Pimax Crystal Super Update Shows Development Progress & New Slimmer Exterior

Pimax announced that Crystal Super, its next high-resolution PC VR headset, is actually going to be a bit slimmer than originally planned, showing off a reduction in the headset’s exterior during a new update video.

Unveiled earlier this year alongside Crystal Light, the Crystal Super variant is a bit of a different beast, including the addition of eye-tracking, automatic interpupillary distance (IPD) adjustment, and the ability to swap between two optional display modules and two optional lenses for varying pixel density and field-of-view (FOV).

While Crystal Super was ostensibly slated to be as big as the others in the Crystal lineup, Pimax announced it’s reduced the exterior size by “nearly 30 percent,” showing off a new, smaller design.

It still seems to be in early stages of development, however the company has shown off non-functional prototypes and renders of the form factor in the video, seen below:

Its display modules boast 3,840 × 3,840 per-eye resolution, letting the user choose a QLED & mini-LED (120Hz) display or a micro-OLED (90Hz) display.

Both versions of Crystal Super however allow you choose between two different lenses: one that provides 50 PPD and a slightly higher FOV of 130° horizontal, and another with 57 PPD and a slightly lower FOV—still to be announced.

Pimax says Crystal Super’s lenses are indeed “30 percent bigger” than those found on Crystal and Crystal Light. The image below is of the 50 PPD lens.

Image courtesy Pimax

The QLED version will be ready first, the company says, noting that it’s the model with the most pre-orders. Additionally, the company says the lens providing 57 PPD and a lower FOV is still in development.

All models of Crystal Super are currently available for pre-order reservation, with shipping estimated for Q4 2024.

The base model with QLED display is priced at $1,800 with inside-out tracking, while the micro-OLED model is priced at $2,000. A bundle with both display modules is also available for $2,400. Controllers and optional SteamVR tracking faceplate are sold separately.

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Lynx Shipping Additional R-1 Mixed Reality Headsets Soon, CEO Details “excruciating” Fundraising Environment

French startup Lynx hasn’t had an easy time of getting headsets out the door, much less funding its small hardware startup, which is dedicated to producing its R-1 mixed reality standalone. There seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel though, as Lynx CEO Stan Larroque announced that a batch of R-1 headsets should be shipping out soon.

Larroque details the plan to distribute an additional 400 units between July and August in a recent Kickstarter update, noting that the units were assembled earlier but were delayed due to financial issues with the assembler Compal.

While those issues have now been resolved and those headsets are set to ship, Larroque details what he calls an “excruciating” last 12 months, which he maintains isn’t related to the headset itself, but rather the tough fundraising environment for XR hardware in Europe.

“We were supposed to close a 30M€ deal at the end of April, term sheet signed and everything. And it didn’t happened [sic] because the European investor didn’t really have the money and lied to us. This was almost a death sentence, it’s the worst thing that can happen to a startup,” Larroque says.

Reeling from the admitted near death sentence, the company suffered another setback with a French public fund:

“Another one is a French public fund lying to us in their will to commit to our company. They took more than 6 months to do a due diligence, we spent hundreds of hours on the case with them (they were supposed to commit 15M€). They issued a [letter of intent] in July 2023. All that to realize they were badmouthing about us behind our backs to other potential co-investors. A VC shared those emails with me and it depressed me so much.”

Lynx announced some additional positive news. In the update, Larroque says the company is now collaborating with a “big financial US partner,” and remains optimistic about its product and roadmap, noting there is significant interest in defense, industrial, and medical sectors.

The company has attracted additional funding outside of R-1’s successful Kickstarter campaign from late 2021, which brought in $800,000 in crowd funds. In 2019, prior to the Kickstarter, Lynx secured a seed round of $2 million. According to data obtained by Crunchbase, its most recent Series A secured in 2022 from Somnium Space, bringing to the startup $4 million, making for a total of $6.8 million in funding to date.

Similar to Meta Quest 3 or Apple Vision Pro, Lynx R-1 provides mixed reality experiences thanks to its passthrough sensors and onboard Snapdragon XR2 chipset, although the company hopes to make it a more open and versatile device.

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Epic CEO Says “no plans currently” for ‘Fortnite’ on Quest, But Doesn’t Rule It Out Entirely

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney confirmed the hit battle royale shooter Fortnite has “no plans currently” to come to Quest, although he hasn’t ruled it out entirely.

Here’s what Sweeney said in response to X user ‘TheoryDecrypt’:

It’s pretty clear by now Sweeney doesn’t think VR would work well with Fortnite, as he’s basically echoing a statement he made in 2022 in an interview with The Verge.

