Metal: Hellsinger is a first-person rhythm shooter featuring roguelike and boomer shooter elements and set to a heavy metal soundtrack with some of the metal world's biggest names. The game follows a mysterious protagonist, known simply as The Unknown, as she battles her way through the various levels of hell on a quest to regain her voice. Today, the rhythm shooter launches an additional VR version, with some interesting new VR-specific rhythm mechanics to spice things up.

Being a rhythm game, Metal: Hellsinger gives players bonuses for performing actions on-beat with the background music—which often gets quite challenging due to the fast pace and swarming enemies—but the VR version steps things up a notch, allowing you to aim the game's dual pistols individually, physically draw and release the crossbow, and actively reload the shotgun to the beat.

Microsoft has officially ended production of its HoloLens 2 mixed-reality headset, according to sources confirmed by The Register. The tech giant recently notified its partners that the HoloLens 2, introduced in 2019 as an enterprise-focused augmented reality device, is no longer available for purchase. This marks a significant shift in Microsoft's AR strategy, with the company stating, "Support for HoloLens 2, including security updates, will end on December 31, 2027." Despite aggressive marketing efforts, the HoloLens 2 struggled to gain widespread adoption, reflecting broader challenges in the AR/VR market where high-end headsets like HoloLens 2 and Apple Vision Pro retail for around $3,500, limiting their appeal. Some Microsoft employees reportedly expressed surprise that the project continued as long as it did, suggesting internal doubts about its viability.

Rather than continuing as a hardware provider, Microsoft plans to pivot its role in the mixed reality space, focusing on "first-party software solutions and services, partnering with the broader mobile phone and mixed reality hardware ecosystem." This decision aligns with the current state of the AR/VR industry, where the ecosystem is still in its early stages, and companies like Meta are heavily investing in its development. Microsoft's shift from hardware production to ecosystem investment mirrors trends in the broader tech industry and could position the company for future opportunities as the mixed-reality market matures. As the ecosystem develops and more use cases emerge, Microsoft's investment in software and services could prove valuable despite the current challenges in justifying investments in a field that's still searching for compelling widespread applications.

Today at Connect, we unveiled Meta Quest 3S, a headset with the same mixed reality capabilities and fast performance as Meta Quest 3, but at a lower price point. Starting at just $299.99 USD, Quest 3S is the best headset for those new to mixed reality and immersive experiences, or who might have been waiting for a low-cost upgrade from Quest and Quest 2.

From watching your favorite TV shows on a cinema-sized screen to your own personal trainer that you can take with you anywhere you go, plus multitasking capabilities, gaming and more, there's no better mixed reality device on the market at this price.

HTC VIVE, the global leader in premium XR solutions, today launches its new cutting-edge headset VIVE Focus Vision. The new Extended Reality (XR) headset is the latest in HTC VIVE's highly popular VIVE Focus Series, with a wealth of improvements and new features to give gamers and enterprise users alike the best possible immersive experience for PCVR and standalone gaming, as well as Location-Based Experiences (LBE), industrial training, collaboration, and mixed reality applications.

"VIVE Focus Vision gives you the best of both worlds, with outstanding standalone capabilities, and DisplayPort mode support for visually lossless PCVR experiences," said Shen Ye, Global Head of Product at HTC VIVE. "Now, PC gamers can bring the same high-end headsets used in VR arcades into their homes. We're taking everything to the next level with built-in eye-tracking, stereo color passthrough cameras for depth-correct Mixed Reality, and even an infra-red sensor for enhanced hand tracking in low-light conditions."

TrendForce's latest report reveals that shipments of near-eye displays are expected to increase year-by-year over the next few years following inventory clearance. It is anticipated that OLEDoS will dominate the high-end VR/MR market, with its technological share rising to 23% by 2030, while LCD will continue to occupy the mainstream market, holding a 63% share in near-eye displays.

TrendForce defines VR/MR devices as near-eye displays that achieve an immersive experience through a single display. Devices emphasizing transparency and the integration of virtual and real-world applications are classified as AR devices.

