News – Page 34

Free-to-Play 1v1 Dueling Game ‘Divine Duel’ Launches on Quest Next Month, Trailer Here

Divine Duel is an upcoming free-to-play fighting game that pits you against celestial foes in 1v1 combat, and it’s coming first to Quest next month.

In Divine Duel you choose from four Celestials, each of which has their own unique powers. The studio says initially there will be over 40 weapons, spells, and creatures to summon—which yes, also includes dragons.

From the looks of it, players select a loadout of spells and weapons before each match, and select them in a sort of tactical turn-based combat during the fight, not unlike the now free-to-play dueling game Blaston.

The full-bodied, room-scale fighting game is similarly a real-time affair, so you’ll need to physically dodge and attack. Developer Immersion Games says it’s offering up multiple game modes at launch too, including classical duels and what the studio calls “card-games-inspired” battle.

Here’s a quick rundown of each Celestial and their two specials:

Arvald, the Solid: Frozen Comet, Frost Wyrm
Vaya, the Bioalchemist: Biostasis, Forest Spirits
Necra, the Underqueen: Ethernal Guardians, Ushabti
Ishi, The War Forger: Megaballista, Telekinesis

The team hasn’t revealed what extras it will be offering in order to monetize the game, although if it’s like any of the leading free-to-play dueling game, Blaston, we’re hoping to see a cosmetics-only approach.

The free-to-play game is set to launch on Quest and Quest 2 via App Lab on March 1st, and PC VR headsets via Steam in the coming weeks, developer Immersion Games revealed.

Free-to-Play 1v1 Dueling Game ‘Divine Duel’ Launches on Quest Next Month, Trailer Here Read More »

Unique Platform Puzzle ‘HUMANITY’ Coming to PSVR 2 & PC VR in May, Free Demo Now Live

enhance, humanity, humanity vr, News, psvr, psvr 2, SteamVR, tha ltd, VR Game / DJ Henderson / March 1, 2023

When we first caught glimpse of HUMANITY, it was clear it was going to be a unique experience, although the crowd simulation puzzler was long delayed past the original 2020 launch window. Now Tokyo-based design studio Tha LTD announced HUMANITY is officially coming in May.

It was pretty vague what the hell HUMANITY was all about when it was first announced in 2019, however now the studio reveals its upcoming game is a “unique blend of puzzle-solving and action-platforming,” giving you control over an ethereal Shiba Inu dog who commands a massive crowd.

Like Lemmings, you control the crowd as they jump, turn, push, float, shoot, and climb their way to the end goal. Move past obstacles, enemies, puzzles, and gain unlockable skills in the main game, and upload and try out user-built levels with the in-game Stage Creator.

To create its stark and unique environments, developer Tha LTD is working with creative studio Enhance—founded by Tetsuya Mizuguchi, known as the mind behind Rez and Tetris Effect: Connected—and director and visual designer Yugo Nakamura.

Tha game is considered a VR-optional experience, offering up a fairly straightforward implementation that lets you turn the game’s puzzle-filled levels around and control your Shiba Inu buddy and direct the human horde. While nothing ground-breaking, it’s nice to see VR support from the get-go.

The game is slated to release on PSVR, PSVR 2, and SteamVR headsets sometime in May. What’s more, you can now play a free demo on those platforms from now until March 6th. The demo contains 10 levels, while the full game has “90 plus”, the studio says.

In the meantime, check out the demo gameplay video overview below to learn more:

Unique Platform Puzzle ‘HUMANITY’ Coming to PSVR 2 & PC VR in May, Free Demo Now Live Read More »

‘Synapse’ is a Telekenetic Shooter Using PSVR 2 Eye-tracking, Coming in 2023

fracked, ndreams, News, psvr 2, psvr 2 games, synapse, synapse vr, VR Game / DJ Henderson / February 28, 2023

nDreams, the studio behind Fracked (2021) and Phantom: Covert Ops (2020), announced Synapse, an upcoming action shooter exclusive to PSVR 2 that looks to evolve Fracked’s run-and-cover gameplay whilst making good use of the headset’s eye-tracking capabilities.

