Meta’s App Lab distribution channel for early access games is still around, but it won’t be for long. Although Meta made App Lab content searchable on the main store for the first time earlier this summer, now the company is preparing for App Lab’s complete dissolution next month, putting more of a Steam-like emphasis on Early Access moving forward.
Update (July 8th, 2024): Meta announced in a developer blogpost that starting August 5th, all content previously shipped in App Lab will be on the main Horizon Store (ex-Quest Store). Notably, this will feature all existing App Lab apps, including those under development and under review.
The company is also allowing developers to use ‘Early Access’ badges for their games, although previous App Lab games are not required to use it.
Image courtesy Meta
Meta notes that all apps submitted to the Horizon Store must meet a variety of Virtual Reality Checks (VRCs), which include a number of performance, security, tracking, and functionality checks.
The original article detailing App Lab discoverability follows below:
Original Article (May 14th, 2024): Meta is making its operating system and app store available on third-party VR headsets sometime soon, and one of the bigger changes coming to the platform is the blurring of the barrier between the Main Store and App Lab.
Besides offering a way for studios to publish their titles in early access, App Lab also lets any developer who meets basic technical and content requirements ship software on the platform, effectively making it open to studios of any size.
Now App Lab has its own section of the store, making those indie titles and early access games a lot more visible. To boot, App Lab games were previously hidden in the Main Store, but are now showing up in search results, appended with the new ‘App Lab’ section title.
Meta has also removed the previous pop-up warning as well when viewing an App Lab game, replacing it with a smaller note next to the game’s user rating, stating “This app may be experimental or still in development.”
Elevating App Lab games makes a good deal of sense considering how well indie titles like Gorilla Tag have fared through the parallel distribution in the past, which to date is not only the platform’s most reviewed game, but has also generated the most revenue on Quest. It’s likely the company will look to further dissolve the boundaries between Main Store and App Lab as it begins licensing Horizon OS (ex-Quest OS).
Google announced it’s partnering with HP to commercialize Project Starline, the company’s light-field display for immersive, headset-less video conferences.
Google says it’s partnering with HP to start commercialization of Starline in 2025, which the company says will “focus on connecting distributed teams and individuals in the workplace.”
Additionally, Google says it wants to eventually bring Starline support to video conferencing services such as Google Meet and Zoom—which will be interesting to see given how different livestreaming light-field video is to standard video.
First unveiled in 2021, the telepresence platform was initially a cumbersome, booth-sized unit that Google said would allow for a glasses-free 3D chatting experience thanks to its host of sensors, light-field display, spatial audio, computer vision, and novel compression.
The HP-built units won’t be the first time Starline has made its way out of Google’s offices though. In 2022, Google began installing prototypes at the offices of Salesforce, WeWork, T-Mobile, and Hackensack Meridian Health. And at last year’s Google I/O developer conference, the company showed off a newer, slimmer Starline unit, which at the time seemed a lot closer to the sort of product you’d expect to see in a company boardroom.
We’re hoping to learn more about the Google/HP Starline partnership and other XR projects at Google I/O developer conference this year, so stay tuned today, May 14th, for more info as it arrives.
Meta is finally rolling out the long-awaited travel mode for Quest 2 and Quest 3, ostensibly hacking away another unique feature from Apple Vision Pro.
Update (May 13th, 2024): Meta says the new Quest 2/3 Travel Mode was specially tuned to account for the motion of an airplane, even when it comes to looking out the window. The company says in a blog post it will be updating Travel Mode in the future to work with other modes of transportation, such as trains.
It’s being pitched as an experimental feature for now, so to activate Travel Mode you’ll need to select it in the Experimental section of the Settings menu, which will then let you toggle Travel Mode on and off from Quick Settings.
