VRSUN

Hot Virtual Reality News

HOTTEST VR NEWS OF THE DAY

Metaverse

Biggie VR Concert Will Feature ‘Hyper-Realistic’ Avatar

From vrscout

With guest performances by Sean “Diddy” Combs, The Lox, and more.

Meta today announced the latest in its series of immersive VR concerts, The Notorious B.I.G. Sky’s The Limit: A VR Concert Experience. Coming next month to Horizon Worlds, the one-of-a-kind show will bring the late Brooklyn rapper to life like never before in celebration of what would have been his 50th birthday.

Credit: Meta

On December 16th, those with a Meta Quest 2 or Meta Quest Pro headset can log in to Horizon Worlds, Meta’s social VR metaverse, to catch an immersive VR concert featuring a “hyper-realistic avatar” of the late great rapper along with guest performances by Sean “Diddy” Combs, The Lox, Latto, Nardo Wick, Lil’ Cease, DJ Clark Kent, and more.

The experience will also feature a narrative portion, during which you’ll learn more about the life of the hip-hop legend. Written and voiced by American writer and music journalist Touré, this eye-opening journey will take you through The Brook, a virtual recreation of ’90s Brooklyn.

Credit: Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

When asked how the project came to be, Touré said, “I’ve worked with producer Alex Coletti on several projects over many years and I also interviewed Biggie several times, so Alex thought I could be helpful at bringing this to life.”

“We wanted to create a concert that had other aspects to it, so it was on me to figure out a pre-concert scene and a post-concert scene. It was a lot of fun trying to imagine what Big would be like and what he might be doing if he were still with us today.”



“It’s very exciting to be able to give people immersive experiences, so if VR can develop to the point where I can be at home but have the feeling of being in the front row of a concert and really feel like I’m there, that would be a really exciting opportunity,” he added.

 The Notorious B.I.G. Sky’s The Limit: A VR Concert Experience will kick off on December 16th in Horizon Worlds, available free on Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro. A 2D version of the show will be available to view on-demand via the official Notorious B.I.G. Facebook page.

For more information visit here.

Image Credit: Burst Live

Cheetos Unveils Digital Neighborhood In Horizon Worlds

From vrscout

Enter the Cheetoverse.

Cheetos has partnered with Meta to launch Chesterville, a digital suburban neighborhood, inside the Horizon Worlds metaverse. Here you can participate in a variety of Halloween-themed activities alongside friends and strangers in VR to build up your “mischief meter” and gain access to the spooky mansion located at the top of the hill.

There are a couple of different ways to cause mischief. You can grab Chester the Cheetah’s Wand and brand the neighborhood with the Cheetos logo, TP trees (or your friends) with “Cheetle-fied” Paper Towels, trap fellow players in Cheetos Mac ‘N Cheese, or snack on some Flamin’ Hot Cheetos to unlock a speed boost. You can also gain access to the mansion by collecting skeleton bones scattered around the world and assembling them in the graveyard.

“As a culture-first brand committed to innovative consumer experiences, Cheetos is proud to lead Frito-Lay into the metaverse,” said Stacy Taffet, senior vice president of marketing for Frito-Lay.

“This is a significant moment for both the brand and the portfolio as we broaden the ways we engage with fans, inviting them to experience Cheetos inan entirely new way. We can’t wait to welcome consumers into Chester’s virtual domain that brings his personality and Cheetos’ brand ethos to life.”

Once you’ve maxed out your mischief meter the front gates will open and you’ll be permitted to enter the mansion where you can vote to “resurrect” one of three discontinued Cheetos flavors: Flamin’ Hot Chipotle Ranch, Flamin’ Hot Pepper Puffs, or Nashville Hot. You’ll also receive a Halloween-themed mask you can wear around Chesterville to prove you’re a true mischief maker.

“Forward-thinking brands are beginning to build immersive experiences and we’re thrilled that Cheetos is leading the pack with their launch of Chesterville, their first-ever virtual reality experience in Meta Horizon Worlds,” added Nada Stirratt, vice president, global business group at Meta.

“It’s exciting to see such an iconic brand use our platforms to experiment and connect with consumers in new, innovative ways. We can’t wait to see how users everywhere embrace their inner Chester Cheetah this Halloween and beyond.”

Chesterville is just the latest in a series of brand-themed Horizon Worlds locations developed in collaboration with companies. In the past, we’ve covered everything from the Wendyverse and NOPE World to the Stratoverse and NBA Lane.

