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PS5 VR Headset To Launch Holiday 2022 With OLED Display – Report

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A new report from Bloomberg claims that the PS5 VR headset will launch in the holiday 2022 period with an OLED display.

The article, which largely covers Japan Display Inc’s shift to making LCD VR displays, cites “people with knowledge of the matter” in saying the device will launch later next year and feature OLED panels from Samsung.

The original PSVR also uses an OLED display, as did the original Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. But Facebook & HTC now use cheaper, higher resolution LCD panels. Bloomberg’s report suggests this shift to LCD will continue in VR, with Sony as the exception to the rule.

Sony confirmed it was working on a new VR headset for the PS5 earlier this year, but stated it would not be released in 2021. A holiday 2022 window isn’t too surprising; developer kits for the device are being sent out around now, giving studios a decent window to prepare software for the device. The original PSVR launched in October of 2016, too.

That said, the window between now and late 2022 leaves plenty of room for Facebook to grow in the VR space. The company’s Oculus Quest 2 standalone headset has already outsold every other Oculus headset combined and the company has acknowledged a possible ‘Pro’ version of the device that could well also launch in 2022.

Last month we reported that the PS5 VR headset — which doesn’t have an official name — featured a resolution of 4000×2040 pixels (2000×2040 per eye), a lens separation adjustment dial, and gaze tracking capable of foveated rendering.

What do you think of the new PS5 VR headset potentially launching in late 2022? Let us know in the comments below.

PSVR Shooter ‘Fracked’ Gameplay Trailer Reveals More Explosive Action, Coming Summer 2021

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Fracked, an upcoming single-player shooter, just got a brand-new gameplay trailer that shows off more of its high-energy action.

Developed by nDreams—the same team behind Oculus exclusive Phantom: Covert Ops (2020)—Fracked is heading exclusively to PSVR sometime this summer. The updated gameplay trailer was revealed at both IGN’s ‘Summer of Gaming’ event and UploadVR’s game showcase.

In it, we get a look at some new action as you take on enemies skiing down a mountain, and have to fight through a horde of different baddies at a funicular station—that’s fancy talk for a train that can go up steep inclines.

If you’re wondering what the hell is going on, here’s what nDreams says about Fracked.

The corporation dug too deep unleashing the ‘Fracked’ from the depths. Across one day, take on an interdimensional army that combines hive mind mentality and gun-wielding supremacy – the perfect targets to unload round upon round into. Fracked is in-your-face action with a cutting commentary on corporate greed and the climate change emergency. Save the day, to save the world.

The studio says Fracked features a unique cover system as well as multiple first-person free movement methods. You’ll be able to lean into your skis as you traverse the game’s many mountains, physically climb to safety when, say, the funicular’s tracks have been destroyed, and make dangerous base jumps when you need a quick getaway.

There’s no clear release date yet, as nDreams is still quoting a Summer 2021 launch. We’ll have our eyes peeled for any news to pop up, so check back soon.

Our Favorite VR Game Announcements From E3 2021

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The Upload VR Showcase returns with new information on 18 killer VR games.

Yesterday, Upload hosted its third annual E3 VR Showcase as part of IGN’s Summer of Gaming event, revealing a generous amount of new information for 18 VR games on Oculus Quest, PlayStation VR, and SteamVR headsets. This includes everything from new gameplay trailers for highly-anticipated titles such as Larcenauts and Green Hell VR to long-awaited updates for popular experiences like Demeo and Blaston.

For those who missed out on yesterday’s event, we’ve put together a small recap of our favorite announcements for your viewing pleasure. For a full list of yesterday’s reveals, check out Upload’s full recap here.



Green Hell VR – PCVR Gameplay Trailer

We were over the moon when we heard that developer Incuvo Games was developing a VR port of Creep Jar’s brutally realistic survival crafting game Green Hell for PCVR headsets.

For those unfamiliar with Green Hell, this psychological survival-horror experience drops you in the center of the Amazon rainforest where you’re tasked with surviving everything from tropical diseases to deadly wildlife using only your wits and whatever tools you can craft using the natural environment.

