December 2021

December 31, 2021 ,
Varjo XR-3

In the wake of pandemic working, virtual learning, NFTs and Facebook’s great rebranding scheme, the entry point to the metaverse and Web 3.0 is sure to become more visible within the next year. This means that the internet as we know it is also poised to become more interlaced with all of VR’s offerings, providing users with access to an unprecedented number of immersive applications and experiences.

As the metaverse becomes more ubiquitous over time, it will certainly have a direct impact on the future of VR, AR and wearable technology. Back in 2020, the AR and VR market was worth only $7 billion. However, in our post-pandemic climate, we have seen exponential increases in virtualised activity across various sectors. It’s now estimated that the industry will rack up a total of $152 billion by 2030.

Let’s take a look at some of our biggest predictions for what’s to come for XR technology in 2022.

Big Tech players will shake up the XR market

Remote working, home quarantine and other pandemic-related changes have accelerated the global take-up of XR technology over the past two years. This has provided users with better insight into how they can play games, work, communicate and collaborate virtually. 

This major cultural shift has also pushed major tech players towards developing better XR tools for Web 3.0. In 2022, these devices are projected to play a significant role in widening the entry point into the metaverse.

Meta has big plans to upend the modern-day internet and spearhead what CEO Mark Zuckerberg has dubbed the “successor to the mobile internet” — an immersive and interactive space within the metaverse. In October 2021, the tech supergiant officially announced that it would be changing its name to Meta in light of its new focus.

To increase the development of its VR infrastructure, Meta also declared that it would be appointing Andrew Bosworth, VP of AR and VR and leader of Facebook Reality Labs, to become the company’s next chief technology officer. As part of this shift, Bosworth has declared that the company will be ditching the Oculus brand (that initiated its move into VR) and rebranding it to Meta Quest and the Meta Quest app in early 2022.

Meta will also be investing a reported $10 billion into developing more advanced AR and VR products for the metaverse. This includes a robotic hand, high-tech VR glasses and more robust software applications. It is expected by tech analysts that Meta will spend a total of $50 billion by the end of 2022 to achieve its promise of an “embodied internet” experience through XR technology.

Apple VR Headset - The Information
Image credit: The Information

And while Apple has yet to make any official announcements, analysts have long predicted that the company will eventually enter the AR and VR market with a ‘mixed reality’ headset. This tool is rumoured to encompass both AR and VR, with the ability to handle high-performance games in top-quality virtual reality.

Rumours about Apple’s dedicated headset have circulated for quite some time now, with some reports claiming that we will see a release of smart glasses (such as the purported “Apple Glass”, which is apparently designed to resemble every day glasses and feature LiDAR technology). 

According to noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is projected to release their own headset by the end of 2022. Apple’s long-awaited entry into the XR world may also come equipped with two processors — a higher-end variation that offers a similar level of computing power as the M1 processor (currently found in its MacBook Air and Pro lineup) and a lower-end processor that will be in charge of sensor-related computing.

We will see the advancement of medtech through XR technology

The COVID-19 pandemic placed new value on bringing various industries into the virtual world — with the medical industry being one sector that truly found its footing with immersive technologies. 2022 is set to be the year when medtech grows to new heights.

According to a recent market research report from Facts and Factors, the market for VR in healthcare is estimated to grow by 35% annually between 2021 and 2026 — leading to a predicted industry growth of $40 billion. 

Heru, a burgeoning ophthalmology-based startup, recently raised $30 million in VC funding to launch its re:Vive VR-based vision testing platform. This platform, which is set to scale within the next year, tests for visual field deficiencies, color blindness, contrast sensitivity and other ophthalmologic conditions. Tests are also being conducted to use AR technology to better identify gaps in a patient’s point of view and provide intelligent vision correction.

Companies such as Activ Surgical and Beyeonics are also trailing the path for XR-based robotic surgery. Both companies have recently raised $45 million and $36 million in funding respectively, providing them with the support to develop immersive technology that will guide surgeons through virtual procedures.

These startups are included on a long list of innovators — a clear sign that immersive technology is set to transform the course of the healthcare industry in 2022 and beyond.

More companies will adopt VR software to improve operations

One of the biggest trends we will see in 2022 is the use of XR and immersive technology in various different workplace settings. 

Over the course of the pandemic, popular tools such as Zoom, Slack and Miro have made it easier for teams to collaborate over a flat screen. However, organizations are now seeking ways for employees to connect in more immersive and intuitive ways that can only be achieved through the use of XR tools. Unlike 2D applications, VR brings infinite space to the workplace experience — providing employees with access to expandable rooms, whiteboards, augmented objects and limitless displays.

  • Microsoft HoloLens 2

The adoption of 3D tools in the metaverse will also allow companies to achieve better diversity and inclusion targets within the workplace. Technology such as Gravity Sketch, which allows cross-disciplinary teams to meet and collaborate inside a virtual studio, will make it easier for organizations to hire globally and attract more diverse talent within a highly competitive job market.

By making collaborative technology more accessible through the means of XR, we may also see the barrier to entry be lowered in 2022. This can allow more organizations to provide easier access to tools, helping them accommodate and support a more diverse workforce.

XR technology will be used to achieve better sustainability efforts

In the coming year, sustainability will also be a driving force within the XR space. Many organizations across the globe have become increasingly more conscious of their carbon footprint, leading to more companies seeking innovative technology as a means of meeting more eco-friendly targets.

