourself
- Lumines Arise, the next game from the Tetris Effect team, is coming to PlayStation VR2 and Steam this fall
- Hidden Memories of The Gardens Between is rebuilding the flatscreen puzzle adventure for Quest and PC VR. It is coming out this year. A demo is available during Steam Next Fest
- The No Man’s Sky Beacon update lets you become an intergalactic mayor for multiple towns
- The entire NHL Stanley Cup Final is being streamed in 2D 180° for free in the Xtadium app on Quest
- A VR Developer Direct is happening this week, promising deep dives for Roboquest VR and two other games. It is organized by the same team behind the VR Games Showcase
More info (Slime Lab)
More info (Demeo)
More info (Beat Saber)
More info (GTA)
More info (Unloop)
More info (Lumines Arise)
More info (Hidden Memories of The Gardens Between)
More info (No Man’s Sky)
More info (Xtadium)
More info (VR Developer Direct)
Some reviews about content
- Wordomi is a very intriguing game that lets you play word puzzles, a bit like Wordle. It has some little bugs it has to fix, but it is enjoyable anyway. It is also a good thing that this game exploits the spatial features of XR and is not just a copy of the flat screen version
- Into The Darkness is a promising physics-based action game, but currently it features too many bugs to be recommended. Hopefully, it will improve during this Early Access stage
- Neon Cipher feels like a simplified version of Moss, with a cyberpunk touch. It’s an enjoyable third-person/first-person puzzle platformer
- The Phoenix Gene is a game that reminds us a bit of Yuki. But unlike Yuki, which delivers similar mechanics in a fast, responsive manner that celebrates the nostalgia of play, The Phoenix Gene somehow makes a chore out of using a toy-like avatar to blast robots into smithereens
- Quantum Threshold is an action game where your character is in a wheelchair. It is amazing how this game is able to promote accessibility in a totally unique way, because it makes you understand the difficulties of a person in a wheelchair, but in the context of a shooter game
- POOLS VR is a very unsettling game with horror vibes. Walking through some liminal pool places in Virtual Reality feels very scary, and the game absolutely delivers even more than on a flatscreen
More info (Into The Darkness)
More info (Neon Cipher)
More info (Wordomi)
More info (The Phoenix Gene)
More info (Quantum Threshold)
More info (POOLS VR)
Other news
Denny Unger describes how the expertise gained in VR can also be useful for the future of AR
David Heaney explains how the Android XR on headsets is not the same as the Android XR on the glasses
The Virtual version of the Expo in Osaka is not a great experience, after all
It is now also possible in the UK to get a Quest and pay it in installments
Nintendo is trying to trademark “Virtual Boy” now. But… why?
Snapchat now allows creators to build filters using generative AI
News from partners (and friends)
Discover PROJECT MIX
PROJECT MIX is a VR anime cyberpunk bartending visual novel. The trailer shows great cyberpunk vibes, and the tagline “What will you do when you’ve lost everything you once had?” makes it very intriguing. That’s why the Kickstarter campaign about it has already reached the desired goal. The game is expected for the end of 2026, but you can already play a free demo on Steam
Learn more (Kickstarter campaign)
Learn more (Steam page)
Sponsored Area
Phygtl Is Hiring!
Who We Are
A Silicon Valley-Based Startup on a mission to transform digital engagement from the ground-up by merging the physical and the digital world. A Creator Platform for next-gen to ‘Socialize.’ With former leaders from Amazon, Riot, Ubisoft, Samsung, and a strong Advisory Board from Nike, Lego, Coca-Cola, and Mastercard, led by a serial-entrepreneur with 2 exits, UC Berkeley Faculty, 2x Author, we are handpicking brilliant minds and devoted souls like you to join the team.
Who Are We Looking For
Unity Developers (both Junior and Senior levels)
Join our Unity team and be at the forefront of innovation in the global mobile-AR industry. If you’re passionate about fine-tuning Unity components and creating groundbreaking AR experiences, we want you to be a part of our team, shaping the future of engagement.
Contact me and I’ll forward your CV to the team!
Some XR fun
Various versions of a meme show what people think is wrong with VR now…
Funny link / Version 1
Funny link / Version 2
Funny link / Version 3
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
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And now here you are the link to donate:
Support The Red Cross in Ukraine
(Header image by Apple)