There’s still a lot to learn about Synapse, although nDreams says in its PS blogpost announcement that Fracked made a “perfect foundation to build upon with Synapse,” as the upcoming shooter looks to evolves the former’s core gameplay.

As a PSVR 2 exclusive, Synapse however is also slated to use Sense controllers in concert with the headset’s eye-tracking capabilities, something the studio head James Shepard says provides “enhanced aiming which equips players with pinpoint precision when targeting their telekinesis and combines with motion controls to make wielding telekinetic powers a full-body experience.”

In the teaser trailer we get a good look at a few mechanics too; you’ll be able to launch, levitate, and smash enemies through destructible environments.

The fast-paced run and gun style gameplay along with telekinetically moveable cover also shows just how related nDream’s upcoming shooter is to Fracked.

There’s no launch date yet, however nDreams says it’s coming exclusively to PSVR 2 later this year. In the meantime, you can wishlist the game here.

‘Synapse’ is a Telekenetic Shooter Using PSVR 2 Eye-tracking, Coming in 2023 Read More »

Xiaomi Unveils Wireless AR Glasses Prototype, Powered by Same Chipset as Meta Quest Pro

AR development, AR glasses, AR Headset, AR News, mobile world congress 2023, mwc 2023, News, qualcomm ar glasses, Xiaomi, xiaomi ar glasses / DJ Henderson / February 28, 2023

Chinese tech giant Xiaomi today showed off a prototype AR headset at Mobile World Congress (MWC) that wirelessly connects to the user’s smartphone, making for what the company calls its “first wireless AR glasses to utilize distributed computing.”

Called Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition, the device is built upon the same Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 1 chipset as Meta’s recently released Quest Pro VR standalone.

While specs are still thin on the ground, the company did offer some info on headline features. For now, Xiaomi is couching it as a “concept technology achievement,” so it may be a while until we see a full spec sheet.

Packing two microOLED displays, the company is boasting “retina-level” resolution, saying its AR glasses pack in 58 pixels per degree (PPD). For reference, Meta Quest Pro has a PPD of 22, while enterprise headset Varjo XR-3 cites a PPD of 70.

The company hasn’t announced the headset’s field of view (FOV), however it says its free-form light-guiding prisms “minimizes light loss and produces clear and bright images with a to-eye brightness of up to 1200nit.”

Electrochromic lenses are also said to adapt the final image to different lighting conditions, even including a full ‘blackout mode’ that ostensibly allows it to work as a VR headset as well.

As for input, Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass includes onboard hand-tracking in addition to smartphone-based touch controls. Xiaomi says its optical hand-tracking is designed to let users to do things like select and open apps, swipe through pages, and exit apps.

As a prototype, there’s no pricing or availability on the table, however Xiaomi says the lightweight glasses (at 126g) will be available in a titanium-colored design with support for three sizes of nosepieces. An attachable glasses clip will also be available for near-sighted users.

In an exclusive hands-on, XDA Developers surmised it felt near production-ready, however one of the issues noted during a seemingly bump-free demo was battery life; the headset had to be charged in the middle of the 30-minute demo. Xiaomi apparently is incorporating a self-developed silicon-oxygen anode battery that is supposedly smaller than a typical lithium-ion battery. While there’s an onboard Snapdragon XR 2 Gen 1 chipset, XDA Developers also notes it doesn’t offer any storage, making a compatible smartphone requisite to playing AR content.

This isn’t the company’s first stab at XR tech; last summer Xiaomi showed off a pair of consumer smartglasses, called Mijia Glasses Camera, that featured a single heads-up display. Xiaomi’s Wireless AR Glass is however much closer in function to the concept it teased in late 2021, albeit with chunkier free-form light-guiding prisms than the more advanced-looking waveguides teased two years ago.

Xiaomi is actively working closely with chipmaker Qualcomm to ensure compatibility with Snapdragon Spaces-ready smartphones, which include Xiaomi 13 and OnePlus 11 5G. Possible other future contributions from Lenovo and Motorola, which have also announced their intentions to support Snapdragon Spaces.