“Epic has no plans to build a VR version of Fortnite. Not out of any grand business strategy, but just because the thing that we do in Fortnite every day as gamers is run through an environment rapidly, and it’s the kind of experience that involves intense motion and doesn’t work as well in VR,” Sweeney told The Verge. “And so if we were to ever do anything in VR, it would have to be something that’s really custom tailored for the experience. And it’s not that we have any negative view of that. We just have 101 things to do.”

The whole ‘barfing’ part of his latest statement though feels a little outdated in 2024, making it seem like Sweeney really hasn’t checked back into VR recently. In contrast to the early days of VR, modern games tend to include a number of comfort options as standard, such as variable snap-turn, FOV vignettes, ‘comfort’ cages, and the full gamut of locomotion options. Notably, any of these can be used to render “intense motion” into something stomachable for all, like Meta-owned studio BigBox VR does in its hit battle royale POPULATION: ONE.

Still, Sweeney may be right about VR not being a right fit for Fortnite, and it may be less about nerfing the game’s “intense” locomotion to level the playing field, and more about how VR gameplay is so different from flatscreen in the advantages and disadvantages it brings to the table.

For a VR player, it may be more difficult to rapidly build yourself out of a sticky situation like on flatscreen, but easier to do a host of other actions, like ducking and shooting around corners, going prone behind cover, and doing complex actions flatscreen users simply can’t, like physically catching an extra magazine your teammate throws you.

Whatever the case, we’re hoping Sweeney changes his tune on VR comfort, maybe by reading our handy VR comfort checklist which we use for game reviews.

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Vision Pro Could Be Getting Controllers Soon from This Third-party Creator

Vision Pro doesn’t have controllers, although that’s not stopping third-party hardware creators from trying to bypass Apple. Enter Surreal Touch, a newly announced motion controller that aims to leverage Vision Pro’s ability to play PC VR games, but not only.

Surreal Interactive, the startup behind Surreal Touch, is hoping to bring the controllers to market some point next month, with its price revealed at the time of launch.

Similar to Meta’s Touch Pro controllers, Surreal Touch contains optical sensors with fisheye lenses that allow the device to track independently from the headset.

Image courtesy Surreal Interactive

Also very similar to Meta’s Touch Pro, you’ll find a ring-less design thanks to its inside-out optical sensors, onboard SLAM tracking allowing for 6DOF input, and a standard button configuration that anyone with a modern VR headset will instantly recognize.

Speaking to CEO and founder Zhenfei Yang, Road to VR learned that Surreal Touch will primarily focus on its SteamVR compatibility mode, which supports all existing PC VR games. That means you’ll need a VR-ready PC to play games like Half-Life: Alyx (2020), which the company shows working below:

And just how will that work? Surreal Interactive says it’s currently developing a Vision Pro-native streaming app, which promises let you play SteamVR games from your computer at “4K, 120 Hz.”

While PC VR gameplay is a big focus for Surreal Touch, the company says it’s also working on its own native SDK, which will allow Vision Pro app developers the ability to support Surreal Touch.

“We’re currently collaborating with several studios to port their games to the AVP platform. Additionally, we have plans to reach out to and partner with more developers in the near future,” Yang told Road to VR.

Surreal Interactive also teased it’s working on a ‘Tool Mode’, which presumably could also allow for basic UI selection when in Vision Pro, however the company hasn’t revealed its exact function, stating only that the additional mode is “still undergoing in-house development. Stay tuned for more details.”

There’s still plenty to learn about, including battery life, tracking accuracy, compatibility with other headsets, price, and more. We’re hoping to learn more closer to launch, so check back soon. In the meantime, check out the spec sheet below:

Specs

Tracking
Positioning Accuracy: Less than 10mm, Less than 1 degree
Refresh Rate: 100Hz
Computer Vision and SLAM Technology, dual fisheye camera
Design Length: 125mm
Width: 71mm
Height: 77mm
Weight: 148g
Compact, ring-free design
Streaming App
Vision Pro Native
Graphics: 4K resolution at 120Hz
Software Optimization: Stream 4K 120Hz SteamVR Graphics to Your Headset, unmatched by others

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‘Attack on Titan VR’ Releases in Early Access July 23rd, and It Looks… Rough

Japanese studio UNIVRS announced Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable in late 2022, making for the hit anime’s first official VR game. Now the studio says it’s releasing the game in early access on Quest next month, giving us our first look at gameplay. And it looks pretty rough.

The studio today announced that Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable is releasing on Quest in early access on July 23rd, priced at just $5.

While it’s difficult to argue with such an honest price tag, the new gameplay video is a pretty stark departure from the concept trailer released in June 2023, which admittedly features pre-rendered animations.

Of course, we’ll be reserving judgement until we actually get a chance to go hands-on with the game, although it’s undoubtedly not the strongest start.

As the first official Attack on Titan VR game, Unbreakable lets players enter the world of the hit anime to become a member of the Scout Regiment and fight against the Titans for the survival of mankind. That means plenty of swinging through the city with your omni-directional mobility gear, and bringing down hulking Titans with your trusty blades.