Horizon Worlds is available for free on Meta Quest 2.

Image Credit: Cheetos

Interpol Unveils Its Global Police Metaverse

From vrscout

Registered users can meet up with officers online, take immersive training courses, and more.

We’ve seen VR technology used by law enforcement in a variety of unique and interesting ways, from de-escalation education to nonlethal weapons training. Now even the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) is taking advantage of immersive technology.

Announced during the 90th INTERPOL General Assembly in New Delhi, the INTERPOL Metaverse is a “global police metaverse” that allows registered users to connect with officers around the world in a virtual recreation of the INTERPOL General Secretariat headquarters. Visitors can also expand their knowledge by attending immersive training courses that cover a variety of policing topics, including forensic investigation.



“For many, the Metaverse seems to herald an abstract future, but the issues it raises are those that have always motivated INTERPOL – supporting our member countries to fight crime and making the world, virtual or not, safer for those who inhabit it,” said INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock in an official release. “We may be entering a new world, but our commitment remains the same.”

INTERPOL put its global police metaverse to the test during a live demonstration in which a group students underwent a training course led by experts from the INTERPOL Capacity Building and Training Directorate. Following a presentation on travel document verification and passenger screening, students were tasked with manning a virtual control point at a simulation airport.

“The Metaverse has the potential to transform every aspect of our daily lives with enormous implications for law enforcement,” added Mr Oberoi, INTERPOL’s Executive Director of Technology and Innovation. “But in order for police to understand the Metaverse, we need to experience it.”

According to The World Economic Forum, the metaverse landscape in its current form is suseptible to all manner of threats, from social engineering scams and violent extremism to rampant misinformation.

“By identifying these risks from the outset, we can work with stakeholders to shape the necessary governance frameworks and cut off future criminal markets before they are fully formed,” said Madan Oberoi, INTERPOL’s Executive Director of Technology and Innovation. “Only by having these conversations now can we build an effective response.”

For more information check out the INTERPOL’s full report here.

Image Credit: INTERPOL

‘Paperback Metaverse’ Exhibit Combines Books And AR

From vrscout

Visitors scan paperback novels using their smartphones to unlock AR-powered NFTs.

ADAPTATIONS: LAND, an environmentally-conscious mixed media art exhibit, kicked off yesterday in San Fransisco. Running now through November 13th, the gallery offers visitors the chance to immerse themselves in a number of thought-provoking installations.

This includes ‘Paper Metaverse,’ a unique augmented reality (AR) exhibit by Nick Philip of the art collective Imaginary Foundation that blends cutting-edge technology with paperback books. Surrounded by classic literature, visitors scan real paperback novels using their smartphones to unlock AR-powered NFTs.

“This installation uses the forgotten pages of yesterday’s novels to tell a collection of stories for tomorrow’s shifting reality,”said the Imaginary Foundation on Facebook. “By contrasting an environment built from thousands of upcycled paperback novels with a dynamic layer of augmented reality activated NFTs, the Paperback Metaverse fuses the physical, the virtual, and the sculptural.”

Those lucky enough to find themselves in San Fransisco can check out Paperback Metaverse along with a number of other unique mixed media installations at The Drawing Room Annex, 780 Valencia Street SF. The gallery is open Tuesday-Sunday from 11-7pm as well as Fridays & Saturdays from 11-9pm.

For more information visit here.

Image Credit: Imaginary Foundation

Official Matsu VR Temple Opens Inside The Metaverse

From vrscout

Followers around the world can participate in certified rituals.

Metaverse company XRSPACE is partnering with Meta and Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) to launch a digital recreation of the famous Beigang Chaotian Temple in VR. The Matsu metaverse will allow followers around the world to immerse themselves in the thousand-year religion like never before.

The virtual world will be accessible on compatible smartphones and tablets as well as in VR using the Meta Quest 2. Once they’ve logged in, followers can participate in certified Matsu rituals including Fortune-Changing Bells, Fortune Poem Readings, and Moon Block Divination. There’s also Guangming Lights, a paid ritual that involves lighting a virtual lantern inside the metaverse alongside a physical lantern at the actual Beigang temple grounds.

Credit: XRSPACE

“The metaverse has the potential of redefining how humans socialize and connect,” said XRSPACE Founder Peter Chou. “XRSPACE aims to bring people together through the metaverse that will empower people’s everyday tasks in work, play, social, and religion practice with more immersive and interactive experience.”

