Author: Scott Hayden

Posted on

Varjo to Shutter XR Cloud Streaming Platform ‘Reality Cloud’ Next Month

Varjo, the Finland-based creator of high-end XR headsets, says its pulling the plug on its cloud XR streaming platform ‘Reality Cloud’, which lets professionals stream and share immersive 3D content rendered on cloud-based GPUs.

It was only a month ago when Varjo announced it was bringing Quest 3 and Quest Pro support to Reality Cloud, in effect making them the first non-Varjo standalone XR devices to use the subscription-based cloud rendering and streaming service.

Now, in a statement obtained by Mixed, Varjo says it’s pulling the plug come June 2024:

While we continue to explore ways to power the highest quality XR streaming, we have made the decision to discontinue development of Reality Cloud as of June 2024. Our customers are the world’s largest enterprises and organizations, and their requirements for XR cloud streaming are more diverse and security-driven than originally anticipated.

A Varjo dedicated commercial cloud streaming service is not what most effectively serves them, and we will instead focus on empowering 3rd party streaming solutions and local streaming capabilities for enterprises scaling their VR and XR usage.

Released in 2022, Varjo’s Reality Cloud initially focused on cross-platform collaboration, the ability to manage 3D content at scale, and enterprise-level security. It had a much larger purpose though. Talking to Varjo CEO Timo Toikkanen prior to Reality Cloud’s release, he hoped it would lay the foundation to “release out physical reality from the laws of physics”:

“We believe that Varjo’s vision for the metaverse will elevate humanity during the next decade more than any other technology in the world,” Toikkanen said in a blog post. “What we’re building with our vision for the Varjo Reality Cloud will release our physical reality from the laws of physics. The programmable world that once existed only behind our screens can now merge with our surrounding reality—forever changing the choreography of everyday life.”

The post Varjo to Shutter XR Cloud Streaming Platform ‘Reality Cloud’ Next Month appeared first on Road to VR.

Posted on

VR Fitness App ‘Les Mills Bodycombat’ Gets First Premium DLC, Including New Workouts, Songs & Moves

Popular fitness app Les Mills XR BODYCOMBAT (2022) just got its first paid DLC today, which features a slate of new workouts and features that will keep you swinging and sweating.

Called Power Strike, the $8 content pack includes eight new workouts which feature 22 new songs. Power Strike also includes new cosmetics, as premium environment, and a number of new moves, such as the ‘Power Strike’ and the ‘Final Target’.

Created by Les Mills and Odders Lab, the Power Strike DLC can be purchased both in-game and through the Store. Workouts can be played in both VR and MR modes, which is said to unlock “nearly 90 minutes of new content to help them destroy calories as they punch, kick, block, and strike,” Odders Lab says.

Additionally, the studio says it’s remained committed to supporting the base app with “regular free updates,” which is said to include performance improvements, bug fixes, and quality of life additions.

If you’re in the US, you can also nab an exclusive Meta Quest x LES MILLS XR BODYCOMBAT Fitness Bundle. Available from now until June 30th, you can choose from either the Quest 2 content bundle for $230 or the Quest 3 content bundle for $540, each of which includes the respective headset, Active Straps, and a copy of LES MILLS XR BODYCOMBAT at a reduced price.

The post VR Fitness App ‘Les Mills Bodycombat’ Gets First Premium DLC, Including New Workouts, Songs & Moves appeared first on Road to VR.

Posted on

PlayStation ‘Days of Play’ Brings Six Free PSVR 2 Games to Premium Members, $100 Off PSVR 2 Hardware

PlayStation Plus members are in for a treat next month, as Sony is serving up six PSVR 2 games to premium subscribers which are all actually legitimately awesome, and even the chance to nab a headset for $100 off.

Announced in a PlayStation blog post, Sony says that starting June 6th, it’s releasing six bonus titles during the Days of Play celebration ahead of its normal release schedule, which include:

Unfortunately, Sony doesn’t seem to be doing any new hardware bundles for PSVR 2 like it did in years past with the original PSVR. The company is however offering to Plus Members $100 off PSVR 2 and the PSVR 2 Horizon Call of the Mountain Bundle, bringing them to $450 and $500 respectively.

