Pokémon Go maker Niantic plans to make an augmented reality headset using Qualcomm's new Snapdragon XR2 Platform, paving the way to new games that integrate digital graphics with the real world. The collaboration will see the Niantic Real World Platform brought to not only Niantic's hardware but opened to other developers who want to make vast, shared AR experiences.
Qualcomm has revealed its first mixed reality platform with 5G, the Snapdragon XR2 Platform, aiming to bring ubiquitous connectivity to augmented reality and virtual reality headsets and smart glasses. Debuting in reference design form today, Qualcomm's headset still isn't going to be mistaken for a sleek set of sunglasses, but the features might well make it worth it.
It may seem that VR is once again dead but it still continues to flow steadily in contrast to the flood of hype and news a year or so ago. Adoption of the technology, however, has mostly converged around PCs or, in some cases, standalone headsets. Virtual reality on consoles seems to have largely missed the window of opportunity and it doesn't seem like it's going to pick up the pace any time soon. In fact, Xbox's Phil Spencer practically shot down the idea that the next Xbox console, codenamed Project Scarlett, will even have a VR aspect to it.
Valve is perhaps best known for the Steam PC gaming store and platform but it is perhaps a lesser known fact that it has also developed and published a few games, including the famous Half-Life franchise. It is, however, also infamous for being unable to follow up on its ow promises of sequels, particularly in completing trilogies. The company is now stirring up the waters by announcing what it says is its flagship VR game. But, no, Half-Life: Alyx might not be the Half-Life 3 fans were promised many moons ago.
Back during Oculus Connect 6, Facebook announced that it would be bringing Oculus Link to the Oculus Quest. At the time, the company didn't give us a release date for the future, but today is the big day. Oculus Link has landed on Oculus Quest in beta, giving you a chance to tether your Oculus Quest to your PC to tap into that extra horsepower.
There are few game developers who have achieved rockstar fame as much as the two Johns of the former id Software. And of the two, one is moving on from games or at least from working on games directly. John Carmack will always be remembered for his pioneering work not only iconic franchises such as Doom and Wolfenstein 3D but also for pushing the computer gaming industry as a whole. At 49, however, he wants to be remembered for something else as well: making an impact in the field of Artificial Intelligence.
In 2015, Google launched its formal entry into the world of mobile-powered virtual reality. Cardboard was revolutionary in the way it empowered VR experiences with nothing but, well, a makeshift cardboard headset with special lenses. But while headsets were relatively easy to make, the software behind Cardboard stagnated to the point of being forgotten. Now Google seems to be stirring things up a bit by trying to breathe new life into Google Cardboard, mostly be handing off its upkeep to the open source community.
Virtual reality and even augmented reality seem to have taken a backseat to other tech news of late but that may be partly due to the growing maturity of the technologies. In other words, they're no longer as groundbreaking or as odd as they were at the start. That said, VR and especially AR are still pretty much out of reach of the majority of users and even developers, which is why Google is heavily pushing for the wide adoption of WebXR standards that are coming to Chrome starting with version 79 beta.
Google has officially discontinued support for its Daydream View virtual reality headset, the company has revealed, and its new Pixel 4 handset won't support the existing products. This effectively marks the end of Google's Daydream efforts, putting the entire VR system out to pasture. The discontinuation isn't surprising, however -- the company didn't include support for its previous Pixel 3a model, either.
Sony has announced that Marvel's Iron Man VR game will arrive on its PlayStation Virtual Reality platform in 2020. The company released a game trailer to go alongside the announcement, as well as a couple of screenshots showing the title's quality on the PlayStation 4 Pro console. The game is the result of three years of effort by video game developer Camouflaj.
Oculus may have its Rift S as its premiere VR headset but that requires users to be tethered to powerful and immovable PCs. It did launch the Oculus Go and later the Oculus Quest this year but while the latter is designed to be independent and capable, it was far less useful because of its software. As promised last month, Facebook-owned Oculus is rolling out a new firmware that brings a ton of new features that finally make its premiere standalone VR headset.
Fandango is bringing its FandangoNOW on-demand video service to the Oculus Go and Oculus Quest virtual reality headsets, the company announced on Wednesday. The arrival will enable headset owners to access their favorite shows and movie news through the headset, essentially offering viewers their own private entertainment room -- one literally strapped to their face.