XR Weekly Update (December 23, 2024): Meta Gears Up for Competition, Niantic Advances in Spatial Intelligence, and More!

The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes the close of another year. While I’ll be sharing a special post tomorrow to extend my holiday wishes, today I’m slipping into the role of Santa, offering not just one, but two giveaways for some fantastic XR game keys! Keep reading this week’s roundup to learn how to get in on the action.

Top Highlights of the Week

Meta Looks Back on 2024 and Ahead to Future Challenges

Andrew "Boz" Bosworth, Meta’s CTO, shared an end-of-year reflection on the company blog, reviewing Meta’s accomplishments in 2024 and hinting at future plans. His post, along with comments from VP Mark Rabkin and analysis from Janko Roettgers in the Lowpass newsletter, highlights key developments like the successful launch of the Quest 3S. This model has been touted as the most budget-friendly mixed reality headset on the market. Amongst the promotional talk, there are significant insights I’ve gathered to save you from wading through the posts:

• Quest 3S Sales Success: According to Bosworth, the Quest 3S performed well during Black Friday, with expectations for a post-holiday sales surge. It’ll be interesting to compare sales data to previous years’ Quest 2 figures.

• New Users to Quest 3S: Some buyers are first-time Quest users, according to Rabkin, which suggests Quest 3S is attracting newcomers to the XR world due to its affordability.

• Changing Demographics: Meta’s store is seeing a shift with more kids engaging in social, cooperative, and free-to-play games, like "Gorilla Tag." Rabkin notes that adults (25+) are exploring more entertainment-focused experiences.

• Focused Development: Meta is investing in popular genres, like social gaming and mixed reality, to broaden its app offerings. Developers looking for funding should consider these areas.

• Popular Apps: Gorilla Tag, YouTube VR, and Horizon Worlds top the app charts on Quest 3S, reflecting ongoing interest in media consumption and the growing popularity of Horizon Worlds among younger audiences.

• Smart Glasses Innovation: Ray-Ban Meta’s smart glasses have been successful, and the new AI features are impressive. Bosworth hints at future AI developments that suggest proactive assistants that integrate deeply into our daily lives—a fascinating, if slightly unsettling, prospect regarding privacy.

• Rising Competition: With other tech giants like Apple and Google entering the XR space, Meta is feeling the pressure to maintain its leadership. The competition is fierce but ultimately beneficial for consumers and developers.

For more details, check out Boz’s post on Meta’s blog or the Lowpass newsletter.

Other Noteworthy News

The Growing Role of Spatial Intelligence

AI and XR are revolutionizing spatial understanding, a concept now gaining traction as “Spatial Intelligence.” This week, Niantic discussed their Large Geospatial Models, intended to innovate geospatial understanding. Their technology fills in the “gaps” in geographical data using AI, much like imagining a church’s full structure from just a few pictures.

Meanwhile, researchers at New York University have been exploring how LLMs can improve spatial understanding. They’ve developed VSI-Bench, a benchmark for assessing AI’s spatial capabilities, and suggested methods for optimizing LLMs for spatial awareness. This trend is poised to impact the future of XR significantly.

For further reading, check out the Niantic Large Geospatial Model details and VSI-Bench information.

News Worth Highlighting

8K Camera for Apple Immersive Video

Blackmagic Design is accepting pre-orders for its new URSA Cine Immersive camera, perfect for capturing 8K VR180 footage compatible with Apple’s Immersive Video format. Priced at $30,000, it’s ideal for professional studios. The company is also updating its DaVinci Resolve software to support the camera’s format and Apple’s video format outputs.

For more, visit Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive camera detail on Road To VR or Upload VR.

Meta’s New SDK Feature

Meta recently improved its SDK with "Audio To Expression," an AI-driven feature that animates avatars using voice audio. Unlike past lip sync features, this system dynamically moves the entire face. This tool is available free in the Meta SDK, enhancing the realism of virtual interactions.