Qualcomm announced Snapdragon Spaces in late 2021, a software tool kit which focuses on performance and low power devices which allows developers to create head-worn AR experiences from the ground-up, or add head-worn AR to existing smartphone apps.

Xiaomi Unveils Wireless AR Glasses Prototype, Powered by Same Chipset as Meta Quest Pro Read More »

Qualcomm Partners with 7 Major Telecoms to Advance Smartphone-tethered AR Glasses

AR Headset, ar headsets, AR Streaming, augmented reality, News, qualcomm, qualcomm ar, qualcomm snapdragon, qualcomm snapdragon xr2 ar headset, qualcomm xr, snapdragon processors, snapdragon spaces / DJ Henderson / February 27, 2023

Qualcomm announced at Mobile World Congress (MWC) today it’s partnering with seven global telecommunication companies in preparation for the next generation of AR glasses which are set to work directly with the user’s smartphone.

Partners include CMCC, Deutsche Telekom, KDDI Corporation, NTT QONOQ, T-Mobile, Telefonica, and Vodafone, which are said to currently be working with Qualcomm on new XR devices, experiences, and developer initiatives, including Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Spaces XR developer platform.

Qualcomm and Japan’s KDDI Corporation also announced a multi-year collaboration which it says will focus on the expansion of XR use cases and creation of a developer program in Japan.

Meanwhile, Qualcomm says OEMs are designing “a new wave of devices for operators and beyond” such as the newly unveiled Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition, OPPO’s new Mixed Reality device and OnePlus 11 5G smartphone.

At least in Xiaomi’s case, its Wireless AR Glass headset streams data from compatible smartphones. Effectively offloading computation to the smartphone, the company’s 126g headset boasts a wireless latency of as low as 3ms between the smartphone device to the glasses, and a wireless connection with full link latency as low as 50ms which is comparable to wired solution.

Qualcomm Partners with 7 Major Telecoms to Advance Smartphone-tethered AR Glasses Read More »

The 20 Best Rated & Most Popular Quest Games & Apps – February 2023

best meta quest 2 games, best oculus games, best oculus quest 2 games, best oculus quest games, best quest 2 games, best quest games, Feature, News, quest 2 games, quest games, Top List, top oculus games, top quest 2 games, top quest games, VR Gaming / Shannon Garcia / February 25, 2023

While Oculus doesn’t offer much publicly in the way of understanding how well individual games & apps are performing across its Quest 2 storefront, it’s possible to glean some insight by looking at apps relative to each other. Here’s a snapshot of the 20 best rated Oculus Quest games and apps as of February 2023.

Some quick qualifications before we get to the data:

Paid and free apps are separated
Only apps with more than 100 reviews are represented
App Lab apps are not represented (see our latest Quest App Lab report)
Rounded ratings may appear to show ‘ties’ in ratings for some applications, but the ranked order remains correct

Best Rated Oculus Quest 2 Games & Apps – Paid

The rating of each application is an aggregate of user reviews and a useful way to understand the general reception of each title by customers.

Rank	Name	Rating (# of ratings)	Rank Change	Price
#1	The Room VR: A Dark Matter	4.89 (12,301)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"≡"}">≡	$30
#2	Moss: Book II	4.89 (524)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"≡"}">≡	$30
#3	Puzzling Places	4.88 (1,652)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"≡"}">≡	$15
#4	Walkabout Mini Golf	4.87 (9,610)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"≡"}">≡	$15
#5	I Expect You To Die 2	4.84 (2,637)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"≡"}">≡	$25
#6	DYSCHRONIA: Chronos Alternate	4.82 (359)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"≡"}">≡	$20
#7	Swarm	4.82 (2,258)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"≡"}">≡	$25
#8	COMPOUND	4.81 (382)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"↑ 3"}">↑ 3	$20
#9	Vermillion	4.81 (628)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"↓ 1"}">↓ 1	$20
#10	Moss	4.8 (6,370)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"≡"}">≡	$20
#11	I Expect You To Die	4.8 (5,147)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"↓ 2"}">↓ 2	$25
#12	Red Matter 2	4.8 (1,046)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"↑ 1"}">↑ 1	$30
#13	Cubism	4.8 (779)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"↑ 1"}">↑ 1	$10
#14	Ragnarock	4.79 (1,185)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"↑ 3"}">↑ 3	$25
#15	Ancient Dungeon	4.79 (784)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"↑ 1"}">↑ 1	$20
#16	PatchWorld – Make Music Worlds	4.79 (149)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"↑ 7"}">↑ 7	$30
#17	The Last Clockwinder	4.78 (615)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"↓ 5"}">↓ 5	$25
#18	Pistol Whip	4.78 (9,308)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"↑ 1"}">↑ 1	$30
#19	Into the Radius	4.78 (3,270)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"↑ 1"}">↑ 1	$30
#20	YUKI	4.77 (212)	0,”↑ “&abs(R[0]C[-7]),R[0]C[-7]<1,"↓ "&abs(R[0]C[-7])))" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"↓ 2"}">↓ 2	$20

