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Today — 19 September 2024Main stream

‘Ember Souls’ Brings ‘Prince of Persia’ Vibes & Hack-and-Slash Action to Quest & Steam This Fall

19 September 2024 at 12:10

Ember Souls is getting ready to toss you head-first into its very Prince of Persia-inspired hack-and-slash action, which blends melee combat, parkour, climbing, and environmental puzzles—coming to Quest 2/3/Pro and SteamVR headsets soon.

Inspired by Prince of Persia and Assassin’s Creed, Ember Souls puts you in the shoes of the last Immortal, thrusting you into battle against the mysterious Shadow Sultan through five distinctly Persian locations, ranging from the opulent sultan’s baths to serene gardens.

The singe-player game is now slated to arrive sometime this Fall, delivering intense sword fighting with over 20 different weapons against a host of enemies, each with unique combat styles.

Ember Souls also boasts environmental puzzles, deadly traps, and super powers given to you by ember stones, giving you the power to slow down time, use an energy shield or release a shock wave to stun your enemies.

There’s no release date yet, however developer VirtualAge (Guardians Frontline, Gladius VR) have kicked off pre-orders on Quest, which comes with a 16% discount off the $25 launch price. You can wishlist it over on Steam to be notified when it launches.

The post ‘Ember Souls’ Brings ‘Prince of Persia’ Vibes & Hack-and-Slash Action to Quest & Steam This Fall appeared first on Road to VR.

Before yesterdayMain stream

VR’s Most Immersive Kayaking Game Gets Real-time Multiplayer Mode on PSVR 2 & Steam

17 September 2024 at 15:21

Kayak VR: Mirage (2022) is amazingly immersive, packing in a ton of environments to explore in both single player and asynchronous multiplayer racing modes. You never could paddle through the glaciers or meander around tropical coasts with a friend in real-time though. But now, thanks to today’s update, you can.

Initially released as in beta on Steam in mid-August, developer Better Than Life today announced that real-time multiplayer is finally here for Kayak VR: Mirage on all supported platforms, which includes Steam and PSVR 2.

The real-time multiplayer mode lets you and a friend explore together in free roam, serving up the core of the experience. Notably missing in its initial release is race mode, proximity chat and physics objects like the ball and other inflatables, the studio says. It also doesn’t include cross-play at this time, however the studio tells Road to VR they might add it in the future.

“Development on it started over a year ago and as it turns out, making a VR game with a character, holding a paddle, in a kayak, all physics based, work in multiplayer is no joke,” the studio says in a Steam update. “However we think it’s completely worth it as we’ve had a blast during our testing and can’t wait to hear what you think!”

Kayak VR: Mirage ranked in the top three most-downloaded games in the US, Europe and Japan in 2023, owing to its photorealistic environments such as ice caves in Antarctica, tropical locales in Costa Rica, storm waters in Norway, and the stark canyons of Australia. Its two-handed paddling, physics-based environment, and upper body inverse kinematics (IK) make it especially immersive.

If you’re looking to provide feedback on the multiplayer mode, you can head over to the Kayak VR Discord (invite link), where you can also stay in tuned for upcoming updates.

The post VR’s Most Immersive Kayaking Game Gets Real-time Multiplayer Mode on PSVR 2 & Steam appeared first on Road to VR.

‘Human Fall Flat’ is Getting Official VR Support Thanks to This Prolific Modder

16 September 2024 at 11:59

Human Fall Flat (2016) is getting VR support soon, bringing the whimsical, wobbly physics-based platformer to all major headsets. And you can thank VR modder ‘Raicuparta’ for that.

Raicuparta reveals Human Fall Flat studio No Brakes Games actually bought experimental VR support from the modder after having seen a video of some early control concepts at work. Although the mod was never released, it was enough to get the studio interested in hiring Raicuparta.

“I showed the video to the creators of the game, and they were very excited,” Raicuparta reveals in a Patreon post. “They offered to hire me, but that wouldn’t work for me at the time.”

While Raicuparta wasn’t directly involved in the development of the official VR port as it is today, the studio did implement the third-person control scheme featured in the recently released trailer, seen below.

“They then offered to buy the mod from me, so that they could eventually use the same “puppet controls” concept on an official VR port,” Raicuparta says. “I don’t think they really needed to pay me at all, so that was really nice of them.”

Raicuparta is known for adding unofficial VR support to number of games over the years, such as The Stanley ParableOuter Wilds, and Neon White. Raicuparta also served up the game and mod management tool ‘Rai Pal’ to go along with their Universal Unity VR mod currently in development, which, much like Praydog’s Unreal Engine VR (UEVR) tool, makes it possible to inject VR support into flatscreen games running in the Unity game engine.

