Virtual Reality

We haven’t heard much about Sony’s SRH-S1 standalone MR headset over the past year, which the company revealed at CES 2024. Now, the enterprise-focused device has an official launch date and price.

Released in collaboration with Siemens, the soberly-named Sony SRH-S1 is set to launch sometime in February 2025, priced at $4,750, which the companies are squarely aiming at enterprise. Orders begin on January 23rd, 2025, purchasable directly through Siemens.

While previously pitched last year to appeal to creatives, Sony and Siemens are clearly targeting industrial use cases; the companies say SRH-S1 will “enable the industrial metaverse” and enhance product design and manufacturing through Siemens’ set of high-fidelity mixed reality tools.

Wait, Apple Vision Pro doesn’t come in black, does it? Nope, but Play For Dream MR does. And with what some are calling the ‘Android Vision Pro’, owing to its Android-based OS, Play For Dream seems to have turned some heads at CES 2025 this past week.

Initially launched in Asia last year, China-based headset creator Play For Dream had its sights on bringing the heavily Vision Pro-inspired mixed reality headset to the West. Launching a Kickstarter campaign in September, Play For Dream MR went on to garner $2,271,650.00 Hong Kong dollars (~$292,000 USD).

Play For Dream MR has packed in a laundry list of modern XR features, including a Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset running Android 15, dual 3,840 × 3,552 micro-OLED displays (90Hz), eye-tracking, auto IPD adjustment, wired and wireless PC streaming, and also a Quest Pro-inspired rear-mounted battery and Touch-style controllers.

In short, the headset appears to have it all—even Vision Pro’s user interface.

Design inspirations aside, former Quest engineer Amanda Watson got a chance go hands-on with Play For Dream’s MR headset, noting in an X post it was “absolutely the best all around HMD demo I saw on the floor today.”

“It is quite literally an ‘Android Apple Vision Pro’. but the execution was excellent. Great performance, optics, UI and media capture/playback features,” Watson continues, who departed Meta in 2022.

Arken Age will be released on January 16th for Playstation VR 2 and on Steam for PC VR headsets.

The studio responsible for the game provided me with access to the game in advance to get a first impression. And it's a positive one.

It's easier to make a VR game that looks fantastic than it is to make one that takes full advantage of virtual reality and is fun to play. Arken Age does both.

I played and explored the first four areas for about two hours. Since Arken Age offers a total of 25 areas and a campaign of more than 15 hours, the following impressions are limited to the beginning of the game.

The landscapes are beautiful to behold with their mix of pristine nature, crystal blue waters, magnificent Nara temples and technoid elements and facilities. The native flora and fauna, weapons and enemies are all designed and animated with great attention to detail.

I played Arken Age on Playstation VR 2, and that version has two graphics modes, both of which use Dynamic Foveated Rendering:

a performance mode with 90 native frames per second and a resolution of approximately 2,800 x 2,000 pixels, and a quality mode with 60/120 reprojected frames per second and a resolution of 3,300 x 2,400 pixels.

I prefer performance mode as the game runs smoother and is free of ghosting. The world is not quite as sharp, but it is a feast for the eyes even without the quality mode. The PSVR 2 version also benefits from HDR, an immersive use of adaptive triggers on weapons and the headset's rumble haptics. On the Playstation 5 Pro, the resolution is 15 percent higher in performance mode and 25 percent higher in quality mode.

If you play Arken Age on a powerful PC, you can enjoy even better visuals thanks to numerous graphics settings.

The biggest question I have is whether Arken Age can maintain the positive impression of the first two hours for the rest of the game, or whether monotony will creep in. In any case, I'm excited to delve deeper into this world.

Arken Age is coming to the Playstation Store and on Steam on January 16th and can be wishlisted on both platforms. The price is $40.

Stress Level Zero’s physics-based sandbox follow-up BONELAB (2022) has done spectacularly well on Quest, although the studio still hasn’t brought its award-winning physics action puzzler BONEWORKS (2019) to Meta’s latest standalone hardware generation. That’s about to change.

