Mint Virtual Reality

Here's a list of all the best cheap gaming monitor deals available right now, along with a short buying guide.

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No matter your budget or what sort of PC you're building, we've got the hottest cheap GPU deals right here.

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The Nintendo Switch features lots of excellent shooter games. In this list, we'll go through the very best.

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Whether you already game or are looking to get into gaming, we have some gaming deals to help with boredom.

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From shooters and RPGs to farming simulators and beat-em-ups, the console has an affordable game for everyone.

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Crucible is a competitive multiplayer option -- here is what you need to know to lead your team to victory.

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A group of bidders led by Ninja raised $1 million for the SpecialEffect charity

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Two- and four-star raids are gone, as are team bonuses

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Looking for a way to pry your children away from the screen?Take advantage of one of these board game deals.

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Although you can only run it from the Epic Games Store, it's an easy process to set up. Here's how it works.

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Community Download is a weekly discussion-focused articles series published (usually) every Monday in which we pose a single, core question to you all, our readers, in the spirit of fostering discussion and debate. For today’s Community Download, we want to know whether or not you could ever see yourself using VR to totally replace your workspace/office in real life?

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Due to the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the need for employees at companies around the world to work remotely has increased more than ever. Remote work is a common reality for millions of people now, but that naturally comes with implicit limitations. VR could solve that as a workspace / office replacement.

Even though I have a dedicated home office with a desk, multiple monitors, and plenty of physical things I use while working, the allure of infinite screens and Minority Report-style window manipulation is still there.

Dedicated productivity and meeting apps like Immersed and Spatial are finding success and mainstays such as Bigscreen are always reliable choices. A few weeks ago we asked a similar question, but more specifically about whether or not you’d want to attend a Zoom video call or a VR call.

Additionally, recent Oculus Quest developer files seem to indicate the creation of what’s referred to as a “Passthrough Keyboard” hinting at the ability to either access a real-life keyboard with the passthrough camera or maybe even a virtual keyboard of some kind.

What do you think? Would you ever want to replace your workspace / office with VR? Why or why not? Let us know down in the comments below!

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If you’re looking for some new hardware, or upgrades check out the best Labor Day deals from Dell.

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Nintendo Switch currently has four methods for connecting with friends. Here's how to become pals on Switch.

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You can surf the internet using the hidden Nintendo Switch browser, but you're better off using a smartphone.

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Want to enjoy PS4 or PS4 Pro games with Sony's Bluetooth controllers? Learn how to fix errors and get playing.

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VSync can help stop screen tearing if you can't use FreeSync or G-Sync. Here's what you need to know about it.

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Felix & Paul Studios is developing its first augmented reality (AR) project, titled The Storyteller: The Seven Ravens.

The project will feature an all-new chapter continuing the story from anthology TV series The Storyteller, created by Jim Henson in the 1980s. The new AR experience will feature a storybook that comes to life in augmented reality, with an accompanying story narrated by Neil Gaiman.

We are developing our first augmented reality project with @hensoncompany and #TheStoryteller series! Our augmented storybook project tracks a physical book, and features #TheSevenRavens narrated by @neilhimself. Thanks to supporters @CMF_FMC @la_SODEC @unrealengine @magicleap pic.twitter.com/BsizdgjIP7

— Felix & Paul Studios (@felixandpaul) August 17, 2020

Unrelated to AR, a new Storyteller TV series is also currently in the works, led by the Jim Henson Company and written and narrated by Gaiman. According to Felix & Paul, The Seven Ravens AR experience will focus on a young girl who “sets out on an adventure to save her seven brothers from a curse that turned them into ravens.” The AR book will allow users to “interact with, explore, and re-explore the detailed and robust world of The Storyteller through the lens of The Seven Ravens tale.”

The project is co-produced by the Jim Henson Company and Felix & Paul, alongside funding from the Canadian Media Fund, the Magic Leap Independent Creators Program, Epic MegaGrants, and SODEC Quebec.

A preview of the project was shown last week at this year’s SIGGRAPH conference, held virtually, however you can also view some footage in the tweet embedded above.

Felix & Paul are known to have put out fantastic immersive VR content over the last few years, and a portal for the studio’s content became available for Oculus Quest earlier this year. The Storyteller: The Seven Ravens will be the studio’s first foray into AR content.

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Sony’s latest corporate report briefly mentions VR, and reiterates the company’s commitment to making advances in immersive entertainment.

In the entire 66-page document covering all facets of the Sony brand, VR gets just one mention in Game & Network Services section. In general, the overall summary is that Sony is looking to continue to expand and consolidate its existing network of gaming hardware and software, as well as reinforce strong content IP. The company is also putting an emphasis on creating a smooth transition between generations, moving from PS4 to PS5.

In regards to VR, Sony had this to say:

“In executing these strategies, greater emphasis will be placed on user engagement. SIE [Sony Interactive Entertainment] plans to provide content for a variety of game genres and formats, and make advances in unique and immersive interactive experiences such as VR.”

While there’s enough hints to have guessed that Sony would remain committed to the VR platform, it’s nice to see it written out formally nonetheless. We’ve already seen some research videos from Sony showcasing new finger-tracked VR controllers, plus there’s been plenty of evidence to suggest PSVR 2 is in the works already. This level of commitment means that a PSVR hardware refresh could hold big implications for the VR market.

The report also notes that, “through maintaining the momentum and ecosystem that PS4 built up until now, we will promote a smooth transition to the PS5.” While not mentioned specifically, part of this smooth transition will no doubt involve the PSVR ecosystem.

Current generation PSVR hardware will be compatible with the PS5 but will require an adapter for the PlayStation Camera, which will be provided for free. The adapter seems a practical example of this ‘smooth transition’ between generations that Sony is aiming for.

Are you looking forward to PS5 and the next generation of PSVR? Let us know in the comments.

