Category: oculus gaming showcase

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First Details Emerge for Star Wars: Tales From the Galaxy’s Edge Part II

Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge

Star Wars: Tales From the Galaxy’s Edge arrived back in November 2020 exclusively for Oculus Quest. While it provided an interesting experience for virtual reality (VR) fans it did evoke some mixed responses, mainly due to its short run time. That’s going to be improved in 2021 with part 2, so during the Oculus Gaming Showcase today ILMxLAB has teased the first details.

Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge

And by teased VRFocus means a very brief glance at what’s to come, with ILMxLAB unveiling the first character and a single piece of concept art. The first character you get to meet from Star Wars: Tales From the Galaxy’s Edge: Part 2 is a mysterious Ithorian called Dok-Ondar, a visitor from the Den of Antiquities. The artwork art features Dok-Ondar in Seezelslak’s Cantina with his translation droid.

Just as Star Wars: Tales From the Galaxy’s Edge is based on the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge themed area in Disneyland, California and Disney World, Florida, Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities can be physically found at Disneyland where guests can purchase Star Wars memorabilia.

Quite what his role will be in Star Wars: Tales From the Galaxy’s Edge remains unclear. While he could offer trading possibilities that may not be the case as he’s not in his shop. The fact he’s in the cantina suggests he’ll probably have a mission or two for you, sending you off to some remote corner of Batuu to find a rare artefact.

Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge

The videogame takes place on the planet of Batuu just on the outskirts of the Black Spire Outpost with the storyline set between Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. You play a droid repair technician who crashlands on the planet, ending up in Seezelslak’s Cantina where you listen to his stories and go on missions, encountering some famous characters along the way.

“Continuing to hone its VR skills, ILMxLAB has created a rather mixed experience with Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge,” VRFocus said in its review. “What it lacks in that initial wow factor and excitement that Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series had it makes up for by offering a more open adventure with a nice mixture of action, light puzzling as well as great voice acting and animation.

Not only is there part two to look forward to later this year, but Star Wars fans will also get their hands-on Star Wars Pinball VR, due to launch next week on 29th April for most VR headsets. As further updates for Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge are released, VRFocus will let you know.

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Lone Echo II Launches This Summer for Oculus Rift

Lone Echo 2

If there’s one videogame longtime Oculus fans have been eagerly awaiting its probably Lone Echo II by Ready At Dawn. The original Lone Echo in 2017 was a massive Oculus exclusive, showcasing just what the medium could achieve way before Half-Life: Alyx. Today, as part of the Oculus Gaming Showcase, Lone Echo II is confirmed for a Summer 2021 launch.

Lone Echo 2

Not unexpected, as the Oculus Gaming Showcase announcement did mention Lone Echo II, with everyone awaiting news of its arrival. It’s still a shame that it’s just a summer window with no concrete date as to the sci-fi adventure’s exact arrival. When it does land it’ll still be an exclusive for the now discontinued Oculus Rift platform with support for Oculus Quest via Link – you can always utilise Virtual Desktop or Oculus Air Link to keep it wireless.

Lone Echo II continues the exploits of Captain Olivia Rhodes and her trusty android sidekick Jack. Weaving a rich sci-fi narrative, as Jack you’re tasked with aiding Rhodes’ survival in the depths of space, exploring the zero-g environments with a wrist-mounted thruster and solving various challenges along the way.

“Lone Echo ended with an unanswered question; what does the future hold for Liv and Jack now that they’ve arrived in the 26th century? We’re excited to continue their story and reveal how the events of the first game have impacted the future they are about to encounter,” said Ru Weerasuriya, Founder, Head of Studio, Ready At Dawn in a statement. “With Lone Echo, we opened the door to building a true connection with an NPC inside a virtual world. With this sequel, we are diving deeper into the relationship between Jack and Liv, and giving the player the opportunity to explore new bonds with new characters.”

Lone Echo 2

Ready At Dawn confirmed Lone Echo II was underway in 2018, offering a playable demo during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2019 with an eye on launching the title in 2020. Like many studios, the move to remote working during the pandemic significantly impacted development of the videogame with the studio having to push the release window back. So now there’s Lone Echo II to look forward to in a few months.

As further details on Lone Echo II are released, VRFocus will let you know.

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Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister Adds Multiplayer Horde Mode

Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister

Pixel Toys’ Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister was one of several virtual reality (VR) titles to arrive for Oculus Quest in time for Christmas 2020, enabling Warhammer fans to step into the war-torn universe and battle the forces of Chaos. Today, as part of the Oculus Gaming Showcase, Pixel Toys has announced the launch of its next major update, adding a co-op horde mode.

Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister

The Last Bastion horde mode launched last month with one map and only playable solo. With the free multiplayer update you and a mate can team up and fight hordes of demons, cultists, Chaos Space Marines and more, surviving against ever greater numbers as the waves progress. To aid your chances every kill earns you resources that can be used to purchase weapons and ammunition. These weapons include classics fans should already be well acquainted with like Bolters, Plasma pistols, Lasguns, Grenade launchers, Grenades, Flamers, Chainswords and Melta guns.

“We’re thrilled to be adding the Last Bastion game mode, delivering a fast and furious co-op experience, that brings players together,” says James Horn, Project Co-Director at Pixel Toys in a statement. “The team have done a huge amount of work supporting players since launch and we look forward to providing even more fantastic content going forward.”

The launch of Last Bastion will feature three maps for you play with more already in development. Pixel Toys says the next batch will arrive in a June update for Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister.

Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister

“What better way fight of the forces of Chaos, that to bring a friend! We are very proud to be able to bring nonstopaction co-op gameplay to the Last Bastion Horde mode in Warhammer 40,000 Battle Sister,” James Horn, Project Co-Director at Pixel Toys adds.

VRFocus reviewed Warhammer 40,000 Battle Sister saying: “Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister has some great set piece moments, and the general gameplay is enjoyable throughout. Its action all the way, so there’s not much depth to the experience and no secrets to uncover. Just grab a gun and start blasting, which is no bad thing.”

Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister is available for Oculus Quest/Quest 2 priced at £22.99 GBP. Check out the new trailer below and for further updates keep reading VRFocus.

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Pistol Whip Wild West-Themed Campaign Coming This Summer

Yee haw cowboys! Pistol Whip’s new wild west-themed campaign, Smoke & Thunder, drops as a free update this summer for Quest and Rift platforms.

Smoke & Thunder is wild west-themed and will be the second in a series of new narrative-driven mini campaigns added as free updates for Cloudhead Games’ rhythm-based shooter. It follows on from the epic Terminator-themed 2089 campaign that was added last December.

Just like 2089, Smoke & Thunder features five new ‘scenes’ (Pistol Whip’s name for a level or track) and will tell “the tale of two sisters set in the Wild West where trains, tech, and explosions set the scene for some exciting surprises.”

In addition to Smoke & Thunder, the update will also include The Concierge campaign, which was meant to launch in late 2020 but was then pushed back to 2021. There’s not much info on what to expect from The Concierge, but here’s how it’s described on the Oculus blog:

This update will release alongside The Concierge, which will unlock total customization for Pistol Whip players. Whether you prefer bottomless burst pistols or dodging through levels as a no-ammo pacifist, seemingly endless combinations of weapons and modifiers for every level will allow you to truly hone your play style. Compete in the ever-changing featured styles with multi-platform leaderboards, or dive in and build your own. The Concierge always has what you need.

Both Smoke & Thunder and The Concierge will drop in the same update for Pistol Whip, coming this summer. Keep an eye out for more details soon.

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Enjoy Summer Gun Slinging With Pistol Whip: Smoke & Thunder on Oculus Quest & Rift

Pistol Whip: Smoke and Thunder

During the Game Developers Conference (GDC) back in March, Cloudhead Games’ CEO, Denny Unger teased details of Pistol Whip’s next campaign, indicating that it could be set in the Wild West. That’s very much the case with the studio confirming Pistol Whip: Smoke & Thunder will be coming to Oculus Quest and Rift during the summer.

Pistol Whip: Smoke and Thunder

Just like Pistol Whip: 2089, this new action-packed campaign will be set across five scenes (stages) with the storyline involving a pair of sisters. Few other details have been released so far, but expect to encounter plenty of explosions, trains and, of course, some pistol-whipping in what could be Pistol Whip’s least neon-drenched experience yet.

The launch of Pistol Whip: Smoke & Thunder will also herald the arrival of The Concierge update Cloudhead Games originally mentioned last year. While Pistol Whip does feature gameplay modifiers and gun customisation options, The Concierge is set to take those options to a whole new level. “Whether you prefer bottomless burst pistols or dodging through levels as a no-ammo pacifist, seemingly endless combinations of weapons and modifiers for every level will allow you to truly hone your play style,” notes a blog post. In addition to the customisation options, you’ll be able to compete in the multi-platform leaderboards which will have ever-changing featured styles.