AR and VR technology has presented an ideal solution for this. Digital twins have shown companies new ways to shorten production times and reduce overall sampling waste, while organizing team meetings through VR now reduces a need for business travel. Major brands such as Adidas, Volkswagen and Ford have already adopted VR technology to make their processes more sustainable.

We’ll see better AR detection through machine learning

In terms of both device reach and development tools, AR is rapidly reaching a stage of greater sophistication — a trend we will continue to see grow in 2022. With the leverage of machine learning, AR will continue to become better at detecting environments, as well as objects and surroundings within those environments.

Machine learning will also continue to help AR become better at offering tailored content for individuals. Given its ability to track and understand the 3D world, machine learning can enhance AR applications and equip them with extra details, allowing them to build more individualized and immersive experiences for each individual user.

Neural networks and deep learning techniques also have the power to learn from any collected data, giving them the ability to further enrich the user experience by adding more interactivity to AR scenes. For example, IKEA Place enables users to gauge how a furniture item would appear in their homes through XR technology. Within the next year, we will see machine learning make these applications smarter, more enhanced and more suggestive based on physical dimensions and predictive data.

We’ll see more cross-application content

When it comes to building the metaverse effectively, one of the biggest challenges that is posed is the issue of interoperability. Porting content between different applications is still not a simple task, given the different data structures or code languages attached to different programs and applications. However, within the next year, we will be sure to see the adoption of more open file formats, such as gITF and USD (both created by Khronos Group and Pixar).

Providing access to content across various applications will be key to achieving better interoperability in the metaverse and allowing us to unify our user experiences within a larger virtual space. While we still have a long way to go before XR will become more ubiquitous, we will get closer to achieving this goal if we are able to see tools become better at supporting more diverse types of user-generated content.

VR will play a larger role in classrooms

VR technology is widely predicted to play a key role in classrooms in 2022, serving as the ideal bridging gap between engagement levels and at-home learning as a result of COVID-19. According to edtech gaming company Kuata Studios, a reported 55% of parents in the UK and 60% of parents in the US believe it will be incorporated into the classroom over the next five years. 

Student Using Gear VR - Education

Following the pandemic, at-home learning presented significant learning challenges for children — including proper mental stimulation and online engagement. Teachers were also confronted with a long list of difficulties in a remote classroom, such as meeting the individual needs of each of their students or properly engaging children through online resources.

XR technology will make virtual classrooms appear more real, providing young learners with a myriad of educational benefits — such as more immediate engagement, a more immersive experience, a more hands-on approach through augmented reality and better visualisation to aid them in understanding more complex subjects or concepts.

Tools will become more ergonomic

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been introduced to more gesture technology and hologram technology — with more users desiring contactless interactive experiences. More XR platforms are starting to see gesture-based interaction — a trend that is sure to accelerate over the course of 2022. Notable examples include gesture-based interaction, such as Ultraleap — or more wireless technology integration, such as HTC’s wireless adapter for their VR headsets.

Over time, we will surely see a reduction in the number of controllers, wires and other physical hindrances. In the next year, we will also see XR devices become more comfortable for longer wear and include more sophisticated optics for better text clarity.

Conclusion

We will hopefully see an end to pandemic life in the coming year. However, we will also emerge from a world that has been lined with prime opportunities for startups, corporations and innovators to capitalise on the numerous benefits of XR technology. And with the evolution of the metaverse at play, we can expect to see all major industries adopt XR in the near future.



via Mint VR
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December 31, 2021 ,

Next year has a whole host of VR goodness to check out. Find out what to follow with our new 2022 VR Games list!

With Quest 2 out and selling well, PC VR continuing to grow and PSVR 2 on the horizon, VR has nowhere to go but up in 2022. As a result, there’s a long list of incredibly exciting games to look forward to no matter which headset you own. Here’s just 40 we’ve found to highlight, so get your calendars out.

As always, you’ll be able to find these titles on the Oculus Store, Steam and the PlayStation Store.

2022 VR Games

Among Us VR – Quest, PSVR, PC VR

What a pleasant little surprise this is. One of gaming’s biggest phenomenons is coming to VR with a full, native adaption from I Expect You To Die developer Schell Games. Whilst the core game is sure to be as fun as ever, we’re really looking forward to seeing how the tasks and player discussions are changed up in VR.

Assassin’s Creed VR – Quest

Splinter Cell VR Assassin's Creed VR Confirmed

First announced back in 2020, we’re hoping 2022 will be the year we finally see Ubisoft’s biggest franchise arrive on Quest. There’s still a lot to learn about this VR-exclusive chapter, including when and where it will be set and exactly how this new medium will change up the gameplay.

The Chewllers – Quest, PSVR, PC VR

Wave shooters may be a dime a dozen in the VR arena, but The Chewllers’ focus on four-player co-op, bright visuals and upgrade systems has us hopeful that this will be one of note. Defend your tower from hordes of cutesy enemies and wield different weapons in this promising indie effort.

Cosmonious High – Quest, PC VR

The newest game from Job Simulator developer Owlchemy Labs is a typically weird exploration of VR interactivity and character connections. You’ll be meeting a series of strange characters and solving puzzles with newly-bestowed powers in what promises to be one of the year’s most colorful adventures.

Cities VR – Quest 2 (Spring)

Fast Travel Games is bringing city-building hit, Cities: Skylines, to VR. This isn’t a direct port but an adaption with a new control scheme and scale designed for Quest 2. If it can bring the depth and complexity of the original game into headsets then it’ll be huge.