Quest Performance Fix on Steam VR

A user-oriented solution might finally resolve the stuttering issues on Quest when linked to PCs via SteamVR. Disabling the Motion smoothing feature significantly improves performance, which users have successfully tested. Developers, take note!

Explore a Digital Tokyo

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has made the city’s entire point cloud freely available for a variety of uses, from AI training to digital twin development. This open resource could be a game-changer for developers and researchers alike.

Meta’s Winter Sale

Treat yourself with the Quest Holiday Sale offering huge discounts on popular VR titles like Demeo and Assassin’s Creed VR. Don’t miss out!

Check out more on the Quest Holiday Sale from Road To VR or Upload VR.

Celebrating the Best Games of 2024

As the year concludes, Upload VR has spotlighted 2024’s top AR/VR games. See if you can guess the VR Game of the Year—(hint: think of a superhero whose name begins with “Bat”).

Check out the Upload VR Awards for 2024.

Alien Rogue Incursion’s Moderate Reception

Though Alien Rogue Incursion marked the end of highly anticipated VR game releases for 2024, reviews suggest it hasn’t quite reached hit status. While offering a spooky atmosphere, some critiques note repetitiveness and saving issues. Still, these releases are vital for VR growth, albeit not as groundbreaking as hoped.

For more insights, read reviews on Alien Rogue Incursion from Road To VR and Upload VR.

Content Updates

Here are a few exciting updates in the XR space:

• COLD VR: Pre-orders available for SUPERHOT-inspired action game—set for a January launch.
• Figmin XR: Now on Apple Vision Pro with new headset features.
• Tentacular Playground: Available on Steam for building creative islands.
• Scaniverse: Niantic’s app lets users explore global locales recreated in WebXR.
• Dino Hab: A dinosaur-themed simulation game, now live on Meta’s platform.
• Grimlord: This action RPG sees its full release on Quest and Steam.
• Zenni Vision VR: Test visual acuity within VR.
• Masters Of Lights: Available on PSVR 2, offering empowering gameplay.

Explore more on these titles: COLD VR, Figmin XR, Tentacular, Scaniverse, Dino Hab, Grimlord, Zenni Vision VR, Masters Of Light.

Reviews of Latest Content

• Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable: While it captures the essence of the manga, it’s criticized for its short, repetitive nature and technical bugs.
• Green Hell VR: The newly added co-op mode heightens the fun and user experience.
• COLD VR: A fresh spin on SUPERHOT VR, though some levels frustrate and bug issues need resolving.

Find out more through these reviews: Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable, Green Hell VR, COLD VR.

Additional News

• Genesis Engine: An open-source generative physics engine now available for crafting animated 3D environments.
• OpenAI Developments: New o3 model promises greater performance, at a cost.
• Vail’s Financial Success: AEXLAB’s VR shooter earns over $5.5 million.
• Holiday Game Features: Check out special Christmas-themed updates across numerous games.
• AR Glasses Comparison: Tom’s Guide evaluates XREAL One and Viture Pro AR glasses.
• Joe Hunting’s Short Film: ‘The Reality of Hope’ highlights an inspiring story from VRChat.

Partner and Friends News

PatchWorld Update and Discount: This unique musical VR app is offering a 50% discount until January 6, 2025. Recent updates enhance hand tracking, software integration, and multiplayer sync—making it a must-try for VR music enthusiasts.

Join DeoVR at CES: Attend the VR Creators’ CES Afterparty to network and explore VR innovations.

Home Sports & Party Versus Giveaways: Grab a chance to win free game keys or pick them up directly from the Quest Store.

XR Entertainment

From humorous tech takes to playful VR scenarios, find laughter in some light-hearted XR fun here.

Extend a Helping Hand

This week, as usual, I’d rather encourage you to help those in need than contribute to my blog. Please consider donating to the Red Cross to aid the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Here’s the link to donate:

Support The Red Cross in Ukraine

(Header image by Meta)