Working with Flat2VR Studios, an Impact Reality studio dedicated to porting flatscreen games to VR, Raicuparta also had a major hand in porting the soon-to-release Trombone Champ: Unflattened to all major VR headsets, which is slated to come among a rash of official VR ports, including WRATH: Aeon of Ruin VR, Roboquest VR, and Flatout VR.

Launching “soon” on Quest 2/3/Pro, PSVR 2 and SteamVR headsets, Human Fall Flat is coming with all levels from the game’s original release as well as extra content created by community members. There’s no release date yet, but you can now wishlist on Steam and the Horizon Store, with a PlayStation Store listing still pending.

The post ‘Human Fall Flat’ is Getting Official VR Support Thanks to This Prolific Modder appeared first on Road to VR.

Backrooms-inspired PC Adventure ‘POOLS’ is Getting VR Support Soon, Gameplay Trailer Here

13 September 2024 at 11:06

Games inspired by ‘The Backrooms’ Internet lore are usually pretty scary, but PC game POOLS (2024) has a different way of getting under your skin. No monsters. Just pools. And soon, you’ll be able to play in VR.

Developer Tensori is bringing VR support to Pools soon, which is slated to arrive as a free update to the PC game.

The game, which throws you into an eerie, maze-like pool facility, is also heading to PS5, which according to the PlayStation Store listing will also be bundled in for PSVR 2.

Pools “can feel oppressive at times by invoking fears of getting lost, the dark, tight spaces and liminal space architecture,” the studio says, having released the game on Steam earlier this year to overall ‘Very Positive’ user reviews.

There’s no release date yet, however Tensori says in a Steam update they’ll be announcing “all the details on when the update is coming real soon.” The studio said previously while it’s making no promises, “during this year is likely.”

Notably, the studio hasn’t mentioned whether it’s eyeing Quest support at this time, although we hope they do.

The post Backrooms-inspired PC Adventure ‘POOLS’ is Getting VR Support Soon, Gameplay Trailer Here appeared first on Road to VR.

Hit Physics Platformer ‘Human Fall Flat’ is Coming Soon to VR Headsets, Trailer Here

12 September 2024 at 17:36

Curve Games and No Brakes Games, makers of indie hit Human Fall Flat (2016), today announced an entirely new version of the game targeted at all major VR headsets.

Called Human Fall Flat VR, the puzzle-filled platformer sends you wobbling through whimsical dreamscapes, letting you control your wibbly arms, where you can leap, climb, and swing around by using your VR controllers.

The game is slated to arrive “soon” on Quest 2/3/Pro, PSVR 2 and SteamVR headsets, bringing with it all the levels from the game’s original release, along with a wide selection of Extra Dreams created by some of the most talented community creators, the studio says, noting that it will feature an “intuitive 3rd-person view specially designed for VR headsets.”

Like the original, there will be both solo and online multiplayer, letting you team up with three other friends to navigate the game’s tricky traps and mind-bending physics puzzles.

While there’s no release date on the books yet, and store pages for Meta and PSVR 2 are still coming, Human Fall Flat VR is available to wishlist on Steam, priced at $13/£10/€13.

The post Hit Physics Platformer ‘Human Fall Flat’ is Coming Soon to VR Headsets, Trailer Here appeared first on Road to VR.

‘Beat Saber’ Gets New Eminem Track as Part of Surprise ‘Shock Drop’ Songs

9 September 2024 at 17:14

Beat Saber is getting ‘Shock Drops’, something Meta calls a “new-ish hit single to keep things fresh,” the first of which is Eminem’s Houdini.

Houdini, the chart-topping song from Eminem’s twelfth studio album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), has had over over 138 million views on YouTube and over 340 million listens on Spotify. Meta notes in the annoucement it was a “natural choice for Beat Saber to wrap up brat summer.”

Houdini arrives with an updated version of the environment from the Hip Hop Mixtape, which was launched back in April and included tracks from the likes of Snoop, Dr. Dre, Eminem, The Notorious B.I.G., and 2Pac.

Like all of Beat Saber’s music packs, Shock Drops are coming to all supported headsets, including Quest, PSVR 2, and PC VR headsets. You can find them over in the new game section ‘Shock Drops’, priced at $2 a piece.

Note: like the Hip Hop Mixtape, Houdini is uncensored, which means it won’t show up for people with parent-managed Meta accounts.