If you haven’t played on PC VR headset, Boneworks is a narrative VR action-adventure using advanced experimental physics mechanics. It’s pretty intense, as you’re tasked with dynamically navigating through environments, engaging in physics-heavy combat, and creatively approaching puzzles with physics.

Studio co-founder Brandon Laatsch outlined a number of goals for 2025 in a recent X post, stating that not only is the studio working on patches for its Marrow Engine physics framework, which was developed by the studio for the Unity engine, but also the release of Boneworks for Quest 3 and Quest 3S.

The cultural impact of Robert Louis Stevenson's landmark 19th century novel cannot be overstated. Historical tales like The Pirate Queen show there's room for more serious stories, yet Treasure Island's depiction of swashbuckling pirates searching for treasure remains more prevalent with VR games like Sail, Furious Seas, and Battlewake. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Pirates VR: Jolly Roger takes the latter approach.

The Facts

What is it?: A VR action-adventure game where you play as a pirate exploring a cursed island. Platforms: PC VR (reviewed on PC VR via Quest 3 and Virtual Desktop) Release Date: Jan 14, 2025 (PC VR), Q2 2025 (PS VR2) Developer: Split Light Studio Price: $19.99

Pirates VR: Jolly Roger delivers a colorful VR adventure, yet Split Light's latest game feels like a missed opportunity. Noticeable jank, design issues and shallow combat have left me wanting more, though it's balanced out by rewarding exploration and great visuals. If you don't mind a brief visit to the Caribbean, this lighthearted four-hour campaign has its charms.

Today at CES I have been able to go hands-on with two Pimax products: the Pimax Crystal Super and the 60G Airlink for wireless connection. Unluckily there was no Dream Air to try, but I had fun anyway with the two other products.

Before describing my experience, take in mind that CES has been very frenetic so my hands on these two devices lasted only a few minutes, not enough for an exhaustive review. To make things worse, the demo conditions were also terrible because of the poor network and the many interferences at the event venue. So take what I’m writing as just some “first impressions” that could change after an attentive product analysis.

Pimax showed me products that were still work-in-progress. But while the 60G Airlink left me with the impression that there is still a lot of work to do, the Pimax Crystal Super gave me hope. I think that this headset, with its wide FOV and resolution, can provide great immersion, more than what is currently available on the market. But to do that, it has to solve its problems with the weight and especially with the distortion profile of the lenses. I hope that by mid-year, they will be able to sort it out.

(Warning: Pimax is the king of half baked VR.)

Yes, some people use PC VR to play the same kind of graphically simplistic titles that are popular on Quest, such as Beat Saber, Gorilla Tag, and Walkabout Mini Golf, and these titles have been playable at sharp resolutions at maximum settings for years now.

But the magic of PC VR is that it can support high-fidelity realistic flight and racing simulators too, as well as detailed VRChat worlds populated by dozens of detailed avatars, and higher quality versions of AAA VR titles like Skydance's Behemoth. Today, even the mighty RTX 4090 isn't capable of running these experiences at an ideal resolution at maxed out settings. VR is uniquely demanding, owing to its stereo rendering, wide field of view, and strict intolerance for added latency.

As 4K per eye PC VR headsets like Shiftall's MeganeX superlight and Pimax Dream Air are set to arrive in 2025, joining a market that includes 3K per eye headsets like Somnium VR1 and Pimax Crystal Light, PC VR enthusiasts will be crying out for the graphical horsepower to really take advantage of these resolutions. Nvidia is set to tailor to that at the high end, while AMD will offer affordable competition that could entice some Quest owners to build a PC and see what SteamVR has to offer.

Shiftall Inc. announces the "GripVR", a Base Station compatible(SteamVR™ Tracking) controller, and the "AddCon", an expansion attachment for Meta Quest 3. Shiftall will also exhibit these two products at CES 2025, the world's largest technology event, held in Las Vegas, USA, from January 7 to 10, 2025 (PST).

The GripVR is an ORDINARY controller for SteamVR™ Tracking (for Base Station). It does not have unique features, but users can utilize it for general purposes. Shiftall has designed the button layout to follow the mainstream layout seen in recent years. The controller includes touch sensors on the trigger, AB/XY buttons, and a stick, enabling it to support all hand signs in VRChat. It also incorporates the sensor on the thumb rest, a recent addition in VRChat.