This latest trailer showcases even more of Incuovo’s upcoming VR jungle simulator, including the ability to craft temporary shelter using various resources scattered throughout the environment as well as the games crafting and backpack storage systems.

Green Hell VR is scheduled to launch later this year on Oculus Quest and PCVR headsets. According to the developer, the Quest version of the game will differ from the PCVR release due to technical limitations, though details are sparse at the moment.



Blaston & Demeo – New Updates

In addition to new details regarding unreleased games, the Upload VR Showcase also shined a light on several exciting updates coming to existing VR titles, including Resolution Games’ Blaston and Demeo.

Originally released on Oculus Quest and PCVR headsets this past October, Blaston will be receiving a new update on June 21st that will introduce a slew of new content to the multiplayer slow-motion bullet hell game. This includes a brand new single-player mode, token system, and arena just to name a few. The update, referred to as “Crackdown,” will also expand the Blaston universe with the introduction of Scrapper Street, a new location complete with robots, flying cars, and other lore-expanding elements.

We also received fresh updates on “Realm of the Rat King,” a brand new campaign heading to Resolution’s smash-hit VR dungeon crawler, Demeo. While we still know very little about the highly-anticipated expansion, this latest trailer confirmed an official release date of June 28th.



Rhythm Of The Universe: Ionia – Release Date Trailer

Brought to us by ROTU Entertainment, Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia is an upcoming VR puzzle game with an environmental twist.

According to the developers, Ionia will be the first of seven upcoming chapters designed to immerse players in a captivating experience that combines environmental conservation with musical theory. We still know very little about this mysterious game at the moment, other than the fact that part of its proceeds will go directly to Wildlife Warriors, a non-profit conservation organization founded by the late great Steve Irwin.

It looks like we’ll have to wait until the games launch in Q3 2021 to find out more.



Township Tale – Oculus Quest Announcement Trailer

Available now on PCVR headsets via the Alta game launcher, Township Tale is an ambitious RPG experience built from the ground up for VR headsets.

In this uniquely crafted VR role-playing adventure, players are tasked with revitalizing an abandoned village by swapping between various jobs, each of which featuring their own unique interactions designed to immerse you in said role. As a blacksmith, for example, you’ll mine valuable resources and craft powerful weaponry. As a warrior, you’ll defend the village from various threats. Other professions include archer, cook, woodcutter, etc. As you progress, you’ll unlock the ability to customize your character, collect new inventory, and craft unique equipment; all of which can be taken with you between servers.

The latest trailer offers new information on the long-awaited Oculus Quest release. Township Tale will arrive on standalone VR headsets on July 15th for $9.99 with optional in-game purchases.



Larcenauts – VOD Gameplay & Roadmap Trailer

Revealed this past May, Larcenauts is an upcoming team-based PvP game coming soon to the Oculus Quest. Similar to class-based multiplayer titles such as Overwatch and Apex Legends, this fast-paced VR shooter lets you select from a roster of diverse characters, each with their own unique pros and cons, as you battle a team of six other players throughout a series of objective-based game modes using customizable weapons and powerful abilities.

This latest trailer shows off one of the more unique characters featured in the game, VOD, a brawler-class specialist armed with two incredibly powerful fists capable of dealing massive amounts of close-quarters damage. In addition to its elastic arms, VOD also features several ranged attacks, making it one of the more deadly specialists in the game; when used correctly that is.

Yesterday’s trailer also teased a series of exciting updates scheduled as part of the developers’ official roadmap, including two-handed aiming, manual reload, private lobbies, new maps and game modes, and immersive playlists just to name a few.

Larcenauts is scheduled to launch on Oculus Quest and PCVR headsets later this summer.

As stated previously, the announcements listed above are just a small handful of the total number of reveals made during Upload’s VR Showcase event. For more information on all of yesterday’s announcements, visit here.

Feature Image Credit: Impulse Gear

Kuo Claims 2022 Oculus Headset Will Have New Lenses

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Android Central says it viewed a note from Ming-Chi Kuo claiming Facebook & Sony have ordered high quantities of new, more expensive VR lenses for 2022.