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Upgrade your gaming with the fantastic Dell G3 15 gaming laptop for $130 off the usual price

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If you want to buff your party in Persona 5, look no further than our guide on the best weapons in the game.

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The Bigscreen team has shared some updates on new content and features coming to the platform in the next month, including the addition of three Dragon Ball movies.

On Sunday, September 12, the three latest Dragon Ball anime movies will premiere in Bigscreen:

• Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods — 10am PT
• Dragon Ball Z: Ressurection ‘F’f — 3pm PT
• Dragon Ball Super: Broly — 7pm PT

In addition to the premiere screenings, the movies will be available to rent on-demand from Bigscreen’s movie rental catalog. The Dragon Ball films will be available for users in the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand for $3.99 each.

There’s also a tie-in Dragon Ball contest with some tickets to the Dragon Ball screenings up for grabs. To win, users simply need to find all seven Dragon Balls in the mini game posted to the Bigscreen Twitter and Facebook pages at 8am PT on September 2. The first to complete the game and the person to complete it the fastest (on their first attempt only) will win a free ticket to the screening.

However the Dragon Ball movies aren’t the only titles being added to the rental catalog — Bigscreen is expanding its partnership with Paramount Pictures and adding over 30 new movies available as on-demand rentals. This includes the legendary Godfather trilogy and the Mission Impossible series, as well as Jackass 3D, which will be the first 3D movie to premiere in the United Kingdom.

The team will also launch an accessibility update, adding English Closed Captions for the deaf and hard of hearing community. Bigscreen is also currently developing support for hand tracking on the Oculus Quest, which the team hopes will allow users to communicate in ASL (American Sign Language) while using Bigscreen.

Just last week, Bigscreen added DLNA support, allowing users to remotely stream video and audio content from their media server into the app.

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Labor Day 2020 is right around the corner, and that can only mean one thing: Labor Day sales

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Here are a few PS Plus deals that will have you playing online and enjoying free monthly games right away.

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It will be known as Persona 5 Strikers for its Western release

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Players spent a total of more than 27 million hours in playing the beta

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The symbol will be removed in an upcoming update for the game

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That’s an amazingly affordable monitor in which to hone your skills, kill some bad guys, or craft some mines.

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Last week Game Director on Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, Peter Hirschmann, revealed a bunch of new details about the VR shooter’s multiplayer modes.

Prior to the interview Hirschmann teased that the multiplayer felt so unique and special to play that it included things “you can only do in VR” which seems like a pretty drastic statement. Upon further investigation though, via talking to Hirschmann himself, it sounds like this was just his way of explaining how exciting it is to play this sort of game in VR.

“You know, we have conventional modes that just by the nature of being in VR and being the nature of our systems, it’s a different experience. It’s just the locomotion and being able to lean and peek and hide and say cover.

That’s just, that adds a depth to just straight death match and TDM [team deathmatch] that’s cool. Uh, I, our, our take on sabotage is something that you can only do in VR because of how you interact with the environment and how you interact with the mode playing off of bomb placement for bomb diffusal fantasy.

You know, there are things you can do in VR. And again, we abstract it down to the most accessible mechanics. But with VR where you’re  interacting with the world and every surface is available to you. There’s things you can do that are really cool, that would be hard to do on a flat screen.

That would be hard to do with just a conventional controller. And those are the kinds of things that we really leaned into and went deep on because it’s like, wow, this again, death match, team death match, domination, whoop — gave one away!

That again, you put them in a VR environment, you put them in our maps. Um, you know, it’s in the, in our weapon handling, it’s just, it just by the nature of the platform, they’re going to feel different. Um, but at least the rule sets are the rule sets are, are very convinced. The rule sets are conventional and easy to get.”

For more details on Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, check out our detailed interview from last year which dives deep into the story and campaign mode, along with my hands-on impression right here.

Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond is slated to release later this year exclusively for the Oculus Rift platform of PC VR headsets.

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Last week we got the chance to briefly test out Facebook Horizon and chat with key members of the development team about a wide range of topics. You can read our hands-on impressions and some details about privacy concerns here.

During that interview though, we dove into several other topics as well such as possible hand-tracking support in Horizon and even the potential for release on other headsets, officially, later down the line.

Specifically, this is what Ari Grant, Horizon’s Product Management Director, had to say on the topic of hand-tracking support in Facebook Horizon:

“We’re really excited about all of the upcoming platform features, hardware changes, where the entire industry is going and to include as much as we can in Horizon to give people deep presence, to really feel there with people and can connect.

And so really do want to look to incorporate as many of these as possible. We don’t have specific dates to announce that any of the features yet, but in general, trying to really optimize toward friendship and community, helping people, foster connections, the things that help boost those things are going to be a priority.

It is really, really important that this is a place where people can connect. So really the features that help do so are definitely going to be important for us to, to build much more near term.”

Shifting gears a bit, we proceeded to ask them what their plan was to incentivize an early influx of games and developer talent for inside of Horizons itself beyond just the community of players/makers.

This is what Meaghan Fitzgerald, Facebook Reality Labs’ Head of Experiences for Product Marketing, had to say:

“That’s an interesting question. We’re not working with any of the game studios, first-party, in-house. I think they probably would bring an interesting perspective, but we’re kind of working on different things right now. But I think we’re, we’re interested to see how people with a range of skills jump in and use the world creation tools.

And I think that it’s been interesting to see how someone with a little bit more of a coding or a world creation background is able to create like much more interactive scaled experiences, multiplayer games, and then somebody with no coding experience at all can make something that’s just a really pleasant environment to hang out in.

So we’re really excited for people with a lot of like background in game development to come in and stress, test the tools with us and give us that feedback. But also recognize that there is also a place for that next level of game development to make the VR ecosystem a lot broader.”