Rank change & stats compared to January 2023

Dropouts:

Arcaxer

Among the 20 best rated Quest apps

Average rating (mean): 4.8 out of 5 (±0)

Average price (mean): $23 (±$0)

Most common price (mode): $30 (+$5)

Among all paid Quest apps

Average rating (mean): 4.2 out of 5 (±0)

Average price (mean): $20 (±$0)

Most common price (mode): $20 (±$0)

Continue on Page 2: Most Popular Paid Oculus Quest Apps »

The 20 Best Rated & Most Popular Quest Games & Apps – February 2023 Read More »

‘Gorilla Tag’ Creator Hints at ‘Echo VR’ Spiritual Successor as Next Project

another axion, echo arena, echo vr, gorilla tag, kerestell smith, LemmingVR, News, ready at dawn, VR Game / DJ Henderson / February 25, 2023

Another Axiom, the indie studio behind wildly successful VR game Gorilla Tag, hinted that it’s now pursuing a project inspired by Echo VR.

Kerestell ‘LemmingVR’ Smith, the lead creator of Gorilla Tag, originally started working on the game thanks to his love of Echo VR, the zero-g sports game created by the Meta-owned studio Ready at Dawn.

Late last month though, Meta announced it will be shutting down Echo VR this summer as the team pursues other projects. As you’d imagine, this didn’t sit right with the small but dedicated playerbase, Smith included.

And Smith isn’t just any fan; he’s competed in and won several Echo VR competitions with his team ‘ec.lip.se’, making the loss of the game decidedly more personal.

In a recent tweet, Smith hinted that a new project is on the horizon which will be a zero-g sports game of sorts—undoubtedly a response to Meta pulling the plug on Echo VR.

we won’t let there be zero zero-g vr sports games

more news about our new project soon™

— LemmingVR (@LemmingVR) February 17, 2023

Another Axion hasn’t tipped their hats beyond Smith’s tweet, so we’ll just have to wait and see what’s in store from the creator of Quest’s most-rated game, which has surpassed even the Meta-owned rhythm game Beat Saber in the number of user reviews it’s garnered.

In fact, the game has been so successful it generated $26 million in revenue from in-app purchases. The gorilla-themed game of tag has also reported a staggering (for VR) peak monthly active user count of 2.3 million in December 2022, further stating that over 760,000 users played on Christmas Day.

Thanks to Sven Viking for pointing us to the news.

‘Gorilla Tag’ Creator Hints at ‘Echo VR’ Spiritual Successor as Next Project Read More »

Quest 2 Update Brings Phone-style ‘Direct Touch’ UI Navigation, In-Game Multitasking & More

Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, News, Quest 2, quest 2 hand-tracking, quest 2 update, quest 2 v50, Quest Pro, quest pro update / Mike M. / February 23, 2023

Meta released the v50 update for Quest 2, bringing to the standalone some new experimental features that not only aim to make hand-tracked UI navigation a little more natural, but also bring 2D app multitasking to Quest 2 for the first time.

One of the headlining features of v50 is something Meta is calling ‘Direct Touch’, which lets you tap and swipe through the Home UI. Simply ‘touch’ the tile and manipulate the menu like you would on a phone or tablet, Meta says, something that sounds a little more natural than pinching tiles from a distance in mid-air.