It appears that Sony decided to sneak out a new product during the already busy Computex week of new product announcements. This is something many PC gamers have been waiting for, at least those interested in VR gaming. Although the device itself is a rather nondescript black box with a cable at one end, it delivers what many have been hoping for, PC support for Sony's PlayStation VR2 headset. The little black box has inputs for the PlayStation VR2 headset and a single DisplayPort 1.4 input which is connected to your graphics card of choice, as well as a USB port for communication with the PC and a power input of some kind. The only potential downside here is that the adapter won't work with some gaming laptops that only have HDMI display output.

Sony's system requirements are rather pedestrian, although the company is recommending a GeForce RTX 3060 or an AMD Radeon RX 6600XT or better graphics card, for best performance. Another minimum requirement which not everyone might have on their desktop systems, is support for Bluetooth 4.0 or later, but this can easily be resolved with a cheap USB dongle. Sony didn't reveal the full hardware details, which makes it unclear if an extra power source is needed, but it's clear from one of the two photos provided by the company, that there's more to it than just the DisplayPort and USB cables. The adapter doesn't work on PC without a lot of caveats though, as "HDR, headset feedback, eye tracking, adaptive triggers, and haptic feedback (other than rumble), are not available when playing on PC" according to Sony's blog post. The PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter also requires the Sony PlayStation VR2 app to be installed and for now it appears to only be working with Steam VR. The adapter will be available in retail on the 7th of August for an MSRP of $59.99 / €59.99 / £49.99.

LG Display, the world's leading innovator of display technologies, announced today the unveiling of a large number of its next-generation OLED and cutting-edge display technologies at SID Display Week 2024 in San Jose, California from May 14-16. LG Display is allowing visitors to experience new OLED technologies under the theme "A Better Future," ranging from OLEDoS for VR to large-sized OLED panels that go beyond the limits of picture quality and automotive display solutions that are optimized for Software Defined Vehicles (SDV).

The company's latest innovations include a new technology, OLEDoS for VR, which is being shown to the public for the first time and features dramatically increased screen brightness and resolution compared with the existing standard. Despite being the size of a coin at 1.3-inch, it achieves an ultra-high brightness of 10,000 nits and an ultra-high resolution of around 4,000 ppi, which is in the 4K class. In addition, its color expression accuracy is realized by meeting more than 97% of the DCI-P3 standard color area of the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI). All these enable more lifelike virtual reality with industry-leading picture quality.

As we enter the last full week of April, we're finally back to a busy release schedule again. This week's AAA title apparently had some last minute bugs squashed just this week, so let's hope the released game delivers on its promise. As for the rest of this week you can look forward to a VR horror shooter, a side scrolling action-adventure medtroidvania game, a Robin Hood wannabe game, a dungeon crawler you can play with friends online, a game about a hermit crab, a JRPG and finally a very sandy action RPG.

Manor Lords / This week's AAA release / Friday 26 April / Early Access
Manor Lords is a strategy game that allows you to experience the life of a medieval lord. Grow your starting village into a bustling city, manage resources and production chains, and expand your lands through conquest. Inspired by the art and architecture of late 14th century Franconia, Manor Lords prioritizes historical accuracy wherever possible, using it to inform gameplay mechanics and visuals alike. Common medieval tropes are avoided in favor of historical accuracy, in order to make the world feel more authentic, colorful, and believable. Steam Link

Pimax, a leading innovator in the Virtual Reality industry, announced two new high-end VR headsets at its Frontier 2024 event, held on YouTube this Monday. The Crystal Super is an ultra-high-end headset, packing 29.5 million pixels and the world's first changeable optical engine, allowing users to swap between QLED and micro-OLED panels. The Crystal Light offers the same 16.6 million pixels as the Pimax Crystal, but is much more budget-friendly, starting from 699 USD. Additionally, Pimax unveiled the 60G Airlink module, which leverages WiGig technology to enable true high-fidelity wireless PCVR.

The Crystal Super represents a substantial leap forward from the highly successful Crystal, with its greatly increased number of pixels, enabling a much larger field of view (FOV) and higher pixels per degree (PPD) simultaneously.

FarBridge, Inc., a leading game development studio, in partnership with Gearbox Entertainment, is excited to announce Homeworld: Vast Reaches, a bold new story in the beloved Homeworld saga that reimagines strategic space battles for Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality. This new game in the Homeworld universe is launching on the Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3 headsets later this year. Players can now wishlist the game at HomeworldVastReaches.com.

