Latest education updates from around the world

Meta Offers Free Quest 3S Replacement Following Software Update That Bricked Some Headsets

By |December 31, 2024|

One of the worst things to happen on Christmas morning is downloading updates and charging batteries. Undoubtedly even worse though is downloading an update that then bricks your device before you can even use it. This apparently happened to a number of users last week, which Meta has responded by offering new devices and Horizon Store credit.

According to mass user reports that flooded Reddit on December 25th, some new Quest owners encountered a critical error after being forced to […]

‘Rec Room’ Launches ‘Jet Set Radio’ Inspired Mini-game ‘Run the Block’, Trailer Here

By |December 30, 2024|

Rec Room is full of first-party adventures you can play with friends and randos alike. The social VR platform’s next big offering is already here in ‘Run the Block’, which has taken a number of cues from Dreamcast retro-favorite Jet Set Radio (2000).

The multiplayer mini-game ‘Run the Block’ launched on December 11th, having already attracted over one million players.

Like Jet Set Radio, the free mini-game pits you against up to 9 other players to artfully race and parkour your way through an urban sprawl.

While it doesn’t have […]

‘Attack on Titan VR’ Launches ‘Complete Edition’, Including New Chapters & Co-op Mode

By |December 26, 2024|

Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable launched into Early Access on Quest back in July, offering up a single mission (‘chapter’) and a few unlockable blades, releasing the first drip of content which was promised to expand in the following months. Now, developer UNIVRS has released the ‘Complete Edition’, which now includes four chapters.

When we went hands-on in July, we noted the game felt very much like a tech demo; while it included a good slice of core gameplay, it was limited to […]

‘Blade & Sorcery’ Studio Confirms Next “highly moddable” VR Game in Development

By |December 26, 2024|

VR’s favorite combat sim Blade & Sorcery (2024) may have wrapped up development with its big 1.0 release in June, but creator Warpfrog says it’s already on to its next title, which will be just as “highly moddable” as its breakout physics combat game.

Details are still thin on the ground, however the studio tells Road to VR its next title is indeed a VR game, and will have the “familiar hallmarks of Warpfrog games,” which include physics-based interactions and a heavy emphasis on simulation.

Additionally, the […]

Happy Holidays!

By |December 24, 2024|

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy holiday season, as well as a bright and better year ahead!

Pimax Announces Dream Air, a Compact VR Headset With One Totally Unique Feature

By |December 24, 2024|

The Pimax Dream Air headset represents a new area of focus for the company. While most of its headsets up to this point have been necessarily bulky to achieve their signature large field-of-view, the Dream Air aims to make a headset that’s compact but still feature-rich. One of those features—a headstrap that automatically tightens—would be an industry first.

Priced at $1,900 and purportedly shipping in May 2025, Pimax’s Dream Air headset aims to take on an emerging segment of compact high-end PC VR headsets like […]

The Best VR Games of 2024 – Our Game of the Year Picks

By |December 24, 2024|

Here we are, another year deeper into the most immersive medium that refuses to stand still. Far from fading away, over its nearly decade of existence VR has continued to evolve in ways both subtle and seismic, redefining what’s possible in gaming, creativity, and connection.

2024 has been a year of milestones, where the long-promised potential of VR is becoming ever more undeniable. It’s not just about more ‘AAA’ games—although that doesn’t hurt. This year, we’ve seen the release of highly-anticipated titles and ambitious indie projects alike, […]

Survios Responds to ‘Alien: Rogue Incursion’s’ Last Minute “Part 1” Designation

By |December 23, 2024|

We didn’t know we were getting a ‘Part One’ when Survios released their long-awaited horror-shooter Alien: Rogue Incursion (2024) last week, but now we know why. No, you’re not getting half of the game when you buy it, but rather a promise that more is yet to come.

At launch last week on PC VR and PSVR 2, many were confused what the newly applied ‘Part One’ labeling could mean. Are we actually getting a full game here? Is it being sliced into episodes?

In our full review, we […]

5 Ways Writing Instruction Should Evolve In The Age of AI

By |December 23, 2024|

AI is here to stay, and we need to find ways that AI can help our students while also creating assignments that prioritize human creativity and protect “real” writing.

Meta CTO on Wireless Compute Pucks for Quest: They Don’t Solve the Problem

By |December 21, 2024|

Reducing weight and increasing performance are two of the most important factors in pushing standalone XR headsets forward. While Meta has shown off its own Orion AR glasses prototype using a wireless compute unit, Meta’s CTO Andrew Bosworth doesn’t think a similar setup is the magic bullet for standalone VR gaming.