Now since Horizon is made by Facebook it’s natural to assume it would only officially work on actual Oculus headsets. And as a result, that is in fact the plan. We’ve got full details on the required Facebook account to login and play Oculus VR content in years’ to come.

In the meantime, I had to ask: Will Horizon ever come to other platforms and headsets like PSVR or all of the Steam VR PC devices? This was Grant’s response:

“Currently we’re focused on making Horizon a really awesome product on the Rift platform and Quest, and we have nothing else to share about this only about other platforms…

…We think the creation tools in VR are really great. One of the things about, you know, a lot of creation tools is creating with a mouse and keyboard is a lot to learn. You go to learn these 3D animation software, learn how to control cameras and a lot of nuance stuff. And in VR, you can just place it with your hands and build very directly.

And so making that fun, easy and accessible is, our current focus and don’t have anything to share about other platforms yet. The one thing I will say is we are trying to build communities and connect folks, and that is our ultimate north star is building community is connecting to your friends. And so using that as our north star, whatever we can do to help connect people will be our primary motivator, recognizing that not everyone’s in VR, but still currently focused on VR initially to build the community.”

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Hopefully you enjoyed checking out the interview and will consider reading our hands-on preview for more details.

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“Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time,” the company’s official acquisition confirmation statement says, “and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.” If you follow Apple, you’ve seen these words multiple times before — pretty much any time it buys a company that doesn’t have an existing customer base to reassure. That now happens once or twice a month, often remaining under the radar until someone stumbles across it or gets tipped off to an ambiguous “headed in a new direction” final post on a company’s website.

Yesterday, Apple offered that vague confirmation for a VR startup called Spaces. We covered their launch in 2016, funding in 2017, opening of a location-based VR center in 2018, and pandemic pivot to VR Zoom meetings earlier this year. Along the way, Spaces’ most noteworthy offering was arguably a four-person, room-scale VR experience based on the film Terminator: Salvation, which debuted in Orange County, California before rolling out with Sega in Shibuya, Japan. But Apple’s interest is likely something different.

A demonstration of Spaces’ latest tech shows a cartoony teacher offering whiteboard presentations with accompanying lip and body synchronization — a gentle evolution of existing VR avatar technology. You could easily imagine the 3D model replaced with one of Apple’s current Memoji avatars, enabling an iPad- or iPhone-toting teacher to offer a presentation to a virtual class over Zoom. That’s basically the VR video conferencing solution Spaces was offering prior to the acquisition, minus the Apple elements, and the platform-agnostic company promised compatibility with practically every major VR headset and video sharing app around.

I’m not going to tell you Apple’s VR and AR acquisitions have become too numerous to count, but the picture they paint is anything but narrowly focused. Every little company Apple buys feels like another tile in a massive mosaic, contributing its own color and texture to a picture that’s bigger than many people realize. If it seemed Apple was just making AR glasses two years ago, the company now appears to be developing both AR and VR hardware — including key components such as displays. Similarly, if you thought Apple’s AR ambitions were mostly about hardware, nope, it’s filing software patents and buying a lot of software companies. And services companies.

This won’t surprise anyone who knows that Apple’s core strength is its ability to integrate hardware, software, and services. But it does mean the company’s interest in mixed reality goes far beyond dropping a pair of glasses in the marketplace and seeing how they perform on their own. Apple is building the initial suite of AR/VR applications that will enable the hardware to succeed in its first or second generation, perhaps before there’s a robust “Reality App Store” with third-party apps. Like the classic iPhone apps Mail, Messages, and Safari, Spaces could be the key to Apple’s “Keynote VR” — or its development team may help with collaborative multi-person experiences in rooms, building on lessons learned from the Terminator offering.

Compare Apple’s approach to what we’ve seen with a couple of consumer VR and AR companies, Oculus and Nreal. Both announced hardware and largely let third-party developers loose to create cool games or useful apps that use their technology. Yet both companies (and other XR hardware makers) have realized that they, too, need to develop compelling apps to move their platforms forward. Some of the biggest current and upcoming Oculus titles have been either backed or developed by Facebook. Nreal is similarly collaborating with mobile operators to create game-changing AR apps. Neither waited until software and services were mature to launch hardware, decisions that (thankfully) gave early adopters tastes of our mixed reality future.

It’s been a comparatively long walk toward Apple’s product, with small public steps forward, odd leaks, contradictory reports, and the occasional bad decision. On their own, many of these moves don’t add obvious value to the Apple we know today. But collectively, they’re either going to come together for a massive iPhone-caliber launch or show up as an ever-growing collection of small developments, like the Apple Watch. The reported 2022 release might be getting closer every day, but if these acquisitions keep piling up, expectations for what’s about to arrive should be sky-high ahead of the reveal. Given Apple’s history with the iPhone and the Apple Watch, I don’t question whether the finished offering will have a huge impact, but rather how quickly the world will change as a result.

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This post by Jeremy Horwitz originally appeared in VentureBeat.

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Every weekend VRFocus gathers together vacancies from across the virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) industry, in locations around the globe to help make finding that ideal job easier. Below is a selection of roles that are currently accepting applications across a number of disciplines, all within departments and companies that focus on immersive entertainment.

Location	Company	Role	Link
Boston, MA	Neurable	Software Developer	Click Here to Apply
Boston, MA	Neurable	Research Engineer	Click Here to Apply
Boston, MA	Neurable	Product Marketing Manager	Click Here to Apply
Burbank, CA/Durham, NC	Insomniac Games	Senior Character TD	Click Here to Apply
Burbank, CA/Durham, NC	Insomniac Games	Character TD	Click Here to Apply
Burbank, CA/Durham, NC	Insomniac Games	Sr. VFX Artist	Click Here to Apply
Burbank, CA/Durham, NC	Insomniac Games	Technical Artist	Click Here to Apply
Burbank, CA/Durham, NC	Insomniac Games	VFX Artist	Click Here to Apply
Burbank, CA	Insomniac Games	Lead Level Designer	Click Here to Apply
Burbank, CA	Insomniac Games	Project Manager – Outsourcing	Click Here to Apply
Burbank, CA	Insomniac Games	Lead Project Manager	Click Here to Apply
Burbank, CA/Durham, NC	Insomniac Games	Technical Artist	Click Here to Apply
Burbank, CA	Insomniac Games	Lead Gameplay Programmer	Click Here to Apply
Burbank, CA/Durham, NC	Insomniac Games	Senior Gameplay Programmer	Click Here to Apply

Don’t forget, if there wasn’t anything that took your fancy this week there’s always last week’s listings on The VR Job Hub to check as well.

