Lately, I’ve been on an upswing, which means this newsletter is right on schedule (hurray!). The past week ended on a high note for me: on the professional front, I’ve unveiled some exciting news about camera access on Android XR (I’ll delve into that later), and personally, I whipped up a delicious Italian pasta dish here in China for my friends (thanks to some key ingredients I brought along from home, of course). Here’s hoping for another fantastic week ahead—not just for myself, but for all of you as well!
Top News of the Week
The Meta Quest Ecosystem Is in a Delicate Phase
Henry Stockdale from Upload VR has penned an insightful article examining the current state of the Horizon Store. With the merging of the main store with App Lab and a complete UI overhaul of the Meta Horizon OS and its mobile app, all eyes are now on Horizon Worlds. This focus has made visibility a challenge for Quest developers, severely impacting game discoverability—crucial for revenue. Some studios have reported revenue losses between 50% and 80% compared to early 2023. Developers have been vocal about the challenges on the platform, aligning with a piece I wrote a few months back on my blog. Meta urgently needs a store update that highlights quality titles over the flood of Gorilla Tag clones and stops prioritizing Horizon Worlds content.
In a contrasting move, Meta responded with a blog post celebrating a successful year for Quest 3 and Quest 3S (as reflected by Steam data), noting shifts in store demographics. The data shows nearly two-thirds of this year’s headsets were purchased by new users, many of whom are younger and gravitate towards free-to-play games. These users are content with the low-budget imitations available for free on Horizon Worlds.
Meta’s stance seems to be catering to this influx of younger users who prefer free content. Unfortunately, that leaves those creating premium, high-quality games in the lurch. While I can appreciate Meta’s pivot towards a growing young audience—which, in turn, could bolster long-term XR tech growth—there’s a missed opportunity here for a more balanced approach. It’s vital for Meta, which takes a 30% cut from every transaction, to support all developers, not just those offering free-to-play options.
Since late 2022, an increase in younger users has been noticeable on the platform, but the significant revenue dip started around mid-2024, coinciding with Meta’s store change—not the rise in younger users. The larger issue remains the store’s layout and functionality.
In the face of recent layoffs in VR studios like SideQuest and nDreams, I sincerely question Meta’s future plans. Without decisive action, developers—including myself—might pivot to other avenues like flatscreen content because surviving solely on the Horizon Store isn’t viable. As soon as competitors like Android XR emerge, I suspect many will shift allegiance due to this perceived lack of support. Should Meta wish to focus solely on Horizon Worlds and its cheaper content, it might risk losing the vibrant Quest creator ecosystem it’s nurtured over six years.
Meanwhile, the development community largely sides with the devs. Discussions on platforms like Reddit suggest uninstalling Horizon Worlds or purchasing more premium games to disrupt current search results prioritization. Unfortunately, with Mark Rabkin, VP of XR at Meta, stepping down for family reasons, this managerial shake-up won’t expedite solutions to this pressing issue.
Other Relevant News
Andrew Bosworth Predicts 2025 as a Pivotal Year for XR
One highly buzzed-about topic this week revolves around a memo from Andrew Bosworth to Meta staff. Reading like a rallying cry, it is meant to galvanize the team towards XR success. Bosworth claims 2025 will be a decisive year for XR’s future at Meta. Honestly, I disagree. XR is still in its nascency, and this year won’t see groundbreaking shifts, aside from the anticipated Android XR headsets launch. Despite their steep price, Samsung’s device can’t rival Meta. Given Meta’s multibillion-dollar investment plan in XR stretching into the 2030s, this seems mainly like a motivational tactic.
Bosworth also shares thoughts on XR’s make-or-break nature: “This year likely determines whether this entire effort will go down as the work of visionaries or a legendary misadventure.” This has led some to wonder if Bosworth is prepping for possible failure, especially with talks of cutting VR funding and a pivot to smart glasses. However, selling 1 million Ray-Ban Metas, while promising, doesn’t validate mass adoption. Shifting from VR to an unproven market would be too hasty.
Additionally, Bosworth hints at launching “half a dozen” wearables, likely alluding to forthcoming smartglasses, smartwatches, and neural smartbands. John Carmack commented positively on the memo but critiqued two points: the focus on MR over VR and Horizon Worlds’ overshadowing importance, which might detract from other goals.