Kuo is a TF International Securities analyst mostly known for predicting Apple products & moves over a year in advance. Apple Track gives him a 77% accuracy rating.

oculus rift s display lenses
Facebook announced its current lens design in late 2017

Facebook last shipped a new lens design in May 2018 with the launch of Oculus Go (now discontinued). That same ‘Super Libra G’ lens was used in Quest and Rift S, and is still used in Quest 2.

The PlayStation VR headset launched back in late 2016, and had been shown at trade conferences since 2014. Sources tell us Sony’s next-generation headset for PlayStation 5 has significantly higher resolution, inside-out tracking, a vibration motor, and even foveated rendering – so new lenses wouldn’t exactly be a surprise.

HTC recently introduced new, wider field of view lenses in Vive Focus 3 & Vive Pro 2

Current VR lenses have a field of view roughly around 100 degrees wide. New lenses could allow Facebook & Sony to increase the field of view, the area of clarity, or both. In an Instagram AMA back in March, Facebook’s VP of AR/VR Andrew Bosworth said he likes the idea of a taller field of view, which he claimed could be more impactful than wider.

Android Central’s headline names the 2022 Oculus headset as ‘Oculus Quest 3’, but the article notes the source isn’t actually claiming that. In a public Q&A session in April, Bosworth said Quest 3 “doesn’t exist yet” and claimed “Quest 2 is going to be in the market for a while – for a long while”.

In that same April Q&A session Bosworth did, however, discuss the idea of a ‘Quest Pro’, suggesting it could add new features but won’t launch in 2021. It’s possible Facebook plans to introduce new lenses in a Pro model – unlike Sony, Facebook also has to include a mobile processor and battery. As the cost comes down over time, it could then bring these lenses to a mainstream Quest 3 – but of course that’s just our speculation based on Kuo’s claim & Bosworth’s statements.

PSVR Exclusive ‘Fracked’ Reveals More Fast-paced Action in New Gameplay Trailer

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VR publisher & developer nDreams, most recently behind Oculus exclusive Phantom: Covert Ops (2020), announced back in March that it’s creating a new VR shooter named Fracked. Due out sometime this summer exclusively on PSVR, we got a better look at Fracked in a new gameplay trailer.

Update (June 4th, 2021): nDreams has released a new trailer for PSVR exclusive Fracked, showing off more of its fast-paced action.

The fresh gameplay trailer includes a look at a level called POWERGRAB, revealing more cover-focused gunfights, free and fluid skiing, running and climbing. Fracked is said to support PS Move and also boasts “fully enhanced” gameplay for PS5. Check out the new gameplay trailer below.

Original Article (March 3rd, 2021): In Phantom: Covert Ops, nDreams managed to build an entire VR game around a kayak as the game’s mode of locomotion—and it worked pretty darn well. In Fracked the studio once again looks to innovate on the locomotion front, this time aiming for “free and fluid” skiing and climbing to be core to the game’s movement options.

The game is set to be exclusive to PSVR (requiring PS Move controllers), and while it will work on PS4, nDreams says the game has also been “fully enhanced for PS5,” which is backwards compatible with PSVR. The studio released a teaser trailer today revealing a Borderlands-like art style:

And here’s the premise, in which the studio also talks up its “grabbable cover system”:

Grab your gun, cock it, and take aim as a maverick war hero thrown back into the fight. Experience innovative VR gunplay that ingeniously blends improvised run and gun combat with a 1:1 grabbable cover system. Move freely around the battlefield to outflank, outsmart, and outgun an escalating threat with your arsenal of deadly, fully interactive weapons.

Venture through a harsh and dangerous mountain locale by seamlessly transitioning between a host of first-person free movement methods. Physically lean into the bends on your skis to master the slopes at high speed. Reach out and hold on for your life as you climb and zipline far above the ground or perform audacious base-jumps to elude your foes. No rails. No limits. No mercy.

The corporation dug too deep unleashing the ‘Fracked’ from the depths. Across one day, take on an interdimensional army that combines hive mind mentality and gun-wielding supremacy – the perfect targets to unload round upon round into. Fracked is in-your-face action with a cutting commentary on corporate greed and the climate change emergency. Save the day, to save the world.

