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These days, I’m feeling much better, so I’m happy to say this newsletter is back on schedule (yay!). It’s been a productive end of the week: I’ve shared some exciting news about camera access on Android XR (more on that later), and on a personal note, I successfully cooked some delicious Italian pasta for friends here in China (I did bring some ingredients from home, naturally). Here’s hoping the upcoming week is fantastic for all of us!
Top News of the Week
The Meta Quest Ecosystem Is in a Delicate Phase
Henry Stockdale from Upload VR penned a brilliant piece about the struggles within the Horizon Store. With the merging of the main store and App Lab, coupled with UI updates to Meta Horizon OS and its mobile app, gaining visibility has become a big challenge for Quest developers. If their games aren’t discovered, profits suffer. Many studios are reporting revenue dips between 50% to 80% compared to earlier times in 2023. It’s a cry for help that goes unheard as developers express their frustrations. A couple of months ago, I delved into this issue on my blog as well. The resolution needed is for Meta to release an update to the Horizon Store, one that enhances the discoverability of quality titles over the numerous Gorilla Tag clones and consistently advertised Horizon Worlds creations.
Instead, Meta responded with a blog post proclaiming a successful year for Quest 3 and 3S, indicating changing store demographics. Surprisingly, about two-thirds of this year’s headset purchases are by new users, predominantly kids, who lean towards free-to-play games or similar fun ventures that don’t strain their pockets. This inadvertently favors free, enjoyable, and readily available content over high-quality premium games.
Meta’s stance seems dismissive of premium game developers, indirectly hinting at a future catering mostly to free-to-play content. The noticeable shift in revenue losses began mid-2024, aligning suspiciously with Meta’s store modifications rather than a sudden increase in younger users.
Concerns are mounting as layoffs hit VR studios like SideQuest and nDreams. If Meta doesn’t pivot, developers like us might explore other avenues like flatscreen content or shift our focus to platforms like Android XR that might better align with our interests. Meta risks diminishing its once-thriving Quest creative community if it relegates itself to just Horizon Worlds and superficial content.
Username on Reddit have shown solidarity with developers, encouraging more premium game purchases and suggesting users uninstall Horizon Worlds to clean up search results. Amidst this, Mark Rabkin, Meta’s VP of XR, has departed for family reasons, adding managerial reshuffles to an already tumultuous situation.
Other Relevant News
Andrew Bosworth Claims 2025 as XR’s Crucial Year
This week, a memo from Andrew Bosworth at Meta stirred conversations. Its motivational tone aimed to inspire Meta employees to energetically work towards making XR a reality. Bosworth deems 2025 as the make-or-break year for XR at Meta, though I personally see this as an exaggeration. XR is still growing, and no ground-breaking developments are expected soon. The biggest highlight might be Android XR headsets, yet Samsung’s offering remains costly against Meta’s fiscally heavy-backing until the 2030s. Thus, 2025 as a pivotal year seems more like a motivational tactic.
Bosworth’s suggestion that XR’s future might hinge on the year’s outcome struck many as a hint at expecting failure, aligning with whispers of reduced VR investment at Meta. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that no manager would undermine employee morale. Speculation aside, the switch to focusing on smart glasses over VR would be unwise for now, given the unproven mainstream success of recent ventures.
Bosworth mentioned Meta plans to release "half a dozen wearables," likely alluding to upcoming smartglaases, watches, and neural smartbands. John Carmack, however, was critical of Bosworth’s MR-centric push, observing that VR mentions were notably missing and that Horizon Worlds may be overshadowing bigger goals.
Apple Works on PSVR 2 Controller Integration
Apple is reportedly ensuring compatibility between PSVR 2 controllers and the Apple Vision Pro, as per Marc Gurman. These controllers will likely be available separately for those who desire controller-specific gameplay. Sony traditionally bundles controllers with headsets, but should this partnership evolve, standalone sales could begin. Updates possibly aligning with VisionOS 3 might be announced during June’s WWDC.
Android XR Grants Camera Access
Google has affirmed that Android XR will provide camera access akin to its phones, allowing developers to utilize both front and back cameras of headsets, following user permission. The front camera acts like a phone’s rear camera, while the selfie equivalent is a reconstructed avatar face via headset sensors. This enables standard mobile apps to function normally, accessing either the user view or avatar face, a big step towards true mixed reality development.
News Worth a Mention
Quest Game Optimizer Hits 100K Users
Amidst some bleak XR news, here’s a bright spot: Quest Game Optimizer, designed to tailor Quest settings for peak app performance, reached an impressive 100,000 users, despite needing sideloading. A big congratulations to its developer!
Carmack’s Take on Beat Saber vs Half-Life: Alyx
On X, John Carmack stated, "standalone VR was the biggest win that VR ever had," significantly due to Beat Saber—a perspective I find resonates regarding user adoption, though both titles served crucial, albeit varying roles in VR’s evolvement.
Ray-Ban Meta Super Bowl Ads Released
Meta has unveiled two new ads featuring Hollywood stars for its Ray-Ban Meta glasses, premiering at the Super Bowl. I watched Chris Hemsworth’s ad—it’s pleasant but not spectacular, with uneven pacing and so-so humor. Nonetheless, any increased visibility helps bolster smart glasses awareness.
Spatial.io Ventures into Gaming
After various pivots, Spatial.io has found success with Animal Company, a game reminiscent of Gorilla Tag. I’m glad to see them thrive after such extensive business adjustments.
Civilization VII Arrives in VR
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII will debut on Meta Quest alongside traditional platforms, offering both MR and VR experiences. It may not be exactly what current Quest audiences demand, but as a millennial fan of Civilization II, it is a nostalgic and exciting development.
Some Content News
- Celebration of Kendrick Lamar Experience on Vision Pro by Synth Riders.
- FRENZIES launched a Super Bowl-themed event on Quest.
- Gorilla Tag’s fourth anniversary marked with a new Birthday Bash event. Happy Birthday!
- Harpagun, a new VR arcade shooter, is coming to Quest in early access on February 13.
- Project Aeroes, a mixed reality game costing $9.99, is free until March 5 on Quest.
- Boxed Out VR puzzle game set for a Quest launch on March 24.
- Aim Assault demo by DIVR Labs arriving February 13 for PC VR.
- Indie co-op game Duet, focusing on silent cooperation, is in development.
- Upload VR provides an XR News Round-Up of smaller industry updates.
Content Reviews
COLD VR, though drawing inspiration from SUPERHOT, lacks polish in some frustrating levels, needing more refinement.
Other News
Steam now warns players if early access games haven’t been updated in over a year.
- Learn more
Stereopsia and AWE Europe are merging into an event, UnitedXR, set in Brussels.
- Learn more
Meta explores "Desk Mode" for Meta AI on Quest to allow queries while on standby. The release remains uncertain.
- Learn more
News from Partners (and Friends)
Support the XR Developers!
In light of the current challenges facing XR developers, every bit of support counts. Consider purchasing an XR game or app, leaving positive reviews, sharing with friends, or promoting on social feeds. Your encouragement is greatly valued!
Some XR Fun
Humorous tidbits on why people love the UEVR universal mod and witty user comments.
- Funny link
Do you have cash for a new headset?
- Funny link
The one thing men supposedly desire.
- Funny link
Donate for Good
This week, my call is to support those experiencing the hardships due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. If you’re moved to help, please consider donating to the Red Cross to aid in managing the current humanitarian crisis. I deeply appreciate the backing from all my Patreon donors:
[Donor list]
Here’s the link to make a difference:
[Support The Red Cross in Ukraine]
(Header image courtesy of Meta)
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