The post ‘Beat Saber’ Gets New Eminem Track as Part of Surprise ‘Shock Drop’ Songs appeared first on Road to VR.

This Mod Lets You Play ‘Star Wars Outlaws’ in VR

6 September 2024 at 14:21

Serial modder Luke Ross has released a new VR mod for the PC version of Star Wars Outlaws (2024).

Ross has been keeping up with the latest game releases it seems. Released only on August 30th, you can now play Star Wars Outlaws in VR.

Granted, the 6DOF mod uses gamepad and not VR controllers as such, and is probably best played in third-person, although you can adjust the camera to give some pretty great first-person views.

Check out YouTuber ‘Lord Beardsteak’ below make their away around Tatooine, showing off some the game’s impressive open-world environments:

If you haven’t had a chance to jump into Star Wars Outlaws, here’s how Ubisoft describes it:

Experience the first-ever open world Star Wars™ game, set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Explore distinct locations across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as Kay Vess, a scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life, along with her companion Nix. Fight, steal, and outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted.

Like with many of Luke Ross’ R.E.A.L. VR mods, you’ll have to join their Patreon to get access, which starts at $10 per month. Once you join the Patreon, you’ll find documentation on how to install the mods (basically drag and drop) as well as suggested specs. Spoiler: you’ll need a beefy rig for almost any of Ross’ mods.

Ross is known for offering retroactive VR support for a host of PC games, including Horizon Forbidden West, Elden Ring, and Cyberpunk 2077 to name a few.

Earlier, Ross also modded a number of Rockstar Games titles, including GTA V, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Mafia II, however due to a dispute with the studio many of have been removed from the project’s Patreon, although continue to be available on GitHub.

The post This Mod Lets You Play ‘Star Wars Outlaws’ in VR appeared first on Road to VR.

New Valve VR Game Reportedly in Development Alongside Long-rumored Standalone Headset

27 August 2024 at 12:04

There’s no shortage of speculation when it comes to all things Valve. Tyler McVicker, YouTuber and one of the leading voices dedicated to deciphering Valve’s various internal developments, however now reports that not only is the company’s long-awaited standalone VR headset still coming, but it may arrive alongside its own Half-Life game.

Valve’s much hyped standalone, known only as ‘Deckard’, is “still very much in production,” McVicker maintains, saying that according to his sources that Valve “still intend[s] on shipping this piece of hardware.”

Check out his latest latest video, linked below:

While rumors swirl around the next Half-Life game, which may not be a VR-supported title (aka ‘HLX’), McVicker speculates a Half-Life game built specifically to showcase Deckard is likely in the cards, much like how Half-Life: Alyx (2020) showed off the capabilities of Valve Index.

Echoing a previous rumor first reported in 2020, McVicker renews speculation that two Half-Life games could be in development, making for what could be an asymmetric co-op game across PC and Deckard.

The result would be “an asymmetric multiplayer game taking place in the Half-Life universe,” McVicker says, “where one player is in VR and the other on a computer. The computer player would always be Gordon Freeman, while the VR player would be Alyx Vance. The idea was that these two characters would interact, with the VR player experiencing Alyx’s story and the PC player experiencing Gordon’s story, both having cooperative elements between them.”

While that specific claim is still very much a rumor, McVicker does a lot of sleuthing when it comes to code published by Valve across its various first-party titles and services, which can hold some clues as to what’s coming down the pipeline. He admits he’s “nowhere near done” sifting through all code published by Valve in 2024 however, so we may learn more at some point later this year.

The post New Valve VR Game Reportedly in Development Alongside Long-rumored Standalone Headset appeared first on Road to VR.

Two of the Most Anticipated VR Games in 2024 Now Have Release Dates

By: Ben Lang
22 August 2024 at 19:42

Behemoth from Skydance and Alien: Rogue Incursion from Survios are two of the most anticipated VR games coming in 2024, and both are headed for release on Quest, PSVR 2, and PC VR. And now we know when we’ll first be able to get our hands on them.

Behemoth Release Date on Quest

Starting off with Behemoth, the highly anticipated VR title from Skydance Interactive is set to debut on November 14, 2024, on Quest. Although the game is also planned for release on PSVR 2 and PC VR, release dates for those platforms have not yet been confirmed and may come at a later date.

Skydance, the studio behind the critically acclaimed The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, has shown Behemoth to have a dark fantasy setting with intense combat mechanics.

Alien: Rogue Incursion Release Date

Next up is Alien: Rogue Incursion, which is now set to launch on December 19, 2024, simultaneously on PSVR 2, PC VR, and, among Quest headsets, exclusively on Quest 3.