Bosworth, who is also head of the company’s Reality Labs XR team, held another one of his Instagram Q&As earlier this week, where he typically delves […]

9 Suggestions For Your AI Reading List

By |December 20, 2024|

Some reading about AI in education to help better understand its potential impacts and harness its capabilities

New Trailer Reveals Release Date for ‘SUPERHOT’ Spiritual Successor ‘COLD VR’

By |December 20, 2024|

COLD VR, a spiritual successor to long-time hit SUPERHOT VR (2016), is officially headed to Quest and PC VR headsets next month, with its PSVR 2 version slated to arrive later.

Superhot VR is old, but gold. And it’s a wonder more studios haven’t tried to replicate its game’s unique time-stopping movement mechanic.

Cold VR has to a certain extent, although it’s flipping the script by making you move not slower, but faster. In Cold VR, when you slow down, time goes faster, and so does the relentless […]

‘Alien: Rogue Incursion: Part 2’ is Already in Development, Survios Confirms

By |December 20, 2024|

Alien: Rogue Incursion releases today on PSVR 2 and PC VR headsets, while the Quest version of the the Xenomorph-flavored horror-shooter is slated to arrive February next year. Now developer Survios announced its already in full swing crafting ‘Part Two’.

We’ve already had a chance to play through Part One in our full review, where we gave the game a solid [7/10] for its immersive atmosphere and strong narrative, which we thought was somewhat dampened by repetitive enemy encounters and a pretty punishing save […]

‘Vail VR’ Studio Reveals $5.5M in Revenue as It Opens Crowd-investment Campaign

By |December 19, 2024|

AEXLAB, the studio behind VR shooter Vail (2024), announced it’s opened a crowd-investment campaign to support ongoing development of the game. Additionally, the studio revealed the multiplayer shooter has generated over $5.5 million in revenue to date, owing to its 300,000+ unique players across PC VR and Quest platforms.

Unlike typical crowdfunding campaigns, which promise a product in exchange for startup funds, the Miami, Florida-based studio is pursuing the equity crowd-investment route to fund ongoing support of Vail.

Similar to how Virtuix supported […]

KnoPro: How to Use It to Support CTE

By |December 19, 2024|

KnoPro teaches real-world skills using challenges to fix problems and win prizes.

Helping science-averse teachers integrate STEM and literacy

By |December 19, 2024|

Starting with a compelling story is a powerful way to inspire 2nd-grade teachers and students to explore STEM topics through literacy.

Key points:

As a former middle school math teacher, I’ve witnessed firsthand how STEM education and literacy can work together to create powerful learning experiences. This understanding has deepened […]

Google & Pico Adoption Further Cements OpenXR as Industry Standard, With One Major Holdout

By |December 19, 2024|

OpenXR is an open standard made to improve compatibility between XR software and XR headsets. Google—one of the biggest tech companies in the world—is adopting the standard right out of the gate, joining other major firms like Meta and Microsoft. Other players (like ByteDance recently) also support the standard, cementing it as not just an open standard, but an industry standard. And while the vast majority of major XR companies now support OpenXR, a major holdout remains.

Initially announced in 2017, OpenXR is an open […]

Quest Holiday Sale Brings Big Discounts to Huge Games like ‘Asgard’s Wrath 2’ and ‘Assassin’s Creed VR’

By |December 18, 2024|

Meta has launched its Quest Holiday Sale, bringing big discounts to some of the platform’s top titles.

From now until January 6th, you’ll be able to grab up to 50% off a large list of Quest games, which also includes savings on apps and DLC. You can check out the whole list over on the Horizon Store.

Notable standouts include:

‘Alien: Rogue Incursion’ Review – A Thrilling but Repetitive Fight Through Xenomorph Hordes

By |December 18, 2024|

Alien: Rogue Incursion is the first full-blown VR-native in the storied franchise, serving up hordes of Xenomorphs in an authentically ‘Aliens’ universe. Developed by VR veteran studio Survios (Creed: Rise to Glory, The Walking Dead: Onslaught), Rogue Incursion presents a veritable balancing act of combat and exploration through its dark and gritty cinematic universe, which definitely offers pulse-raising encounters with raptor-like packs of the game’s namesake. It also feels overly encumbered by the sheer repetition of random alien encounters and its equally punishing save system.

Lynx Confirms Android XR For Next Headset, Sony & XREAL Also On-board for Google’s OS

By |December 18, 2024|

Although Android XR isn’t properly open-source for the time being, Google hopes the OS will run on multiple partner headsets. While Samsung is said to be the first to launch an Android XR headset, Sony, Lynx, and XREAL are also planning to use the operating system.

Meta announced earlier this year that it intends to open its Quest’s Horizon OS operating system to third-parties, but now Android XR presents another choice for headset makers.

According to Google, Sony, Lynx, and XREAL are on board with Android XR.

Want to improve STEM education? Here’s how

By |December 17, 2024|

Robust, systemic change across the education system is needed to achieve major improvements in STEM education outcomes for students.

Key points:

Federal agencies, states, and school districts should develop robust methods to expand the use of promising innovations that can improve STEM education from pre-K through high school, according to a