Additionally, PS Plus members who sign in with their PlayStation account and purchase a PS5 or PSVR 2 through direct.playstation.com will get 12 months of Netflix Premium.

PlayStation’s Days of Play celebration begins May 29th at 12:01AM through June 12th at 11:59PM, local time in your region. This also includes timed releases of PS2 games, PS4/PS5 games, and a game trial, all of which you can check out over at the PS blog.

The post PlayStation ‘Days of Play’ Brings Six Free PSVR 2 Games to Premium Members, $100 Off PSVR 2 Hardware appeared first on Road to VR.

Posted on

Google’s Apps May Not Be on Vision Pro, But Now Two of Its Classic VR Games Are

Google’s directly competing services aren’t on Vision Pro, but that doesn’t mean the company isn’t doing business on Apple’s headset altogether, as it has now brought two of its most influential VR games to Vision Pro.

Google’s XR studio Owlchemy Labs today launched Job Simulator (2016) and its sequel Vacation Simulator (2019) on Vision Pro, respectively priced at $20 and $30 on the App Store.

The tongue-in-cheek simulator games parody both the worlds of work and play as seen through the eyes of robots who have replaced all human jobs—and have taken human vacations too.

To boot, the franchise has been one of VR’s most successful to date, with both games going multi-platinum across all major VR headsets, and regularly showing up in the top most-popular VR game charts since their respective launches.

The Vision Pro releases of both games are in large part thanks to the studio’s early adoption of hand-tracking, as Apple’s headset doesn’t support motion controllers of any sort. Consequently, this has also allowed the studio to bring a hand-tracking mode to the Quest versions too.

“Owlchemy Labs has always been committed to pioneering hand tracking technology and putting our games on the most innovative platforms,” said Andrew Eiche, CEO at Owlchemy Labs. “Bringing Job Simulator and Vacation Simulator to Apple Vision Pro feels like the most natural manifestation of our goals. The fully immersive environments look stunning on Apple Vision Pro, and the games have been optimized for the hand- and eye-tracking capabilities of the platform.”

Acquired by Google in 2017, Owlchemy Labs is also known for the Emmy-nominated title Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality (2017), and its latest VR game Cosmonious High (2022).

This technically makes for the first Google-owned apps to release on Vision Pro. At the time of this writing, notably missing is YouTube, Google Maps, Meet, Drive, and Photos. The company has said however a YouTube app for Vision Pro is on the map, although it’s not certain when that’s set to arrive.

The post Google’s Apps May Not Be on Vision Pro, But Now Two of Its Classic VR Games Are appeared first on Road to VR.

Posted on

PC VR Exclusive ‘Boneworks’ is Now Entirely Playable on Quest Thanks to This Free ‘Bonelab’ Mod

Boneworks (2019), the physics-driven PC VR shooter from Stress Level Zero, isn’t a Quest-native game, but thanks to a third-party mod for Bonelab (2022), called ‘Labworks’, you can play the entire campaign on Quest—no PC required.

Developed by modder ‘volx64’, Labworks now includes the entire campaign of Boneworks, which can be played in Bonelab on a Quest 2/3/Pro.

In addition to being available on Quest, Bonelab is also on PC VR headsets via Steam and Meta PC, which means you can play the entire Boneworks campaign there too.

Porting the full Boneworks campaign has taken nearly two years, volx64 says, which includes all 12 levels from the game as well as a number of non-campaign/sandbox levels. Check out the trailer below to see Labworks in action:

Notably, when we reviewed Boneworks back in 2019, it took us around nine hours to complete the campaign—nearly double the size of the campaign in Bonelab—making for a sizeable amount of gameplay for Bonelab players on Quest who are looking for a new challenge.

If you need help installing Labworks on either PC or Quest, there’s a handy video guide from volx64. In addition to the required downloads, there are also full instructions available on its mod.io page where you can nab the admittedly very large mod.

– – — – –

And in case you’ve never heard of either, here’s the one-pager: in Boneworks, players step into the shoes of Arthur Ford, a renegade cybersecurity director who delves into an incomplete simulated universe. They navigate surreal architecture and environments, which includes a range of experimental physics-based weapons to fight their way through.