If you are an employer looking for someone to fill an immersive technology related role – regardless of the industry – don’t forget you can send us the lowdown on the position and we’ll be sure to feature it in that following week’s feature. Details should be sent to Peter Graham (pgraham@vrfocus.com).

We’ll see you next week on VRFocus at the usual time of 3PM (UK) for another selection of jobs from around the world.

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The new game will run on a version of the RE Engine

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It is one of the strategic key points in Sony's Corporate Report 2020

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There are a few virtual reality (VR) videogames due for launch this coming week and now there’s another to add to that list, Indie team Outerloop Games has announced that its adventure title Falcon Age will soar onto Oculus Quest in a few days.

Originally released for PlayStation VR early last year followed by a PC launch via Epic Games store a few months later, gameplay centres around the bond you build with your bird companion – who just so happens to be a falcon funnily enough.

A single-player adventure, in Falcon Age you play as Ara who has been thrown in jail for a minor infraction on a dying planet. Robot invaders have turned the place into a desert, depleting all resources. Whilst locked up Ara befriends a baby falcon, helping pass the time away. Managing to escape the pair then work together to help the resistance and reclaim the planet.

As you’re teaming up with this young falcon its up to you to name, pet, feed, teach the bird, crafting falcon snacks from farming and hunting to buff, heal and strengthen your winged friend. You can even clothe your falcon in hats, scarves, even a monocle to give it a stylish look. Upgrade the falcon with useful equipment like sonar and armour.

Fighting the robot invaders isn’t purely down to your falcon, as you’re armed with a stun baton to help your mate. There’s even an Imprint Mode which offers the story with optional combat.

Outerloop Games will release Falcon Age for Oculus Quest this Thursday 3rd September. For further updates on the latest Oculus Quest titles keep reading VRFocus.

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After spending many years in development and testing in early access, game creation tool Modbox is finally launching for VR and desktop PCs on September 9.

This year, there’s been a recurring trend in VR apps recently that allow you to take control and create your own fun and games. We saw it first with Dreams receiving PSVR support, and then again just a few days ago with details on the upcoming Facebook Horizon beta. Modbox is a similar release that provides the same make-your-own-fun concept, but perhaps with more depth and complexity than other tools we’ve tried so far.

Developed by Alientrap Games, Modbox is a VR game creation sandbox, but the biggest point of difference here is that it supports online live collaboration multiplayer — while one person is actively playing the game, another can be manipulating and adding to the world around them in real time. The possibilities are endless, and if you take a look at the video embedded in the tweet below, you’ll see that the creation tools are amazingly in-depth.

After many years in dev we're releasing our multiplayer game creation sandbox Modbox September 9th on Steam!
– Create games on Desktop + VR. Online/local multiplayer
– AR version out now on MagicLeap
Wishlist on Steam: https://t.co/dBOX1xJovE pic.twitter.com/BT0JuOo9ZS

— Lee Vermeulen (@Alientrap) August 27, 2020

We first tried Modbox back on the HTC Vive in 2016, but back then it was a VR-only app. A lot has changed — now the game lets you not only create single player, multiplayer, and co-op games but also switch easily between the VR and desktop apps as you do so. There’s even support for AR devices, if you have one. Most importantly, everything is synced in real time with multiple users — if you change something, it changes for everyone else instantly as well.

Multiple creators can be editing a level while another person plays through it, all at the same time. While Dreams and Horizon offer similar styles of creation tools, Modbox’s multiplayer capabilities — both for creation and playing, or both at the same time — are what sets it apart. You can even create games using local multiplayer via splitscreen, or with one player using a desktop PC and the other in VR.

Creations can be shared via Steam Workshop or on Mod.io, and there are varying levels to the complexity of the creation tools. You can shape entire environments in a similar manner to Dreams, use prefabricated models or even go deeper with the in-game scripting system, as seen in this trailer. The game will support a C# Compiler mod soon as well, so you can create your own code to implement in creations.

There’s a truly huge amount of content on offer — just take a look at the Modbox documentation site to see all the different ways to create and play your own games. The release is being dubbed as Modbox 2.0 now that it’s out of early access, and will be available for free for those who owned the previous early access version.

Modbox launches for PC and PC VR through Steam on September 9.

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Avengers storm the game, but iOS and Android customers are left out

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Oculus Quest developer Gerald McAlister has found evidence that an ‘Infinite Office’ feature might be coming to the Oculus Quest, including a ‘passthrough keyboard’ and ‘guardian couch’ capability.

As reported last month, McAlister found files indicating that the Quest may soon let you mark you couch as part of your guardian, and have it represented in VR with a virtual 3D model. This would allow you to use and sit down on the couch while in VR without having to take off your headset or look through the nose gap to check where it is.

In the newest v20 update of the Quest system software, McAlister found a new tutorial video file that shows a user tracing along the edge of their couch seating area, in a similar manner to how users set up their Guardian boundary. You can watch the video embedded in the tweet below, which suggests that the feature might not be far off release.