Devolver Digital’s VR Game

Devolver-Digital-logo

This one’s been teased for a little while now and Devolver is looking for testers. We don’t know anything else about the publisher’s latest VR effort but, seeing as its last game resulted in the excellence that is Gorn, we’re keen to see more.

Dyschronia: Chronos Alternate (Early 2022)

Altdeus and Tokyo Chronos developer MyDearest returns with the latest in its series of VR visual novels. Dyschronia’s name suggests we’ll be getting a new story that deviates from the series’ original timeline, but there’s still a lot to learn.

The Exorcist Legion VR: SIN

One of our all-time favorite VR horror games is getting a full sequel with co-op support. Other details aren’t known at this time, but developer Pocket Money Games is taking over from Wolf & Wood. How will the horror hold up when you’ve got a friend to help you out? We’ll find out later in the year.

Garden of the Sea – Quest, PC VR (Early 2022)

Neat Corp’s VR gardening game has been in early access for years now, but early 2022 will see the game launch in full on PC and get a full Quest port too. We’ve always loved the game’s soothing texture, but it’s time to see if there’s enough content to be worth your time.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas VR – Quest 2

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas VR

Easily the biggest release on the radar for 2022 so far, San Andreas VR promises to bring the full Grand Theft Auto experience to headsets for the first time. After the shaky release of the Definitive Edition, we’re wondering how this one will turn out, but Meta’s excellent port of Resident Evil 4 VR gives us hope.

Green Hell VR – Quest, PC VR (Early 2022)

Polish studio Incuvo has slowly but steadily made a name for itself with good VR ports of good games. But its long-in-development port of this survival game looks to be easily its most ambitious yet with full motion controls. The PC VR and Quest versions are developed by different teams, but expect them both early in 2022.

Hellsweeper – Quest, PC VR

Sairento VR remains many people’s go-to action game and we’ve long wondered what developer Mixed Realms could do with a follow-up. Hellsweeper is the answer – a messy, demonic fighter with blood, guns and decapitations as far as the eye can see. Expect an early access release first.

Hitman 3 VR – PC VR (January)

Hitman 3 on PSVR was great but, with only DualShock 4’s shaky controller tracking to guide Agent 47, there was definite room for improvement. We’re hopeful that the PC VR version will be a big leap forward thanks to more stable, two-handed tracking and, hopefully, some quality of life improvements. If IO Interactive pulls it off, this will be huge.

Hubris – PSVR, PC VR

We’re always cautious of unknown studios promising big things from their debut VR projects but we’ve played Hubris for ourselves and what we’ve seen so far is actually quite promising. Immersive swimming, fun combat and gorgeous visuals mean we’re keeping an eye on this one as the year progresses.

The Last Clockwinder – Quest, PC VR (Summer)

The Last Clockwinder takes a tried-and-true concept of single-player co-op and promises to grow a wholesome experience around it. Work together with your past actions to establish an assembly line and grow fruit. The trailer above suggests this one will be an ingenious delight.

The Last Worker – Quest, PC VR

The Last Worker really stood out to us at the Venice Film Festival last summer thanks to its story-driven focus, star-studded cast including Jason Isaacs, and confident visual style. Exactly how this satiric take on mega-corps like Amazon will flourish into a full VR game remains to be seen, but it’s one of our most anticipated new 2022 VR games right now.

Little Cities – Quest, PC VR

Yes, you read that right, two city-building VR games are coming in 2022. But, while Cities VR is drawing from an established foundation, Little Cities looks to deliver a VR-first experience with UIs and levels that were designed to work intrinsically with the platform. It might be the underdog, but Little Cities still looks worth your while.

Lost Recipes – Quest

Schell Games’ other new VR project on the way is quite different to Among Us. In Lost Recipes, you’ll be traveling through time and across the globe to learn ancient cooking techniques. As the name suggests, the game has a focus on recipes that you might not know how to make, suggesting this could be a genuinely beneficial experience.

Moss Book II – PSVR (Spring)

Quill’s return is long overdue but 2022 will finally see us return to the world of Moss. Picking up right where the first game left off, Polyarc is promising a longer adventure that explores more of the connection between player and the adorable protagonist. Here’s hoping the studio can go the extra mile.

Nerf Ultimate Championship – Quest

A VR-native multiplayer shooter in which you wield virtual versions of your favorite Nerf guns? Where do we sign up? Secret Location has earned our trust with releases like Blasters of the Universe and Nerf looks like a nimble VR shooter that will have plenty of twists and turns when it releases on Quest later in 2022.

Outlier – PC VR (Q1)

Another year, another chance for Joy Way to release a lot of games. But Outlier looks to continue the developer’s trend of launching great concepts that play incredibly well. This time it’s a superpowered rogue-lite shooter set on an alien planet. If Stride and Against are anything to go by, it’ll be one to watch.

Paranormal Hunter – PC VR

Channeling other co-op games like Phasmophobia, Paranormal Hunter is a horror experience with optional VR support that will see you searching for supernatural entities and then trying not to crap yourself as you capture them. One for fright fans to keep an eye on.

Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom

Peaky Blinders VR 2

Dr. Who: The Edge of Time developer Maze Theory returns to VR with a long-awaited Peaky Blinders game. The experience will let you become a member of the legendary crew, but the developer has also been touting an immersive new AI system that will see characters react differently to how you behave in-game. We’re eager to see how that will play out.

Propagation: Paradise Hotel – Quest, PSVR, PC VR (Late 2022)

Propagation was a surprise hit for VR developer Wanadev, offering a polished, free single-player zombie shooter experience with premium co-op DLC. Next year will see the studio return to the franchise with a new full game. Given there aren’t actually many zombie shooters scheduled for 2022, we’ll be interested to see how this one fares.