Meta says in a blog post that Direct Touch brings Quest “closer to that more intuitive hands-on future” that it hoped to bring when it first integrated optical hand tracking in 2019. Check out how it works in the gif below:

“We’ve reworked the Meta Quest UI so that—once you enable Direct Touch—you can tap buttons with your index finger to adjust your Settings or select a game from your library, quickly type out messages on the virtual keyboard, and more,” Meta says.

You can opt-in by navigating to the ‘Experimental Settings’ tab in-headset and turning on the ‘Direct Touch’ toggle, of course provided v50 has already rolled out to your device.

Meta’s v50 update also includes a new Quest 2 feature previously exclusive to Quest Pro: in-game multitasking. This lets you navigate to 2D apps, such as a browser, without closing the VR app you currently have open. Effectively, this means you can stay in-headset while you browse game walkthroughs, check your email, or whatever else you can do in a 2D app, all while still in-game.

As for Quest Pro, Meta says v50 has also reduced the amount of time it takes for tracking to initialize on the Meta Quest Touch Pro controllers—something oft lamented by early adopters due to the controllers’ inside-out tracking capabilities, which need to find their bearings in the room first.

Meanwhile, v50 marks the last time Meta is shipping new features to Quest 1. The company says in the release notes that while Quest 1 owners will be able to use their headsets beyond 2024, users will no longer be able to create or join a party; Quest 1 users who currently have access to Meta Horizon Home social features will lose access to these features on March 5, 2023—which means you also won’t be able to invite others to your Home or visit someone else’s Home.

With Quest 1 seemingly in the dustbin, Meta appears to be focusing on unifying some of the feature sets between Quest 2 and Quest Pro while polishing the software experience before the release of its next headset, Quest 3.

Earlier this month, Meta affirmed plans to release a Quest 3 headset at some point this year, something the company calls a mixed reality headset, inviting comparisons to Quest Pro—albeit without the face-tracking of the latter due to its relative cost, Meta says.

Quest 2 Update Brings Phone-style ‘Direct Touch’ UI Navigation, In-Game Multitasking & More Read More »

‘Resident Evil 4’ PSVR 2 Mode is Coming as Free DLC, Now in Development

capcom, News, osvr 2, PlayStation VR 2, ps vr 2, psvr2, resident evil 4, resident evil 4 psvr 2, resident evil 4 vr, VR Game / Shannon Garcia / February 23, 2023

Resident Evil 4 is getting a remake for PS5 soon, and although Capcom didn’t state it was bringing full PSVR 2 support when it was announced back in June, the developer now says its VR mode is in the works right now, and it will be offered as free DLC to the flatscreen game on PS5.

Update (February 22, 2023): The Japanese language Capcom Twitter announced that the Resident Evil 4 remake team has now started development on its PSVR 2 mode.

It’s not clear when it will launch, however the studio further confirmed that the “VR mode,” which presumably means we’ll be playing the full game on PSVR 2, will be a free DLC to the flatscreen game on PS5. This comes as contrast to the announcement in June of “VR content,” which left some room for doubt. The original article follows below:

Original Article (June 3rd, 2022): It’s a marked departure from the full-throated PSVR support announcement for Resident Evil 7 Biohazard when it was first unveiled at E3 2016, which lets you play the game start to finish in VR.

This makes it a bit unclear as to what “PSVR 2 content” really means, as it could either suggest full support, or ‘experience-style’ bonus material, which would frankly be a bit of a letdown.

After all, Resident Evil 4 is already playable in VR via Meta Quest 2, although there are some key differences to note. The version for Quest 2 wasn’t a remake as such, but rather an uprezzed port of the original game, while the PS5 version is slated to be a ground-up remake ostensibly in the same vein of Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020).

It seems dubious that all the VR-specific work Armature Studio put into the Quest 2 version will necessarily translate since we’re essentially dealing with an entirely different point of departure in terms of development. What’s more, Capcom had no issue announcing that Resident Evil Village is coming to PSVR 2 with full motion controls.