New video of the couch guardian setup. Very intrigued how this will work with everything. Notice it specifically traces along the edge of where you sit, not the entire couch length. pic.twitter.com/M5DFcr0QE2

— Gerald McAlister (@gemisisDev) August 26, 2020

A 3D model of a whiteboard, similar in style to the one of the couch, was also found by McAlister in the v20 update, suggesting that some sort of whiteboard support via passthrough might also be on the horizon.

Finally, the “Passthrough Portal” feature from last month seems to now be called  “Passthrough Keyboard.” Users may soon be able to sit at their desk and work in VR, using a keyboard that’s brought into the virtual setting by displaying the image from the Quest’s passthrough cameras, alongside Bluetooth connectivity.  A keyboard tracking APK suggests that some of these features would be available to more than just the system apps too.

Looks like Passthrough Portal is now Passthrough Keyboard! Looks like a full remote work solution is coming to Quest natively through the OS? 😀 pic.twitter.com/rpBIxHt6PE

— Gerald McAlister (@gemisisDev) August 26, 2020

There’s indications that this is all part of an “Infinite Office” feature set currently being tested internally at Facebook already, which would potentially allow the Quest to essentially become a mixed reality virtual workspace. Some hints suggest this could be bolstered by a new “HD Passthrough” upgrade as well.

It’s unclear if any of this features will actually see the light of day, whether they are intended for the current Quest, or potentially just the upcoming new Quest model. With Facebook Connect just around the corner, it’s possible we’ll learn more very soon.

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The Razer BlackShark V2 and V2 X offer great quality at a good price point -- if you can get over the look.

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Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife got a creepy new trailer this week. We sat down with Fast Travel Games’ Erik Odeldahl to unearth the secrets that lie within.

Wraith is a VR horror game set in the World of Darkness universe. Players take control of a Wraith in the grim confines of Barclay Mansion and set about investigating a gruesome mystery. Odeldahl shared six crucial insights into the game to give you an idea of what to expect.

Powers Are Unlocked Through Progression

Yesterday’s trailer came with the reveal of some of the player’s powers, like the ability to walk through walls and manipulate objects from afar. But you won’t have access to all these powers when you first boot up Wraith.

“The powers are all unlocked through progression in the game,” Odeldahl revealed. “They are tied to our protagonist’s insights and growth, the gradual discovery of his role in the story and in the mansion. All powers open up new avenues for you to explore, both in terms of environments and systems. In the beginning, you will take your first steps as a Wraith after having died for a reason you will find out while playing the game, with almost no powers at all.

“Finding the right balance between giving the player more options, and not making them too powerful is… well, a balance. Besides the Wraith powers, there are also other things you find in the game that give you even more options, but we’re not talking about those just yet!”

Enemies Will Always Be Stronger Than You…

Like many great horror games, combat is not a focus in Wraith. Fast Travel wants you feeling vulnerable and in danger every time you dare to open a door in the mansion.

“The player will find ways to defend themselves in some ways, but this is not a game where you can “win” against your enemies,” Odeldahl revealed. “They are always stronger and more dangerous than you. Using caution and elements in the environment, and sometimes plain out hide, are all important actions to make sure the Spectres do not see you, and to be able to progress deeper into the mansion.”

…But You Have Some Tricks Up Your Sleeve

You’ll have to rely on your wits and powers if you want to survive, then. Wraith’s powers won’t just be for progression in puzzles and environments, but can also come in handy for survival.

“The enemies in the game are Spectres, spirits of the dead that have lost all touch with their humanity,” Odeldahl explained. “They do rely on vision, but also hearing, so making sure you don’t make too much noise is very important. But maybe you can use that against them somehow? Once you unlock the ability to make yourself insubstantial you can definitely use that to escape them. The problem is that they might also have that power…”

You’ll Have A Subconscious Companion

Yesterday’s trailer showed ghostly projects that help flesh out the events that piece together the game’s main story. It’s one of the main ways Wraith will reveal its plot, but not the only means. You won’t be entirely alone in this horror experience – you’ll have a voice to help guide you along the way.

“The other main element that helps deliver the plot, is the protagonist’s own dark subconscious called the Shadow. The Shadow functions as the companion throughout the experience, it will talk to you and sometimes help push you towards different objectives or understand certain circumstances. But that’s not saying the Shadow should be trusted all the time…”

Barclay Mansion Isn’t Your Usual Horror Setting

When you hear a game is set in a mansion, you immediately think back to classics like Resident Evil and assume you’ll know what to expect. But leave your preconceptions at the door of Barclay Mansion as there is far more than meets the eye.

“First I want to say that the Barclay Mansion is far from the classical gothic mansion that we often see in horror games!” Odeldahl reasoned. “Instead, it is a modern building filled with Hollywood decadence and occult research… As for the size, it’s pretty big! Exploring its many different rooms and floors is an integral part of the main experience so we do not want to give too much away, but there is indeed a light Metroidvania element in the game that lets the player access areas previously inaccessible, once certain Wraith powers have been acquired. We are also adding quite a lot of background story to the different characters and the Spectres, that might not be required to unravel in order to just complete the game… but that will give the player a better understanding of the story and the mystery.”

The Horror Won’t Just Be Cheap Jump Scares

Odeldahl makes clear that the scares will dig in deep under your skin – no cheap thrills here.

“Well, I want to make one thing clear: Afterlife will be scary. Very scary. We even have trouble finishing our own playtest sessions sometimes! That said, we are not going for an experience filled with cheap jump scares – instead, we are aiming more towards tension and
suspense, the “under-your-skin” kind of horror, which is what Wraith: The Oblivion is all about. The player WILL, of course, be shocked at times, but the horror elements really go into all parts of the game.

“Being a Wraith does not mean you have the advantage against the threats inside the mansion however. On the contrary – you need to use both stealth and elements in the environment to proceed in the game. Of course, this is a game primarily made for horror game fans but there is also a heavy focus on making the gameplay fun and the narrative interesting, so I think Afterlife will feel extremely rewarding also for players who simply enjoy a strong story with interesting characters and who love to explore an interconnected and unique mansion.”