PSVR 2 Games

We could endlessly speculate about what titles Sony might be lining up for its much-anticipated PS5 VR headset (which still doesn’t have an official name). For now, we’ll just group those games into one and point to potential releases like Gran Turismo 7 and Resident Evil 8 as well as Sony-owned developers like Firesprite working in VR. If Sony pulls it off, this will be a huge year for PSVR 2.

Requisition – PC VR

Arcadia’s home-invasion zombie survival game stands out from the pack with its promise of makeshift weaponry assembled from everyday items. With full co-op support included, Requisition could be a lot of fun with friends in 2022.

Ruinsmagus – Quest, PC VR

Mixing elements of visual novels and JRPGs, Ruinsmagus boasts gorgeous art that will surely delight fans of the genre. The game may not have passed its Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign, but an international release is still very much on the cards.

The Shore VR – PC VR

A port of the original PC game from 2021, The Shore is a Lovecraft-inspired adventure that mashes many of the creator’s most vivid works. Expect a full native VR port with a lot of work put into it that, hopefully, will only enrich the original experience.

Splinter Cell VR – Quest

Splinter Cell VR

As with Assassin’s Creed VR, we know practically nothing about this new game in the Splinter Cell series. But, given just how natural a fit the stealth genre is for the platform, there’s a real opportunity to make something genuinely groundbreaking here. This is at the top of our most anticipated list right now.

Stress Level Zero’s Project 4

Project 4 Stress Level Zero

Truth be told we were hoping we’d have seen what was next from the developers of Boneworks by now, but hopefully our patience will be rewarded in 2022. We know that Stress Level Zero is working on multiple projects. We know at least one of those projects is set in the Boneworks universe and is coming to Quest, PC VR and very likely PSVR 2 too. Any other new information eludes us right now.

Tea For God – Quest, PC VR (Late 2022)

Though it’s been in early access for years now, 2022 promises to be the year this impossible spaces-based shooter gets a full launch. The magic of physically walking around an ever-changing environment still hasn’t waned when we play the game today, and we’re looking forward to seeing more people try it for the first time.

Trial By Teng – PC VR

2021 was a quiet one for this promising puzzling adventure which has been toiling away at Charm Games. The scope of the development cycle has us hoping this will be a longer effort from the studio that gives us some really innovative puzzles. Hopefully we’ll see more later in 2022.

The Twilight Zone VR

Another oddity from VR publisher Fun Train, The Twilight Zone VR promises to pay tribute to the cult TV show with a series of unique stories designed specifically for the medium. The idea might sound unconventional, but if each ‘episode’ can capitalize on something weird and fantastic for VR, it’ll be a real hit.

Ultimechs

We’ve only seen a short teaser of the next title from Resolution Games, but it seems pretty easy to grasp. Simply put, Ultimechs looks like Rocket League… with mechs. We’re still yet to see exactly how that will work, but the rocket-powered punch in the trailer suggests another active, engaging VR sport is in the making.

Ultrawings 2 – Quest, PC VR (February)

Building on everything that worked in the first game, Ultrawings 2 promises a host of content split across its open skies. Dogfighting is joining the series for the first time, and there are new aircraft types to master too. The Quest version of the game is shaping up well, and there’s a possibility of a PSVR release too.

Vail VR – PC VR

It’s been through extensive testing but constant updates have us hopeful that Vail will still see the light of day this year. A focus on tight, team-based battles might help this one stand out in the increasingly competitive online shooter space.

Vertigo 2 – PC VR

Zulubo Productions’ sci-fi shooter series is long overdue for its full sequel, but we’re hoping 2022 will be the year we finally get to play Vertigo 2. After the success of the demo and Vertigo Remastered we’re hoping this delivers the PC VR shooter experience that’s been missing for the past year.

Wanderer – PSVR, PC VR (28 January)

This escape room-style puzzler has us interested thanks to its focus on immersive interactions, story and lush visuals across a range of different times and environments. It’s ambitious to say the least but if it all works then Wanderer will be an early win for VR in 2022.

Zenith: The Last City – Quest, PSVR, PC VR (Early 2022)

We thought for sure that Zenith was biting off more than it could chew. A full VR MMO from a new developer running across all major platforms? Surely it couldn’t be done. Well, we’ve played the beta and it looks like Ramen VR might actually pull it off. If you’re looking for a traditional MMO hook with a VR twist, Zenith might be the biggest game of the year for you. Another beta is still to come before release.

Ziggy’s Cosmic Adventures – Quest, PC VR (Fall 2022)

Ziggy is one of those crucial VR efforts that looks to focus on immersion above all else. It’s got a fully interactive cockpit that you can physically walk around in, a sprawling set of features to maintain your spaceship and motion-based flight controls. Hopefully this will be one to really lose yourself in.

And that’s our list of 2022 VR games to look out for! What are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below!



via Mint VR
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December 30, 2021 ,
2022 Game Montage

Another year is over and what a year 2021 was. Great videogames and awesome new tech but those pandemic issues never subsided so bring on the metaverse. Now isn’t the time to reminisce, now’s the time to look ahead and when it comes to virtual reality (VR) titles on the horizon there is plenty to get excited about. Here are the ones VRFocus is most interested in playing.

Moss Book II

Moss: Book II

Make no mistake the original Moss by Polyarc was an awesome VR title so the news that its sequel Moss: Book II is due for release this coming Spring is exciting news.

