A few months after making its Cardboard VR platform open source, Google has quietly ended sales for its Cardboard VR, the inexpensive cardboard-based phone viewers that could be used to experience virtual reality experiences using your own smartphone. The decision to end sales isn't surprising given Google's open-source change and the VR industry's overall evolution.
Bethesda Softworks revealed this week that the game Doom 3: VR Edition will be available on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 this month. This version of the game is completely official, optimized for this gameplay environment with motion controls, 180-degree quick-turn functionality, and "new textures, shaders, and sound effects." It's a whole new look at a very classic game that's seen its fair share of editions, expansions, and unofficial iterations, to be sure.
Facebook CFO David Wehner spoke this week about new smart glasses that are expected to launch later this year in collaboration with Ray-Ban and Luxottica. This isn't the first time we've heard of said glasses - but it is the first time anyone from Facebook has suggested the glasses will be anything less than extraordinary. Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference today, Wehner pointed to Facebook's future in augmented reality technology.
Niantic demonstrated a proof-of-concept vision today at Microsoft Ignite, showing what Microsoft Mesh could do with Pokemon GO. Microsoft Mesh is a new platform built on Azure that allows developers to connect users with a wide variety of devices and technologies, including AR and VR, on PCs, smartphones, tablets, and mixed-reality headsets. As Pokemon GO is a quintessential shared gaming experience, it seemed only natural to see Niantic appear when Microsoft made their first push for Mesh.
Sony's PlayStation chief has promised greater supplies of the PS5 as the year progresses, though gamers hoping to skip restock hell and reseller price gouging may still find themselves disappointed by the end of 2021. Shortages of the PlayStation 5 have proved to be a bigger deal than the console itself, as despite 4.5 million sales of the console in the last two months of 2020, demand still outstrips supply.
Sony has spilled the first details of PlayStation 5 Virtual Reality, confirming that a new PlayStation VR system is in the works, though don't expect to be putting the headset on this year. The next-generation VR system is still in development, Sony says, and as such won't be launching in 2021. However there's still more than enough to get VR fans and gamers excited.
Oculus Quest is getting two useful features today, particularly for instances where there are multiple people in a household using a single headset. Oculus has rolled out multi-user accounts and app sharing - two somewhat self-explanatory features that nonetheless make it easier to ensure that everyone using a headset not only has their own account, but also their own progression in games and their own privacy settings.
Google is notorious for killing off projects and products. Sometimes the move makes sense, sometimes they break hearts and dreams. One of those dreams involved a VR experience untethered to any computer and powered by the computer that's almost always with you anyway. That Daydream, unfortunately, would die a quiet and early death, and what was made official last year is now made more real with Google shutting down its servers and VR Play Store, significantly limiting what Daydream VR owners can with their headsets.
Apple's head of hardware engineering just switched his focus entirely to virtual and augmented reality devices, according to one report. This is only the latest in a line of rumors and tips that the company is preparing their biggest move in augmented / virtual reality yet, starting with one key device. Rumors suggest that Apple is developing a headset with the ability to put the company on top of the burgeoning market, right out the gate.
Apple's first mixed-reality headset will be no Oculus Quest alternative, new leaks suggest, with a supposed price tag - and high-end specs - that would put it among the company's most expensive Mac and display models. Long rumored, though believed to be finally headed to market around 2022, the first-generation Apple VR/AR headset would be more akin to a Microsoft HoloLens in positioning and cost.
It has been quite a while since Facebook surprisingly acquired Oculus but, for the longest time, the social network allowed the pioneering VR platform to operate in its own bubble. That has been changing lately, and not exactly in good ways, with Facebook enforcing its account to even use the standalone Quest headsets. A side effect of that, however, is some deeper integration with Facebook's products, like those who need to keep chatting away on Messenger even in virtual reality.
Tilt Brush is a virtual-reality painting application from Google that has been used by various creators over the years. Some of those creators are part of the Google Artist in Residence Program. Google says it wants to continue supporting artists using Tilt Brush by putting the application into the hands of everyone.