The original article announcing Travel Mode follows below:
Original Article (January 25th, 2024): Airplanes seem like an ideal place to dive into VR, as you can switch out the cramped environment of the cabin for a giant movie theater, or whittle away the hours browsing the web on a massive screen—something that shouldn’t bother your seat mates too much. Although Quest’s tracking is one of the most reliable out there, it still has trouble in moving vehicles like airplanes and cars. Meta is apparently working to fix that.
For anyone who’s tried to use Quest on an airplane, it’s basically only usable when you’ve reached a consistent altitude and direction. When you’re taxiing, banking, taking-off or landing, you’ll quickly find yourself being unwittingly jostled around in VR, making it distractingly unusable. Gain attitude, and you might find yourself falling through the virtual floor.
Responding to X (formerly Twitter) user Andrew Fox, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth says the company is working on a way to make Quest work better for in-flight entertainment.
“No, we use an IMU to keep objects localized relative to your headset motion so moving vehicles represent a challenge (when they accelerate in any direction). We also use the cameras, of course, they work together as the IMU is higher frequency but lower accuracy. Working on it!”
The issue is basically the same for any optically-tracked VR headset on the market at this point. However, this hasn’t stopped companies from thinking of clever ways around it. Holoride, an Audi co-founded startup, partnered with HTC to hook its standalone Vive Flow headset into cars using a retrofitting device which accounts for the vehicle’s relative motion, letting users engage with a handful of licensed apps.
In 2021, Meta announced it was attempting something similar in a partnership with BMW, which would more accurately anchor virtual objects by hooking Quest’s tracking system into the car itself. Although the company issued an update on the research project in mid-2023, it’s still unclear when we’ll see it in the company’s consumer VR headsets.
Undoubtedly one of the biggest names to promise a solution to travel woes lately is Apple, as the company announced its $3,500 Vision Pro headset would include a ‘Travel’ mode, which Apple says can be used to “stabilize visuals for use on planes.” How this works is still a mystery at this point, although it’s possible the headset switches to a special tracking mode based purely on visual sensors while ignoring IMUs entirely. It would lead to less accurate tracking overall, but at least be useable in an airplane.
Could Meta be up to something similar? It’s likely. If the company wants to keep core feature parity with Vision Pro, which launches February 2nd, we may see something sooner rather than later. Of course, there’s no timeline on Meta’s efforts just yet, so we’ll be keeping an eye on Bosworth’s Instagram, as he regularly does Q&As there.
China-based VR headset creator Pimax has introduced a new payment model following the recent announcement of its Crystal Light PC VR headset, which will let try it out before plonking down the full price of the headset.
The company calls its new scheme the “Trial Payment, Final Payment” model, as outlined in a recent announcement, making it available first in select regions including the US, Canada, EU, UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
The new payment model is slated to go into effect on its website sometime this week. When it does, here’s how the company says it will work:
Image courtesy Pimax
It’s a pretty unique way of getting you to buy a headset, or more specifically, three flavors of its Crystal Light headset: one with controllers ($900), one with SteamVR tracking faceplate ($900), and the headset alone ($800), all of which feature local dimming.
At least for the headsets mentioned above, during the trial period users pay $200 less than the sticker price and receive a 15-day trial with the promise of zero-cost returns. If you’re happy with the headset, you pay the remaining balance, and the company removes additional software locks on the headset to allow you the “full” experience, Pimax says.
It’s unclear for now how the trial version will differ from the “full version” in terms of software locks; we’ve reached out to Pimax to clarify this and will update when/if the company responds. We’ve also asked whether the company intends on extending the program to other headsets beyond those mentioned above, so check back to find out.
Meanwhile, Pimax is in the process of launching a bevy of products. In addition to Crystal Light (now in pre-order) and Crystal Light Super, which were announced last month, the company still has to fulfill previous orders of a number of other products, including Pimax Reality “12K” headset, a 60GHz wireless add-on for streaming PC VR, and its Pimax VR Station for streaming PC VR content to its headsets.
Holoride, the Germany-based startup bringing XR entertainment to car passengers, has filed for bankruptcy, citing the inability to secure its latest investment round.