In the award-winning Homeworld games for PC, you play as Fleet Command, a human commander who controls a fleet of spaceships. Players will take on the same role in Homeworld: Vast Reaches in vicious combat against a mysterious new foe.

PNY Technologies, a global leader in memory and storage solutions, has expanded its enterprise portfolio through a strategic partnership with PICO, a VR solutions company with independent innovation and R&D capabilities. This partnership highlights PNY's dedication to providing state-of-the-art solutions across a spectrum of applications, from enhancing sports, entertainment, and video consumption to revolutionizing industries such as education, healthcare, and corporate training.

This partnership leverages PICO's XR platform solutions, enhancing PNY's enterprise offerings with unparalleled performance, scalability, and cost efficiency. This move reinforces PNY's position as a key player in the enterprise market.

Hellsingers! Did you think the music had stopped? Hells, no! We're proud to announce Metal: Hellsinger VR, coming to Meta Quest 2 & 3, Meta Quest Pro, PS VR 2, and Steam in 2024! Get ready to be fully immersed in metal and mayhem. Step into the body of the Unknown in full VR and become a true demon of vengeance. Wield her full wicked arsenal in your very hands and unleash its power straight into the snarling hordes' ugly faces. The original acclaimed rhythm shooter, developed by The Outsiders and rated 96% positive on Steam, has been developed for VR from the ground up in collaboration with Lab42 Games, to take full advantage of the potential of VR.

Metal: Hellsinger VR includes everything you've come to know and love in Metal: Hellsinger. That means the full award-winning soundtrack performed by your favorite metal legends, and the entire campaign to wreak vengeance upon the Red Judge all in glorious VR. The game has been rebuilt to take full advantage of the strengths of VR, creating accurate and meaty gunplay, a world that pulsates to the beat, and doing away with most menus for an immersive hub area. Aim dual pistols independently, cock your shotgun, and make them fear the beat.

MICLEDI Microdisplays today announced a first closing of its Series A funding round with participation from imec.xpand, PMV, imec, KBC and SFPIM demonstrating strong support for the company's value proposition and commercial and technological progress achieved in the seed round. Series A follows a significant seed round award and additional non-dilutive funding in the form of grants and other vehicles from VLAIO. This brings the company's total funding to date to nearly $30 million.

"The company's achievements during this seed round have been astounding," said Sean Lord, CEO of MICLEDI. "Our door is open to engagements with some of the world's largest and most innovative electronic product manufacturing companies, most of whom are working on their own internal development projects for augmented reality (AR) displays in such diverse use cases as smart-wearable devices and automotive HUDs. This level of total funding to date is almost unheard of for a four-year-old startup."

Choi Joo-sun, CEO of Samsung Display, spoke to journalists post-conclusion of a March 6 lecture at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). A Chosun Daily Business reporter pulled some quotes regarding Samsung's outlook for new generation micro OLED technologies. Choi and his colleagues are likely taking their time on this development front—Sony Semiconductor Solutions (SSS) has already mass-produced OLED Microdisplay products. The Japanese technology giant is the main supplier of display panels for Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality headset—a recent iFixit teardown revealed a possible custom-designed unit. Leaked "Bill of Materials" figures indicate an eye-watering total cost of $456 for a pair of SSS 4K panels—Apple is reportedly engaged in negotiations with SeeYa and BOE regarding the supply of cheaper alternatives.

The Samsung Display boss is monitoring current industry trends, but his team is not rushing out competing solutions: "The market potential of micro OLED, which is used in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), is significant, but I believe the market will begin in earnest around 2027-2028...there are many technical aspects to overcome and cost considerations." Choi believes that Samsung is better off with plenty of preparation time, before an anticipated bloom in the micro OLED market—in his opinion, domination can be achieved with careful investment in research and development (R&D) efforts. He stated: "During the remaining 2 to 3 years, we will deploy manpower to ensure that Samsung Display does not fall behind in the micro OLED market and introduce solutions that are competitive compared to competitors...The acquisition of Imagine, an American display company, is also part of this effort."