The game is being developed by Survios, a longtime VR studio known for their work on Creed: Rise to Glory and The Walking Dead Onslaught, and a range of other early VR titles.

Alien: Rogue Incursion promises to immerse players in the terrifying world of the Alien franchise, and the recent pre-order and release date trailer shows us a clear look at the game’s shooting gameplay and Xenomorph enemies.

Bonus – Batman: Arkham Shadows Release Window

One more game on our list of the most anticipated VR games of 2024, Batman: Arkham Shadow, doesn’t have an exact release date yet. But this week we got a pretty specific release window: October 2024.

Batman: Arkham Shadow is a Quest 3 headset and platform exclusive, meaning it will only run on Quest 3 or later, and isn’t planned for release on other VR platforms.

The post Two of the Most Anticipated VR Games in 2024 Now Have Release Dates appeared first on Road to VR.

Flat2VR Studios Announces Four Flatscreen Games Getting VR Ports for Major Headsets

By: Ben Lang
15 August 2024 at 21:27

Fresh off of its announcement of joining the A16Z SPEEDRUN accelerator program, Flat2VR Studios has announced four existing flatscreen games that are getting official ports for all major VR headsets.

Flat2VR Studios exists to adapt existing flatscreen games for VR. Today the studio announced the first four titles that are in the works, all planned for release on Quest, PSVR 2, and PC VR. Check out all the trailers below.

WRATH: Aeon of Ruin VR

The original WRATH: Aeon of Ruin (2024) is a “hardcore FPS inspired by the icons of the ’90s, powered by the legendary Quake 1 Tech. Taking place in a realm left to rot, take up arms, unearth long-forgotten secrets and hunt down the Guardians of the Old World.” The game is rated “Mostly Positive” (77% favorable reviews) by Steam users.

The VR port will put players in direct control of their weapons. We’ll be interested to see if the studio builds out a manual reload system or sticks to simple button-based reloading animations. No release date has been announced yet.

Roboquest VR

The original Roboquest (2023) is a “is a fast FPS Roguelite in a scorched futureworld. You’re a rebooted Guardian, ready to kick some metal ass! Fight with your buddy or by yourself and annihilate hordes of deadly bots in ever-changing environments.” The game is rated “Overwhelmingly Positive” (95% favorable reviews) Steam by Steam users.

The original game includes full-featured co-op support for up to two players and we’re hoping that will carry into the Roboquest VR port from Flat2VR Studios. Maybe even with cross-play? Fingers crossed. Roboquest VR does not yet have a release date.

Flatout VR

The original Flatout (2004) is said to “deliver a thrilling combination of high-octane racing, smash-em-up demolition derby action, and death defying stunts propelling the driver through the windshield!” The game is rated “Very Positive” (92% favorable reviews) by Steam users.

The Flatout VR port will put players directly in the driver’s seat as they crash and smash their way around raceways. With the sudden stops of crashing, and the possibility of “propelling the driver through the windshield”, comfort design for the VR port will surely be a high priority. Flatout VR doesn’t have a release date yet.

Trombone Champ: Unflattened 

And last but not least, Trombone Champ, the meme-game of 2022 where even the very best players sound like amateurs. This is a rhythm game where messing up can be just as fun as hitting the perfect notes. The original game is rated “Overwhelmingly Positive” (98% favorable reviews) by Steam users.

The port, titled Trombone Champ: Unflattened, puts the trombone directly into players hands. With motion controls, VR offers a more authentic way to play the instrument by moving your hand the same way you’d move the slide on a real trombone. There’s no release date for Trombone Champ: Unflattened yet.

The post Flat2VR Studios Announces Four Flatscreen Games Getting VR Ports for Major Headsets appeared first on Road to VR.

Upcoming VR Multiplayer Survival ‘GRIM’ Looks Like ‘RUST’ on Mars, Trailer Here

15 August 2024 at 18:29

During the VR Games Showcase today, developers Spoonfed Interactive and Combat Waffle Studios and publisher Beyond Frames Entertainment showed off more of the upcoming VR multiplayer survival game GRIM.

In Grim, you must immerse yourself in its red wasteland, where survival is not just a choice but a grueling battle against nature and other desperate players, the studios say.

“You must gather resources, craft, and build your base, all to stay alive.”

Coming to Quest 2/3/Pro and PC VR “soon”, we also got a first look in the game’s official reveal trailer, making it feel more than a bit like Rust on Mars.