For the sound of it, Pistol Whip: Smoke & Thunder and The Concierge will be Pistol Whip’s biggest content update to date, greatly rounding out the experience for new and seasoned players. The Pistol Whip 2089 campaign was free DLC so that could well be the case again, VRFocus expects Cloudhead Games might do the same again.

Pistol Whip

The rhythm action shooter has been a big success for Cloudhead Games since the initial launch in 2019. VRFocus  thoroughly enjoyed playing Pistol Whip, saying in its review: “Pistol Whip is huge amounts of fun even on the easiest difficulty setting, suitable for VR players no matter their skill level.”

Pistol Whip: Smoke & Thunder is part of the Oculus Gaming Showcase, the first time Facebook has held such an event, mainly due to events such as GDC unable to take place. Summer 2021 is going to be a big one for the Oculus platform so keep reading VRFocus for all the latest updates.

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Oculus Launches Flash Sale Ahead of Gaming Showcase

Oculus Flash Sale

Later today – 11pm BST to be precise – Oculus will hold its first Gaming Showcase, an online event highlighting new updates for current titles, never-before-seen footage and more. In the run to the show the Oculus Store has just launched a 24 hour flash sale to get things started.

Oculus Quest 2

The sale has 15 Oculus Quest videogames on offer plus a Gaming Essentials Pack with six other titles all bundled together. By the looks of it, there’s no Flash Sale for Oculus Rift owners. Here’s what’s in the sale.

  • Thrill of the Fight – £5.99 (normally £7.99)
  • Real VR Fishing – £9.99 (normally £14.99)
  • Creed: Rise to Glory – £14.99 (normally £22.99)
  • Drunkn Bar Fight – £7.99 (normally £12.99)
  • Vacation Simulator – £14.99 (normally £22.99)
  • Topgolf with Pro Putt – £9.99 (normally £14.99)
  • The Room VR: A Dark Matter – £15.99 (normally £22.99)
  • Gun Club VR – £9.99 (normally £14.99)
  • Contractors – £9.99 (normally £14.99)
  • I Expect You To Die – £12.99 (normally £18.99)
  • Robo Recall: Unplugged – £14.55 (normally £22.99)
  • In Death: Unchained – £14.99 (normally £22.99)
  • Until You Fall – £13.29 (normally £18.99)
  • Sports Scramble – £14.99 (normally £22.99)
  • Myst – £14.99 (normally £22.99)
  • Gaming Essentials Pack – £79.99 (normally £121.94)
    • Population: One
    • Superhot VR
    • Job Simulator
    • Pistol Whip
    • Arizona Sunshine
    • Eleven Table Tennis
Until You Fall

As for the Oculus Gaming Showcase itself. Several titles have already been confirmed to appear including Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge, Pistol Whip, and Lone Echo II. While the first two are expected to be content updates the inclusion of Ready at Dawn’s sci-fi adventure Lone Echo II will hopefully see the studio confirm a launch date.

So grab yourself a bargain in the next few hours and when those announcements are made, VRFocus will report back.

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What To Expect From The Oculus Gaming Showcase – Every Game/Developer Confirmed

Next week sees Facebook kick off the first ever Oculus Gaming Showcase.

On April 21st at 3pm PT the company will air a digital event filled with upcoming VR games featuring new trailers and full reveals. Naturally, the show’s being kept under wraps, but a handful of games and developers are confirmed to be taking part. Here’s what we know will be on show so far.

Confirmed Games

Lone Echo II

Facebook’s own blog post confirms that Lone Echo II will be part of the show. Honestly this wasn’t a safe bet given that the game has been missing in action for nearly two years, having last made an appearance at E3 2019. It’s currently schedule to release on the Oculus Rift.

Pistol Whip

Pistol Whip keeps on gunning nearly two years after launch. Cloudhead Games confirmed it will bring news on the game to the showcase in the blog post. Back in March, the studio said it would be releasing another campaign-driven DLC in the future.

Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxy’s Edge

The final confirmation direct from Facebook’s blog is Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxy’s Edge. Part 1 of this Quest-exclusive adventure released late last year, but details on the promised second instalment are thin on the ground.

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners

The official Twitter account for The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners confirms that the game will be a part of the show. It’s been nearly a year now since developer Skydance released in Trials update for the zombie survival game, and it launched its final version on Quest and Quest 2 in October.

Confirmed Developers

Vertigo Games

Arizona Sunshine developer Vertigo confirmed it’s taking part on Twitter. The studio didn’t explicitly say which title it would be talking about but, given the emoticon, there’s a good chance we’re talking about snowy post-apocalyptic shooter, After The Fall.

