It’s the last day of Nintendo’s April Indie Sale — don’t miss these 7 great games
Nintendo is celebrating indie games this week with steep discounts on some fantastic titles. Don't miss your chance to snag these great games.
Oculus Android App Has Now Surpassed 5 Million Installs
The Android version of the Oculus app has been downloaded more than 5 million times from the Google Play Store. It’s also available on Apple’s App Store, but download numbers are not publicly visible there.
For those unaware, the Oculus app is required to setup a new Oculus Go, Oculus Quest, or Oculus Quest 2. You can also use the app to remotely trigger PC VR games to download as well. It’s not the most accurate metric to gauge the size of the Quest userbase, but in a little over two years it has increased 5x in size from just 1 million in 2019.
Facebook still does not reveal sales figures for any of its hardware products, but game sales for Quest continue to rise. The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners made over $29 million in its first year across all VR platforms, Beat Saber is now over four million copies sold, and over 60 different apps on Quest have surpassed $1 million in revenue. Those are all strong indicators that VR is growing steadily.
Not to mention the fact that less than six months after its release last year, the Oculus Quest 2 is already the most-used VR headset across all of Steam — and it’s not even marketed as a PC VR-first device. It’s a fully standalone platform, that just so happens to also be capable of playing PC VR content if connected to a VR-ready PC. You’ll just need to either use an Oculus Link cable or setup Virtual Desktop.
How many Quest headsets do you think are out there in the wild now? Let us know down in the comments below!
Facebook: Devs Can Sell Oculus App Lab Keys, Documentation Currently ‘Unclear’
Yesterday a tweet from Tim Swan made the rounds when it pointed out the FAQ section of the developer’s portal for Oculus App Lab implies developers cannot sell keys to their App Lab projects outside of the official App Lab page itself. Fortunately, it seems like that language is not intentional.
Well done, facebook: pic.twitter.com/Q6XwWjyIe7
— Tim "Ooh Shiny" Swan (@Evryway) February 8, 2021
The first image above shows the regular store policy that has existed for years, stating, “You may distribute the keys however you like: sell them, give them away or print them out and distribute them offline.” The second image is from the App Lab FAQ page specifically, and it says, “you cannot collect payment for your app via any mechanism other than those explicitly approved by Oculus.” The language difference is pretty dramatic and it seems like the specific App Lab terms are different than existing Oculus store policy.
Swan reached out to us via email to ask if we had plans to cover this, so we reached out to Facebook for comment. This is what a Facebook spokesperson said:
“Our language about Oculus Keys is unclear and we are working to update. Developers can request Oculus Keys for App Lab and may sell them or distribute for free. Collecting payment by selling keys is an approved mechanism. In the meantime, more information about how to request keys can be found here.”
We don’t know the timeframe for the update to the policy phrasing, but it does sound like selling keys outside of the App Lab page itself is permitted. This means you should still be allowed to sell keys on a different third-party site, sell keys directly to consumers, run crowdfunding campaigns that deliver keys after a project has launched, accept pre-orders outside the App Lab page, and so on. It appears that selling keys was meant to be an implied “approved mechanism” but that clarification was lost in the updated policy terms.
We’ll keep an eye on the policy to see if the page is updated, but until then it at least sounds like selling keys is, in fact, still allowed.
Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below!
The Wizards VR Game Series Has Sold Over 200,000 Copies Across All Platforms
Action-adventure spellcasting VR RPG series The Wizards from Carbon Studios has sold over 200,000 copies across all platforms combined. There have been four releases so far, with The Wizards – Dark Times launching most recently in mid-2020.
The first game in the series, The Wizards, was an ambitious action-adventure that pitted spellcasting warriors against hordes of enemies across a variety of levels punctuated by brief moments of exploration and light puzzle solving. To give credit where credit is due, at the time, it was refreshing expansion of the tired “wave shooter” format that had become all-too-popular at the time.
After that it got an Enhanced Edition with more content and features, ported to PSVR, then an Oculus Go spin-off titled The Wizards: Trials of Meliora, and finally Dark Times last year. Carbon Studios is now working on a full Quest port of Dark Times, as well as a new Warhammer VR game: Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall. Carbon Studios intends on continuing to support Dark Times after it hits Oculus Quest as well.
“We want to show all VR gamers that we appreciate their involvement and thank them for their support,” says Aleksander Caban, Carbon Studios Co-Founder, in a prepared statement. “The best way we can do that is by giving them even more entertainment in our title. All of the planned additional content will be available to everyone who bought the game, free of charge. The VR community supports and trusts us, and thanks to them we have the opportunity to keep working on this title by introducing new features and improving on what has already been presented.”
What makes The Wizards so enduring as a VR series is the interactivity of its gameplay. Rather than just pointing and pulling a trigger to cast spells, you have to actually draw the runes in the air to summon the magic into your hand first. Things like fireballs, ethereal bows, shields, lightning blasts, and more all require you to memorize and reenact various gestures. It does a great job of making you feel like a sorcerer.