This could point to two likely scenarios: Capcom is playing coy and will announce that its “PSVR 2 content” allows you to play the full game, either at launch or at some point afterwards, or we’re really actually just getting a PSVR 2 flavored experience. Either way, we’re hoping to find out before the game’s March 24th, 2023 launch date.

Check out the game’s PS5 announcement trailer below:

‘Resident Evil 4’ PSVR 2 Mode is Coming as Free DLC, Now in Development Read More »

‘I Expect You To Die 3’ Announced for Quest & PC VR, Coming in 2023

i expect you to die, i expect you to die 2, i expect you to die 3, News, schell games, VR Game / DJ Henderson / February 23, 2023

Schell Games, the team behind the I Expect You To Die franchise, announced the third game in the series is slated to arrive on VR headsets this year.

Called I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine, the latest installment of the spy-flavored puzzle-adventure is expected to come to Meta Quest 2 and SteamVR headsets later this year.

The studio hasn’t mentioned PSVR 2 support yet, although it’s likely we’ll be waiting on a bigger announcement surrounding PSVR 2 versions of both the first and second I Expect You To Die games.

In I Expect You To Die (both one and two), the player is confronted with escape room-style puzzles, requiring you to use your wits to defy death as you defuse bombs, solve complex object-oriented puzzles, and maneuver your way ever closer to defeating the evil Dr. Zor and his henchmen.

Here’s how Schell Games describes the upcoming sequel:

Outwit your most cunning adversary to date in the latest installment of this award-winning, spy-themed VR puzzle series. Wield new gadgets, visit action-packed locales, and wear custom disguises as you dive back into the world of espionage in this escape room game.

Your skills, and survival rate, make you one of our most capable agents, and you’ve resurfaced right on time. Zoraxis, our sworn enemy, has something new up its sleeve and we fear dire consequences if we don’t stop its diabolical schemes. We’re counting on you to throw a wrench into whatever evil is brewing. In this escape-the-room VR puzzler, you need to protect the Agency and the world as we know it, without losing your wits…or your life!

In a Meta blog post, I Expect You To Die 3 Project Director Matt Mahon said this:

“We have some unique and exciting locations in I Expect You To Die 3, and we can’t wait to see how players creatively solve puzzles in a race to beat Dr. Zor at their own game,” said Mahon. “Players new to the series can jump right in and have a great time, and returning fans will appreciate some fun nods to the prior games.”

I Expect You To Die 3 is scheduled to launch later this year. In the meantime, you can wishlist the game on Steam.

‘I Expect You To Die 3’ Announced for Quest & PC VR, Coming in 2023 Read More »

11 Essential Tips & Tricks for New PSVR 2 Owners

News, PlayStation VR 2, playstation vr 2 tips, playstation vr 2 tricks, psvr 2, psvr 2 tips, psvr 2 tricks, VR Headset / DJ Henderson / February 22, 2023

PSVR 2 is finally here and for those of you lucky enough to get your hands on Sony’s newest VR headset, here’s some essential tips and tricks you’ll want to know.

PSVR 2 is a pretty straightforward headset thanks to the fact that once you plug it into the console you’ll see the usual PS5 menu that you’re already used to. However, the headset does have a few less obvious capabilities that you’ll want to know about.

1. Voice Input

PSVR 2 supports the same voice commands as PS5, and thanks to a microphone that’s mounted right next to your mouth, they work very well! Voice commands through PSVR 2 can be used to easily launch games and apps (instead of digging through the game library) or to open certain settings pages (instead of digging through the settings menu). All you have to do to get the console to listen is say “Hey PlayStation.”

If you’ve never used voice commands on PS5 before, you’ll need to enable them first. To do so go to Settings > Voice Command (Preview) and enable the option.

2. Quick Menu

PSVR 2 has a quick menu that makes it easy to access frequently used settings. To open the PSVR 2 quick menu, just double-tap the PlayStation button on your controller.

3. Lens Calibration

Since PSVR 2 has such a small sweet spot (the area of the lens where everything is at its clearest), it’s important to get the lenses dialed in just right to your specific IPD.