Continuing the tale of Quill, the little mouse with a big heart, Moss: Book II is a puzzle adventure only confirmed for PlayStation VR at the moment. Having rescued her uncle Argus in the first instalment, this time around Quill must end the merciless rule of the Arcane whilst confronting a winged tyrant hunting her within the hexed castle where her uncle was held captive. Offering new locations and puzzles to solve, Moss: Book II is set to include new features like a nature attunement ability to grow new pathways and a huge hammer to cause some destruction.

Needless to say, Moss: Book II should be on every PlayStation VR owners most wanted list.

  • Supported headsets: PlayStation VR
  • Release date: Spring 2022

Ultimechs

Resolution Games is known for its multiplayer titles like Acron: Attack of the Squirrels, and Demeo, and that’s set to continue into 2022.

Teasing its next project back in November, Ultimechs is going to be a futuristic sports experience mashing together robots with football (soccer). Only a few teasing details have been released so far showcasing rocket-powered fists, 2v2 action and some highly competitive gameplay.

Looking like a far more dynamic experience than Resolution Games’ other competitive sci-fi videogame Blaston, Ultimechs will allow you to move around an arena, giving it a much more esports vibe. Considering the studios’ expertise in this VR field, Ultimechs could well become a “must-have” VR multiplayer next year.

  • Supported headset(s): ???
  • Release date: 2022
Ultimechs

Ultrawings 2

The original Ultrawings was a beloved classic so there’s plenty of excitement regarding the sequel. Developer Bit Planet Games has spent four years working on Ultrawings 2 and says it’ll be: “3X the gameplay of the original”.

Mixing arcade gameplay with simulator mechanics, Ultrawings 2 is set to feature four planes and one helicopter with hundreds of missions to test your flying skills on. From popping balloons with a dart pistol and stunt plane aerobatics to air-to-air combat shooting down drones in the fighter plane, there should be plenty to keep players entertained. They’ll also have their pick of control schemes. Whether that’s a normal gamepad, using their virtual hands to grab the cockpit controls or going fully immersive using a HOTAS setup, Ultrawings 2 will balance fun with realistic flying.

VRFocus can’t wait to get back into the skies again.

  • Supported platform(s): Meta Quest, PC VR
  • Release date: February 2022

Green Hell VR

Creepy Jar’s survival adventure Green Hell is coming to VR headsets thanks to Incuvo in 2022, remastering the control scheme for fully immersive gaming.

Heading to Meta Quest and PC VR headsets – a PlayStation VR version has also been mentioned – Green Hell VR drops you in a lush jungle with all the dangers you’d expect for the Amazon rainforest. Survive by foraging for food, learn how to build shelters, make tools, and craft weapons to defend yourself from whatever lurks in the undergrowth as you try to find a way out.

Being rebuilt for VR means that Green Hell VR has the kind of physical control system you’d expect from Incuvo, wrap your injuries with leaves, draw your bow to kill predators and light fires by sparking rock together. It’s all about enveloping you in the jungle experience so what’s not to look forward to?

  • Supported platform(s): Meta Quest, PC VR
  • Release date: Q1 2022
Green Hell VR - PC

NERF Ultimate Championship

Another multiplayer with some exciting potential is NERF Ultimate Championship for Meta Quest. Initially unveiled during E3 2021 by Secret Location, the first proper look at the arena shooter came only a few short weeks ago with a gameplay reveal trailer.

A 4 vs 4, team-based VR experience, NERF Ultimate Championship will encourage players to navigate arenas in a parkour-like fashion with plenty of wall running and jumping. Of course, this being an official NERF tie-in players will have access to a wide variety of NERF blasters to choose from, each featuring manual reloading, revving triggers, dual-wielding capabilities. There’s also unique dart physics to be aware of.

From the looks of it, NERF Ultimate Championship is going to take all those regular NERF battles and up the action, in ways only VR can.

  • Supported platform(s): Meta Quest
  • Release date: 2022

Hubris

Originally due for release this year, Cyborn’s rather gorgeous Hubris is now due to hit PC VR headsets at some point next year. Aiming for very high-end, sci-fi VR adventuring, Hubris looks like it could very well be the Lone Echo II of 2022.

Promising a fully explorable world where you can climb, swim, jump and run around as you please, VRFocus demoed Hubris a couple of months ago, finding a promising experience that was very pretty to look at. Visuals aside, there was plenty of physical activity where you could climb cliff faces, swim underwater and harpoon creatures as well as platforming sections.

One route that Cyborn has said it’s taking with the videogame is that it’ll be episodic, which may or may not work in its favour. If you’ve ever wanted Halo in VR – and who hasn’t? – then Hubris may just fill that hole, so long as there’s enough of it.

  • Supported platform(s): PC VR, PlayStation VR
  • Release date: 2022
Hubris

SIN

Love your horror? SIN is the follow up to the popular The Exorcist: Legion VR where you play as a detective going up against demonic forces. Fun Train has teamed up with Pocket Money Games for this project. SIN stands for “Safety in Numbers” and as that implies you won’t be alone this time around.

No gameplay details have been revealed just yet but SIN will continue the narrative from the previous episodes, so it’s going to be scary at the very least. Teaming up with a friend – or braving it solo – SIN is the only horror VRFocus knows of for 2022 and should be in good hands.

  • Supported platform(s): Meta Quest, PlayStation VR
  • Release date: Late 2022

Wanderer

Another one delayed from 2021, Wanderer is a joint project between New Zealand-based studios M Theory and Oddboy.