The studios say Grim is expected to launch a public alpha on both the Horizon Store for Quest and Steam VR later this year.

The post Upcoming VR Multiplayer Survival ‘GRIM’ Looks Like ‘RUST’ on Mars, Trailer Here appeared first on Road to VR.

‘Ghosts of Tabor’ Studio Unveils Fresh Look at Next Co-op Shooter ‘Silent North’

15 August 2024 at 18:29

Ghosts of Tabor studio Combat Waffle today showed off a closer look at Silent North, the studio’s next VR shooter published in partnership with Beyond Frames Entertainment.

Silent North takes multiplayer action to the Swiss Alps, where players will bundle up and hunker down to survive as long as they can in a world overrun by zombies, Combat Waffle says.

“Players can team up or go it solo while scavenging for gear and defending against a never-ending supply of hungry corpses.”

Silent North is slated to bring its mix of PVE and PVP action on the Horizon Store for Quest 2/3/Pro in early access and on Steam Early Access sometime next year.

The post ‘Ghosts of Tabor’ Studio Unveils Fresh Look at Next Co-op Shooter ‘Silent North’ appeared first on Road to VR.

Heavy Metal Rhythm Shooter ‘Metal: Hellsinger VR’ Release Date Announced

By: Ben Lang
14 August 2024 at 17:27

Metal: Hellsinger VR, a port of the unique flatscreen rhythm shooter, is getting a VR version, bringing its frenetic action and metal-heavy soundtrack to all major VR headsets.

Funcom today announced that Metal: Hellsinger VR will launch on Quest 2, Quest Pro, and Quest 3 on September 26th, while the PSVR 2 and PC VR version will launch a few days later on October 3rd.

The game will launch with a $30 price tag, though anyone that pre-orders is promised to get the ‘Dream of the Beast’ for free, which adds two songs to the soundtrack, a new weapon, and three outfits with passive effects.

We tried an early version of Metal: Hellsinger VR earlier this Summer and found a game that felt like it nearly hit the mark in porting its unique gameplay to VR, but still needed some tuning to get right on key. We’re hopeful the time between the early demo and next month’s launch will have given the developers time to make those improvements.

The post Heavy Metal Rhythm Shooter ‘Metal: Hellsinger VR’ Release Date Announced appeared first on Road to VR.

The Most Anticipated VR Games of 2024

9 August 2024 at 11:04

There are a ton of VR games coming this year, although there are a few big names we’re really holding out hope for.

Many of them are targeting all major VR headsets (thankfully), with only one actual Quest 3 exclusive listed below. More importantly, they’re all slated to arrive in 2024. Check out the this year’s most anticipated VR games below:

Aces of Thunder (PSVR 2, PC VR)

Created by War Thunder (2012) studio Gaijin Games, Aces of Thunder promises to bring a host of WWII combat airplanes across 15 maps representing three key theaters: Western, Eastern and Pacific Fronts. It’s said to include War Thunder’s physically accurate flight and damage models, so we’re hoping for some intense and realistic dogfights.

There’s no precise launch date yet, although Gaijin says it’s coming sometime in Q4 2024 on Steam and PSVR 2.

Alien: Rogue Incursion (Quest 3, PSVR 2, PC VR)

Alien: Rogue Incursion pits you against a stealthy swarm of Xenomorphs, although you won’t be creeping around and hiding in lockers the entire time. Developer Survios is tossing in a few tools to keep aliens at bay: motion-tracking radar and a few guns too, including a pulse rifle, revolver, and pump shotgun.

Alien: Rogue Incursion is releasing sometime around Holiday 2024, coming to PSVR 2, PC VR, and Meta Quest 3—not Quest Pro or Quest 2.

Batman: Arkham Shadow (Quest 3)

Batman: Arkham Shadow has big shoes to fill. Not only is this the first fully-fledged Batman game for VR, but we think developer Camouflaj’s last game Iron Man VR was “VR’s first great superhero game”.

Facing off against ‘The Rat King’, Batman: Arkham Shadow promises a heavy dose of exploration, stealth, and free-flowing combat across Gotham. That includes Batman’s Grappling Gun, Batarang, smoke bombs, and even working cape that lets you glide from the city heights.

Batman: Arkham Shadow is due out sometime in Fall 2024, coming exclusively to Quest 3.

Hitman 3 VR Reloaded (Quest 3)

Hitman 3 came along with VR support for the original PSVR at launch in 2021, later bringing PC VR support a few months later. Now IO Interactive is working with XR Games to bring Hitman 3 exclusively to Quest 3. Notably, the game is said to be “rebuilt from the ground up” for VR, which may smooth over some of retrofitt-y woes of the PSVR and PC VR supported versions.

