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Announced at the Upload VR Showcase (9 June, 8 am PT), Kluge Interactive reveals the studio’s second title “Final Fury”. Kluge Interactive is the studio responsible for bringing us the hit VR game Synth Riders. If you missed the event, here’s everything you need to know about this upcoming VR game.
The finest of classic arcade gaming, now in VR
Because of the success of Kluge Interactive’s first game, Synth Riders, the studio’s launch trailer piqued interest. The game trailer immerses viewers in a classic arcade game remastered for VR, transporting them back to the heyday of arcade gaming.
“We grew up playing games like Street Fighter and Killer Instinct and wanted to be the first to bring this genre to VR in order to fully immerse ourselves in the fights,” says Abraham Aguero, Creative Director at Kluge.
What to expect
Final Fury combines first-person and third-person perspectives for an immersive virtual reality experience. This ferocious arcade game, reimagined for VR, promises to unleash a furious and entertaining multiplayer 1v1 fighting experience in VR. It includes all of the classic arcade game aspects that we all enjoy, but it’s much better in VR.
Instead of button mashing, expect an incredibly physical experience of the game where players use reflexes and precision to deliver fiery combos. Players can also activate special moves using in-game controls in VR. Here, players really have to move to deliver an amazing fight against the opponent. According to the developers, it will be simple to play. It will, however, be difficult to master. So, when playing this VR game, prepare to be hooked and challenged.
Characters such as Tempest and Glitch will grace the game with their engaging backstories. They’ll have their own home stage visual environment and music track.
Keep up with the Final Fury
Kluge Interactive’s Final Fury will be released in 2023 to all major VR platforms. If you love classic arcade games, you should watch this game’s developments. Expectations are high as many expect Kluge Interactive to deliver yet another hit game.
Be the first to hear about the game’s development by signing up for the Final Fury Newsletter. Get information about their beta test invitations. Signing will get you free Final Fury wallpapers to personalize your PC or mobile device. You can also join them on the Final Fury Discord.
Who doesn’t want good lightsaber combat in VR? This virtual reality version of the iconic Star Wars adaptation is not to be missed. You might be able to experience the beginning of another legendary game in virtual reality soon. Thanks to Guido Mariano, an independent developer who is doing a fan VR remake of the game Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. Learn more about this fantastic game in VR. This week, the developer has some exciting news for you.
About Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast is a sequel to Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II. Jedi Outcast was first released as a video game back in 2002. It is a first-person and third-person shooter game released for Microsoft Windows, OS X, Xbox, and GameCube. All of these versions were published by LucasArts except for OS X. Now, because of fan projects, the original themes of these games are being used to develop excellent remakes in VR.
This year, 2022, the game Jedi Outcast is having a remake from a fan independent developer Guido Mariano, who is passionate about bringing the game to VR. The developer is posting some updates about this game via a Twitter account Jedi Outcast Fan Remake VR.
A recent announcement on June 5th reveals a demo coming out for free this week June 10, 2022. According to the creator, this is only the beginning of the demo. Meanwhile, based on the videos, Star Wars Jedi Knight II appears to be worth it even at this level. The future appears bright.
What to expect in the VR game Star Wars Jedi Knight II
So, what would the game be like as a Virtual Reality game? That thought of it must be exciting for both VR game enthusiasts and Star Wars fans, especially for those who can’t wait to wield their lightsabers to engage in cool combat.
The VR game is being built using Unreal Engine. The developer though has been giving the fans some incredible glimpse of how the game is going. So far, some amazing stuff has been spotted, like this cool melting effect on lightsabers when you hold them against surfaces as seen in this YouTube video.
Additionally, it looks like the developer is doing their best to stick to what the original game is known for. There is some serious lightsaber combat replicated with VR controls. It has also intensified the decapitation details where players can behead troops and it looks nastier.
Also, expect to see some display of full power as force powers are shown in the game. This means being able to push Stormtroopers around.
Fan remakes of Star Wars are looking quite good
This is probably one of the greatest VR fan remakes of the Star Wars classic and a must-see. We’ve seen several promising fan efforts lately. Surprisingly, another Star Wars game is in the works that is quite similar to this VR game.
Star Wars: Dark Forces is also being remade by Shadow Art Games. Jedi Outcast is a direct sequel to the game. Both games are well regarded in the United States and other countries. Many people are on the search for excellent Star Wars VR experiences.