Apple Integrating PSVR 2 Controllers
Regular Apple news leaker Marc Gurman reveals Apple’s ongoing efforts to integrate PSVR 2 controllers with Apple Vision Pro. These controllers, sold separately, will cater to gamers requiring such peripherals. Sony might soon sell these controllers independently if this partnership solidifies. The VisionOS 3 announcement during June’s WWDC could be a likely timeline for this support update.
Android XR Guarantees Camera Access
Google has assured developers that Android XR will provide camera access akin to phones. Developers can tap into both the front and back cameras following user consent via a pop-up. The headset’s front camera mirrors a smartphone’s rear camera, and the avatar face reconstruction simulates the selfie camera, enabling existing mobile apps to access user views or face simulations, thereby paving the way for authentic mixed-reality experiences.
News Worth a Mention
Quest Game Optimizer Hits 100K Users
Amidst a tide of less-than-rosy XR news, let’s celebrate a positive milestone: Quest Game Optimizer, an app designed to fine-tune Quest settings for optimal performance, has surpassed the 100,000-user mark. A remarkable feat for an application not officially available on the store and requiring sideloading. Kudos to its creator!
John Carmack on Beat Saber vs. Half-Life: Alyx
John Carmack tweeted that “standalone VR was the biggest win that VR ever had, by a huge margin, and Beat Saber was far more important than Half-Life Alyx.” From an adoption standpoint, he’s spot-on. Yet, both games have had their pivotal roles: Alyx opened doors to hardcore gamers (particularly Half-Life enthusiasts) and showcased unparalleled immersion in VR.
Ray-Ban Meta Ads for the Super Bowl
Meta has unleashed two Super Bowl ads for the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, featuring popular Hollywood stars. I caught the one with Chris Hemsworth—while it was enjoyable, it wasn’t incredibly memorable. Still, it might serve to boost awareness about smart glasses.
Spatial.io Ventures into Gaming
Spatial.io, known for its several strategic pivots, currently finds success with its game, Animal Company, echoing Gorilla Tag vibes. After various attempts from enterprise platform to NFT showcases, it’s encouraging to see them thriving with this gaming venture.
Civilization VII Ventures into VR
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII is expanding beyond traditional platforms to Meta Quest, available in both MR and VR. It’s perhaps not the typical fare for the existing Quest market, but as a millennial who cherishes past Civilization escapades, it’s a whimsical delight to see.
Content Updates
- Synth Riders is celebrating Super Bowl LIX with a Kendrick Lamar experience on Apple Vision Pro.
- FRENZIES is staging a Super Bowl-themed event on Quest.
- Gorilla Tag marked its fourth anniversary with a Birthday Bash. Happy Birthday, GT!
- Harpagun, a shooter-smasher VR arcade game, is hitting early access on Quest on February 13.
- Project Aeroes, a mixed-reality game involving spaceship guidance, launches on Quest at $9.99 but is free for the first 30 days if downloaded by March 5.
- Color-matching puzzle game Boxed Out releases on Quest March 24.
- VR rail shooter Aim Assault rolls out a demo on February 13 for PC VR.
- An indie team is crafting Duet, a co-op game focused on communication and cooperation with a stranger.
- Upload VR has released its usual XR News Round-Up, full of smaller XR-related stories.
Content Reviews
COLD VR puts a fresh spin on SUPERHOT, though some levels require more polish to avoid frustration.
More News
- Steam will notify players if an early access game remains stagnant for over a year.
- Stereopsia and AWE Europe are merging to form UnitedXR, an event in Brussels.
- Internal developments at Meta include a potential "Desk Mode" for Meta AI on Quest, with its release uncertain.
News From Partners and Friends
Supporting XR Developers
As depicted throughout this newsletter, XR developers are navigating challenging times. Consider supporting XR devs by purchasing games or apps, leaving positive reviews, sharing content with friends, and boosting visibility on social media platforms. Your support makes a difference!
Some XR Fun
Experience some lighthearted XR fun with these engaging and funny links.
Donate for Good
This week, instead of requesting blog donations, I appeal to your generosity for those enduring the Ukraine war’s hardships. Please consider donating to the Red Cross to support their humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. Many thanks to my generous Patreon supporters for their ongoing encouragement:
- Alex Gonzalez VR
- DeoVR
- GenVR
(And many more listed supporters…)
Here’s the link to contribute: Support The Red Cross in Ukraine.
(Header image by Meta)
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