The early access version is set to include the first two chapters of the game, each offering 2-3 hours of action, the studio says. It’s also set offer both single and two-player co-op, however the studio notes co-op mode will be under development until the full 1.0 release, which is slated to arrive in Late 2024.

In the meantime, you can wishlist Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable, which supports Quest 2/3/Pro.

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Deleted Meta Comment Speaks Volumes About the Fate of ‘GTA: San Andreas’ for Quest

Meta announced in 2021 its was working with Rockstar Games to bring Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas to Quest. While a recent comment made by the company over the weekend sparked renewed hope the iconic open world game was still in development, Meta was quick to delete the comment with no further explanation, which isn’t exactly confidence inspiring.

In the comment section of a recent YouTube video for Racket Club (2023), Meta responded to user ‘internetpebble4731’ asking if there was a release date for GTA: San Andreas or whether the project had been officially cancelled.

What seemed like a longshot actually garnered a response from Meta itself, stating “we don’t have a release date yet, but we’re working on it!”

Image captured by Road to VR

We reached out to Meta while the comment was still live, and have yet to receive confirmation back whether they’re indeed “working on it” or it’s been officially cancelled. In the meantime, the company has deleted the comment, which feels more than just a bit like being ghosted.

Granted, Meta’s response seems fairly boilerplate as far as a social media management goes. A vote of confidence though, even a fairly miniscule one like a YouTube comment, wouldn’t need to be deleted if it were actually true.

At the time of its announcement in 2021, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed Rockstar Games has been working with the company “for years” to bring the game to VR, which was supposed to target Quest 2.

“This new version of what I think is one of the greatest games ever made will offer players an entirely new way to experience this iconic open world in virtual reality,” Zuckerberg said at the time.

The last we heard about was at Connect 2023 when Meta told Road to VR it didn’t have “any updates to share on GTA: San Andreas.”

So, is it cancelled, or is Meta just playing it tight-lipped? As bad as it looks, there’s really no telling for now. The company’s Connect 2024 developer conference may be the next logical opportunity for any sort of update, which takes place September 25th-26th.

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Meta is Pulling the Plug on Quest 1 Security Patches Next Month

Meta announced that security patches for Quest 1 are officially coming to an end next month, marking the final phase-out of the now five-year-old headset.

Meta sent an email to Quest 1 owners on Friday stating the 2019-era Quest will no longer receive any security updates or bug fixes starting August 31st, 2024.

While users will still be able to download and play supported apps, the company notes that “if any security vulnerabilities are discovered in the future, private data that is directly stored on the device or accessible from it would be at risk of compromise.”

Quest [left] and Quest 2 [right] | Photo by Road to VR
The first indication that Quest 1 was headed for the chopping block came in early 2023 when Meta announced that first-party social apps Parties and Meta Horizon Home would no longer support Quest 1.

Then, in March 2024, the company announced it was removing the ability for developers to target Quest 1 for new apps, essentially halting any new games or experiences.

It’s unclear whether Quest 2 will meet a similar fate so quickly. While Meta hasn’t released official sales figures, the company’s 2020-gen standalone is widely considered the best-selling VR headset to date. To boot, it still holding the top spot as a the most popular VR headset on Steam, with 38.10% of surveyed users using Quest 2 to play SteamVR games.

Meanwhile, Meta appears to making room for a new headset to supplant Quest 2 in its lineup, as Quest is now out of stock in nearly all regions when purchased direct from Meta.

You can see the full email from Meta to Quest 1 owners below:

Hi [User],

We’d like to let you know that starting August 31, 2024, we will no longer provide bug fixes or security updates for Meta Quest 1 headsets. You will still be able to download new apps and continue using your existing apps as long as they are supported by the developer. However, if any security vulnerabilities are discovered in the future, private data that is directly stored on the device or accessible from it would be at risk of compromise.

This update follows our announcement in January 2023, when we stopped releasing new features and new Meta Quest apps for Quest 1 on the Quest Store.

We’re excited about the future of Meta Quest and look forward to providing you with more groundbreaking MR experiences.

In the meantime, Meta Store Support is available to assist you with general inquiries.

Thanks,

The Meta Store Support Team

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Hand-tracking Pioneer Ultraleap Initiates Layoff Amid Major Restructuring

Ultraleap, the company behind the Leap Motion hand-tracking module, informed staff on Wednesday that it was proposing a layoff amid a potential restructuring of the business that could see the company split in two.

The Bristol, UK-based company acquired Leap Motion in 2019, prompting a rebrand from its original name Ultrahaptics to Ultraleap. Prior to the acquisition, the company was best known for pioneering its mid-air haptic technology, which uses ultrasound to project tactile sensations onto the user’s hands.

