Recently, Owlchemy Labs and Resolution Games made an exciting announcement: they’re gearing up to bring some of their standout games to Android XR, Google’s newly anticipated XR operating system.
Android XR is expected to debut with Samsung’s innovative ‘Project Moohan’ mixed reality headset, which is aimed for a consumer launch in 2025. Unlike Google’s previous Daydream project, this is a more advanced version of Android tailored for XR headsets. It’s designed to not only support the expansive library of traditional Android apps but also offer a seamless experience for immersive XR content.
Both Owlchemy Labs and Resolution Games have a strong track record as pioneers in the XR industry. By expanding their reach to Android XR, these studios are once again leveraging their early adopter advantage. They’ve successfully supported various major VR platforms in the past, so this move isn’t entirely unexpected.
In their individual announcements, Owlchemy Labs shared plans to bring their ever-popular VR classics, Job Simulator (2016) and Vacation Simulator (2019), to Android XR. Meanwhile, Resolution Games confirmed that their engaging game, Demeo (2021), will also be available on the platform.
Samsung is placing a strong emphasis on Project Moohan’s hand and eye-tracking capabilities, similar to what the Apple Vision Pro offers. However, Project Moohan will also feature first-party motion controllers and PC VR streaming, positioning it as a versatile blend of existing technologies.
The transition to Android XR seems relatively straightforward for Owlchemy Labs and Resolution Games, especially since both studios have already added hand and eye-tracking features to their games on Vision Pro. The ease of this shift is largely due to Unity’s immediate support for Android XR, which includes the OpenXR software standard integration.
Owlchemy Labs highlighted how developing for Android XR offered a simplified process for crafting immersive experiences that work across various XR devices. Their statement emphasized the ease of integrating with Unity’s engine, which allowed them to adapt their existing Unity-based games to the new XR platform without needing additional third-party software.
Resolution Games’ CTO, Johan Gästrin, echoed similar sentiments. He noted that Google shares their vision for creating social experiences in XR, describing Google’s involvement as a significant step in the XR landscape.
These games, ranging from Job Simulator’s quirky escapades to Demeo’s immersive multiplayer board game adventures, mark accessible entry points for newcomers to XR. However, it’s still unclear how quickly other XR developers will jump on board with Android XR, especially since much depends on the success of Project Moohan. Critical aspects, like the headset’s price, specs, and release date, are still under wraps, leaving industry watchers eagerly anticipating more details.