This is a big milestone for a small indie studio with a plucky brand and well-received franchise. Let us know if you’re a fan of The Wizards down in the comments below!
Resolution Games Casual Titles See 500% Boost From Quest 2 Launch
Following the launch of the Oculus Quest 2 late last year VR developer Resolution Games saw a 500% boost in downloads for their titles, including Angry Birds VR, Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale, Acron, Bait!, and Blaston.
The news was announced today following a slew of milestone announcements from Facebook regarding their standalone VR headset. In addition to over 60 different Quest apps surpassing the $1 million mark, Beat Saber has now sold over 4 million copies across all platforms and Facebook is rolling out the long-awaited non-store distribution format dubbed App Lab. This is supposedly going to make it easier to get content released on Quest, even if it’s unfinished or in Early Access.
Resolution Game Sales After Quest 2
In the chart above, Resolution Games is demonstrating the massive influx in sales relative to how sales have been going the last few years. The vertical axis of the chart is blank so we don’t know how much these games are making, but it still shows a clear and enormous influx of new sales for all of their games. And in the case of Bait!, a free-to-download fishing game with microtransactions, Resolution Games says it has been downloaded 4 million times across all platforms now.
Since most of the titles in Resolution Games’ catalogue aren’t newly released the biggest takeaway from a chart like this is simply that a lot of people bought the Oculus Quest 2.
Granted, we knew that already, but seeing it reflect in direct sales and increased revenue for developers is extremely important for the growth of the medium as a whole. Many other developers also saw similar boosts at Quest 2 launch.
“At Resolution Games, we are seeing our titles reach significant revenue milestones more quickly than ever before, and I can confidently say that current headsets are contributing to it,” says Tommy Palm, CEO of Resolution Games. “The onus is now on the developers to continue to develop the type of content that more mainstream gamers are used to in order for VR to attract the broader audience that it deserves, which is what we strive for at Resolution Games.”
We’ve reached out to Resolution to try and get a number with regard to sales or revenue for their paid titles and we’ll update this story if we hear back.
Resolution Games Casual Titles See 500% Boost From Quest 2 Launch
Following the launch of the Oculus Quest 2 late last year VR developer Resolution Games saw a 500% boost in downloads for their titles, including Angry Birds VR, Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale, Acron, Bait!, and Blaston.
The news was announced today following a slew of milestone announcements from Facebook regarding their standalone VR headset. In addition to over 60 different Quest apps surpassing the $1 million mark, Beat Saber has now sold over 4 million copies across all platforms and Facebook is rolling out the long-awaited non-store distribution format dubbed App Lab. This is supposedly going to make it easier to get content released on Quest, even if it’s unfinished or in Early Access.
Resolution Game Sales After Quest 2
In the chart above, Resolution Games is demonstrating the massive influx in sales relative to how sales have been going the last few years. The vertical axis of the chart is blank so we don’t know how much these games are making, but it still shows a clear and enormous influx of new sales for all of their games. And in the case of Bait!, a free-to-download fishing game with microtransactions, Resolution Games says it has been downloaded 4 million times across all platforms now.
Since most of the titles in Resolution Games’ catalogue aren’t newly released the biggest takeaway from a chart like this is simply that a lot of people bought the Oculus Quest 2.
Granted, we knew that already, but seeing it reflect in direct sales and increased revenue for developers is extremely important for the growth of the medium as a whole. Many other developers also saw similar boosts at Quest 2 launch.
“At Resolution Games, we are seeing our titles reach significant revenue milestones more quickly than ever before, and I can confidently say that current headsets are contributing to it,” says Tommy Palm, CEO of Resolution Games. “The onus is now on the developers to continue to develop the type of content that more mainstream gamers are used to in order for VR to attract the broader audience that it deserves, which is what we strive for at Resolution Games.”
We’ve reached out to Resolution to try and get a number with regard to sales or revenue for their paid titles and we’ll update this story if we hear back.
Alien: Isolation VR Mod Updated With Epic Games Store Support
The VR mod for horror game Alien: Isolation has been updated to include support for the Epic Games Store version, which was available for free for one day in late December.
Released in 2014, Alien: Isolation is a survival horror game set 15 years after the first Alien movie. You play as Ellen Ripley’s daughter, Amanda, navigating your way around the ship and hiding from xenomorphs. A mod for the game added full VR functionality, including motion controller support. Despite being fan-made, the VR mod for Alien: Isolation made it into an excellent VR survival horror title.
Back in late December, Alien: Isolation was available for free for one day only on the Epic Games Store and we encouraged anyone who was interested in trying out the VR mod to redeem a free copy. However, some of our readers soon reported that the VR mod didn’t work with the Epic Games Store version, as the mod was originally developed for the Steam release.
The creator of the mod, Nibre, released an update (the first in over two years) last week that rectifies the issue and adds support for the Epic Games Store version. If you snagged a free copy but weren’t able to get the VR mod working, you should be able to now.