There Will Be World Of Darkness Easter Eggs

Wraith, if you didn’t know, is set in the World of Darkness universe, first envisioned for tabletop gaming. But the series has crossed over with videogame before, including the Vampire: Masquerade series. Die-hard World of Darkness fans can expect some nods to the wider lore here.

Says Odeldahl: “This is something we are not quite ready to talk about just yet, but let’s put it like this: If you intend to fully explore every nook and cranny of the Barclay Mansion, there might just be an easter egg or two that fans of World of Darkness find interesting…”

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Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife hits Quest, PC VR and PSVR in early 2021.

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Peter Hirschmann, Game Director at Respawn Entertainment, says the upcoming Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond features multiplayer modes “you can only do in VR”.

Above and Beyond, which revealed a new trailer yesterday, is of course a VR exclusive. By modes you can only “do” in VR, then, Hirschmann likely means gameplay styles that would only be possible on the new platform.

“The thing about VR is — I’ve spent so […] much of my career trying to map human movements to a controller and just figuring out, like, making movement feel good.” Hirschmann explained during an interview on yesterday’s Gamescom Opening Night Live event. “And one of the hardest ones is leaning. And, in VR, you know how you duck? You just duck. And how you lean in VR? You just lean. And so the ability to lean around the corner, just peek around the corner is just — it heightens the tension so much. It makes it feel all the more real.”

“You put that into a multiplayer experience, it just raises that to a whole other level,” the developer continued. “So we are shipping — in addition to the campaign — we are shipping a full suite of VR modes, including a few that you can only do in VR, and we’re really excited about people playing those.”

Yesterday’s trailer featured new footage for the single-player campaign, but Respawn still hasn’t shared much about multiplayer. We’ll definitely be curious to see what the developer means by modes that can only be done in VR. Will you be playing the Medal of Honor VR multiplayer modes later this year? Let us know in the comments below!

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A new mobile The Witcher AR game called Monster Slayer developed by Spokko, part of the CD Projekt Red family, will bring the monsters of the dark fantasy universe to your neighborhood using Pokemon Go-style gameplay.

Since the runaway success of Pokemon Go, there’s been an absolute plethora of similar games aiming to emulate that success. There was a The Walking Dead location-based AR game, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite from the same studio, then Minecraft Earth and now… The Witcher: Monster Slayer.

That’s right, you’ll soon be able to get your Geralt on and go out hunting for monsters in the streets around you house, catching them using an AR interface that places creatures in your surroundings using a live feed from your phone’s camera.

While the trailer, embedded below, shows a young man playing the game in a beautiful eastern European-looking forest, it’s not likely everyone will have such an apt setting to play the game in. I’m personally looking forward to catching some monsters from the Witcher in a dirty city alleyway.

Spokko says that “preparation is key” if you want to defeat the enemies in Monster Slayer, perhaps hinting at more depth in the mechanics of this title than others in the genre. You’ll have to use potions, oils, bombs, and bait if you want to succeed, just like in the mainline Witcher games.

The game announcement comes at a strange time — while Pokemon Go remains popular, none of the more recent games that followed it seem to have had the same success. Plus, for many people around the world, walking around their neighborhood is not a great idea, or even not allowed, at the moment due to the pandemic. That being said, a release date for the game hasn’t been announced, so that could be less of a concern in the future.

Will you be trying out The Witcher: Monster Slayer? Let us know in the comments.

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Baobab Studios announced some massive additions to a now star-studded, all-female cast for their next VR project, Baba Yaga.

Kate Winslet, Jennifer Hudson, and Glenn Close will join Daisy Ridley in the upcoming immersive VR movie set to premiere next month at the 2020 Venice International Film Festival. Hudson is also an executive producer on the film.

These three new additions make Baba Yaga one of Baobab’s most high-profile projects yet. Other Hollywood celebrities have appeared in the studio’s work in the past, such as Ali Wong in Bonfire, but to see four major actresses all appear in an immersive VR film together is pretty unprecedented, especially with Hudson in the producer role as well.

Daisy Ridley will play the viewer’s sister, Magda. When their mother, the Chief (played by Close) falls deathly ill, the two of them will have to work together and enter the forbidden forest (played by Hudson) to seek a cure from Baba Yaga (played by Winslet).

“Baba Yaga is a beautiful work of animation and I was honored to be an executive producer alongside my talented collaborators at Baobab Studios,” said Hudson in a prepared statement. “While the story is rooted in classic folklore, we were inspired to bring it into modern light by focusing on environmental themes and strong female characters, themes the world needs to explore now more than ever. It was my pleasure to be part of the strong female cast alongside Daisy, Kate, and Glenn.”

The immersive VR animation was created during the pandemic, a feat which the film’s director and Baobab co-founder Eric Darnell called “especially challenging”. While the film is set to debut at the Venice Film Festival in a matter of weeks, it will also be available exclusively on Oculus Quest later this year.

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Good news! A Falcon Age Oculus Quest release is right around the corner; the VR adventure goes standalone next week.

The developer announced the news on Twitter along with a trailer you can see below. Falcon Age first released on PS4 with optional support for PSVR last year before heading on to PC with the same similar options. The Quest will be the first VR-dedicated platform the game launches on, then.

Falcon Age Oculus Quest Release Confirmed

Falcon Age coming to Oculus Quest on September 3rd! #falconage pic.twitter.com/isNip79utk

— Falcon Age out on Quest September 3rd (@OuterloopGames) August 28, 2020

In Falcon Age, you play as a young girl that befriends a falcon, teaming up to fight back against an evil corporate army of robots that has taken your planet hostage. You explore the world, liberating bases and caring for your feathered friend as you go.

We thought the PSVR version of the game was very memorable, though some technical shortcomings clipped its wings somewhat.