For more videos of Jedi Outcast VR, visit their YouTube channel. You can also support the developer of this game through a Patreon subscription and learn more about how to play demos of this game. Join the force and go full power on getting this game to VR. It’s amazing to see independent developers do epic work contributing to the VR community with pure enthusiasm and, of course, community support.
Welcome to this week’s issue of the VR Flakes Newsletter. Our goal is to deliver the best virtual reality news from this week, all in one place. Get this delivered to your inbox every Saturday along with a surprise inside. Subscribe below on mobile or on the right if you’re on a desktop.
This week’s VR news round-up will focus on the latest PlayStation upgrades and reveals. We’ll also discuss the newest VR headgear initiatives from industry stalwarts like HTC and Pimax. In this week’s VR news roundup, we look at what games and hardware innovations the VR community has to offer us.
Sony “State of Play” show announcements and reveals
Sony launched a live event called the State of Play revealing the latest updates and upcoming games on the unreleased PlayStation VR 2. The show streamed live on YouTube and Twitch on June 2nd. And if you missed it, here is the rundown of the biggest reveals during the show.
Resident Evil 4 remake, release date on the trailer is March 23, 2023, PSVR 2 content in the making
Spider-Man: Remastered, coming soon to Windows PC on August 12
Horizon Forbidden West update, New Game+ mode with other major updates
Horizon Call of the Mountain for the upcoming PlayStation VR 2
The Callisto Protocol, the planned release of the game is on December 2
Rollerdome, to be released this August
Eternights, a dating game for PlayStation 4 and 5
Final Fantasy 16, will be released in the of summer 2023
Street Fighter 6, the next franchise
Tunic, PlayStation 4 & 5 to be released on September 27
Season: A letter to the future, will be released on PlayStation 4 & 5 and Windows PC this fall.
Stray, will be released on PlayStation 4 & 5 on July 19
HTC is working on two new features for Vive Flow
HTC has been targeting a particular group of customers since the launch of their consumer VR headset Vive Flow. HTC promised a headset that prioritized casual users’ comfort, relaxation, and productivity. This time, they have heard enough requests for two distinct features.
HTC listened, as they committed the latest developments on the headset to address the two most requested features. The first is the support for iPhone users and the second is the two-handed input.
Since the beginning, HTC has stunned many with the portability of the headset. This compact headgear is a standalone device that needs to be plugged into a smartphone for battery and input. But only Android devices were supported. Recently, HTC confirmed that the company has started working on providing support for iPhone users as well.
Meanwhile, it appears to be second nature to use smartphones as single-handed controllers. However, two-handed input offers its own set of benefits. It opens up new possibilities for many apps that previously required reworking for single-handed input. HTC confirmed that two-handed input is something they’re already working on. It may be in the form of hand-tracking.
Pimax Crystal QLED wireless headset
Pimax reveals a new consumer headset is coming. Pimax Crystal QLED is probably one to rival Varjo Aero. The company claims that it will have the highest angular resolution in the consumer market. The device will feature dual 2880×2720 LCD panels with Mini LED backlighting and a quantum dot layer.
Pimax is set to launch its flagship consumer headset. Another standalone device that features an ultra-high resolution and an ultra-wide field-of-view. This is the Reality 12K QLED which was announced last year and is planned to release by Q4 this year 2022 for $2399.
The company plans to release the newly announced Crystal QLED in Q3, a few months earlier than the flagship Reality 12K QLED. Watch the launch event here as they revealed this exciting but less expensive new device. It will be priced at $1,900.
The World Beyond demo by Meta Quest
The World Beyond demo is a tech demo offered by Meta Quest to feature its latest Mixed Reality technology. Using a full set of Presence Platform tools, anyone can start crafting mixed reality experiences.
Meta Quest passthrough technology will help creators create a virtual reality playground from their real-world space. It transforms that space placing it into the virtual world. The experience will be game-like for everyone to enjoy. The experience will be available on Project Cambria.
The World Beyond is now available for free for Meta Quest 2 via App Lab.
New VR Games and Updates
Stride (Update)
The developer Joy Way has confirmed a new update coming this June that will enable multiplayer mode in Stride. The update will come via Steam and will be available for Quest and PCVR.