We don’t know when it will launch specifically, although it’s slated to arrive sometime in Summer 2024. In the meantime, you can wishlist it over on the Horizon Store for Quest 3.

Metro Awakening (Quest, PSVR 2, PC VR)

Coming from VR veteran Vertigo Games in partnership with 4A Games, Metro Awakening throws you back into the Moscow metro with plenty of guns and a mission to protect your home station from mutant threats. One of the biggest concerns, we learned last month, would be scrounging for ammo, making thorough exploration essential.

There’s no release date yet beyond the “2024” window, however you can wishlist the game now on PSVR 2PC VR, and Quest 2/3/Pro.

Skydance’s Behemoth (Quest, PSVR 2, PC VR)

Skydance Games, the studio behind The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners franchise, is getting the hype train fueled for its next big single-player VR game, Skydance’s BEHEMOTH, which promises to bring a bevy of immersive melee combat and epic adventuring to all major VR headsets later this year.

Promising a 12-hour single-player campaign, you’ll face off against blighted soldiers and, of course, the game’s namesake: hulking beasts taller than skyscrapers, aka Behemoths.

Skydance’s Behemoth is slated to launch sometime in Fall 2024 on all major VR headsets, including PC VR, PSVR 2, and Quest 2/3/Pro.

Zombie Army VR (Quest, PSVR 2, PC VR)

Rebellion, developer behind cult horror shooter series Zombie Army, is getting ready to release the franchise’s first VR game on all major headsets this year. The co-op campaign takes place during the events of the Zombie Army series, letting you take to the field as one of the Deadhunters, an elite squad that is hunting down zombie war criminals.

Developed in partnership with XR Games, Zombie Army VR is slated to launch sometime this year on PC VRPSVR 2, and Quest 2/3/Pro.


What VR games are you looking forward to this year? Let us know in the comments below!

The post The Most Anticipated VR Games of 2024 appeared first on Road to VR.

PSVR 2 Works on PC Without the Adapter If You Have the Right Graphics Card

7 August 2024 at 17:18

Sony released its long-awaited PC VR adapter for PSVR 2 this week, however early reports maintain some user don’t even need the company’s $60 adapter to start playing PC VR games like Half-Life: Alyx (2020).

A number of early user reviews of the adapter are echoing many of the same points right now: some graphics cards with USB-C ports allow PSVR 2 users to directly hook into their GPUs and play SteamVR games. All you need to do is download the PlayStation VR 2 App on Steam, no adapter required.

It’s not just any old USB-C port though, but rather a bit of an oddball that has been deprecated in more modern GPUs: VirtualLink.

Image courtesy NVIDIA

Announced back in 2018 with the backing of both Nvidia and AMD, VirtualLink was meant to simplify PC VR connections by providing both power and data transmission through a single cable.

At the time, it promised to deliver a massive improvement over having to wrangle multiple connectors (USB, video, and sometimes additional power) and breakout boxes. Sadly, it was abandoned in later GPUs as the market largely moved away from PC VR in favor of standalone VR headsets such as Meta Quest.

The user reports you’ll see on Steam claiming they don’t need the PC VR adapter likely have one of several 2018-ish GPUs: Nvidia GeForce RTX 20 Series cards (Founders Editions) and AMD AMD 6000 or 7000 series reference design cards, as partner cards didn’t include VirtualLink.

While the list below contains possible candidates for VirtualLink support, the easiest way to check is to download the PSVR 2 app from Steam and see if you’re one of the lucky few who fits into that specific Venn diagram.

NVIDIA GPUs

  • GeForce RTX 2060
  • GeForce RTX 2070
  • GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER
  • GeForce RTX 2080
  • GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER
  • GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
  • Quadro RTX 4000
  • Quadro RTX 5000
  • Quadro RTX 6000
  • Quadro RTX 8000

AMD GPUs

  • Radeon VII
  • Radeon RX 6000
  • Radeon RX 7000

Provided you have one of those, some users are reporting right now some very frustrating issues with connecting PSVR 2’s Sense Controllers to Bluetooth.

Another caveat is PC support doesn’t include a number of features unique to PSVR 2, including HDR, headset feedback, eye-tracking, adaptive triggers, and haptic feedback other than rumble.

The post PSVR 2 Works on PC Without the Adapter If You Have the Right Graphics Card appeared first on Road to VR.