“Metaverse is not only an extension of reality, but a powerful tool for real-time interaction and connectivity. XRSPACE is excited to partner with Meta, TAICCA, and Beigang Chaotian Temple to realize the Taiwan Cultural Metaverse. We will continue to push the technology on how metaverse experiences can serve cultural stories and initiatives, leading to new opportunities for Taiwan developers and creators on a global scale.”

Credit: Taiwan Tourism Bureau

“Beigang Chaotian Temple has a long history as the most influential Taiwanese religious hub for Matsu in devotion to serving all Her followers,” added Beigang Chaotian Temple Chairman, Mr. Yung-Te Tsai. “We are constantly seeking innovative means to extend Matsu’s global influence and to connect with young generations.”

“It is with great excitement that we partner with XRSPACE’s GOXR platform in linking with the global metaverse audience. Through which we are able to enact Matsu’s ritual and services with Her visitors, providing new possibilities for everyone to participate in Taiwan’s cultural events. We shall continue to collaborate with XRSPACE in a series of cultural performances in honor of Matsu’s spirit and teachings.”

Credit: XRSPACE

The Beigang Chaotian Temple metaverse will launch on October 4th via the aforementioned platform. In celebration of the grand opening, the platform will be hosting a “People’s Matsu Art Contest.” If you ever find yourself in need of assistance, just keep a look out for your two tour guides: Thousand-Mile-Sight and Ears-of-Wind.

Moving forward, XRSPACE and its partners plan on introducing various other cultural IPs. For more information visit here.

Image Credit: XRSPACE

The Just For Laughs Comedy Series Is Heading To VR

From vrscout

Visit Horizon Worlds next month to catch a virtual performance featuring renowned comics.

Founded in 1983, Just for Laughs is a popular comedy festival held every year in Montreal and Quebec that brings together well-known comics from around the world for a celebration of all things hilarious.

This year, event organizers have partnered with Meta to bring the long-running event to life in VR on Meta Quest 2 headsets. Next month, users can sign in to Meta’s social VR metaverse Horizon Worlds to catch the premiere of Surrounded, an unscripted comedy event from the festival that has audience members participating in the actual show.



The virtual event will feature a number of recognizable acts, including Nicole Byer, Nikki Glaser, Pete Holmes, Fortune Feimster, Moshe Kasher, Natasha Leggero, and Moses Storm.

“Filmed in July 2022 at the Just For Laughs festival in Montréal, Surrounded is set in the round—a simple yet effective format where the audience inspires the jokes,” said Meta in an official blog update. “VR attendees can mix and mingle with friends and fellow comedy fans.”

Credit: JFL

Just for Laughs’ Surrounded will premiere on September 9th in Horizon Worlds, after which point it will be available on-demand. Simply visit the Venues world and make a b-line for the Surrounded theater.

In addition to the unscripted show, Meta will also host an airing of the festival’s discovery showcase New Faces, which has introduced the world to megastars such as Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer, Kumail Nanjiani, and Jo Koy. The five-part series will air weekly in Horizon Worlds beginning October 4th and will feature over 50 rising stars.

For more information check out the official blog post here.

Feature Image Credit: Meta

NVIDIA Explains Why it Believes a Pixar-invented Protocol is the “HTML of the metaverse”

From roadtovr

NVIDIA, one of the tech sector’s power players, is pushing the Universal Scene Description protocol as the foundation of interoperable content and experiences in the metaverse. In a recent post the company explains why it believes the protocol, originally invented by Pixar, fits the needs of the coming metaverse.

Though the word metaverse is presently being used as a catchall for pretty much any multi-user application these days, the truth is that the vast majority of such platforms are islands unto themselves that have no connectivity to virtual spaces, people, or objects on other platforms. The ‘real’ metaverse, most seem to agree, must have at least some elements of interoperability, allowing users to seamlessly move from one virtual space to the next, much like we do today on the web.

To that end, Nvidia is pushing Universal Scene Description (USD) as the “HTML of the metaverse,” the company described in a recent post.

Much like HTML forms a description of a webpage—which can be hosted anywhere on the internet—and is retrieved and rendered locally by a web browser, USD is a protocol for describing complex virtual scenes which can be retrieved and rendered to varying degrees depending upon local hardware capabilities. With a ‘USD browser’ of sorts, Nvidia is suggesting that USD could be the common method by which virtual spaces are defined in a way that’s easy for anyone to decipher and render.

