Somnium VR1 is a new PC VR headset that delivers an impressive field-of-view (FOV) and high-resolution displays, ideally appealing to enthusiasts already in the SteamVR tracking ecosystem looking for an upgrade, or businesses with the cash to splash. I got a chance to go hands-on at the company’s Somnium Connect event held in Prague, Czechia over the weekend, giving me my first look at the version heading out to customers that’s said to start shipping sometime this month.

The Prague-based company behind VR1 is best known for its metaverse platform Somnium Space, making it the first in what promises to be a series of large FOV headsets. It’s very well refined for a first device, owing to the company’s close partnership with XTAL, the Czech hardware manufacturer behind a series of high-resolution, high FOV enterprise XR headsets.

Somnium VR1 is a new PC VR headset that delivers an impressive field-of-view (FOV) and high-resolution displays, ideally appealing to enthusiasts already in the SteamVR tracking ecosystem looking for an upgrade, or businesses with the cash to splash. I got a chance to go hands-on at the company’s Somnium Connect event held in Prague, Czechia over the weekend, giving me my first look at the version heading out to customers that’s said to start shipping sometime this month.

The Prague-based company behind VR1 is best known for its metaverse platform Somnium Space, making it the first in what promises to be a series of large FOV headsets. It’s very well refined for a first device, owing to the company’s close partnership with XTAL, the Czech hardware manufacturer behind a series of high-resolution, high FOV enterprise XR headsets.

In early 2023 Samsung officially announced it was working on an XR headset, with Google handling the system software via a new variant of Android, now known to be called Android XR, and Qualcomm providing the chipset, which it later announced as Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2, a higher-end variant of the base XR2 Gen 2 used in Meta Quest 3. Business Insider's Hugh Langley, who previously revealed the existence of Android XR before it was publicly known, cites "a person familiar with the internal timeline" as saying the headset was originally set to launch earlier this year, but the current launch timeline is now March 2025.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/17501369

The game remains in invite-only early access for now, with no information about an App Lab/store release yet.

Quoting from their Discord announcement (more info and images there), outlining their new, larger project direction:

Introducing: the Orion-Class Orbital Ring

“The Orion” is a massive cylindrical spacecraft, providing artificial gravity at the outer edges and pure Zero-G at the center. The Orion is subdivided into unique districts. At each, you can compete against other teams or complete challenges, playing co-op, solo or competitively. And it's not alone, the Orion floats through the galaxies amongst an armada of other orbital stations.

The Orion could easily fit more than 20 of the old stations that we showed off at Vegas, with many more game-modes available. This game is BIG.

What’s a day on the Orion like? Come aboard and kick off your visit with an intense competitive match, then catch an elevator to the Low Grav Zone or meet a friend in the Parkour District, then make the jump to 0g to challenge each other to a game you can only play floating in the core. Perhaps a relaxing game of Galactic Golf while goofing off with new pals is more your style, or just talking in the view from a Zen garden on the rim. Or maybe, you want to get lost on a vast new climbing route, exploring some of the station’s strange mysteries!

And every corner of the Orion feels alive, buzzing with the energy of countless players. It’s more than just a game space. The Orion will feel like a living, breathing community, whether you’re walking through the bustling market area, hearing the roar of cheers from a nearby game, or chatting with friends in a cozy cafe.

We hope that every player finds something for themselves to enjoy on the Orion, and we hope you won't mind a little more of a wait to come try it out.

Ramen VR, the developers of Zenith, are ceasing new development for their massively multiplayer online role-playing VR game. Representatives for the company went on YouTube to let people know the situation.

Those still holding on to their Apple Vision Pros may remain in a rather exclusive club throughout this year. Market research shows that sales for Apple’s first big, expensive headset will remain low in 2024. The latest reports from those keeping tabs on the Cupertino, California company say AVP will have dropped off 75% by the end of August. The true test for Apple’s spatial dreams may rest on the rumored (slightly) cheaper headset.

Riff XR is an up and coming social community like VRchat that is offering some creative ways to game and meet people. I had never heard of them but looks interesting.

From VR hoverboards to the latest AR technology, we saw the future of XR at AWE 2024.

Somnium Connect has kicked off and Somnium VR1 should go on sale later today. Somnium Connect takes place in Prague, where the device will be demonstrated. Youtubers and the VR press will be present to try out the device

While it's easy enough to replicate users' real-world head and arm movements in VR environments, walking is a bit trickier. After all, if a gamer is walking the length of a virtual city block within a game, they can't very well be covering that same distance in real life … or at least, not without running into things.

One solution to this problem involves using what are known as omnidirectional treadmills. These tend to take the form of slippery round(ish) platforms that slope in toward the center like a bowl. As the user walks on that platform – facing in any direction – their feet continuously slip in to the middle, keeping them in place.

According to Freeaim, however, some people describe walking on such platforms as feeling more like skating, or like pushing awkwardly against the inside of a dish. Additionally, omnidirectional treadmills are relatively large and expensive, plus they require the user to be supported by a harness or wrap-around railing.