You can download the new mod version over on github now and check out our guide on how to start playing Alien: Isolation in VR. And please let us know in the comments how it works out for you.
Oculus Quest Store Bundles Drop 30% Or More Off Top Games
Bundles are available discounting the prices for some of the best games you can enjoy on Oculus Quest 2 or the original Oculus Quest.
The bundles cut 30% or more off the regular price for some of the best games in the store until the end of December 27, 2020. The Quest Essentials Holiday Pack includes Onward, SUPERHOT VR, Job Simulator, Pistol Whip, and Eleven Table Tennis for $79.99. If you’re a new Quest 2 owner this Christmas that bundle is going to give you some of the best games available on the Oculus store for a great price. You’ll find several of these games on our top 25 Oculus Quest games list.
There’s also the Fan Favorites: Holiday Pack with Arizona Sunshine, Vacation Simulator, Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted, The Room VR, Red Matter, Wander, In Death: Unchained, Waltz of the Wizard: Extended Edition, and The Thrill of the Fight altogether for $144.99. The Winter Adventures: Holiday Pack includes Moss, Down the Rabbit Hole, and Fisherman’s Tale for $44.99. The Vader Immortal trilogy is also discounted down to $19.99 for the whole series together.
In addition to the bundles above you’ll find a large number of discounts on individual apps. If you’re looking for suggestions be sure to click our top 25 Oculus Quest games list above. Also, if you’re a new Quest owner we have a number of articles to help you get started with standalone VR:
- The 11 Best Free Games And Experiences To Play First On Oculus Quest 2
- How To Play PC VR Games On Oculus Quest And Oculus Quest 2
- How To Sideload Content On Oculus Quest And Oculus Quest 2
- How To Stream From Oculus Quest
- How To Cast Your View From Oculus Quest To A TV Or Phone
- Oculus Quest 2 Gift Guide: The Ultimate List
Alien: Isolation Is Free On The Epic Games Store Today, VR Mod Works Great
One of the scariest games of all-time, which supports a full VR mod that even includes motion controller support, is totally free today only on PC via the Epic Games Store. You have until 8AM PT on 12/22/20 to grab it before it switches to tomorrow’s free game.
One thing to note: we don’t know for sure if this mod works with the Epic Games Store version, but it absolutely should. Here are details on getting the mod working, but make sure you refer to the official github listing for up-to-date information.
Alien: Isolation is a perfect fit for VR, so even though it’s a bummer we don’t have integrated official support, at least the mod works great. You see, the game had been shown with its VR support in the past, so it follows that modders were able to essentially “fully activate” in a sense.
In Alien: Isolation you take on the role of Amanda, Ellen Ripley’s daughter 15 years after the events of the first movie. You navigate through the ship and do your best to survive by hiding from xenomorphs and uncovering the secrets of what happened. It’s a true survival horror game that is full of tense moments.
Originally released in 2014 it does show its age visually, but it’s still an excellent survival horror game whether you’re a big fan of the film universe or not. There’s really no reason for you to not log onto the Epic Games Store right now and redeem your copy for free. It’s a great game!
Let us know what you think if you give the VR support a spin down in the comments below!
Oculus Quest 2 Sold Out Through The End Of 2020 (Update)
Update 12/14/20: Facebook responded with a statement explaining that online shipping estimate dates are “dynamic” and change often, so make sure and check back in frequently since Oculus continues to ship new batches to retail outlets and for Oculus.com. Additionally, brick & mortar locations may still have stock this holiday season.
Original 12/12/20: If you’re in the United States and you’ve been trying to get your hands on Oculus Quest 2, you’ll probably have to wait until 2021.
The standalone headset won’t arrive until January if you buy it from Amazon or Facebook’s own Oculus website. The $299 device is sold out at Best Buy as well. As of Saturday night, you could still order the device from Walmart’s app for delivery before Christmas but it would be coming from a third-party charging $160 above Facebook’s asking price.
While it is possible the headset can be found elsewhere, Facebook’s own website is usually a pretty good indication of the overall supply and demand for the device. As of this writing, Facebook warns on its website that new orders for either the 64 GB ($299) or 256 GB ($399) version of Quest 2 are estimated for delivery on January 11, 2021.
Last year the original Quest sold out in a similar manner.
Some new-to-VR buyers looking for Quest 2 might be confused by the final days of Rift S. The latter PC-only headset recently saw a price drop to $299 because Facebook is clearing out stock before pulling it from store shelves entirely. While both headsets are “Oculus” VR devices, Oculus Quest 2 represents the future of Facebook’s VR efforts and works wirelessly as a completely all-in-one experience. To be perfectly clear to any confused people out there, we cannot recommend anyone buy an Oculus Rift S for a number of reasons. We can, however, say that Quest 2 is the new king of VR, as long as you don’t mind Facebook.
For those of you still looking for Quest 2, there is a Chrome extension you can install that can help you find when the device is back in stock at its suggested retail price.