“The most fundamental standard needed to create the metaverse is the description of a virtual world. At Nvidia, we believe the first version of that standard already exists. It is Universal Scene Description (USD)—an open and extensible ecosystem for describing, composing, simulating, and collaborating within 3D worlds, originally invented by Pixar Animation Studios,” writes Nvidia’s Rev Lebaredian and Michael Kass.

“[USD] includes features necessary for scaling to large data sets like lazy loading and efficient retrieval of time-sampled data. It is tremendously extensible, allowing users to customize data schemas, input and output formats, and methods for finding assets. In short, USD covers the very broad range of requirements that Pixar found necessary to make its feature films.”

Indeed, CGI pioneer Pixar created USD to make collaboration on complex 3D animation projects easier. The company open-sourced the protocol back in 2015.

USD is more than just a file format for 3D geometry. Not only can USD describe a complex scene with various objects, textures, and lighting, it can also include references to assets hosted elsewhere, property inheritance, and layering functionality which allows non-destructive editing of a single scene with efficient asset re-use.

While Nvidia thinks USD is the right starting point for an interoperable platform, the company also acknowledges that “USD will need to evolve to meet the needs of the metaverse.”

On that front the company laid out a fairly extensive roadmap of features that it’s working on for USD to successfully serve as the foundation of the metaverse:

In the short term, NVIDIA is developing:
  • glTF interoperability: A glTF file format plugin will allow glTF assets to be referenced directly by USD scenes. This means that users who are already using glTF can take advantage of the composition and collaboration features of USD without having to alter their existing assets.
  • Geospatial schema (WGS84): NVIDIA is developing a geospatial schema and runtime behavior in USD to support the WGS84 standard for geospatial coordinates. This will facilitate full-fidelity digital twin models that need to incorporate the curvature of the earth’s surface.
  • International character (UTF-8) support: NVIDIA is working with Pixar to add support for UTF-8 identifiers to USD, allowing for full interchange of content from all over the world.
  • USD compatibility testing and certification suite: To further accelerate USD development and adoption, NVIDIA is building an open source suite for USD compatibility testing and certification. Developers will be able to test their builds of USD and certify that their custom USD components produce an expected result.
In the longer term, NVIDIA is working with partners to fill some of the larger remaining gaps in USD:
  • High-speed incremental updates: USD was not designed for high-speed dynamic scene updates, but digital twin simulations will require this. NVIDIA is developing additional libraries on top of USD that enable much higher update rates to support real-time simulation.
  • Real-time proceduralism: USD as it currently exists is almost entirely declarative. Properties and values in the USD representation, for the most part, describe facts about the virtual world. NVIDIA has begun to augment this with a procedural graph-based execution engine called OmniGraph.
  • Compatibility with browsers: Today, USD is C++/Python based, but web browsers are not. To be accessible by everyone, everywhere, virtual worlds will need to be capable of running inside web browsers. NVIDIA will be working to ensure that proper WebAssembly builds with JavaScript bindings are available to make USD an attractive development option when running inside of a browser is the best approach.
  • Real-time streaming of IoT data: Industrial virtual worlds and live digital twins require real-time streaming of IoT data. NVIDIA is working on building USD connections to IoT data streaming protocols.

Nvidia isn’t alone in its belief that USD has an important role to play in the coming metaverse. The idea has also taken hold to some extent at the newly formed Metaverse Standards Forum—of which Nvidia and thousands of other companies are members—which has also pointed to USD as a promising foundation for interoperable virtual spaces and experiences.

VR Takes You Inside Bruce Lee’s Hong Kong Home

From vrscout

Enter the Bruceleeverse.

Created in honor of the martial arts legend, “Revival of the Memory: Bruce Lee’s Home in Metaverse” is an upcoming exhibition that will allow you to explore Lee’s old Hong Kong home in VR and participate in a “series of interactions.”

Located at No.41 Cumberland Road, Hong Kong, Lee’s old home, otherwise known as the “Crane’s Nest,” was demolished in 2019. Thanks to the efforts of three students from the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (Shatin), however, fans of the martial arts legend will be able to make their own virtual pilgrimage to the Crane’s Nest via the metaverse.