The game gets new weaponry in the upcoming update. The new weapons include dual-wielding Uzis, the FAL assault rifle, and the RFB automatic assault rifle. Along with weapon rebalancing, the previously announced weapons makeover will be released, providing improved bullet speed, haptic feedback for reloading, and revised reticles and recoil patterns. The update will launch on July 7th at 12 PM PT
Wands Alliances
Cortopia Studios will release Wands Alliances on June 30th. It will be available on Quest 2. This sequel to a Wizard War game was first announced in February.
That concludes another installment of VR Flakes. That is entertaining! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest VR developments. Comment below with your ideas. Next week, you may expect more VR news. Next week’s roundup will be posted here. Greetings, VR friends!
A roguelite action game joins forces with a virtual reality drumming game in a new collaboration. It’s an intriguing combination, but it’s surely neither the first nor the last in VR. VR becomes more exciting as developers collaborate and join forces to bring more imaginative concepts to life. This time it is Schell Games and the developer Garage51. See what interesting mix they come up with.
Schell Games and Garage51 unite
This time, acclaimed developer Schell Games teamed up with Garage51 to create a unique VR drumming experience. Kneon Knightmare, from the Until You Fall soundtrack, will be part of the unique Drums Rock VR experience.
To accompany the Drums Rock tracklist, a significantly heavier cover version of Kneon Knightmare will be delivered. There will also be aesthetic alterations, such as bladed sticks and hands that are identical to the player character in Until You Fall. In the game, players also get to use the Until You Fall drum set.
More about Drums Rock
Given that Schell Games’ Until You Fall is a big title in VR, most of you are familiar with this sword combat game. Bringing it to a game like Drums Rock is a must-see. Drums Rock takes after the likeness of the game Rock Band and later Guitar Hero games.
Drums Rock is a virtual reality drumming game. It’s a virtual reality rhythm game that uses drumming beats and motions to rock the tracks hard while players smash demons. Destroy hordes of demons as you rock the rhythms. Drums Rock takes being a rock hero quite seriously as you fight your way against enemies.
The game is currently on early access and the planned launch date on Steam is June 3rd, 2022. In a news post on Steam last weekend, Garage51 shows openness to more collaborations in the future. The game is also available on Quest’s App Lab.
The VR game Drums Rock is introducing an interesting mix to its playing experience even before it has officially been released. It’s one of many adventurous developers who aren’t scared to experiment and collaborate with other developers to add new creative juices to the mix.
Which devs do you want to see collaborate in VR? This positive trend in the VR world is quite refreshing. We anticipate even more innovation in VR, with all of the different twists and collaborations delivering incredible entertainment for us.
Welcome to this week’s issue of the VR Flakes Newsletter. Our goal is to deliver the best virtual reality news from this week, all in one place. Get this delivered to your inbox every Saturday along with a surprise inside. Subscribe below on mobile or on the right if you’re on a desktop.
There’s a lot of surprising news in our weekly round up this week. So get ready! We’ve got a company expansion, unexpected content, and an early access cancellation. Much-anticipated or unexpected happenings in the VR world will never escape our notice, and you won’t miss them either. Here we go!
Apple Maps app AR walking guide now supports Tokyo
You can now explore the city of Tokyo in the latest update to the Apple Maps app. AR walking guidance was first introduced in the app last year 2021. This allows Apple smartphone users to navigate the streets using virtual overlays as in augmented reality.
The app lets them see arrows to direct them as they walk towards their set destination. Currently, there are several cities that are supported by the app. As of now many major cities around the world are supported utilizing the AR experience to navigate the streets. This is very helpful to find your way in a very busy complex labyrinth of cities like Tokyo. This app is similar to Google Maps Live View which is also available for iOS phones and Android devices.
8th Wall is growing their business environment for creators
8th Wall, recently acquired by Niantic early this year, announced an expansion. They are increasing their efforts in empowering developers and creators to thrive in their platform. They want to support creators through a well-developed ecosystem providing them all they need.
The expanded support includes:
2 new subscription plans
New payment tools
The two new subscription plans start at only $9.99 per month. This is the Starter plan and the Plus plan is at $49. The plans include support for creating unlimited WebAR and WebVR projects with the Cloud Editor. It also includes global hosting services to help devs publish their web apps. Meanwhile, the Plus plan has more flexibility and additional features. These two new plans are more affordable than the rest of their offers. Check them out here.
New content on Valve after surprise update
Valve hasn’t been aggressively updating the SteamVR platform, so this latest update came as a surprise. Valve included a new environment for the SteamVR Home in the SteamVR update 1.22, which was launched this week.