Luckily PSVR 2 has a built-in lens calibration that’s easy to run at any time, even in the middle of a game.

You’ll be prompted to run the calibration initially when you set up your headset for the first time, but since you put the headset on a bit differently every time (and sometimes the lenses can get bumped which adjusts their spacing) it’s worth running the calibration every few sessions to make sure you’re seeing the clearest image through the headset. You should also run the calibration step any time a new person puts on the headset so they can get the ideal fit.

To run lens calibration on PSVR 2, double-tap the PlayStation button on the controller, then select Adjust Visibility from the quick settings menu.

The calibration will help you not only adjust the headset to the ideal IPD (distance between the lenses), but also tell you if the headset is sitting too high, low, or crooked on your head. Having the best fit will also increase the accuracy of the headset’s eye-tracking function.

4. Use PSVR 2 Without a Display Connected

Though PSVR 2 mirrors its display onto whatever TV you’re connected to so spectators can see what you’re up to, you can also use the headset while your TV is turned off, doing something else, or disconnected entirely.

Just note that to set up your PSVR 2 for the first time you’ll need a connected display, but once you have it set up you can turn off the display or unplug it entirely and your headset should continue to work just fine.

5. Where to Find PSVR 2 Volume Control

This one really shouldn’t be a tip or a trick, but it’s not entirely intuitive where to find the volume control for PSVR 2.

Instead of being in the quick settings menu, you can find the volume adjustment for PSVR 2 by pressing the PlayStation button to bring up the bottom menu, then selecting Sound (speaker icon). In the Sound menu you’ll see PSVR 2; click on it to find the volume adjustment.

6. Use Headset Button to Mute Microphone

The button on the bottom of PSVR 2 gives you one-click access to the headset’s passthrough view, which is very handy. However you have the option to rebind this button to act as a microphone mute toggle instead, which might be useful if you find yourself playing multiplayer VR games regularly.

To make the button on PSVR 2 mute the microphone, go to Settings > Accessories > PlayStation VR2 > VR Headset section > Function Button Assignment, then switch it to Mute Microphone.

Even if you change the button’s function, you can still quickly access the passthrough view by double-clicking the PlayStation button on the controller to open PSVR 2 quick settings, then click ‘View Surroundings’.

7. Use PSVR 2 as a 120Hz HDR Display for Playing Flat PS5 Games

While PSVR 2 is undoubtedly an impressive VR headset, you can also use it to play regular PS5 games and watch video content—Sony calls this ‘Cinematic Mode’ for PSVR 2.

To do that, all you need to do is launch a non-VR game or app on PS5, then use a standard PS5 controller to play (unfortunately the Sense controllers won’t work for regular content because they don’t have all of the same buttons and controls as a regular controller). Some non-game apps may work with the Sense controllers for simple navigation however.

And technically speaking, PSVR 2 can function like a regular high refresh rate (120Hz) HDR TV, which means it will be able to play flat PS5 games that support a 120Hz performance mode and it can correctly display any HDR content that an HDR TV could.

While PSVR 2 automatically runs at 120Hz and HDR mode for VR games, you need to enable both 120Hz and HDR for flat PS5 games and content.

To do so, go to Settings > Accessories > PlayStation VR2 > Cinematic Mode. Then select Video Output for Cinematic Mode. There you’ll find the option for both 120Hz output and HDR.

8. Change the Size of the PSVR 2 Cinematic Mode Screen

So you’re playing PS5 games using your headset like a high performance TV, but maybe you wish your screen was a little bigger or smaller?

Luckily you can easily adjust this by double tapping the PlayStation button on the controller to access the PSVR 2 quick settings, then use the Screen Size slider to adjust the size.

If you want to reposition the screen you can also press and hold the options button (on the right controller) which will move the screen directly in front of you regardless of where you’re looking.

9. Tighten Your Sense Controller Straps the Easy Way

Nobody thinks they’re going to accidentally throw their controller until it happens. That’s why I personally always use my wrist straps when using a VR headset, and recommend others do too. After using VR headsets for more than 10 years, I have smashed 0 TVs and broken 0 controllers.