The project is being helmed by the Bruce Lee Club in partnership with PRIZM Group and will be available around the globe on July 20th, 2023, the 50th anniversary of Lee’s death. Moving forward, the space may be used to host various events and activities for fans. How cool would it be to attend a Bruce Lee movie marathon hosted in his old home?

“We want people to know more about Bruce Lee’s last trail via VR technology, and understand more about his ‘Water Philosophy’,” said Wong Yiu-Keung, Chairman of the Bruce Lee Club. “The project collaborates with universities and organizations including three young students hoping to pass on the Bruce Lee spirit from generation to generation in unrestricted formats.”

“Bruce Lee is a representative of cultural exchanges between the East and the West,” added Jeffrey Hau, Director of PRIZM Group. “This exhibition hopes to revive the traditional culture with the enablement of Web 3.0 elements and pass on Bruce Lee’s spirit to the next generation. As a digital marketing company, PRIZM will continue to embrace the latest technology to promote the cultural scenes.”

For more information visit here.

Image Credit: Bruce Lee Club, PRIZM Group

Sensorium Launches 24-Hour Metaverse Streaming Channel

From vrscout

Empyreal Parties 24/7 promises an unreal multi-sensory experience.

The multi-sensory VR platform Sensorium is launching what they claim is the first in-engine metaverse streaming channel, offering an out-of-this-world visual and audio experience like no other. The 24/7 livestream metaverse experience will take you on a journey through multiple locations across the Sensorium Galaxy metaverse.

To kick it all off, Sensorium is hosting its first Empyreal Party at the remote Meteor Vortex with virtual AI artists Kàra Màr, Natisa Sitar, and Ninalis performing aboard a levitating concert module that will transport you into a sublime visual experience featuring sick beats from AI artist and virtual beings.



Each AI-DJ is able to create music that pulls inspiration from over 60 different genres. They are also capable of interacting with the audience in VR. 

Immediately following the inaugural Meteor Vortex event, Sensorium will launch two other Empyreal Parties that will take you to the volcanic surface of PRISM world and the stunning interiors of the Sensorium Starship.

Accessing Sensorium’s out-of-this-world event is easy. No VR headset is required; simply jump in using a web browser of your choice. That said, headphones are highly recommended, as this is an audio-driven experience.

In addition to accessing the world on a desktop, you’ll also be able to tune into Empyreal Parties through the Sensorium mobile app which is available for both Apple and Android devices.

Leading up to this milestone metaverse event, Sensorium showcased its lineup of virtual beings at cutting-edge conferences and festivals such as WebSummit, SXSW, and Sonar. 

In 2021, Sensorium kickstarted the idea of virtual artists being powered through AI with the debut of Kàra Màr’s “Anthropic principle“. The AI-driven character has music streaming on Apple Music, Spotify, and SoundCloud. 



Today’s premier launch is just the beginning for Sensorium Galaxy. In addition to exploring the idea of AI-DJs, they will also host VR shows with real-world artists such as David Guetta, Black Coffee, Steve Aoki, Armin van Burren, and many others. 

If you’d like to learn more, head on over to the Sensorium Galaxy website. You can check out the livestream itself here.

You can download the Sensorium Galaxy app today on iOS and Google Play and jump in-world to listen anytime!

Image Credit: Sensorium

Attend A Metaverse Job Fair In VR Later This Month

From vrscout

Connect with immersive technology professionals in VR via Mozilla Hubs.

Interested in working in the field of immersive technology? Then you’ll definitely want to check out Active Replica’s inaugural XR Career and Opportunity Fair, a virtual job fair taking place later this month in the metaverse.

Those interested can attend the limited-time event in VR using Mozilla Hubs. The platform is powered by WebVR, which means you don’t need to download any additional software in order to use it.

All you need is a VR headset capable of supporting a WebVR-compatible web browser such as Mozilla Firefox. Those without a VR headset can also attend via desktop or mobile.

Developed in partnership with Constellation, the metaverse job fair will be accessible to the public from August 25th to the 26th. Attendees will have the chance to speak directly with immersive technology professionals from leading British Columbian organizations about potential jobs, internships, grants, scholarships, and various other opportunities.

Are you an organization in need of new talent? Company’s who register for a spot before August 20th will receive a custom virtual booth featuring integrated graphics.

“Whether you’re a recent graduate, more established in your career, or have a project in mind and want to start building a team, this is your chance to connect with emerging technology professionals while experiencing first-hand how the industry hires today,” says the official event page.

For more information on the event visit here.

Image Credit: Active Replica