In a LinkedIn post, Holoride CEO & co-founder Nils Wollny reveals the company’s latest investment round “appeared secure,” however it fell apart at the last minute.
“Despite the lead investor’s conviction, the negotiated term sheet, finalized contracts, and scheduled notary appointment, the LP funds failed to arrive on time,” Wollny maintains.
The company’s most recent funding round was in December 2021, which was an undisclosed amount led by Vendetta Capital.
In reflection, Wollny says Holoride was “early, imperfect, and made mistakes,” however has created “some remarkable tech” over the years.
“I’m grateful for our dedicated and talented team, united behind holoride’s vision. Together, we view the coming weeks of the preliminary insolvency process as a chance for a reset with new investors or owners,” Wollny says. “Witnessing our team huddle, hustle, and have fun amid the challenges fills me with optimism. I am sure we’ll emerge stronger from this period of restructuring. It will be intense, but I eagerly anticipate the journey ahead.”
Co-founded by Audi in 2018, Holoride connected XR headset-wearing car passengers with with motion and location-aware vehicle data, allowing bespoke XR content to match up with the physical world. The company still sells its consumer-focused kit, which bundles in an HTC Vive Flow, puck-like device to translate car movement to the headset, gamepad, and three months of its game subscription service.
The latest major SteamVR update has arrived, coming with it an improvement to Steam Link for Quest.
Initially released in November 2023, Steam Link is Valve’s own app on the Meta Quest Store which allows users to quickly and easily connect their Quest headset wirelessly to SteamVR to play PC VR or flatscreen PC content, essentially letting you bypass Meta’s own Air Link.
The 2.5 update includes a number of bug fixes and quality of life improvements across SteamVR, however if you’re a Quest user, you ought to notice some better stability when it comes to using Steam Link.
In the update log, Valve says improvements to Steam Link include:
Improved prediction for increased lateral tracking stability.
Fix initialization issue causing connection failure. Requires client and server to both be updated.
Fix issue causing persistent failure when headset goes into standby and returns.
Fix deadlock on host when USB devices are inserted or removed.
Resolved two client crashes.
Fix an issue with video encoder initialization on certain AMD integrated GPUs.
Check out more about Steam Link here, which includes information on minimum specs and other requirements, and also includes troubleshooting so you can get the most out of your at-home Wi-Fi setup.
Niantic, the studio behind Pokémon Go, revealed it’s been working on a Quest 3 mixed reality experience that lets you play with your very own pint-sized virtual pet.
Called Hello, Dot, Niantic calls the app a “mixed reality showcase” from its Peridot AR pet franchise, which the studio launched on mobile last year.
Here’s how the studio describes Hello, Dot:
Hello, Dot, takes the best parts of caring for your adorable Dot companions and brings them to life through the magic of mixed reality. In this immersive experience, you’ll be able to admire just how visually stunning your Dots are up close, and develop a special bond with them as you play together.
Imagine being able to hook your hands under your Dot’s arms and pick them up – and then toss them up and let them float back down into your embrace. Or perhaps your favorite song is playing in the background and you want to have a little dance party with your Dot. Or maybe you want to just relax on the couch snuggled up against your Dot. The possibilities are endless and the joy you’ll feel is REAL.
The studio says in a news update the launch of Hello, Dot is only “the first step in the evolution of the Peridot franchise,” noting that it’s “only a glimpse of what we hope to bring to the various spatial computing devices of the future.”
Hello, Dot is exclusive to Quest 3, and can be downloaded for free from App Lab.
Sandbox VR, the location-based VR attraction, announced it’s opening 25 new locations as a result of a partnership with Apparel Group, the United Arab Emirates-based fashion and lifestyle company.
The partnership is described as a “massive franchise deal” with Apparel Group, which has 85 brands and more than 2,200 stores across 14 countries, including much of the Middle East, South East Asia, India, Pakistan, Egypt and South Africa.