When Meta acquired Oculus, it created a problem where Meta wanted to integrate the software ecosystem of the VR headsets with its common Meta accounts system that spans Facebook, Instagram, and Threads; whereas some users from the pre-acquisition days, held out on the older Oculus accounts, continuing to use them for their cloud saves, purchase information, acquired software, DLCs, and more. Meta set up a system to port these Oculus accounts over to a Meta account, which would let you retain all your digital assets; but apparently not everyone switched. Such holdouts need to switch by the end of March 29, 2024, because Meta has decided to drop the hammer on the Oculus accounts system. All Oculus accounts will simply be deleted, any purchases, DLCs, or other digital assets you have, will be lost. If you're one of the holdouts, check your e-mail for a message from Meta with a unique link to port your account.

As the Enterprise XR space and industry competition continue to grow, HTC VIVE is leading the way. VIVE's Location Based Software Suite recently helped to develop the first functional VR system in microgravity. VIVE's hardware has become essential in training scenarios across the world. VIVE's hardware and software mean it's easy to create simulations with realistic graphics, and the ability for users to move around on a 1:1 scale, even incorporating physical props.

At MWC 2024, HTC VIVE is announcing new enterprise features for VIVE XR Elite Business Edition, including Location Based Software Suite support, and VIVE Business+ to make fleet management and content deployment effortless at any scale. VIVE XR Elite Business Edition also has new physical accessories to support even more versatile use cases, and enhance comfort for longer sessions or multiple users.

Rebellion, one of the world's most successful independent video game developers and publishers, has today announced a new heart-pounding VR game, Zombie Army VR. Bringing the Zombie Army franchise to VR for the first time, the game will let you experience the fear, thrill and spine-chilling tension of the zombie apocalypse through the immersion of your headset. Coming 2024, Zombie Army VR will be available on PlayStation VR2, Meta Quest 2, 3 and Pro, Oculus Rift, and PC headsets via Steam.

Following the story of the Zombie Army series, in Zombie Army VR you return to the field as one of the Deadhunters, an elite squad that is hunting down zombie war criminals. You will fight your way through undead hordes near the bombed-out city of Nuremberg and help Hermann Wolff, the Deadhunter's legendary leader, find his scattered family and fight to free Europe from the zombie apocalypse.

Refract Technologies today unveils the newest addition to its roster - AXIS Lite. To celebrate its reveal, Refract is opening up global pre-sale orders on 8 February ahead of its late Spring launch, allowing VR enthusiasts and gamers to secure the latest piece of immersive technology.

AXIS Lite tracks real-time lower body movement in addition to the upper body tracking typical of VR headsets and controllers, allowing for full-body immersion in VR. The technology was created especially for consumers looking to take their VR gaming experiences to the next level with ease. Designed to free the player from the constraints of complicated setups, external base stations, and endless wires, the AXIS Lite provides an untethered experience with a reduced number of motion trackers that balance quality with accessibility. With a streamlined four-node setup, AXIS Lite is convenient, easy to use, and simple to calibrate, significantly reducing setup time to allow for more playtime in VR experiences.

Welcome to Stygia! Stroll along the tranquil corridors of this once luxurious resort planet, serenaded by the sweet sounds of explosions and gunfire. Sit back and take in the vivid colors of the sunset - the secret ingredient is gamma radiation! Why not make some new friends? Our friendly cannibal gangs would kill to meet you. invites you to a blood-soaked and adrenaline-fueled story with guns, gore, and gruesome enemies. Playing as Grayson Hunt, former elite mercenary and current space pirate, you are marooned on a hell planet and the only way out is through - through a hail of bullets, that is. You and your squad must survive not only the horrors of the planet's inhabitants but also exact vengeance on the man who put you there - your ex-commander, General Victor Sarrano.

The secret to any good vacation is packing smart, and your trip to Stygia would be incomplete without a kick-ass arsenal you can wield with your own two hands. Yes, two—give it to your enemies with both hands with Bulletstorm VR's exclusive and full support for dual-wielding weapons. Like everyone else, you too must have wondered, in moments of quiet reflection, what does it feel like to lasso a bloodthirsty mutant with an energy leash and sling them into a razor sharp cactus? Well, wonder no more! The energy leash in Bulletstorm VR is a dynamic weapon that lets you pull, push, trap, and even explode enemies up close and far away.

HTC VIVE is taking interactivity, utility, and expressiveness in XR experiences to the next level with the new VIVE Ultimate Tracker. Whether it's gaming, sports training, motion capture, or industrial use, VIVE Ultimate Tracker can do it all.

