Meta announced it’s now rolling out its v64 software update for Quest, which the company says features key improvements to passthrough quality on Quest 3, support for external mics, and a few other bits and bobs.

In update v64, Meta says we’re getting higher-fidelity passthrough on Quest 3, which is said to improve color, exposure, contrast, and dynamic range. If you were a part of the public test channel (PTC), you might have noticed some marked improvements already.

“Taken together, these improvements should make it easier to, for instance, see fine details (i.e. phone notifications and other small text) without […]

Luke Ross, the modder dedicated to bringing unofficial VR support to flatscreen games, released a new VR mod for the PC version of Horizon Forbidden West.

Only released on PC on March 21st, Horizon Forbidden West again follows series protagonist Aloy as she braves a majestic but dangerous new frontier that’s filled to the brim with bigger and more awe-inspiring machines.

Ross is already well-known in the space for having previously modded VR support for GTA V, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Mafia II via the R.E.A.L. VR mod injector, however due to a dispute with Rockstar Games, many of have been removed from the […]

Netflix is selling the headset featured in its latest TV series 3 Body Problem, which heavily features characters accessing a shared virtual reality. Unfortunately, it’s just a prop—but it’s actually pretty cool as far as nonfunctional collectibles go.

Sold direct from Netflix for $110, it’s pretty clear from the price alone that the 3 Body Problem headset is just a high quality model, although it’s actually a little bit more than just a piece of plastic you can wear on your head.

The model’s polycarbonate is finished in silver chrome, letting you actually wear it and see the […]

After an eight hour flight, I can say that Apple has largely nailed the Vision Pro use-case of movie watching on a plane. But a few key improvements stand to make it more widely appealing.

Nobody looks forward to an eight hour flight. Whether it’s sleeping or reading or working, people want a way to pass the time and distract themselves from the noisy cabin, turbulence, and the general feeling of being packed into a metal tube like sardines.

The seat-back screen—with its selection of movies and TV shows—offers minor refuge from this chaotic environment.

I’m someone who really appreciates ‘cinematic […]

Ninja Theory, the studio behind award-winning VR-supported game Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (2017), says there are currently no plans to bring its upcoming sequel to VR.

Unlike the first game, which brought PC VR support in a free update in 2018, it doesn’t appear we should hold out hope for a similar release for the upcoming sequel Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.

According to a PCGamesN interview with Ninja Theory, studio head Dom Matthews was asked directly if such a VR update was in the cards, which was met with an unambiguous “no.”

Coming to PC and Xbox consoles on May 21st, Senua’s […]

I went hands-on with Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire, an upcoming horror-puzzle for Quest from Schell Games that tasks you with defusing various arcane traps protecting a coven of sleeping vampires. Much like the studio’s pioneering VR puzzle franchise I Expect You to Die, any false move means certain death, but you’ll need to think twice before fumbling your trusty vampire-busting tools since there’s always a jump scare waiting for you on the other side of inevitable failure.

In my preview of Silent Slayer, I got a chance to play through the first three levels of the game, which are basically tutorials […]

FarBridge, the studio behind the classic real-time strategy franchise Homeworld, announced it’s releasing an all-new VR game for Quest, putting players in its iconic 3D space battles.

The studio, which is working with Borderlands studio Gearbox, says Homeworld: Vast Reaches is an entirely new game (re: not a port or remaster) which has been designed from the ground up for VR in terms of controls, play-style, and optional mixed reality mode.

Here’s how FarBridge describes it:

Experience this strategy space game through a new perspective — get up close and personal to epic space battles, commanding your ships in real-time […]

Warner Bros. announced that The Matrix, one of the biggest film franchises to popularize virtual reality, is getting a fifth installment.

The film, which doesn’t have a release date yet, is set to be directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Drew Goddard, who is also known for writing the screenplay for The Martian (2015) and co-writing and directing The Cabin in the Woods.

“Drew came to Warner Bros. with a new idea that we all believe would be an incredible way to continue the ‘Matrix’ world, by both honoring what Lana and Lilly began over 25-years ago and offering a unique perspective […]

Meta announced it’s adding an obligatory age confirmation feature on the Quest platform, which in addition to asking you for your real birthday, could also put up a hard barrier on younger users accessing apps that aren’t age appropriate.

Within the next few days users will be prompted in-headset to confirm their age by re-entering their birthdate, which essentially divides users according to three specific age groups: adults, teens and preteens.

Here’s what those tiers mean:

Adults (18+): Choose between private or public profiles, control visibility of activity, and manage follower interactions.
Teens (13-17): Default to private profiles, with teens having […]

April Fool’s Day is more than just a time to pull harmless pranks. It’s also about putting on your ‘skeptic hat’ and really asking whether you can believe your eyes, as trusted companies and key figures in XR dropped a few doozies yesterday that are so great they’re terrible.

‘Virtual Boy Pro’ MR Headset

Nintendo actually teamed up with IGN to poke some serious fun at the biggest XR companies out there—but also apparently anyone who wanted the Japanese gaming giant to poke their heads back into the medium since it last released its Nintendo Labo VR kit in 2019, which […]

Apple today released ‘Spatial Personas’ in public beta on Vision Pro. The newly upgraded avatar system can now bring people right into your room. We got an early look.

Much has been said about Apple’s Persona avatar system for Vision Pro. Whether you find them uncanney or passable, one thing is certain: it’s the most photorealistic real-time avatar system built into any headset available today. And now Personas is getting upgraded with ‘Spatial Personas’.

But weren’t Personas already ‘spatial’? Let me explain.

Sorta Spatial

At launch the Persona system allowed users to scan their faces into the headset to create a digital […]

Your banana republic awaits, as the popular single-player city builder Tropico is now available on Quest.

Developers Feral Interactive and Kalypso Media Digital released Tropico on Quest, bringing Tropico 4 (2011) to VR for the first time in a direct port.

If you’ve never played the Tropico series, the classic city builder lets you take on the role of El Presidente, where you’re given the reigns of your own island-based nation, letting you transform the tropical paradise into an industrial powerhouse, a tourist playground and a budding superpower.

The VR adaptation includes everything from the original, including over 40 missions and an endlessly replayable Sandbox […]

Meta announced last year it was sunsetting the original Quest, which was first released in 2019. While many developers of new apps have since stopped including the nearly five year-old headset as a supported device, now the company says it’s taking choice out of the equation, as no new apps will be able to offer support for Quest 1 starting on April 30th.

The company announced the news in an email to developers, seen below:

Notice to Quest 1 Developers

As we announced last year, we are implementing important changes to Quest 1. Beginning on […]