‘Garry’s Mod’ Sequel Adopts OpenXR to ‘Expand VR Feature Set’ and Support More Devices

5 August 2024 at 11:02

Facepunch Studios announced that s&box, its upcoming physics sandbox and game development platform, is now using OpenXR, which will not only allow the studio to expand its VR feature set, but also the range of supported devices.

VR support has been on the table since Facepunch announced in 2015 it was working on a spiritual successor to Gary’s Mod (2006)which will not only include a sandbox as you’d expect, but also an entire development platform for users to make and publish their own third-party games.

Fast-forward to late last month, and the studio has opened its developer preview to the public, which until recently included VR support thanks to integration with SteamVR. Now the studio says its unplugged SteamVR from its backend, and adopted OpenXR support.

While Facepunch mentions in an update that it comes with “no major changes to functionality” to the user, in reality the switch to OpenXR gives s&box—and creators using the platform—more latitude to exist independently from Steam.

“The main benefits to this are that we get loads of control over everything, we can expand our feature set much further, and we’re able to support a much wider range of devices,” programmer Alex Guthrie says.

Whereas SteamVR apps are necessarily tied to the Steam platform, OpenXR is a more open cross-platform API standard aimed at maximizing compatibility and reducing fragmentation in the XR space—also making for a dizzying number of XR devices and peripherals supported by OpenXR.

You can technically dive into s&box today via the developer preview, however it still has a ways to go before its heads into a 1.0 consumer-ready version.

When it does launch on Steam at some point, Facepunch is no doubt hoping it has a stock of first and third-party content at the ready, which we’re hoping also comes with a healthy glut of unique VR games. To boot, the studio is now running a game jam open to all, which features £40,000 in prize money.

We’ll be keeping our eyes on the platform’s Discord (invite link) and its news portal for more info as it arrives.

The post ‘Garry’s Mod’ Sequel Adopts OpenXR to ‘Expand VR Feature Set’ and Support More Devices appeared first on Road to VR.

XR News Bits – ‘Thrasher’ Launches, Kojima Explores Vision Pro, Big Game Updates, & More

By: Ben Lang
31 July 2024 at 21:09

In this edition of XR News Bits we see a newly released Walkabout Mini Golf DLC course, a big update to Contractors Showdown, game director Hideo Kojima exploring Vision Pro, the release of VR action-arcade game Thrasher, and signs of life from cooperative WWII VR bomber game The Mighty Eighth.

XR News Bits

An incredible amount of exciting XR news comes our way every day. Very often we see news come across our desk that’s worth highlighting, but we don’t always have the bandwidth for a full article on every one of them. XR News Bits is our occasional roundup of stories we think are worth a shout-out, even if we can’t take you in-depth.

Walkabout Mini Golf Gets New ‘Wallace & Gromit’ Course

Walkabout Mini Golf has maintained an impressive cadence with the release of interesting courses to give players something new to come back to. The latest course is based the perennial stop-motion franchise Wallace & Gromit, which first premiered in 1989.

The new course is said to be packed full of locations and references that long standing fans of the show will appreciate. The new course is paid DLC which can be bought inside of the game for $4. Thoughtfully, Walkabout Mini Golf includes a ‘Guest Pass’ feature which means only one person in the room needs to own the course for the whole party to play.

Battle Royale Contractors Showdown Gets Big ‘Season 1’ Update

Hot of its release in April, VR battle royale Contractors Showdown is already dropping its first big update, borrowing the ‘season-based’ format that’s become the norm for live-service games.

The ‘Season 1’ update includes new vehicles, weapons, map locations, and dynamic weather. There’s also a new game mode called ‘Reborn’: a 30-player brawl where players get an immediate second chance after their first elimination. The original mode also now adapts the ‘Gulag’ feature from Call of Duty: Warzone where eliminated players duke it out in a quick 1v1 battle, with the winner earning the right to respawn into the battle royale match and the loser being fully eliminated.

Thrasher Launches on Quest and Apple Vision Pro

Thrasher, a unique action-arcade game from one of the creators of the cult action-arcade hit Thumper, has launched on Quest and Vision Pro.

The game sees players guiding a “magnificent space eel” through and around obstacles which grow in difficulty as time goes on. The creators call it a “mind-melting arcade action odyssey and visceral audiovisual experience.”

Thrasher is available now for $20 on Quest and Vision Pro, and the game will on launch on PC VR via Steam in December.

Metal Gear Solid Creator Hideo Kojima Checks out Vision Pro

Legendary videogame director Hideo Kojima posted several photos of himself unboxing and trying out Apple Vision Pro.