Valve has added a new photogrammetry environment to SteamVR’s social VR space. This new environment depicts a portion of the hamlet of Fornalutx on the island of Mallorca in the Western Mediterranean Sea.
Subscribe to this environment via Steam Workshop, and it will be available in your SteamVR Home when you download it. You and your pals may then visit this new environment.
Outlier canceled
The developers of the Outlier, Joy Way, have announced that they would no longer be developing what they describe as an ambitious game. Joy Way has written a heartfelt post explaining why they must halt future development efforts. The VR game is not as lucrative as they had thought, and they admit that they “overestimated the demand for this game.”
The announcement was done two weeks before its expected early access. Many have already dug their hands deep into this game including the testers, but the company does not see its future bright in sales. The company explained they are putting significant manpower into something which is not certain will return such efforts. So, they decided that it would be better to allocate their efforts to their other popular games like Stride and Against.
Steam players may decide to keep the game without expecting any more developments or they can ask for a refund for free. The title will be removed for sale on Steam shortly.
The 10th and final season of Firewall on PSVR
Roughly four years old as a PSVR exclusive, Firewall has released a total of ten seasons to complete its finale. The tenth season will be called Operation:X.
The game’s creators, First Contact Entertainment, have confirmed that this is the final installment. The game is still playable on the platform. However, after the tenth season, there will be no new content.
The conclusion features the return of legendary weaponry as well as 24 new missions that unlock new cosmetics. An Ops Pass is required to access the new content.
The developers of this game are reportedly working on a new PSVR 2 exclusive game. Nobody knows if this is the sequel, but anything is possible for the time being.
There will always be surprises and fresh breakthroughs in the AR/VR arena. Make sure you don’t miss them. Don’t you worry, we got it all covered. We hope you enjoyed this week’s virtual reality news. This concludes this week’s VR Flakes. Let us know what you think in the comments section below. See you next week for another VRnews roundup. Good day, VR family!
Death: Unchained is a VR game exclusive to Quest 2. A different developer previously released In Death as a VR-only game on Steam. After that, Superbright bought the franchise and entirely remade the game for Quest 2. Superbright changed its name to Unchained to reflect the wireless feature of Quest 2. This afterlife shooting game was released in 2020, and it is now celebrating a new milestone by hosting a massive in-game event to highlight all that every player loves about the game and then some. It has planned fantastic things for its fans and gamers in the In Death Unchained Demonic Trials event.
New Event
Unchained Demonic Trials, a three-week-long event, will commence on May 24th, 2022. Developers made it clear that the said event is not a tournament. Instead, they have something completely different. Instead of fighting against each other, the event will have gamers working together to earn points and rewards. The rewards will be based on a collective effort by different players across runs in the event.
Core gameplay changes
Every week, a new Demonic Sigil is introduced in the game. There will be three Demonic Sigils in all. Demonic Sigils, according to the developers, are a set of runes that change the game’s rules and create new objectives. The game will be dramatically altered as a result. It will change known game rules and will have more challenging rules. The gamer’s objectives will be varied, as will the game rules. Expect something you’ve never done before in In Death.
Furthermore, you will be able to accomplish and see things that were previously impossible because gamers will be free to play in whatever chapter and environment they like. So, if you haven’t advanced to the next chapter yet, now is your chance. You can also go back to your favorites. New and existing players would love this.
Challenging rules warning
Superbright promised a fun three-week event in the game but warned players that it would be challenging. It will undoubtedly be difficult and more demanding. It will have more challenging rules. Accept these challenges and unique game twists to unlock Legend Points. This entire community is ready to embark on three weeks of collective fun, based on a new set of rules and exciting modifications. Are you ready?
This could be the ideal opportunity to dive into the universe of In Death: Unchanged. It will be extremely advantageous to new players because they will be able to explore the game chapters as much as they desire. For both new and existing players, it’s also an interesting way to connect with other gamers in the community. Participate in the collective effort. Have fun while achieving new goals and exploring new paths in the afterlife. Follow Superbright on Twitter to learn more about the game.
Welcome to this week’s issue of the VR Flakes Newsletter. Our goal is to deliver the best virtual reality news from the week, all in one place. Get this delivered to your inbox every Saturday along with a surprise inside. Subscribe below on mobile or on the right if you’re on a desktop.