Fast Travel Games

Fast Travel Games is about to launch Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife on April 22nd. Again, though the game itself isn’t mentioned, the tweet below features ghosts and, well, that’s kind of a giveaway.

That’s all we know about what’s confirmed for the Oculus Gaming Showcase. What else are you hoping to see? Let us know in the comments below!

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The First Oculus Gaming Showcase Takes Place Next Week

Oculus Quest 2

When it comes to big virtual reality (VR) announcements – either on the hardware or software side – Facebook usually gears everything around its Connect event in September. 2021 is going to be a little different as the company will be hosting the very first Oculus Gaming Showcase dedicated to the latest upcoming content next week.

Oculus Gaming Showcase

Teasing in a blog post that fans can: “expect new updates to fan-favorite titles, never-before-seen footage from some unreleased games, and a few surprises in store,” several titles were mentioned. Cloudhead Games’ Pistol Whip, Ready At Dawn’s Lone Echo II, and Star Wars: Tales From the Galaxy’s Edge by ILMxLAB . Three big titles which VRFocus has a good idea of what could be mentioned.

In regards to Pistol Whip Cloudhead Games has previously mentioned a new campaign is under development with a hint towards a Wild West theme. Hopefully, the “Concierge” update will also get a release date. As for Lone Echo II well that’s easy, everyone’s awaiting a release date. First shown back in 2018 followed by a playable demo during E3 2019, the last official news on the project came late last year when the studio said: “we are still diligently working to bring you Jack and Liv’s next adventure together.” A Lone Echo II date would be big news for the Oculus community.

When it comes to Star Wars: Tales From the Galaxy’s Edge, the Oculus exclusive arrived late in 2020 with mixed reviews, one criticism being the amount of content. Well, that could be fixed this year as ILMxLAB previously stated it was a two-parter, so expect those details to be released during the Oculus Gaming Showcase.

Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge

The showcase takes place on 21st April 2021 starting at 3pm PT (11pm GMT) over on Oculus’ Twitch, Facebook, and YouTube channels. Facebook hasn’t said how long the stream will last but it sounds similar to Sony’s State of Play series. As further details are released, VRFocus will let you know.

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Where to Watch the Oculus Gaming Showcase Today @3PM PT

Facebook’s big Oculus Gaming Showcase is taking place today, bringing news “wholly dedicated to the stellar games across the Oculus Platform,” the company says. We’ve been promised fresh footage from upcoming games, along with “a few surprises.” Here’s how and when to watch.

The Oculus Gaming Showcase is the set to be broadcast on April 21st at 3PM PT (your timezone here); you’ll be able to watch it on Oculus channels on Twitch, Facebook, and YouTube.

Facebook is promising news on Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge, Pistol Whip, and the long-delayed Lone Echo II, saying that these are “just a few” of the games which will be on display during the showcase.

“You can expect new updates to fan-favorite titles, never-before-seen footage from some unreleased games, and a few surprises in store,” the company says.

There’s no telling if we’ll hear any news on the upcoming Oculus-published Splinter Cell & Assassin’s Creed VR games from Ubisoft, but our fingers are definitely crossed. What other games are you hoping to hear about? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Where to Watch the Oculus Gaming Showcase Today @3PM PT appeared first on Road to VR.

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Upload’s VR Livestreams This Week

From live podcasts in our very own VR Studio to trying out the latest games in VR, Upload has something for you! Read on for what’s scheduled for this week’s Upload VR livestreams.

For the week starting May 10th we’ll be jumping into our VR studio for the weekly VR Download podcasts, and playing randomly selected App Lab games in VR Roulette!

Tuesday – VR Download Industrycast 1pm PT

Every Monday we go live in our very own VR Download studio to talk about the latest industry and hardware news – except this week we’re going live on Tuesday to talk about Vivecon 2021!

Wednesday – VR Roulette 9am PT

Upload’s Jamie and Zeena select a handful of the latest App Lab games and try them out at random! There’s a spinning wheel, plenty of questionable games, and good times. This week we’ll be playing games like Unstung and Zooma.

Thursday – VR Download Gamescast 10.30am PT

Join the Upload gang as they talk through the biggest gaming stories of the week and give review rundowns for the week’s releases.

Subscribe and hit that notifications button to keep up with all of our latest YouTube content from livestreams to exclusive new looks at VR games and hardware. Make sure to set reminders for the upcoming streams and check back here for our latest livestreams every week.