Users can use the GripVR in combination with the MeganeX superlight 8K, as well as various SteamVR™ Tracking-compatible VR headsets from other manufacturers.

‍Input: 4 buttons (AB / XY, system, joystick press) + 1 joystick Analog operation is possible for the joystick, trigger, and grip.

Touch sensor locations: AB / XY buttons, joystick, trigger, thumb rest

Battery Life: Approx. 8 hours

Charging method: USB Type-C

Supported VR Headsets: Valve Index / HTC VIVE / VIVE pro / MeganeX / MeganeX superlight 8K To use it with the Meta Quest series, users will need to install OpenVR Space Calibrator software and set up Base Station.

Tracking: SteamVR™ Tracking *Compatible with both Valve and HTC Base Station 1.0/2.0

Product Page: https://en.shiftall.net/products/gripvr

AddCon is an expansion controller that users can attach to the Meta Quest 3/3S/Pro controllers, allowing them to add a wheel and buttons. By combining it with the shift function using the touch sensor, users can assign more than 14 functions. Shiftall developed it so that people who enjoy VR photos and avatar gimmicks in virtual spaces can express themselves more conveniently and diversely.

Suppose you have embedded an extended camera app like VirtualLens2 into a VRChat avatar or incorporated many gimmicks using OSC. You may think, "I want an analog operation wheel and buttons that can instantly output OSC commands!" Opening the Expressions Menu and operating it is not fast enough to adjust the camera's aperture and zoom or perform avatar gimmick operations at a speed unnoticeable to friends. AddCon allows you to send out 14 types (12 on/off, two analog) of OSC commands for camera operation, avatar gimmick control, etc., without opening the Expressions Menu.

Shiftall plans to release the dedicated application for AddCon first for the PC version, with a smartphone version to follow. The PC application will run on low-powered laptops that are not VR-compatible and can also send OSC commands to Quest standalone versions of VRChat as an OSC command transmission device. The application will also include a function to assign specific keyboard operations.

AddCon features a touch sensor built into the part where the little finger rests. Whether the little finger is touching the sensor or not can switch the operation of all buttons and wheels, similar to the shift key on a PC. This function doubles the number of OSC commands that the user can send.

‍Charging method: USB Type-C

Communication method: Bluetooth LE or GX6/GX2 Communication Dongle

Compatible controller: Meta Quest 3/3S/Pro left-hand controller only

Product Page: https://en.shiftall.net/products/addcon

In collaboration with Apple, Meta and ByteDance, NVIDIA is expanding GeForce NOW cloud gaming to Apple Vision Pro spatial computers, Meta Quest 3 and 3S and Pico virtual- and mixed-reality devices — with all the bells and whistles of NVIDIA technologies, including ray tracing and NVIDIA DLSS.

Sony is launching the Xyn (pronounced zin), an “extended reality” headset for creating 3D objects for films, animation, and games. The device, which Sony first teased at CES last year, will come with 4K OLED displays, video passthrough, and support for third-party design, modeling, and production software.

Based on the video shared by Sony, it looks like wearers will be able to flip up the headset when they’re not using it. It doesn’t appear to come with the ring and pointer that Sony showed off last year, though.

Alongside the headset, Sony revealed Xyn Motion Studio, an accompanying Windows app that supports up to 12 Mocopi sensors, its wireless motion-tracking system that V-Tubers and other creators often use to control virtual avatars. The software comes with motion-editing features, allowing creators to trim and merge motions, as well as adjust time and position.

There’s also a prototype of a “spatial capture solution,” which is supposed to transform images of real objects and spaces into “photorealistic” 3D computer-generated assets using Sony’s algorithm. One year out from Sony’s initial teaser, and details are still pretty slim on what exactly this headset will be capable of, aside from viewing and interacting with 3D objects.

Sony is planning to release its Xyn Motion Studio software in late March 2025, but there still isn’t any word on the availability or pricing of its headset.

Meta has officially discontinued Quest Pro, the company’s first mixed reality headset.

