Greetings from Italy! I’m just back from an exhilarating time at CES, and I’m still in awe of having attended such a colossal event. Even though my body feels like it’s been through a marathon, the experience left me incredibly satisfied. Whether wearing my blogger, enthusiast, or entrepreneur hat, each part of me is elated. As you might guess, CES headlines my weekly roundup, but there’s also some noteworthy news beyond the event to discuss. Let’s dive right in! (Apologies for the delay in this newsletter—it’s been a whirlwind since returning from Las Vegas…)
Top News of the Week
A Showcase of XR Innovations at CES
CES stands as the tech world’s grand showcase, and this year, XR products made a significant splash. Our niche, although still small, is prospering, evidenced by the multitude of smart glasses—many incorporating AI features. The Ray-Ban Meta glasses pictured above and Halliday’s tiny display glasses caught much attention. Meanwhile, Goertek provided new reference designs, likely encouraging more companies to step into the smart and AR glasses arena.
While no groundbreaking revelations emerged, keynotes from heavyweights NVIDIA and Sony caught the XR community’s attention. NVIDIA unveiled its RTX 50 graphics cards, promising enhanced PCVR performance—priced similarly to the 40 series, except the $2000 tag for the 5090 model. They also revealed that Geforce Now will extend cloud gaming to Quest, Pico, and Apple Vision Pro users.
Sony introduced XYN, a fresh suite of XR tools targeted at creatives, including a new yet-to-be-touched headset and software for body tracking and object scanning. The specifics remain under wraps, but Sony’s ongoing commitment to XR gets a thumbs-up.
HDMI’s announcement of a new 2.2 standard with a 96Gb/s bandwidth piques curiosity—could some headsets return to using this port? My experiences at CES, from testing devices like Shiftall MeganeX 8K to Pimax Crystal, were profound, and I look forward to sharing a review of my personal favorite, the Play For Dream headset, soon. It wasn’t just me who appreciated it; Amanda Watson, whom I had the pleasure of meeting, also voted it her best showing. I’ve captured the XR area on video, just for those who missed out, which you can find linked below.
CES might not have been revolutionary for XR, but it was surely positive.
Meta Quest 3S Dominates Amazon Sales
The Meta Quest 3S topped the charts as Amazon US’s best-selling console of 2024. Impressively, it wasn’t confined to the VR category but outperformed all other gaming consoles, being the third most-purchased device in the Video Games section. Quite the feat for something released only in October!
Data indicates a stellar holiday season for Quest 3S, evidenced by its rise on Amazon and the popularity of the Meta Horizon app on Apple’s platform. Statistics on Batman Arkham Shadow players further hint at burgeoning sales during the festive period.
While this doesn’t signal that VR has hit the mainstream, it does mark incremental growth, echoing holiday trends of past years. The influx of new users is undoubtedly promising.
Farewell to Meta Quest Pro
Meta has pulled the plug on the Quest Pro, its ambitious prosumer headset. Now, if you search their store for it, you’ll be directed toward purchasing the Quest 3 instead. However, the Touch Pro controllers remain available for separate purchase as they’re compatible with other Quest models.
No tears are shed over this news. The Quest Pro’s poorly timed launch, motivated by Zuck’s Vision Pro apprehensions, birthed an overpriced, half-cooked product that floundered in sales despite a steep initial $1500 price quickly dropping to $1000. Even generous giveaways at Roblox events didn’t change its fate.
I’ll miss its eye and face tracking, unique among Meta headsets and useful for research. Coincidentally, shortly after its discontinuation, leaks suggested ASUS’s upcoming VR headset will feature similar tracking, hinting likely at continuity within Horizon’s offerings.
Other Headlines
(Image by Meta)
ASUS ROG VR Headset Leak
Rumors swirl about ASUS’s developing ROG VR headset, intriguingly codenamed Tarius. Slated to run on HorizonOS, it promises eye and face tracking, and QD-LCD or micro OLED screens should ensure high visuals. While details are scarce, the fact that leaks are surfacing is a positive sign for the third-party Horizon headset’s progress.
Big Investment for Infinite Reality
Infinite Reality shook the XR community with a monumental $3 billion funding round aimed at bolstering their XR-supported web content creation engine. The single private investor’s backing feels almost surreal, reminiscent of fundraising feats by entities like OpenAI. With a significant sum like this, Infinite Reality is under the spotlight to prove its potential.
A Quirky Approach to VR Mobility
This week’s "What The F" moment goes to a project enabling VR walking while supine. By mimicking a cycling motion while lying down, users move in VR—an ambitious concept, indeed, albeit one to leave you questioning: but why?
DotLumen: Redefining Mobility for the Visually Impaired
I’m fascinated by DotLumen’s innovative headset for the visually impaired. This tech scans surroundings, guiding users past obstacles—a true beacon for those with vision disabilities and a potential game-changer for accessibility.
Meta Cuts Quest 3S Price
Meta slashes the price of the Quest 3S 256GB by $50, while bundling Batman Arkham Shadow—likely a push to boost sales of this higher storage version did not see as much holiday enthusiasm.
Sanzaru Looks to the Future
With the final content for Asgard’s Wrath 2 released, Sanzaru Games is setting sights on its next big endeavor, teasing fans with promises of "AWESOME stuff." As a franchise fan, I eagerly await what’s brewing—hopefully something branching into mixed reality under Meta’s influence.
Content and Reviews Galore
- Boneworks arrives on Quest 3; anticipation builds for the studio’s next project.
- Synth Riders delights with an ’80s Mixtape addition, complete with rickrolling.
- Human Within launches on Quest, offering introspective storytelling on AI’s impact.
- Shardfall: FitQuest VR and Detective VR debut with engaging narratives.
- Chrono Weaver, a time-traveling puzzle adventure, and Virtual Hunter, go live with promising features.
Reviews continue with Epyka’s short but captivating gameplay, Pirates VR’s flashy yet flawed execution, Shardfall’s engaging fitness component, and Gears & Goo’s strategic fun on Apple Vision Pro.
Other Tidbits
A DIY addon for better Touch controller performance emerges on Reddit, while an Exit 8-inspired film enters production—the gaming world’s influence extends into cinema!
Road To VR gives first impressions on Surreal Touch controllers, and Minecraft VR showcases its modding creativity with full body tracking.
In community news, Unity developers dive into Lens Studio, broadening their toolkit for XR projects.
Friends and Partners: Tyriel Wood Tribute
At CES, Tyriel Wood was my constant XR companion, and I can’t emphasize enough how stellar his video content is. Stay tuned to his channel for insightful XR tech reviews and shared experiences from our CES escapades.
XR Fun
For some cheeky entertainment, experience trucks in mixed reality, kids exploring VR worlds, and unexpected scenarios during Steam Sales—all linked for your humorous enjoyment.
A Call to Action
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