By contrast, Freeaim VR Shoes are more like electric roller skates.

At the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event in Paris – where it showcased new gadgets like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, Galaxy Watch Ultra, and Galaxy Ring – Google was invited along to talk about all things Gemini AI. But in an almost blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, Google reaffirmed its XR platform plans (a catchall for VR, AR, and MR). Samsung President and Head of the Mobile Experience (MX) business TM Roh said that the fruits of Samsung and Google’s XR partnership are coming “this year.”

Considering we’re already over halfway through 2024, Samsung and Google had better get a move on. Our best guess for when we’ll hear more is at Samsung Developer’s Conference (SDC) which is scheduled for October 3, 2024. Though what will we see?

The post-apocalyptic survival horror Metro series – based on the best-selling sci-fi novel series of the same name by Dmitry Glukhovsky – plunged players into an oppressively dark and dank underground network and the ruins beyond.

Highly immersive and critically acclaimed, the franchise has spawned three games to date. Before year’s end, that count will reach four. Announced at State of Play this past January, Vertigo Games – creator of Arizona Sunshine and After The Fall – revealed it has spent the last few years working on an all-new game built for PS VR2. Metro Awakening is a standalone story set prior to the events of the original title – Metro 2033. I sat down with Creative Director Martin de Ronde and Game Director Samar Louwe to discuss more about how this world has been adapted to VR and how they’re keeping the title authentic to the series.

Meta: 64% Apple 16% Pico and Sony disappearing. Others rising from the shadows. This is based on @CounterPointTR research.

The release date for Into The Radius 2 VR has been announced on x.com.

On June 20th, I interviewed Andrew Bosworth. “Boz” joined Facebook in 2006 as the company’s ~10th engineer, subsequently building the original News Feed, Messenger, Groups, as well as many early anti-abuse and infrastructure systems, and running the the Ads and Business Platform product group. In 2017, he established and became Head of Reality Labs, which he continues to run, and in 2022, Boz became CTO of Meta overall.

In the interview, we discuss the three “epochs” in Meta’s Metaverse strategy, what it will take for total VR/MR headset sales to cross 100 million annually, his the specs of his dream headset, Meta’s spending on Reality Labs, whether and when developers might get access to the Quest’s raw camera feed, the many inventions required to ship optical AR glasses, the role of AI, and more.

Every weekend through August 12, we’ll be giving you temporary free access to two acclaimed multiplayer games on Meta Quest, so you can try out something new with your friends. […]

The inaugural Free Weekend kicks off this Friday, July 12 at 3PM [CET] and runs through Monday, July 15 at 1AM [CET]. During that period, you’ll be able to access one-hour trials of both the hit tactical shooter Breachers and the one-stop shop for all things paddle-sports, Racket Club.

In a few weeks' time, the VR Games Showcase will take place for the first time, where renowned developers will present new VR games and updates. The digital event will be broadcast on YouTube on 15 August 2024 at 9am PT, 12pm ET, 5pm BST, 6pm CET. According to the organizers, the show aims to "capture the magic of a Nintendo Direct or Xbox Showcase and deliver a major moment for VR gaming".

[…] the developer was also asked if the Quest version - Blade & Sorcery: Nomad, will get a Quest 3 update. However, that seems unlikely as The Baron cited the additional upkeep this would require.

"As much as I wish there could be a Quest 3 standalone version of Nomad with improved graphics and is something in between current Nomad and PCVR, it would be madness because then there would be three versions of Blade and Sorcery to upkeep."

APPLE chief Tim Cook has revealed he's using “spatial computing” goggles every single day in an exclusive interview with The Sun.

I sat down with the tech titan to talk about the Apple Vision Pro headset as it finally launches in the UK – and he shared his favourite ways to use the premium headgear, including a futuristic TV habit.

Starting now, eligible people in the US can score a new Meta Quest 3 headset, a 24-month subscription to Meta Quest+, and Meta Warranty Plus coverage to protect their investment with a pay-over-time model only available through meta.com. Apply today to play now, pay later with 0% APR financing through Affirm, a way to pay over time. Starting at just $24.99 USD per month for a 128GB headset or $34.99 USD per month for the 512GB model over 24 months, if approved you’ll end up spending less than you would if you purchased each item individually.*

It’s been out for over half a year now, and afaict there‘s still only Supernatural, Swordsman VR and Drunkn Bar Fight that support it.

Has anyone come across other games that also have it?

While browsing through Meta's VR experiences in my Horizon feed, I recently came across a special short documentary: Oceans of Light — Dolphins VR from 2023. The ten-minute 180-degree video took me into the awe-inspiring underwater world of the Bahamas in my Meta Quest 3.

A special kind of VR dive

The movie begins on a reef, surrounded by colorful fish and several sharks, some of which swim right by me. But unlike some other movies or VR apps, these fascinating sea creatures don't seem the least bit threatening here.

Renowned freediver Ashleigh Baird doesn't seem to be in any danger either. She glides through the underwater world as if she is a part of it and takes me on a fascinating journey.