Meta announced back in September that it was winding down Quest 2 and Quest Pro sales. At the time, the company said remaining stock would be sold through the end of the year or until they ran out, whichever came first.

Now, in place of the Quest Pro order page, Meta is suggesting users to buy Quest 3 “for the ultimate mixed reality experience and premium comfort.” You can still buy Quest Pro’s ‘Touch Pro’ controllers however, as they support Quest 2 and above.

Released in 2022 at the eye-water price of $1,500, Meta hoped to use the headset to kickstart its mixed reality ambitions among consumers, as it was the first to offer color-passthrough, pancake lenses, and both face and eye-tracking—coming in strong contrast to the company’s other offering at the time, Quest 2.

According to a report by The Information, Quest 4 is scheduled to launch in two versions at the end of 2026: a cheaper standard version and a more expensive premium version. The codenames of the two devices are reportedly Pismo Low and Pismo High.

If this report is correct, Meta is planning to release two headsets of the same generation, like the current Quest generation, but they will be released at the same time and not a year apart. Quest 3 was released at the end of 2023, Quest 3S one year later. If Meta maintains its current software philosophy, the first exclusive Quest 4 content can be expected sometime in 2027.

I find this schedule to be credible because there were three years between the launches of the Quest 2 and Quest 3, and Meta releases at least one new hardware product every year. If Meta were to delay the next generation of headsets, there would be a gaping hole in Meta's hardware roadmap. It also makes sense for the two Quest headsets to be released at the same time, as this would cut Meta's marketing efforts in half compared to the launches of the Quest 3 and Quest 3S, which had to be marketed separately.

Alongside the milestone, the company is greatly simplifying its lineup by no longer selling all but three of the seven models it offered to preorder customers, and this includes no longer selling the base model. Further, Somnium will be increasing the prices of those remaining three variants later this month.

The remaining Visionary, Titan, and Ultimate models all have eye tracking, while the latter two have hand tracking too, and Ultimate uniquely has passthrough. But this new lineup brings the entry price for Somnium VR1 to €2500 - and these prices are set to increase on January 16.

Valve lists the percentage of "Steam users with VR Headsets" in December 2024 as 2.13%. Without adjustment, that's not remarkable. But when adjusting the figures for each month since Valve started reporting this figure to be relative to the number of non-Chinese users, as China essentially has its own tangential VR market, it's the second highest ever. Even without this adjustment, the data reveals that more Steam gamers use a VR headset than use macOS or own an RTX 4090 GPU. Further, almost as many use a VR headset than use Linux, which includes Steam Deck, and around half as many use one than own a 4K primary monitor. So PC VR remains a relative niche, yes, but no more so than a Steam Deck or the highest-end NVIDIA graphics card.

Valve has released the SteamVR statistics for December 2024, and surprisingly Meta Quest 3 and 3S have seen even less growth than last month.

Quest 3S has at least improved from 11th to 9th place, but in reality it should be further ahead.

We know that Quest 3S headsets used on a PC via Quest Link and Virtual Desktop are registered as Quest 3 by Valve's survey, and only those used via Steam Link are actually registered as Quest 3S. The Quest 3's percentage therefore includes an unknown proportion of Quest 3S, and it would make more sense to count Quest 3 and Quest 3S together. The combined shares amount to 22.1 percent. Before the launch of Quest 3S, the Quest 3 percentage was 17.26 percent.

Overall, the growth of Quest 3S is below expectations. Both Quest 2 and Quest 3 grew faster after their launch, but we'll have to see what happens in the following months. Although PC VR enthusiasts are likely to have primarily opted for the more expensive Quest 3, the fact that the Quest 2's percentage has barely shrunk and still stands at 34 percent shows that many users haven't switched yet to a newer Quest headset, even after the launch of the more affordable Quest 3S.

VR headsets have jumped into a whole lot of homes these past few years, primarily due to Meta’s regular releases, Sony’s PSVR 2 and PC-adjacent products from HTC, HP, Vive and others. Many of these headsets are great on their own, but they really shine when outfitted with accessories. However, the industry is squarely in its “wild west” phase right now, so it can be tough to know what’s worth buying and what’s likely to end up tucked away in a closet within a week. That’s where Engadget comes in. Here are the best VR accessories to pair with a modern headset.