Image courtesy Hideo Kojima

Kojima is best known as a creative force behind the Metal Gear Solid series and his newer venture, Death Stranding.

Kojima has demonstrated a clear interest in VR tech over the years, having been spotted checking out the latest developments here and there. So far he hasn’t released or announced any VR projects, but perhaps Vision Pro will inspire new interest in the tech.

Cooperative VR Bomber Game The Mighty Eighth VR Shows Signs of Life

Cooperative WWII VR bomber game The Mighty Eighth was announced way back in 2020, but we hadn’t heard much from the project in the intervening years.

Earlier this year the game’s Steam page sprung to life with some updates on its development. The latest update includes early footage showing some of the game’s core systems.

Planned for eventual launch on PC VR, The Mighty Eighth VR has no release date for now, but the developer is promising more progress updates to come.

Thanks to Daniel Fearon for the tip on this one.

The post XR News Bits – ‘Thrasher’ Launches, Kojima Explores Vision Pro, Big Game Updates, & More appeared first on Road to VR.

‘Alien: Rogue Incursion’ Shows off Stealth Action in First Gameplay Trailer, Coming Holiday 2024

30 July 2024 at 15:18

Alien: Rogue Incursion just got its first gameplay trailer, showing off its first real look at the game’s Xenomorph enemies, weapons, setting and more.

When it was revealed back in April, Veteran VR studio Survios said the upcoming action-horror game was set to include an “all-new storyline full of heart-pounding action, exploration, and terrifying Xenomorphs.”

Now, the studio released a first look at gameplay centered on protagonist Zula Hendricks, a fearless ex-Colonial Marine turned ultimate Xenomorph hunter. As the game’s main protagonist, the studio reveals Zula Hendricks is on her way to the uncharted planet Purdan, accompanied by her sentient AI companion, Davis-01.

“Zula must fight her way to the heart of the infested Gemini Exoplanet Solutions black-site facility. There she will need to survive deadly attacks from the most cunning Xenomorphs ever encountered and discover new horrors and threats that once unleashed could spell the end for humankind,” Survios says.

We also get a look at the motion-tracking radar and a number of weapons, including the series’ iconic pulse rifle, revolver, and pump shotgun.

Alien: Rogue Incursion is releasing sometime around Holiday 2024, coming to PSVR 2, Meta Quest 3, and PC VR. Notably, the studio says its Meta release will only include Quest 3, but not Quest 2 or Quest Pro—making it one of the first big titles to drop the older Quest headsets.

The post ‘Alien: Rogue Incursion’ Shows off Stealth Action in First Gameplay Trailer, Coming Holiday 2024 appeared first on Road to VR.

PSVR 2 Gets Its Biggest Sale Yet Ahead of PC VR Adapter Release

By: Ben Lang
29 July 2024 at 00:32

PSVR 2 has landed its biggest sale yet, dropping the price by a solid 37%, less than two weeks ahead of its forthcoming PC VR adapter.

PSVR 2 launched in early 2023 with a $550 baseline pricetage. While the headset saw a sale that dropped it to $450 earlier this year, now there’s an even better deal.

PSVR 2 is now on sale at Amazon US (and several other Amazon regions) for $350, a full 37% discount from the MSRP.

The Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle, which includes the headset and the best games made for it so far, is also on sale for $400, a 33% discount.

The sale is described as a “Limited Time Deal,” so there’s really no telling how it will last.

The headset’s biggest sale yet comes less than two weeks before Sony launches a PC VR adapter which will let PSVR 2 play games directly from the huge library of SteamVR content—provided you’ve got a beefy gaming PC.

The adapter launches on August 7th, priced at $60 / €60 / £50 and will be available through select retailers and direct.playstation.com.

For years Sony resisted requests for a PC VR adapter for its original PSVR headset, and so it was quite the surprise when the company announced plans earlier this year for a PC VR adapter for PSVR 2. At the sale price of $350, PSVR 2 looks like an attractive PC VR headset considering its build quality, resolution, inside-out tracking, and quality controllers.

Granted, there’s a number of caveats which limit the headset when used with PC compared to its native home on PS5. Sony says when playing on PC, the adapter won’t serve up HDR, headset haptics, eye-tracking, adaptive triggers, or haptic feedback other than basic rumble. It will however display its native 2,000 × 2,040 per-eye resolution, 110-degree field of view, finger touch detection, and passthrough view.


Thanks to @alexplaysvg for the tip!

The post PSVR 2 Gets Its Biggest Sale Yet Ahead of PC VR Adapter Release appeared first on Road to VR.

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