“Falcon Age nurtures a soft spot inside of you, one big enough to overlook many of its technical shortcomings,” we said in our 7/10 review (yes we used to review things out of 10). “It’s a sentimental game, one that knows VR’s ability to build relationships is as compelling as and additive to any other feature. It never fully capitalizes on that connection in the way you might expect, but it’s a spark of companionship to be cherished all the same. That’s something the industry could use a little more of.”

Still, you can dress up your falcon with cosmetics, so can you really complain?

Will you be picking up the Falcon Age Oculus Quest release? Let us know in the comments below!

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Pre-orders for Hitman 3, the final installment in the World of Assasination trilogy, are now available. Hitman 3 is set to launch on January 20, 2021.

Hitman 3 is IOI Interactive’s final game in the revamped Hitman series, and this one will launch on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Stadia, and PC (via the Epic Games Store). As previously announced, Hitman 3 will support PSVR, bringing Agent 47 into virtual reality for the first time.

We’ve also confirmed that, even though it’s launching after the PS5, it will still also support PSVR on PS4. Additionally, we know that the PS5 will eventually support current generation PSVR hardware, but it’s not clear when or which VR games.

There’s also a free next-generation upgrade scheme in place for Hitman 3. While the PlayStation 5 will have launched by January, if you haven’t upgraded consoles yet by then, don’t worry. You can still buy a digital copy of Hitman 3 on PS4 and  you’ll receive access to the PS5 version of the game for free if/when you choose to jump to the next generation.

There’s two versions of the game available for pre-order — the regular and the deluxe edition. The latter includes a few extra cosmetic suits and items, pictured above, plus a digital art book and soundtrack, director commentary mission introductions, and “deluxe escalation missions”. In previous Hitman games, the escalation missions are reworked levels that use existing maps with different, harder, or more varied objectives compared to the original campaign.

In Hitman 2, the Gold and Silver editions gave you access to post-launch campaign content — the bank level, set in New York, and the Haven Island level, set in the Maldives. Given there’s no mention of post-launch campaign content for Hitman’s 3 deluxe edition, it might be that all the campaign content is scheduled to release at launch on January 21, with no campaign levels releasing as paid DLC post-launch this time. We don’t know that for sure though.

Pre-ordering either edition of the game also gives you access to the Trinity Pack — 3 sets of cosmetics that each include white, red, and black versions of Agent 47’s suit, gun and briefcase.

So far, we know that Hitman 3 will feature a level in Dubai and a level in Dartmoor, England. I’m personally still holding out for an airport-themed level — fingers crossed.

If you want to check out the existing series before jumping into Hitman 3 in PSVR, the first game in the rebooted franchise is available for free on the Epic Games Store this month for PC. Alternatively, the levels from the Hitman and Hitman 2 campaign will be playable on PSVR, so you can hold off and play the entire thing in VR come January if you’d prefer — just don’t hold out for PC VR support anytime soon.

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Back in 2016, Alientrap released Modbox, a physics sandbox allowing you to create your own mini-games. Previously available through Steam, the studio will soon be relaunching Modbox with a whole new suite of tools and improvements for creators to play with.

Unlike creative tools such as Tilt Brush or Quill, Modbox is all about making videogames, whether that a little solo adventure or a multiplayer shooter. Now dubbed Modbox v2.0, for the first time it’ll feature both VR and desktop editing modes, so you can switch between depending on what you prefer.

“We’ve spent years on development on the visual scripting system in the game – and allowing online/local Desktop/VR/AR players all to edit and play together in real-time,” said Alientrap in an email to VRFocus.

Modbox allows for up to 4 local players in split-screen to edit and play with a VR player, with tools designed to be used in and out of VR. Creators will have access to full physics-based VR locomotion, realistic destruction and dynamic environments, prefabs to create reusable parts and an assets import function to bring in 3D models, humanoid models, textures and sounds. There’s also a ModboxSDK Unity package so you can create Modbox mods in the Unity Editor.

Modbox v2.0 is due for launch on 9th September 2020 supporting Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index and Windows Mixed Reality headsets. The initial launch will be a paid version with a free edition arriving by the end of the year. It’ll be a free update for all Modbox 1.0 owners. If you happen to own mixed reality headset Magic Leap there’s a free version of Modbox available.

For further updates on Modbox as new features are rolled out, keep reading VRFocus.

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This past week offered an exciting collection of virtual reality (VR) titles to end the month and next week’s selection also looks promising. Here are five new videogames due to arrive next week to look out for.

Snapshot VR – Giant Scam

This paintball inspired arena shooter hit the Viveport platform back in July and now its the turn of Steam. Providing solo and team-based modes with up to 5-players per side, Snapshot VR is fast and frantic with teams having an average of only 45 seconds to win. Plus there’s a map editor for community content creation.

• Supported platforms: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index & Windows Mixed Reality
• Launch date: 1st September

Cook-out: A Sandwich Tale – Resolution Games

Another VR multiplayer from the team behind Acron: Attack of the Squirrels, this time Resolution Games has created a fantasy sandwich shop where up to 4 players have to build a perfect lunch for hungry cats, mice, werewolves and other hungry creatures. A solo mode is also provided to help you learn the ropes.

• Supported platforms: Oculus Rift & Oculus Quest
• Launch date: 3rd September

DEEMO -Reborn- – Rayark, Inc.

Rayark Games ported its classic musical title Deemo into VR last year for PlayStation VR as DEEMO -Reborn-. Expanded with new elements and an extended story, you play a young girl who finds herself in a mysterious castle where a strange character called Deemo plays the piano. Whenever Deemo plays a tree grows larger and larger, providing the girl with a way home. So you need to explore the castle and find music for Deemo to play.