We tried to keep these picks as universal as possible, to suit the various VR ecosystems out there. However, some of the best VR accessories only work on certain platforms and we’ll note this stuff as we go. We also stayed away from experimental and expensive add-ons, like treadmills and force feedback clothing, to keep you from bankruptcy.

From Pirates VR to Arken Age, January has plenty of choice for new VR games. Here's our monthly highlights on Quest, Steam, PS VR2 and more.

One of the worst things to happen on Christmas morning is downloading updates and charging batteries. Undoubtedly even worse though is downloading an update that then bricks your device before you can even use it. This apparently happened to a number of users last week, which Meta has responded by offering new devices and Horizon Store credit.

According to mass user reports that flooded Reddit on December 25th, some new Quest owners encountered a critical error after being forced to apply the latest update, with an error message stating “Your device is corrupt. It can’t be trusted.” From there, there was no way of resetting the headset, effectively bricking the device.

The issue appears to have been caused by applying Quest’s latest v72 update, which the company released earlier this month. User reports indicate it has affected new, but alsoold headsets that haven’t been updated in a while.

Here’s what Meta says in a user help thread addressing the issue:

“We’ve discovered a software update issue that caused some Quest 2/3/3S headsets to be unresponsive and unable to start up correctly. We are actively working on resolving the issue for all users, but in most cases, you are now able to use your device normally.”

User reports suggested only a fraction of new headsets responded this way, although following a pause by Meta to pull its latest firmware update, new users are now likely in the clear if they still haven’t set up a new Quest. And for those with bricked headsets, Meta is sending out replacement units with some Horizon Store credit to smooth things over.

“We are aware that a limited number of Quest 3S devices are experiencing a software update issue that is causing headsets to be unresponsive and unable to boot up properly,” the company says in a ‘Next Steps’ thread for Quest 3S users. “If your device is affected by the issue, we’ll send you a replacement Quest device at no cost to you. We’ll also issue you Horizon Store credit as a token of our commitment to supporting you.”

While Meta was quick to respond, the damage was already done, prompting some to return faulty headsets to stores and hope their next device wasn’t afflicted with the same issue. Some users, such as Reddit poster ‘Physical-Slip5049’, says it ruined their son’s Christmas.

“I bought a never before used second hand Quest 2 from eBay as a Christmas present for my 9 year old son. He opened it Christmas morning, started it, and was forced to update it,” Physical-Slip5049 reports. “Having never used a VR headset before, I tried to reset it after following Meta’s own instructions. Now it’s hard-bricked. It’s been turned on for just 5 minutes in its entire 2-year life. My son spent 3 months waiting to play this but couldn’t use it when it came to the big day. He spent half of Christmas day crying and upset.”

Additionally, users are reporting that Meta is offering those with out-of-warranty headsets, such as Quest 2, with refurbished units to go along with store credit.

Do you have an Intel Arc graphics card in your gaming PC and want to immerse yourself in the world of VR? With the right setup and a few tricks, this is definitely possible, even if the Arc GPUs are not yet officially supported by the major VR platforms. In this guide, we'll show you step by step how to make your Arc graphics card fit for VR and what limitations there are.

The key to VR with Intel Arc — Virtual Desktop

The most difficult obstacle to VR gaming with an Intel Arc is currently the lack of official support from Meta, Oculus and SteamVR. This means that you cannot simply connect your Meta Quest headset to your PC using a link cable or Air Link. SteamVR also goes on strike and refuses to start if it detects an Arc graphics card in your system.

But there is a solution: the Virtual Desktop app from developer Guy Godin. It allows you to stream VR content wirelessly from your PC to the Quest headset. And Virtual Desktop supports Intel Arc GPUs.

To get Virtual Desktop ready for Arc, first make sure you have SteamVR installed. You then have to start the VR games from Virtual Desktop after SteamVR has been opened. A direct connection between SteamVR and your headset is not necessary. However, bear in mind that you will have to do without functions such as controller tracking and that the latency will be slightly higher than with a cable.

Which VR games run with Intel Arc?

