The XR Weekly Roundup (Dec 23, 2024): Meta Gears Up for Competition, Niantic Develops Spatial Intelligence, and More!

The festive season is upon us, and as the year comes to a close, I’ve decided to play Santa today with not one, but two incredible giveaways. I’m thrilled to offer keys that will unlock two fantastic XR games for free—so keep reading to see how you can snag these awesome gifts!

Weekly Highlights

Meta’s 2024 Triumphs and 2025 Preparations

In a recent blog post, Andrew "Boz" Bosworth, CTO of Meta, reflected on what 2024 brought for the company and hinted at what’s in store for 2025. Alongside him, Mark Rabkin, VP of MR/VR at Meta, and Janko Roettgers in the Lowpass newsletter, shared their insights. While many comments revolve around familiar achievements like the launch of the affordable Quest 3S headset, a few nuggets stand out:

• Quest 3S Sales Surge: Boz noted impressive sales during Black Friday and expects more over the holidays. We’re eager to see how these numbers stack up against Quest 2’s previous sales.

• New-to-Quest Buyers: Rabkin highlighted that many Quest 3S purchasers are new to the Quest ecosystem, likely attracted by its competitive pricing.

• Changing Demographics: With more kids using Quest, there’s a shift towards social and co-op multiplayer games with in-app purchases. Gorilla Tag’s popularity exemplifies this trend, contrasting with millennials favoring more entertainment-centric options.

• Data-Driven Focus: Meta is funding developers to create popular app genres like social gaming and MR-first experiences, providing an opportunity for developers to pitch relevant projects.

• Top Apps on Quest 3S: Gorilla Tag, YouTube VR, and Horizon Worlds are top favorites. The rise of YouTube VR underscores the enduring appeal of consuming media in a VR setting, while Horizon Worlds is gaining traction partly due to Meta’s aggressive promotion.

• Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses: A hit with users, their new AI integration features proactive assistance linked with everyday apps, signaling a fascinating yet privacy-sensitive future.

• Increasing Competition: With Apple’s entry and Google’s upcoming release with Samsung, Meta faces strong competition. Bosworth stressed the importance of maintaining their lead amid this evolving landscape.

Additional Highlights

AI and Spatial Intelligence

Increasingly, AI is used to enhance spatial understanding. Niantic discussed Large Geospatial Models and their potential to fill data gaps in scanned environments. Meanwhile, NYU researchers are assessing AI’s spatial comprehension, leveraging their VSI-Bench to enhance large language models in 3D understanding—a promising trend for XR.

Apple’s 8K Camera Available for Pre-ordering

Blackmagic Design’s new URSA Cine Immersive camera, designed for Apple’s VR180 format, is set for launch. Priced at $30,000, this camera caters to professional studios with its advanced features and integration capabilities.

Meta SDK Updates

Meta’s SDK now features an audio-to-expression tool that animates avatars’ entire faces based on audio input. This upgrade surpasses the former lip sync tool, adding a dynamic element to avatar interactions at no additional cost for developers.

Solving Quest’s Steam VR Stutter Issue

A community-sourced solution may have resolved the stutter issues when Quest is linked to a PC running SteamVR. Disabling the Motionsmoothing feature seems to improve performance significantly, with initial reports indicating positive outcomes.

Tokyo’s Digital Twin

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has released a point cloud of the entire city, opening its digital arms for various uses, from AI training to game development.

Meta Winter Sale

Now’s the time to grab some VR titles at great prices. Look for discounts on popular games like Demeo and Assassin’s Creed VR during the Quest Holiday Sale.

Celebrating 2024’s Best Games

Upload VR has announced their picks for the best AR/VR games of the year. Any guesses what game secured the top VR Game award? (Hint: bats are involved!)

Spotlight on Content

• Preorder COLD VR, inspired by SUPERHOT, for $19.99/£14.99/€19.99, launching on January 21st.

• Figmin XR is available on Apple Vision Pro, allowing shared experiences.

• Tentacular Playground lets you build your own island on Steam.

• Niantic’s Scaniverse offers world exploration through WebXR.

• Dino Hab, priced at €14, lets you raise dinosaurs in MR.

• Grimlord, priced at $29.99, is now available on Quest and Steam.

• Zenni Vision VR brings visual acuity tests into VR.

• Masters Of Lights is now on PSVR 2.

• Alien Rogue Incursion is out but didn’t meet massive success, while Behemoth intrigued with its huge bosses.

Reviews at a Glance

Titles like "Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable" and "COLD VR" have potential but face challenges with polish and bug issues. Green Hell VR, now with co-op, promises more engaging gameplay with friends.

Miscellaneous Updates

• Genesis: an open-source tool for creating animated 3D worlds.

• OpenAI introduces the superior, albeit pricier, o3 model.

• Vail surpasses $5.5 million in VR shooter revenue.

• Christmas Game Features: Upload VR lists games with holiday enhancements.

• Comparisons: XREAL One vs. Viture Pro glasses.

• Emotional VR Storytelling: ‘The Reality of Hope’ short film explores friendship and life-changing donations through VRChat.

Partner News

• PatchWorld Update: Enhanced with hand tracking and Ableton Live integration, now at a 50% discount!

• CES Meet-up: Join me and others at DeoVR’s CES afterparty!

• Giveaways: Enter to win keys for "Home Sports" and "Party Versus."

Let’s wind up the year on a high. Have some laughs with these XR-themed funnies and consider contributing to crucial causes like the humanitarian effort in Ukraine. Here’s to gaming, giving, and gearing up for another exciting year in the XR universe! 👾