As reported by Sky News, Ultraleap is allegedly now seeking to sell off its hand-tracking business entirely, and spin out its mid-air haptics division into a new company, which would be owned by Ultraleap’s existing shareholders and also seek additional external funding.

Leap Motion 2 in front of its predecessor | courtesy Ultraleap

The company hasn’t publicly confirmed the sale of Leap Motion or the specifics surrounding the restructuring of its haptics business, however it has confirmed layoffs are coming:

“After much consideration, we have made the difficult decision to reshape some of our divisions and reduce the size of our team,” an Ultraleap spokesperson told Sky News. “This decision has not been taken lightly, but it is necessary for us to adapt our business to better serve our market and our customers.

Initially released in 2013, Leap Motion was one of the first viable hand-tracking modules to come to market. While it was originally created to work as an input method for PCs, a few years later the then still independent company would hard pivot into the VR space, providing hand-tracking to headsets which at the time had none.

Fast-forward to today, and many standalone headsets pack in their own onboard hand-tracking thanks to the requisite bank of optical sensors that are also used for tracking the user in room-scale environments. The shift has made bespoke modules like Leap Motion less desirable for consumers overall, leaving the company to focus on integrating its tech with boutique headset manufacturers such as Varjo, Pimax, and Vrgineers.

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Quest 2 Goes out of Stock at Meta Store as Rumors Point to Next Headset

Availability of Quest 2 direct from Meta seems to have dried up, as the company’s last-gen headset is now showing out of stock in nearly all regions—likely making way for what’s next.

Although you can probably find new Quest 2 headsets from the usual online retailers and stores, when Meta pulls the plug on direct availability on any headset, it typically means there’s something just around the corner.

At the time of this writing, the only region with availability direct from Meta is the UK, which still has the 128GB variant in stock, priced at £200.

Quest 2 (left), Quest 3 (right) | Based on images courtesy Meta

The chief rumor going around is the company’s next headset will replace Quest 2 as its cheaper, lower-end hardware next to its flagship headset, Quest 3.

Last month an official app listing seemingly revealed the name of the device in question: ‘Quest 3S’. Another rumor from credible leaker Luna even points to the full spec list of the supposed Quest 3S.

Meta hasn’t confirmed as much, however the company is indeed planning to release a cheaper VR headset in 2024, making the next logical opportunity for launch sometime around its upcoming Connect developer conference, which is planned for September 25th-26th.

Initially released in late 2020, Meta has tinkered with Quest 2 variants and pricing over the years. Most recently, the company slashed the price of Quest 2’s 128 GB version to just $200, likely making it the headset’s final barnburner sale.

Meanwhile, Meta will soon be making a monumental shift in how it operates by releasing its XR operating system to third-party OEMs for the first time, which will see Quest-like devices from ASUS, Lenovo, and Xbox—all of which will have the same OS, content library, and Horizon Worlds social VR layer.

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Meta Ditches Its Own Tools in Favor of LIV Partnership for Mixed Reality Capture on Quest

There are a few great ways to market VR games, but there’s arguably none better than by showing real people immersed in virtual environments thanks to mixed reality capture. While Meta has its own Mixed Reality Capture tool (MRC), the company is taking a step back from development by adopting third-party app LIV as its official solution.

LIV describes the deal as a “multi-year partnership with Meta to bring LIV’s mixed reality capture & virtual camera solutions to developers publishing on Meta Quest and soon also creators who wish to use those features in Meta Quest and Rift apps.”

To boot, LIV is today releasing in beta its new SDK v2.0 for Unity-based apps which support Meta’s Presence Platform capabilities, such as hand tracking, passthrough, spatial anchors, etc.

The studio says that later this year a beta release of SDK v2.0 for similar Unreal-based apps will also arrive, with official release of both Unity and Unreal versions coming sometime in Q4 2024.

Although a headlining feature, LIV isn’t just a mixed reality capture tool; it also specializes in avatar solutions for Vtubing and allows streamers to monitor chats, alerts and notifications in VR. Notably, to create mixed reality videos like the one seen below, you’ll need a PC with a supported external camera, and of course the free PC app itself.

One of the biggest names to use LIV is Another Axiom’s Gorilla Tag, which has just topped $100 million in revenue, making it one of VR’s most successful games to date.

“Another Axiom builds fully realized spaces that are meant to be shared together, like in our popular game Gorilla Tag,” said David Yee, COO at Another Axiom. “We’re always looking at new ways to give our players and creators a great experience they can share with their family and friends. This partnership between LIV and Meta provides access to best-in-class capture and virtual camera technology, introducing new ways to capture and share in-headset experiences. We can’t wait to see what the community does with these new tools.”

You can download LIV on Steam and get started on integrating LIV SDK to your Quest app starting today, both of which are free for content creators and game developers alike.

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