The collaboration will begin by opening 25 locations in the Middle East by the end of 2028, Sandbox VR says, owing to what founder and CEO Steve Zhao calls “an overwhelmingly positive response at our locations across the US, Europe, and Asia.”
For now, Sandbox VR operates in over 46 global locations, 18 of which launched in the last 19 months. It has also opened franchising opportunities in the US and internationally.
“We are excited to embark on this partnership with Sandbox VR, a company that stands at the forefront of virtual reality innovation,” said Neeraj Teckchandani, CEO of Apparel Group. “This collaboration is not just about expanding our portfolio—it’s about creating groundbreaking experiences that merge technology and entertainment, offering our customers in the Middle East and beyond something truly exceptional. Together, we are setting new benchmarks in the retail and entertainment industries.”
Sandbox VR has celebrated a few successful licensing deals over the past year. In September 2023, the company partnered with Netflix to launch a Squid Game-inspired experience, called Squid Game Virtuals. The company says Squid Game Virtuals was its fastest experience to hit $1M in sales, noting that in its first two months the game generated $4.56M in ticket sales.
More recently, Sandbox VR and Netflix did a limited-time takeover of its London location to celebrate the release of Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver, where visitors previewed the world of Rebel Moon in a full-body VR experience.
Marvel Studios and ILM Immersive today announced a new interactive story coming exclusively to Apple Vision Pro, which is based on the popular Disney+ animated series What If…?.
Called What If…? – An Immersive Story, the developers call it an “immersive, narrative-driven and innovative story in mixed reality,” which is promised to be an hour-long experience.
It’s also said to use both augmented and virtual reality, letting users interact by using both their eyes and hands, also including both new and iconic Marvel Cinematic Universe locations.
Here’s how the developers describe it:
“What If…?” reimagines events from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in unexpected ways. Now, fans have been chosen to step into the leading role of an all-new immersive story that transforms the space around them as they traverse across realities. Throughout their journey, they will come face-to-face with Multiversal variants of their favorite characters, learn the mystic arts, and be tasked with harnessing the power of the Infinity Stones.
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Image courtesy Marvel Studios, ILM Immersive
Image courtesy Marvel Studios, ILM Immersive
Image courtesy Marvel Studios, ILM Immersive
“Together, these features will remind fans that time, space, and reality are more than a linear path,” the announcement teases.
That’s about all we know for now, however the developers say we can expect more details about What If…? – An Immersive Story “soon,” so we’ll be tuned to ILM Immersive’s profile on X (formerly Twitter) for all of the latest developments.
Considering the $3,500 Vision Pro lacks a critical mass of native XR experiences and games, we’re not certain what to expect from what’s shaping up to a fairly big budget project. What is certain though is ILM Immersive (previously ILMxLAB) is the same team behind theVader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series, which for a long time was exclusive to Meta hardware, and stands as one of the best narrative-based VR series to date.
Spin Rhythm XD (2023), the kinetic rhythm-action game, is coming to PSVR 2, PS5 and PS4 this summer, which is also slated to include a free VR update to the original game on Steam.
Releasing on July 9th, Spin Rhythm XD is a bit like a cross between Bop It and Guitar Hero, but instead of a Fender with colored buttons or some strange plastic Plumbus, you’ve got your VR headset’s motion controllers and a sort of kinetic colored wheel.
The game, which was developed by Super Spin Digital and released initially on PC last year, is including in its VR-supported version the ability to move, tap, slide, spin the wheel to the beat with your motion controllers. To boot, the studio says it’s also bringing VR support to the PC version on the same day it launches Spin Rhythm XR on PlayStation.
It also features over 60 licensed and original tracks by Hyper Potions, Nitro Fun, Haywyre, Au5, Camellia, Anamanaguchi, Panda Eyes, Teminite, Pegboard Nerds, Akira Complex, Tokyo Machine, meganeko, Anomalie, Lena Raine, 2Mello, Moe Shop and more.