This week’s roundup looks at different new formats in the metaverse as developers explore and experiment with possibilities all involving metaverse technology. Also, we’ll talk about new fascinating pieces of hardware that will be available soon. All of these and more in this week’s VR round-up. Let’s go!
Reality TV powered by metaverse?
Dark Slope has teamed up with Insight Productions to create an immersive television series. Metaverse technology is used in this new reality TV show. Dark Slope is a mixed reality game developer best known for The Bogey Ogre, and Insight Productions is a Canadian production firm best known for shows like Big Brother Canada and Amazing Race Canada.
Dark Slope just announced the partnership, noting that it will use the Unreal Engine 5 game engine for high-quality images and haptic feedback technology for a more immersive experience for the participants of the development of the metaverse reality TV show. They call it “experiential TV”. Full details of the announcement here.
While this isn’t the first show in which competitors employ mixed reality, these new advancements give rise to new metaverse formats. Let’s see how this endeavor to push reality shows to new heights with today’s cutting-edge technology turns out.
Hatch Kids: the metaverse school for kids
It is not a surprise for the education sector to enter the world of metaverse. Camp K12 startup is bringing Hatch Kids to ensure the future of the metaverse by educating future innovators.
Hatch Kids is a metaverse school that teaches kids ages 5 to 18 how to make AR/VR content. Hatch Kids allows these children to use the HatchXR tools. HatchXR provides all of the necessary tools for creating, designing, and playing their own games. With these tools, kids can now create their own metaverse worlds and games. They’ll be able to share their work on a platform where others can try it out using VR headsets, mobile devices, tablets, and WebXR.
The good news is that Hatch Kids is completely free to use. They also give schools and teachers curricular modules. Go straight to Hatch Kids’ website to learn more about them.
Apple’s self-driving car employs VR
It was long ago that we learned that Apple was working on a car. It was back in 2014 when word spread that Apple was working on its own type of vehicle. It was widely speculated that it would be a self-driving car with no human interaction, no pedals, gears, or stirring wheels. After that, the project went completely silent, and there hasn’t been any new information about it until lately.
The company submitted a patent for an in-car VR entertainment system, which is attempting to address motion sickness as well. The in-car VR entertainment system allows passengers to immerse themselves in virtual reality while traveling. Those and more are included in the patent that directly relates to in-Car VR capabilities. With that said, Apple’s Car development could be pushing forward. If past reports are still accurate today, they will release the Apple Car in the year 2025. Do you think Apple is taking that direction with in-car VR entertainment to start with?
Walk in VR while sitting with SitWalk
Mr. Art Digital Technology introduces us to a fascinating new technology. This revolutionary virtual reality motion simulator allows you to walk naturally in the virtual world while sitting in real life. This new feature would have alleviated motion sickness while allowing you to engage with the virtual world with your hands-free. With low latency, you’ll be able to “walk” forward, backward, side-to-side, and spin 360 degrees in the virtual world. Here’s what it looks like.
The virtual reality hardware and software company is looking for $50,000 by June 16th to fund this endeavor. The intended mass manufacturing will begin in July, with early patrons receiving the SitWalk in August.
The most compact LCD panels for VR today
Display Week 2022 showcased very interesting progress on the future of ultra-compact VR headsets. TCL, one of the event’s participants, exhibited two new LCD panels, both having a 120Hz refresh rate.
One LCD is 2.1 inches with a 2280×2280 display and a density of 1512 pixels per inch. Another is a lower resolution of 2160×2160 but is the smallest to date at only 1.77 inches. The latter has a pixel density of 1764 pixels per inch. Hurray for ultra-compact VR headsets in the near future!
Quest v40 “the Big 4-0” update
Meta deserves credit for their steady and ongoing efforts to improve its platform. The Big 4-0 may not be big news, but it does contain crucial security and other upgrades. Despite the fact that it failed to impress many, it is encouraging to hear about progress in making the platform safer and more reliable.
Quest v40 update includes the following:
App unlock
Secure payments
More keyboards
Audio accessibility
End-to-end encryption for messenger
Read more about the latest features on the Oculus blog.
That’s all for now! This week’s VR Flakes were fun, we hope you enjoyed them. Let us know what you think about this week’s VR news and interesting VR updates. Let us start a conversation here. We’d love to hear your ideas and feedback. Next week, you’ll receive even more cutting-edge VR content. Ciao, VR family!
