XR Reality - August 8th Edition

One more week that goes into the summer season, with our weekly recap of #VR and # AR-related news.

This week in XR news, we bid farewell to one of the pioneering VR studios, Ready at Dawn, and witness notable movements from Meta, Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft. Here's a roundup of the latest news

Microsoft and Sony Strengthen Alliance for OpenUSD Standard in 3D Content Creation

• Microsoft and Sony have joined the Alliance for OpenUSD, a coalition formed by industry leaders Pixar, Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, and NVIDIA, to promote the USD (Universal Scene Description) file format as the future standard for 3D content creation and distribution.
• Described by NVIDIA as the "HTML of the metaverse," USD aims to streamline the integration of geometry, lighting, animations, and other elements across various 3D authoring tools, enhancing collaborative workflows.
• This initiative, which has strong support from companies like Apple, Meta, and Epic Games, is expected to significantly advance AR and spatial computing applications.
• Apple's VP of Vision Products highlighted USD's pivotal role in the development of the visionOS platform and the Reality Composer Pro tool, underscoring its potential to revolutionize AR experiences.
• More on: https://www.roadtovr.com/microsoft-and-sony-join-other-industry-giants-in-support-of-openusd-standard/

Valve Index Retains Popularity Over Quest 3 on SteamVR Despite Age and Cost

• Despite being five years old, the Valve Index remains more popular on SteamVR than the newer Meta Quest 3, according to the latest SteamVR statistics.
• The Valve Index holds a 16.10% share, surpassing the Quest 3's 15.65%, while the Quest 2 leads with 39.66%.
• Released in October 2023, the Quest 3 initially captured 14% of the market in January 2024 but has seen only modest growth since. The Valve Index's sustained popularity is noteworthy, especially as it remains significantly more expensive than the Quest 3 and lacks a confirmed successor.
• The overall percentage of Steam users engaging with SteamVR has slightly decreased from 1.92% to 1.73% since April. The impending release of a PC adapter for PlayStation VR 2 and the budget-friendly Meta Quest 3S may influence future trends in these statistics.
• More on: https://mixed-news.com/en/steamvr-july-2024/

NVIDIA Blackwell Chipset Delays Impact Meta, Microsoft, and Google XR Ambitions

• NVIDIA's Blackwell chipset has faced a three-month delay due to design flaws, potentially affecting the XR and AI initiatives of Meta, Microsoft, and Google.
• The Blackwell chipset, revealed at GTC earlier this year, is integral to advancing XR and AI technologies in business applications. Despite these setbacks, NVIDIA assures that demand remains high and production is scheduled to ramp up in the latter half of the year.
• Meta and Microsoft, which are heavily investing in AI-driven XR services, rely on powerful GenAI chipsets like Blackwell to develop smart glasses and VR headsets. Recent developments include Meta's integration of AI with XR for smart glasses and Microsoft's AR smart glasses patents, which hint at Co-Pilot genAI integration.
• Although the delay is significant, it is not expected to harm these companies' long-term XR hardware goals.
• More on https://www.xrtoday.com/virtual-reality/how-nvidia-blackwell-delays-affect-meta-and-microsoft-xr-genai-goals/

Developers Express Frustration with Apple Arcade and Vision Pro Game Development

• Developers are voicing significant frustrations with creating games for Apple Vision Pro on the Apple Arcade platform, as reported by mobilegamer.biz.
• Complaints range from poor technical support and a lack of understanding among Apple’s developer relations engineers to delayed payments and insufficient promotion for games.
• One developer likened developing for Vision Pro to "going back in time 10 years," citing difficulties in making complex games work on the platform.
• Unlike Meta, which offers substantial funding and marketing support for VR game development, Apple has been criticized for not providing financial incentives or marketing commitments.
• Despite the high pay initially promised by Apple Arcade deals, developers report late payments and unresponsive Apple representatives.
• While some developers acknowledge that Apple Arcade has paid well and supported their existence, many believe the service lacks direction and a clear strategy for gaming.
• More on: https://www.uploadvr.com/developers-report-frustration-building-apple-arcade-games-for-vision-pro/

Meta Shuts Down Ready At Dawn, Creator of Iconic VR Games Echo Arena and Lone Echo

• Meta has officially closed Ready At Dawn, the studio behind acclaimed VR titles Lone Echo and Echo Arena.
• Acquired by Meta in 2020, the studio delivered some of the best zero-gravity gameplay experiences on Rift and Quest headsets.
• The closure follows last year's layoffs, which also affected other Meta-owned studios like Downpour Interactive. Lone Echo II, released in 2021, was the last Oculus Rift exclusive, and the recent shutdown of Echo Arena marked a significant loss for the VR community.
• This move reflects Meta's shifting priorities under CTO Andrew Bosworth, as the company invests heavily in AR and AI technologies while VR gaming, including support for studios and third-party games, faces an uncertain future.
• More on: https://www.uploadvr.com/ready-at-dawn-horizon-sunset/

Meta Quest 3 App Challenges Ethics with Alien AI: "When They Came For Us"

• PETA, in collaboration with Demodern, has launched "When They Came For Us," a new VR app for Meta Quest 3 and Quest 2.
• This seven-minute role-playing game immerses players in an alien spaceship scenario where they must persuade a powerful alien AI to free them.
• The dialog, driven by ChatGPT-4, offers a personalized and dynamic experience. The game aims to highlight animal rights issues by metaphorically placing players in the position of animals and prompting them to reflect on moral and ethical treatment.
• Available now in the Meta Horizon Store, the app represents PETA's ongoing effort to use VR for promoting empathy and veganism, following previous projects like "Eye to Eye" and "Abduction."
• More on: https://mixed-news.com/en/meta-quest-3-discuss-morality-and-ethics-with-an-alien-ai-in-this-sci-fi-vr-experience/

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