In principle, most SteamVR games should run smoothly with an Arc graphics card and Virtual Desktop. These include, for example, Half-Life: Alyx, Skyrim VR, Fallout 4 VR, Superhot VR, Beat Saber or Pavlov. VR racing simulations such as Assetto Corsa Competizione or Automobilista 2 as well as flight simulations such as Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Star Wars: Squadrons are also worth a try.

Of course, performance always depends on the game in question and the graphics settings selected. Very demanding titles such as Half-Life: Alyx or Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 can bring even high-end graphics cards to their knees if you pay too much attention to detail. The key here is: Choose resolution and graphic details wisely.

In most games, however, you should be able to achieve at least 72 Hz or even 90 Hz with an Intel Arc graphics card such as the B580. For particularly fast rhythm games such as Beat Saber, you can even reach 120 Hz if you reduce the graphics quality a little. Simply experiment with the settings until you find the sweet spot between visuals and performance.

Unfortunately, there are currently still problems with native Oculus apps and games from the Meta Store. These do not run with an Intel Arc GPU due to the lack of official support. We'll have to wait and see until Intel and Meta hopefully agree on a collaboration soon. Some Steam games, such as Assetto Corsa, also occasionally get stuck. In such cases, it can help to add "-dx12" or "-d3d12" to the start options of the game to force DirectX 12.

Resident Evil Village

Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game

Vertigo 2

Red Matter Collection

No Man's Sky

Reports across Reddit and Meta's own forums suggest some older headsets which haven't been updated in a while are bricking after its users are told to update the headset to the latest firmware. Reports indicate both Quest 2 and 3 headsets may be affected, though Quest 2 is more prevalent in the postings. "A theme running through a lot of the posts is that the headset hadn't been used in a while and it needed an update," explains one of the first comments on Meta's official forums. "I'm just guessing here, that headsets will update from a fairly recent firmware version to the latest without issue, BUT headsets on a much older firmware can not update to the latest version without becoming unresponsive. A meta software update has effectively killed your well looked after headset. Perhaps a class action or small claims court is a course of action to those affected."

Here we are, another year deeper into the most immersive medium that refuses to stand still. Far from fading away, over its nearly decade of existence VR has continued to evolve in ways both subtle and seismic, redefining what’s possible in gaming, creativity, and connection.

2024 has been a year of milestones, where the long-promised potential of VR is becoming ever more undeniable. It’s not just about more ‘AAA’ games—although that doesn’t hurt. This year, we’ve seen the release of highly-anticipated titles and ambitious indie projects alike, each proving that VR isn’t a niche within a niche, but something both profitable for developers and gamers alike.

What sets this year apart is the growing focus on refinement. Developers are leveraging lessons learned over the past decade to push VR into a new era of comfort, immersion, and accessibility. Whether it’s groundbreaking mechanics, unforgettable narratives, or immersive visuals that make you feel truly present, 2024 has given us a lot to celebrate—and a lot to look forward to.

Game of the Year

Skydance’s Behemoth

Developer: Skydance Games

Available On: Quest, PSVR 2, PC VR

Release Date: December 5th, 2024

For industry diehards, it’s hard not to feel a sense of vindication. Daydream had a lot of issues – draining phone batteries, wonky 3DOF motion controllers, and a lack of smartphone support to name a few – but it felt this close to cracking it before Google threw in the towel. Prototypes for a pair of 6DOF controllers never made it to market, and Daydream died just as Quest began to take off.

What could have been. Had Google not surrendered to its trademark flakiness, the industry might have two widely successful standalones in the market today. But I believe it is possible for the company to regain that ground. Or, at least, part of it.

Android XR almost certainly isn’t going to compete with Quest on price. I’d expect it to be closer to Vision Pro. It’s not going to have as expansive a library of apps, either, and it’s unclear if Google will fund Android-first apps to play the exclusivity game. These are all the caveats that Apple faced with Vision Pro, and they’ve led to an inarguably underwhelming first year for that device, even when you acknowledge it’s not a mass market product.

Avoiding a similar outcome will require a careful balance of responding not just to Apple’s fledgling VisionOS but Meta’s own Android fork in Horizon OS.