Wanderer is a time-travelling adventure with a talking watch where you have to visit particular points in history in a bid to save the world. Exploring historical, futuristic and post-apocalyptic settings, you’ll take to the stage in 1969 for an epic musical performance, uncover traitors and crack codes during WWII; help inventor Nikola Tesla prepare his machinery, and step onto the moon. 

Wanderer is one of the more unique prospects for 2022, a fascinating narrative alongside time-hopping puzzles and some lovely looking locations.

  • Supported platform(s): PC VR, PlayStation VR
  • Release date: 27th January 2022
Wanderer

Hitman 3

An exclusive PlayStation VR release – where VR is concerned – in January 2021, IO Interactive’s infamous assassin will eventually make its way to PC VR headsets in the coming 12 months.

Continuing the Hitman storyline, Hitman 3 features five gameplay modes: a full campaign, Elusive Targets, Escalations, Contracts Mode and Sniper Assassin, all of which can be played in VR. It’s been the studio’s most successful Hitman videogame with 50 million players stepping into the shoes of Agent 47.

However, unlike the PlayStation version that’s only compatible with the DualShock controller, and therefore lacks that extra bit of immersive freedom the PC VR edition won’t, and that’s really exciting. IO Interactive has worked on motion controller support, already showcasing Hitman 3 working with Valve Index controllers. This means dual-wielding weapons and other interactions that make VR so immersive will be present in this edition.

  • Supported platform(s): PC VR
  • Release date: 2022

Little Cities

And finally a far more casual strategy VR title. Being built by indie team Purple Yonder with publishing support from nDreams (Fracked, Phantom: Covert Ops), Little Cities is a laid back city-building experience for Meta Quest.

You’ll be able to construct complex cities that require residential areas, areas for commerce as well as industrial zones, all carefully balanced to make the populace happy. Specialist buildings such as network phone towers, schools, hospitals, police stations and more all add to the success of your city but they each only cover a certain radius so making sure they’re in an optimal spot is crucial.

Demoing one map from Little Cities, VRFocus found a delightful little city management experience that offered promising gameplay for fans of non-action oriented VR videogames.

  • Supported platform(s): Meta Quest
  • Release date: Spring 2022


via Mint VR
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December 30, 2021 ,

Several developers have indicated Christmas 2021 was a big moment for the VR industry and Meta’s Quest 2 headset.

Over the last few years, the Christmas period has become an increasingly huge milestone day of growth for virtual reality and VR developers, particularly in the post-2019 Quest era. However, this year looks to be the biggest Christmas for VR yet, with developers sharing statistics that indicate the biggest day of growth yet.

Famously, Meta does not release any sales numbers for Quest headsets themselves at Christmas or at any other point in the year. This means we’re left trying to roughly estimate how the size of the Quest install base based on various other unofficial data points. This week’s developer tweets are a good example of that.

The Oculus app, which is required for new users to set up a headset, rocketed up to #1 on the Apple App Store charts on Christmas, beating out popular and near-ubiquitous social media apps TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. If the Oculus app chart position indicates strong new headset take-up, then app sales numbers and player base growth shows that those new owners were keen to get in on VR experiences as well.

Social VR experience Rec Room (which is available for free on VR and non-VR platforms and is consistently at the top of the Oculus Store charts) saw record numbers over Christmas, with over 1 million VR players logging into the platform across a 60 hour period. This is huge growth – it was only earlier this year that Rec Room hit the same milestone (1 million VR players logging in) across an entire month. The company is currently hiring for over 60 positions.

Dennys Kuhnert, developer of Hand Physics Lab, said that Christmas Day sales of the app were “unprecedented”. He also shared an unlabelled sales graph for Hand Physics Lab, showing a huge upwards spike that looks to be roughly double the previous high point of sales on the app’s launch day.

One developer of Golf+ noted that they had to “scale up to manage the CCUs [concurrently connected users]” on Christmas Day. Another Golf+ developer noted that sales across the 2021 Christmas period surpassed 2020 significantly, with December 24 2021 fleetingly becoming the game’s “best sales day ever”, only to be immediately (and significantly) surpassed the next day on Christmas.

Online players in Eleven Table Tennis across all platforms in the Christmas period, taken from www.https://11-stats.com/online on December 28.

Twitter user @henrilatr pointed out to UploadVR Editor-in-Chief Ian Hamilton that Eleven Table Tennis experienced a large spike in online players on Christmas Day, going from peaks of roughly 800 players across the December 21-24 to new peaks of 1800+ players on Christmas Day. These new peaks have stayed roughly stable since Christmas through December 28.

Sam Watts, a developer at Make Real VR, indicated he was happy with the revenue chart for Loco Dojo Unleashed on Christmas Day, sharing an unlabelled chart with a line that spikes upwards in a similar fashion to the apps above.

Developer of popular multiplayer game Gorilla Tag indicated huge player numbers as well, citing an “absolutely bonkers” 344,000 unique users (and a peak of 26,000 concurrent users) across the Christmas weekend. It’s also worth nothing that Gorilla Tag isn’t even available on the Oculus Store for Quest 2 – it’s listed on App Lab, meaning new users on that platform would have to have found or searched for a link to the app somewhere online. Quest 2 users would not have been led to the app organically while in VR like the other apps listed above, making this a pretty significant achievement even when accounting for PC VR players, as the game is sold on Steam as well.