• Supported platforms: Oculus Rift
• Launch date: 4th September

Stride – Joy Way

A parkour-inspired action title, Stride will be launching into early access next week, with several gameplay modes planned. The first is Endless Mode where you can jump gaps, wall run, slide under obstacles and shoot opponents in a never-ending, procedurally generated level. Further modes will then be added for free.

• Supported platforms: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index & Windows Mixed Reality
• Launch date: 4th September

Hoops Madness – VRstudios, Inc.

Another early access launch, Hoops Madness offers single-player and multiplayer basketball modes. From VRstudios, a developer which tends to make more location-based entertainment (LBE), there will be six modes to compete against other players in, all designed to be fast and energetic.

• Supported platforms: HTC Vive
• Launch date: 4th September

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Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond is an upcoming VR first-person shooter in development exclusively for the Oculus Rift platform from Respawn Entertainment, the creators of Titanfall and Apex Legends. But if you saw the latest trailer shown during the Gamescom Opening Night Live showcase, you might think it’s coming to Oculus Quest as well.

Admittedly, you’d be forgiven for thinking that because this newest trailer shows an image of an Oculus Quest at the end just before mentioning this in small print at the bottom:

“Compatible PC required. Link cable required for Oculus Quest.”

Honestly if you blink more than once you’re liable to miss it, but if you look really closely you can notice a cord draped behind the Quest there too. Naturally, Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond is compatible with Oculus Quest via Link when plugged into a VR-ready PC because, well, everything is. You still need the PC and Rift store to access the game, it’s not a new platform.

Other than the arguably misleading end to the trailer, it’s actually quite fantastic. There’s a less campy tone to it all when compared to the original announcement, visuals seem more polished and sharp, and I notice a bit more emphasis on blood spatter from gunshots, which makes sense, this is World War II after all. Still a bit surprising given past comments on violence from the developers.

We didn’t really learn anything new about the game other than getting a feel for its cinematic nature. The team at Respawn, some of which have worked on past Medal of Honor titles, seems to be tapping into the roots of the franchise by aiming for a more immersive movie-like experience over the gritty, grounded take that most modern military shooters go for these days.

For more details on Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond make sure and check out our past coverage on the game such as this detailed hands-on impressions from a year ago. There are still no details on the multiplayer offerings at all, but Facebook and EA have confirmed that more details on Medal of Honor are coming soon at Facebook Connect next month.

Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond is still slated for this holiday season as an Oculus Rift platform exclusive. Stay tuned to UploadVR for more information as it’s available and in the meantime let us know what you think down in the comments below!

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We just got a first look at new Star Wars: Squadrons VR gameplay, courtesy of a new trailer.

The trailer, which debuted at the Gamescom Opening Night Live event, was primarily concerned with the game’s single-player campaign. Squadrons features full VR support both in multiplayer and the campaign, however, and we got two shots of the latter mode in VR.

The first gave us a sweep of a cockpit view from what looked like an X-Wing. It was highly detailed and the battle outside was raging. The second saw classic Star Wars character Wedge Antilles talking to the player. As excited as we are for the cockpit-based gameplay, looking iconic characters in the eye and talking to them first-hand is going to be another exciting element of the game.

Elsewhere, the trailer reconfirms that the game’s campaign takes place after Return of the Jedi and sees players take on both sides – the Empire and the Rebel Alliance. These two factions will also be the sides seen in the game’s multiplayer mode, where class-based battles promise endless hours of VR action. You can keep up to date with everything we know about the project right here.

Star Wars: Squadrons takes flight on October 2nd. VR support is confirmed both for PC and PS4 across the entire experience. Elsewhere, Star Wars: Vader Immortal launched on PSVR this week. We’ve got a side-by-side graphics comparison of how it holds up.

What did you make of this latest trailer? Let us know in the comments below!

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Oculus Quest doesn’t technically feature early access titles but there are titles which have found a way around that. Earlier this year Ready at Dawn started an open beta for its multiplayer Echo VR and today that’s now come to an end with the official launch taking place.

The launch sees Ready at Dawn improve and add new social tools with Echo VR Social Lobbies, a way for players to connect with each other. The Social Lobby feature only affects who players can socialise with, matchmaking is unchanged. “This means if you choose to socialize with someone in Casual Mature Gamers you can still be matched up with players from the Echo Combat group,” explains the studio. The lobbies are moderated so players can get kicked or banned.

Currently, there are four Social Lobbies designed to cover most requirements, players can even start their own by submitting an application.

• Playground – “This group is for the classic Echo VR Lobby you’re familiar with, welcoming players of all types. Players can meet up with friends, find new players to team up with, or discuss upcoming Echo VR events in an environment open to everyone.”
• Competitive Gamers – “Whether you’re looking for a Social Lobby to talk about the game’s meta or interested in highly competitive matches, this is the group for you. Players captivated by competitive play and looking to improve their skills, learn new ones, or participate in community tournaments are welcome to join.”
• Casual Mature Gamers – “Looking to escape some of the noise or mischief of the Playground Social Lobby? This group is for you. Casual, mature gamers can party with up friends for a few chill matches or socialize in the Lobby with other players looking to unwind after a long day.”
• Echo Combat Players (Rift or Quest+ Link Players Only) – “We’ve heard from the Echo Combat community, as well as the new Echo Combat Flamingo League, and to help support the community we’ve created an Echo Combat Social Lobby.”

As for the social tools Ready at Dawn has added to Echo VR, players can customise their experience when the title starts; easily change lobbies, find a social control panel on their arm computer; set a personal bubble, change their voice pitch; mute an enemy team and find new in-game options to quit an activity.

And to celebrate today’s release the studio is holding a special event where players can earn a new badge, emote, and decal simply by playing one match of either Echo Arena or Echo Combat from now until 3rd September at 10:30AM PST/6PM BST. Be aware that Echo Combat matches are only for Oculus Rift or Quest + Link players.

Echo VR is free on Oculus Quest. As further updates are released, VRFocus will keep you updated.

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