Luckily Sony has come up with a neat design for the wrist straps on the PS Sense controllers that allows you to tighten them with one hand.

PSVR 2 has a neat ‘self-tightening’ wrist strap. Surprised I haven’t seen this before. pic.twitter.com/v4itutthXm

— Ben Lang  (@benz145) February 21, 2023

To do so just pull the wrist strap so there’s tension on the band, then rotate your wrist to tighten the strap. If it doesn’t seem to be working, try rotating your wrist the other direction.

10. Dark Rooms Are No Longer Ideal

With the original PSVR, you’d get the best headset and controller tracking when playing in a dark room because of the way the tracking system on that headset worked. When everything else was dark, it was easier for the camera to pick up the glowing tracking markers on the headset.

With PSVR 2 now using an inside-out tracking system, playing in a dark room will actually hinder tracking performance rather than help it. In our testing we found the headset is quite good at tracking in low light, but even so it isn’t the ideal way to play.

While too much sunlight (ie: being completely outdoors) is also an issue, playing in a normally lit room will give you the best tracking performance on the headset.

11. Enable Tracking Support for Tough Tracking Conditions

Speaking of tracking performance, if you feel like your headset is having tracking issues, you can turn on an additional option which will use your TV as a tracking marker to make it easier for the headset to have something to lock onto.

To enable Tracking Support on PSVR 2, go to Settings > Accessories > PlayStation VR2 > Tracking Support and turn the option on.

In our testing we found that PSVR 2 tracking is really solid, and for most people this option shouldn’t be necessary. In some specific cases (ie: a room with lots of skylights letting in tons of bright sunlight), or a completely white room with no discernable features, it could be helpful.

Note that this option will only improve head-tracking; if you’re having tracking issues with only your PSVR 2 controllers, something else is likely to blame.

Got any great PSVR 2 tips & tricks to share? Let us know in the comments below!

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‘A Fisherman’s Tale’ Sequel is Coming to All Major VR Platforms Later This Year, Trailer Here

a fisherman's tale, another fishermans tale, innerspace vr, News, psvr 2, vertigo games, VR Game / DJ Henderson / February 22, 2023

A Fisherman’s Tale (2019), the VR adventure from Innerspace and Vertigo Games, is getting a sequel, launching on all major VR platforms this year.

Aptly called Another Fisherman’s Tale, the episodic tale is bringing you back for another round of mindbending VR puzzles which the team says lets you use your own body, detach and control your limbs, and find new attachments to progress.

“Discover the truth as you journey through beautiful and unique locations, brought to life by the makers of A Fisherman’s Tale. Get ready for a captivating VR experience unlike any other,” the description reads in the game’s announcement trailer.

A Fisherman’s Tale puts you in the boots of Bob, a fisherman who lives in a strange, recursive world centered around a dollhouse-sized lighthouse. In the sequel, you return to the story as Bob’s daughter Nina for another round of mind-bending escape room-style puzzles.

We liked the smorgasbord of VR game mechanics in the original, although a big sticking point was its overall playtime, which we clocked in at just around one hour in our review of A Fisherman’s Tale. The sequel is slated to take around five to six hours—promising to offer up plenty of adventure to keep you scratching your head.

Creative Director Balthazar Auxietre of Innerspace VR stated that the goal was “to renew the gameplay and the storytelling [of the first game] while keeping key elements of a universe that has obviously reached the heart of VR gamers.”

He added that the studio’s recent experiences allowed them to “pursue a new level of ambition for the A Fisherman’s Tale franchise, thanks to the multifaceted gameplay and the diversity of the models’ worlds. Everything is in place for a new adventure that will take us across the virtual oceans.”

At the time of this writing, the 2019 A Fisherman’s Tale garnered a user rating of a 93% ‘Very Positive’ rating on Steam, and a [4.5/5] star user rating on Quest.

Another Fisherman’s Tale is slated to arrive sometime this year on PSVR 2, Quest 2, and PC VR headsets via Steam and Viveport.

‘A Fisherman’s Tale’ Sequel is Coming to All Major VR Platforms Later This Year, Trailer Here Read More »