Considered a sequel of sorts, in Bonelab the player controls an outcast who escapes death and explores experimental worlds in a research lab in MythOS. More physics-based madness and sandbox fun.

The post PC VR Exclusive ‘Boneworks’ is Now Entirely Playable on Quest Thanks to This Free ‘Bonelab’ Mod appeared first on Road to VR.

Posted on

PC VR Exclusive Puzzle Adventure ‘Firmament’ Coming to PSVR 2 Later This Year

Firmament (2023), the puzzle adventure from MYST creators Cyan, announced they’re finally bringing the game to PSVR 2, making good on their original Kickstarter promise.

The studio announced the news in a Kickstarter update, stating Firmament may arrive on PlayStation as early as this fall, which the studio has confirmed will include PSVR 2 support.

“We still have more work to do to get the game running well on the platform and to conform with various platform requirements that we must meet prior to submitting to certification, but we have high hopes that we will be able to ship Firmament on PlayStation this Fall,” the studio says in the update.

Released in this time last year on PC and PC VR headsets, Firmament is very much a spiritual successor to MYST, offering up modern beauty and narrative finesse alongside a ton of environmental puzzles that are sure to make you scratch your head.

While it’s VR implementation feels a little bit like an afterthought, its puzzles and setting are so substantial you may forgive it entirely for feeling a bit like a good VR port of a really great game. Check out our full spoiler-free review on PC to learn more about what make’s Cyan’s latest new IP tick.

Speaking of Cyan games, we’re also waiting to hear more about the upcoming re-release of Riven, which is confirmed to launch this summer on PC VR headsets and Quest.

The post PC VR Exclusive Puzzle Adventure ‘Firmament’ Coming to PSVR 2 Later This Year appeared first on Road to VR.

Posted on

Deadmau5 Concert Experience Comes to Social VR Music Venue ‘Soundscape’

VR music venue Soundscape (2024) announced a collaboration with popular electronic dance music artist deadmau5, which brings a new deadmau5-themed concert experience to the app.

Initially released in 2017 as a companion piece for Burning Man, the new version of Soundscape is now showcasing a virtual concert series where deadmau5 performs his latest tracks.

We haven’t had a chance to see it for ourselves yet, however the gameplay trailer below shows off a taste of what’s likely to come, as the app includes a detailed avatar creator, six musical zones, a ton of ambient effects and locomotion options, and a big focus on streaming video.

The deadmau5 concert is said to be around an hour long, and take place Soundscape’s ‘Twilight Thicket’ zone.

With access offered as a one-time payment of $40, the PC VR-exclusive platform has hosted a number of concert experiences in the past, including Goose, Slash, Evanescence, Umphrey’s McGee, and more. Upcoming shows are said to include Chris Lake, FISHER, and CloZee.

While the steep pricing structure may be a sticking point for some, you can actually still try out the older version of Soundscape to get an idea of whether its right for you or not, which features a lot of the same features at the very reasonable price of free.

The post Deadmau5 Concert Experience Comes to Social VR Music Venue ‘Soundscape’ appeared first on Road to VR.

Posted on

Vision Pro Gets Another Fully Immersive VR Game, With Cross-play to Other Headsets

Tabletop action RPG Demeo (2021) is now available on Vision Pro, which prominently features a fully-immersive VR mode so you can crawl the game’s many dungeons alongside other virtual basement dwellers.

Resolution Games has finally released Demeo for Vision Pro, which includes cross-buy between all Apple devices, priced at $40. So while you’ll be able to buy it once and play it on your Mac, iPad or iPhone, you’ll also be able to play against anyone who owns the game across Steam, Quest and PSVR 2.

Check out the trailer below:

For now, the Vision Pro version of the game differs from its main analogue on Quest 3, as it doesn’t include an actual immersive passthrough mode, aka mixed reality.

Instead, it gives the user either a fully-immersive VR mode, or a ‘Windowed’ virtual screen in mixed reality, the latter of which looks a bit like playing the game on a floating iPad.