This is likely just a tiny snapshot of what has been one of the most profitable and huge periods of growth in VR history. Many of the apps above are available across multiple VR platforms including Quest 2, PC VR and PSVR. However, it’s clear that even if some growth is being driven by the latter two platforms, it’s Meta’s Quest 2 that is likely driving most of this insane growth. Anecdotally, more people than ever are sharing videos of new users (of all demographics but particularly younger children) unwrapping and playing with new Quest 2 headsets this Christmas.



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December 30, 2021 ,

You’ve seen our platform-specific lists, but now it’s time for the ultimate showdown. This is our Best VR Games 2021 list.

VR’s software line-up for the past year was interesting to say the least. The industry is still yet to attract bigger players and, as a result, bigger budgets and it definitely showed. But, with only a handful of full, AAA titles scheduled for the year, smaller, truly VR-focused developers were given the space to shine. The result is a truly varied and dynamic list.

If you want platform-specific lists, make sure to check out:

Remember that you can find these titles on Steam, the Oculus Store and the PlayStation Store.

Best VR Games 2021

10. Gorilla Tag

You cannot deny the impact Gorilla Tag has had on 2021. John Carmack himself put it best – there are more people playing this strange, unique exploration of multiplayer VR than there are some AAA efforts. Gorilla Tag caught everyone’s attention thanks to its active gameplay that essentially gave us a new way to play a real-world sport. It’s a rare example of something that can only be done in this medium, and a must-see experience.

9. After The Fall

2021 felt like just the start of the journey for After The Fall. What we got was a really enjoyable set of five levels to blast through with friends, taking down zombies across a frozen LA. It’s a great replication of the Left 4 Dead experience in VR and its cross-play support is truly groundbreaking. But, going forward, we need more. More levels, weapons, enemy types and rewards. If 2022 can deliver all of this, After The Fall will become a must-buy.

8. Lone Echo 2

Three years on from the first game’s release, Lone Echo 2 didn’t move the bar forward as much as we had hoped for VR gaming, but it certainly still measured up to the first game’s unmatched immersion and presentation. This is a hugely atmospheric adventure with a smart story and the same winning traversal mechanics that we’ve been enjoying for years in Echo VR. We definitely hope Lone Echo 2 isn’t the last we’ve seen of this series.

7. Hitman 3

Hitman makes perfect sense for VR. Each of the series’ many levels is a sprawling, open sandbox of consequences in which your every movement can set off a different chain of reactions. The VR implementation into Hitman 3 VR is a good realization of this, if somewhat held back by the limited tracking and platform performance. But you still won’t find a bigger, richer experience to throw yourself into in 2021. Bring on that PC VR release.

6. I Expect You To Die 2

It feels great to say that I Expect You To Die 2 is great. The original was one of the most thoughtful and overall best examples of how VR can change gaming when it released in 2016. Five years on, Schell Games followed up with a sequel that felt true to the first game’s core design philosophies, delivering more thoughtful puzzles and brilliantly interactive moments. I Expect You To Die 2 is a great showcase of VR gameplay.

5. Song in the Smoke

If you file down the categories, there’s a lot of ways in which Song in the Smoke is the best VR experience of the year. It’s the best single-player, VR-exclusive game that offers a familiar gaming setup with plenty of immersive elements. You’ll lose hours surviving in this harsh wilderness, crafting items and fending off beasts of different shapes and sizes. But even with the expert delivery of its gameplay mechanics, the game still has a beating heart connected to the ancient world it depicts. A real gem.

4. A Township Tale (Quest release)

While there’s still a ways to go for A Township Tale, the Quest release of this online town builder marked a hugely important milestone worthy of recognition here. You won’t find a VR game with more depth and mystery that somehow still balances a complex open world defined by realistic physics. The drip-feed progression and rewarding co-op really cement an experience worth investing in. We can’t wait to see what’s next for this one.

3. Resident Evil 4

Remember when we all said you couldn’t really port existing games to VR? Yeah, that didn’t really hold up, did it? Resident Evil 4 is an incredibly thoughtful transition to Quest that, whilst certainly a different experience, doesn’t sacrifice the original’s core thrills. In fact, a first-person perspective and realistic aiming help to enhance some areas of Leon’s adventure, making this an absolutely wonderful way to revisit an all-time classic.

2. Unplugged (Quest)

Unplugged doesn’t work perfectly. VR’s hand tracking technology still has a ways to go and it shows. But, for now, it works well enough to deliver a consistently fun experience that really shows you just how unique VR can be. This is a Guitar Hero game you won’t be throwing away a few months later, delivering an empowering, enriching experience without the need for plastic peripherals. Just make sure to grab the Quest version as the PC version’s Valve Index controller tracking doesn’t quite compare.

1. Demeo

Surprised? No, probably not. We’ve been waxing on about Demeo for the better part of a year now. We’re in love with the way it took a real-world concept — gathering around the table for game night — and brought it to VR in a way that not only replicated the in-person experience but also enhanced it. Demeo is a perfect multiplayer VR experience baked into a really, really fun strategy game, and our pick for the best VR game of 2021.

And that’s our list of the best VR games 2021! Agree with our picks? Think we missed anything? Let us know in the comments below!



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December 29, 2021 ,

The Falconeer developer Tomas Sala has been experimenting with possible VR support for the celebrated flight game.

For the past few days Sala has been tweeting about progress with VR implementation into the game, which first released on PC and Xbox in 2020. Traditionally, The Falconeer is played from a third-person perspective and sees players steer a falcon across oceans, engaging in combat across different campaigns.

The Falconeer VR?

