Up until now, Pico Interactive has kept to a clear divide, selling its virtual reality (VR) headsets as consumer devices in China whilst outside its home territory the devices are enterprise-focused. Today, as part of Laval Virtual 2022 taking place in France this week, the headset manufacturer has announced the Pico Neo 3 Link, a consumer device coming to select European countries.
Pico Neo 3 Link is part of a beta programme to target VR fans and gamers interested in immersive technology, with customers able to provide feedback to Pico so it can improve its products. To begin with, the headset will be sold in Germany, France, Spain and The Netherlands at specific retailers for €449 EUR with other European markets coming later. Currently, the UK is listed as June (£399.99 GBP from SystemActive) whilst Pico also has plans to bring the headset to Japan and Korea.
Inside, the Pico Neo 3 Link looks to feature the exact same specifications as the Neo 3 Pro. It’s an all-in-one (AIO) headset powered by Qualcomm’s XR2 chipset, packing a 5.5-inch SFR TFT display with a resolution of 3,664 x 1,920 pixels (773 PPI and a 90Hz refresh rate). There’s 6GB of RAM, 256GB of onboard storage, inside-out tracking, a rear-mounted 5300mAh battery for better weight distribution and comfort, plus full SteamVR compatibility.
Pico has its own store featuring popular VR title like SUPERHOT VR, Puzzling Places, After the Fall, Walkabout Mini Golf, Elven Table Tennis, and Demeo. You can connect to a PC wirelessly using Wi-Fi 6 or tethered to access all of those SteamVR games.
“We are democratizing VR across Europe with local content and unique entertainment experiences. Pico will bring the joy of discovery and whimsy to VR by being a more open and more adventurous platform for creators, developers, and VR fanatics,” said Leland Hedges, General Manager of Pico Interactive in Europe in a statement. “If you are a true believer and you want to own a piece of VR history, come join the Pico beta program.”
Access to Pico Neo 3 Link will be limited, to begin with, with headsets restricted to one per customer. Pre-orders start from 15th April and run through until 23rd May.
The news will likely be of interest to anyone looking for a viable alternative to Meta Quest 2’s dominance of the VR market, especially in Germany where the headset isn’t sold.
For continued updates on the Pico Neo 3 Link, keep reading gmw3.