Here’s a look at some launch day gameplay, courtesy of tech analyst and YouTuber Brad ‘SadlyItsBradley’ Lynch:

While the studio hasn’t said as much, it’s thought that Resolution Games will eventually bring an update to allow for proper mixed reality gameplay, making it similar to their other Vision Pro app Game Room (2024). We’ve reached out to the studio and will update this piece when/if we receive a response.

Whatever the case, this makes Demeo one of the very few bona fide VR games on Vision Pro. While the platform boasts a number of mixed reality titles, including things like What the Golf? and Lego Builder’s Journey, its VR games are few and far between, with standouts including Synth Riders (also mixed reality), Proton Pulse, Just Hoops, and … not much else for now.

This essentially comes down to Apple not prioritizing fully-immersive VR in favor of mixed reality. Substantively, Vision Pro doesn’t support any sort of motion controller, which means a majority of the best VR games in existence would need to be overhauled to entirely rely on hand-tracking, which filters out basically any game that requires quick and precise input to play. Even so, Vision Pro still costs $3,500, making it less broad of a platform to target when it comes to porting content directly from competing hardware, or creating stuff from the ground-up.

The post Vision Pro Gets Another Fully Immersive VR Game, With Cross-play to Other Headsets appeared first on Road to VR.

Posted on

‘Swordsman’ Studio Secures $2.5M to Create New Free-to-Play VR Combat Game

Sinn Studio, the Toronto-based indie behind VR sword-fighting game Swordsman (2020), has secured $2.5 million in a funding round, which is slated to propel the studio as it develops a new free-to-play combat game for VR.

The funding round was led by Hartmann Capital, and includes participation by Boost VC, Republic, Alumni Ventures, Mana Ventures, MetaVision, and angel investors including Chris Ye of Uken Games.

The studio’s next game, which hasn’t been detailed any further than this initial announcement, is said to be player-vs-player (PvP), which will notably depart from Swordsman’s AI-centric combat.

Notably, the studio is pitching it under a free-to-play model which will be driven by the company’s proprietary Combat Engine and its Large Intent Model (LIM), the studio’s neural network which it says is “specially designed to discern and learn from the intricate subtleties of human motion during combat.”

What’s more, Sinn Studio hopes these technologies will “power incredible first-party combat experiences, and one day, our favourite IPs,” says Alek Sinn, Co-Founder & CEO of Sinn Studio.

Released initially in 2020 on Steam, Swordman has since launched on every major VR headset to date, including Quest, PSVR 2, and Pico headsets.

Besides finding a good deal of success on Quest, the game was also ranked among the top 10 most-downloaded PSVR 2 games in 2023 across North America and Europe.

The post ‘Swordsman’ Studio Secures $2.5M to Create New Free-to-Play VR Combat Game appeared first on Road to VR.

Posted on

You Can Now Play ‘Hellblade 2’ in VR Thanks to This Indispensable Mod

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (2017) was one of the most visually amazing games to get official VR support, however developers Ninja Theory decided not to go that route with the game’s recently released sequel, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II (2024). If you have a beefy enough computer though, you can already play it in VR thanks to the ever-handy UEVR mod.

Praydog’s UEVR mod allows you to retroactively inject a host of games built in Unreal Engine with VR support, putting you head-first into non-VR titles like Palworld and many others.

The same goes for Hellblade II, which was built in Unreal Engine 5, letting users play the game in full 6DOF VR, in either first or third person. Check it out in action below:

In the video’s description, Flat2VR warns you’ll need a “beefy PC (think 4090)” to run the game, which the modding group calls is “one of the best-looking VR experiences you can possibly see in VR today.”

You’ll of course need a PC copy of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II in addition to downloading Praydog’s UEVR mod from GitHub, or joining the Flat2VR Discord channel (invite link) to grab all required software.

As suggested by Wccftech, you can also go one step further by removing postprocessing effects, such as motion blur, chromatic aberration, lens distortion, film grain, and forced letterboxing too, which can be done by installing another mod from Nexus Mods—handy for giving you a few more options for either flatscreen or VR play.

The post You Can Now Play ‘Hellblade 2’ in VR Thanks to This Indispensable Mod appeared first on Road to VR.