In his most recent post, Sala even showed footage of the game running with VR head-tracking. It’s still played from the same perspective and, in the developer’s words, “everything is broken”, but it’s an interesting tease of what might be to come. That said, Sala hasn’t explicitly confirmed that the game will get a full VR port, so this work might not lead to a full release.

We’ll keep our fingers crossed, though. The Falconeer earned positive reviews across the board for its sweeping imagery and thrilling combat. Porting to VR would definitely take a lot of work, though, and Sala points out that moving to a first-person view would mean significantly restructuring the game’s aiming systems and comfort options. If it did happen then a PC VR version would be a likely candidate, but it’d be interesting to see Quest and PSVR versions too.

If it doesn’t work out, though, we’ll always have Falcon Age.



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December 29, 2021 ,

Meta’s newest headset had a strong year, but what were its must-play games? Find out with our list of the Best Quest Games 2021!

Well it might be a bit confusing remembering how to name Quest after Facebook’s recent rebrand, but one thing is clear as day: Quest 2 is now the headset to beat. All signs point to an enormous debut year for Meta’s third standalone headset (yes, that’s right, we didn’t forget Oculus Go), and developers measured up to meet the demand for great games. Here’s our picks for the 10 best titles released on the platform this year.

As always, you can grab these games from the Quest store. Looking for more impressions? Head over to our reviews section!

Best Quest Games 2021

10. After The Fall (Quest 2 Only)

We’d have gladly waited another six months for After The Fall if it had meant launching with more than five maps, but Vertigo Games still delivered one of the most enjoyable and addictive co-op shooters of the year. The Quest version in particular is a small miracle given that it can handle cross-play with the PC VR and PSVR builds with the same number of enemies on-screen at a time. Hopefully it’s only up from here for After The Fall.

9. Blade And Sorcery: Nomad (Quest 2 Only)

Were it releasing in a more finished state, then Blade and Sorcery: Nomad would quickly catapult into the top five of our best Quest games 2021 list. But, as it stands, the game still offers just enough brutal VR combat to qualify for the top ten. The new dungeons mode really helps give the game a sense of progression, but we’ll never tire of the physics-driven arena combat. Look for more to come in 2022.

8. Larcenauts

Not everyone took to Larcenauts and that’s a bit of a shame. The game might’ve had a bit of a shaky start but we’d argue that you won’t find a deeper, more thoughtful team-based hero shooter anywhere else in VR. Larcenauts might wear its inspirations on its sleeves but the way each character type genuinely adds something new to the game is incredibly impressive. It’s still worth assembling a team for this gem.

7. Gorilla Tag

Our only App Lab entry for this year’s list, though it’s actually surprising Gorilla Tag isn’t on the full Quest store yet. It might not be a full game, but it’s proving to be even more popular than some of the platform’s most-marketed online experiences, and it seems to have struck a particular chord with younger audiences. Expect to hear a lot more about Gorilla Tag as VR continues to grow.

6. I Expect You To Die 2

Schell Games took its time bringing us a full sequel to 2016’s excellent VR escape room puzzler, but the wait was more than worth it. IEYTD hasn’t lost any of its trial and error charm in these past five years, and the sequel presents some of its most memorable puzzles yet. Hopefully we’ll hear about the possibility of more levels sometime in 2022.

5. Song in the Smoke

The Quest version of Song in the Smoke is a real triumph. Yes, some visual effects are lost in the transition, but this still feels like perhaps the least-compromised port of the year, with a gameplay experience that’s virtually identical to playing on PC or PSVR. It makes this version of the game, which offers some of the most engaging and immersive survival VR mechanics to date, the one to seek out if you have the option.

4. A Township Tale

Technically still in early access, but A Township Tale already has endless hours of content to dive into with friends. The physics-driven crafting and resource gathering offers finely-tuned mechanics, but it’s the sense of adventure as you risk diving into another layer of the game’s mines that really has us coming back for more. We can’t wait to see what 2022 has in store for one of our favorite Quest games.

3. Resident Evil 4 VR (Quest 2 Only)

We didn’t think Armature would be able to keep the spirit of Resident Evil 4 intact in the transition to VR. Boy were we wrong – this is an incredibly considerate port that accommodates a lot of play styles and, even though much of its 2D design remains, the core thrills of the classic game are alive and well. With San Andreas also due to come to Quest, Resident Evil 4 VR sets a high bar for what we should expect from future efforts, making it one of the best Quest games 2021.

2. Demeo

If Demeo were a flatscreen game (which, incidentally, it will be in 2022), it’d be a fun, if flawed tabletop dungeon crawler. But it really comes to life in VR, offering a social experience that not only matches meeting up in real life with friends but also augments the fun by letting you scale down into the board, watch attack animations and highlight points of interest to friends. There’s a lot of talk about how VR is a social medium that can change how we interact with each other, but we rarely see that in action. Demeo’s fantastic blend of tactical co-op is the perfect demonstration of where this platform is headed in the future, making one of the best Quest games 2021.

1. Unplugged

Unplugged’s hand-tracked controls aren’t perfect but, when you consider most people expected the game to be an unplayable mess, ‘not perfect is actually a surprising success. And, once you settle into the game’s feel, you’ll discover one of the most innovative and best-presented titles of the year. There are few sensations more empowering than shredding notes in this controller-less Guitar Hero VR game, and it’s got a surprisingly robust tracklist from a huge number of great artists to bolster the experience. As such, Unplugged takes the crown as our best Quest game of 2021. More, please!

And that’s our list of the best Quest games 2021! Agree with our picks? Think we missed anything? Let us know in the comments below!



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