VIVE Ultimate Tracker is compact, versatile, and with new technology which essentially makes it "self-tracking". This makes it perfect for HTC VIVE's standalone headsets VIVE XR Elite and VIVE Focus 3, with support coming for OpenXR, SteamVR based PC VR setups in the near future. VIVE Ultimate Tracker is available starting today at vive.com with a range of limited-time bundle deals.

Acer unveiled its largest and most advanced glasses-free stereoscopic 3D display to date, the Acer SpatialLabs View Pro 27. Crafted as a state-of-the-art 3D canvas for creators and developers, the display elevates the way ideas and audiovisual elements take shape without needing specialized glasses or accessories. The device is powered by SpatialLabs's proven stereoscopic 3D solution and is complimented by the new Acer Immerse Audio system, along with a suite of advanced developer tools to bring out creations in their truest 3D forms. Users can also fully maximize its vast 27-inch 4K panel for magnified, lifelike visuals, while its ergonomic design and detachable hood provide comfortable viewing even under extremely low-light conditions.

Expanded Design for Mesmerizing 3D Illustrations
The Acer SpatialLabs View Pro 27 harmoniously combines cutting-edge 3D technology and stereo real-time rendering capabilities in an expanded landscape to support creators in bringing 3D experiences to life. The optimized 3D display uses an eye-tracking module to follow the position and movement of users in real-time even in dim environments. Crystal-clear details and image depth are projected as envisioned thanks to its 27-inch 4K UHD display with 2D and 3D modes, allowing users to switch between 2D and 3D stereoscopic views, along with the panel's 160 Hz refresh rate, 400 nits brightness, Delta E< 2 color accuracy. A detachable hood on the monitor enhances perceived color accuracy and lessens distractions, helping users stay focused and maintain image quality when viewing their designs on screen.

D-Link Corporation exclusively partnered with Meta to launch the DWA-F18 VR Air Bridge, which received rave reviews after its debut in North America last year. The DWA-F18 VR Air Bridge was released in Europe this July. This wireless adapter not only supports the Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro headsets but also the latest release of this year, the Meta Quest 3.

The DWA-F18 VR Air Bridge offers simple setup and optimized performance for Meta Quest headsets, enhancing user experience by leveraging the power of Wi-Fi 6 to establish a high-speed, low-latency connection between gaming PCs and Meta Quest headsets.

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. today announced two new spatial computing platforms - Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 and Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 - that will enable the next generation of mixed reality (MR), virtual reality (VR) devices and smart glasses. Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 Platform: The platform brings premium MR and VR technology into a single chip architecture to unlock next level immersive experiences in thinner and more comfortable headsets, that don't require an external battery pack.

Engineered to deliver a lag free experience with breathtaking visuals and fully immersive sound, the platform allows users to blend virtual content with their physical surroundings and transition seamlessly between MR and VR experiences.

Assassin's Creed Nexus VR will launch for Meta Quest devices - including Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, and Meta Quest Pro - on November 16, enabling players to leap into a first-person virtual-reality adventure for the first time in the Assassin's Creed franchise. Embodying Assassin's Creed heroes Ezio Auditore, Connor, and Kassandra, players will parkour, climb freely across open maps, and use real-world motions to fight their way through a full-fledged Assassin's Creed adventure set across three different eras.

As an undercover hacker in the modern day, players will work from inside Abstergo to foil a plot to change people's beliefs using ancient technology. Working under Abstergo's cybersecurity chief, Dominika Wilk (played by award-winning actress Morena Baccarin), players will explore newly discovered memories from Renaissance Italy, the American Revolution, and Ancient Greece.

All of a sudden, it's the end of August, but the month keeps delivering when it comes to games. This coming week is admittedly a bit slower than the past few weeks and we get to make do with a AA title as far as headline games goes. That said, the rest of this week's releases involve seas of all kinds, crossfires, great houses, corporations and a reimagined game from back in the day.

Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy / This week's AA title / Thursday 31 August
Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy will take Amadeus the Wizard, Zoya the Thief, and Pontius the Knight on their most action-packed journey yet! With their reputations tarnished, loved ones in danger, and their own magical powers at stake, the Heroes of Trine must reunite to push back a fearsome Clockwork army and bring peace and justice to the land! Traverse breathtaking 2.5D landscapes in Trine's deepest and visually richest chapter to date, with an all new cast of characters - some friends, some foes, but all unforgettable.