While there’s no denying that nDreams did a good job with the kayak in Phantom: Covert Ops, it did feel like the player’s freedom was somewhat constrained given that they are stuck in the kayak for 100% of the game. At times the kayak felt like it would have been a great segment of a larger game.

nDreams seems to have caught onto that feedback and is aiming for a multi-modal approach to locomotion in Fracked. In the trailer we see several ways for the player to get around: skiing, climbing, zip-lines, and running. Beyond that, the studio says that players will even have the opportunity to base-jump from high locations.

We’ve seen the successful implementation of multi-modal locomotion in games like Stormland and are looking forward to nDream’s take on the same.

The studio also released a slew of Fracked screenshots today which give a clear look at the game’s visual style:

As a PSVR exclusive, ostensibly Sony has financially supported the title to some extent to ensure exclusivity, but it’s interesting to see this happening so late in PSVR’s lifecycle. We know that a new PSVR headset is in development, but it isn’t due out until sometime after 2021. Perhaps Sony is making an effort to tide users over until its next headset?

Best New PSVR Games Shown At This Week’s Spotlight

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PSVR is currently going through what is most likely its swan song year.

But, while big first-party exclusives for the headset might be drying up as we march towards the new PS5 VR headset, there’s still plenty to look forward to.

Yesterday, Sony spotlighted seven titles heading to the platform this year. They included Sniper Elite VR and the reveal of Arashi: Castles of Sin. Need a quick rundown? Here are the best new PSVR games shown this week.

Arashi: Castles of Sin – New Game Announced

This one looks like Tenchu in VR. Set in Feudal Japan, you liberate castles captured by bandits using stealth — and a pet wolf — as your weapons. It’s coming this summer and we’ll be very interested to see how its ambitious concept of catering to multiple play styles holds up.

Fracked – New Gameplay Shown

nDreams’ gorgeous-looking PSVR exclusive wowed when it was revealed in early March, but this first look at proper gameplay is really something. We get an extended sequence in which the player launches between cover, sprints to safety and skis down slopes. We’ll be really interested to see how nDreams is managing all of this with the PlayStation Move controllers.

Wanderer – New Trailer Shown

Is it just us or is Wanderer looking really good? Usually, a VR escape room-style game wouldn’t raise much of an eyebrow but every time we see this one it displays gorgeous visuals and innovative solutions built around VR itself. We can’t wait to really dig in and see how it measures up to the impressive footage later this summer.

Sniper Elite VR – Coming July 8th

After a long silence, Sniper Elite VR is finally taking shape. This spin-off to the popular series is arriving on all platforms next month, giving players a full single-player campaign. Will Rebellion’s return to VR measure up? We’re looking forward to finding out.

Winds & Leaves – Coming July 27th

This gorgeous nature-driven adventure first looked like a farming sim. Now it kinda looks like a… supernatural farming sim. This new video focuses on some of the ways the player is linked to the forest they help grow. For example, move too far from the trees and they’ll pull you back in. It looks like a tranquil bit of VR loveliness and we’re looking forward to it on July 27.

After The Fall – New Look

It seems like every time there’s a VR showcase we’re guaranteed to get another look at After The Fall. Not that we’re complaining – the game looks like it’ll deliver a rock-solid Left4Dead VR experience with up to four-player co-op. Today we saw new enemies but still no release date beyond the summer 2021 window.

Puzzle Bobble VR – Coming To PSVR

And finally, Survios’ enjoyable (if inessential) take on Puzzle Bobble in VR is coming to PSVR soon. It launched on Quest a few weeks ago.

Which new PSVR games are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below!

Sniper Elite VR Releases July 8 For Quest, PSVR & SteamVR

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Rebellion revealed Sniper Elite VR will launch July 8, 2021 on PlayStation VR, Steam VR, Quest and Rift.

A new trailer for the shooter showcases some of the gameplay.

You’ll play as an “Italian partisan, fighting fascism in a powerful World War II story told through his harrowing memories as you protect your fellow countrymen and drive back the merciless invaders,” according to Rebellion.  The game is developed in partnership with Just Add Water and Coatsink and it offers an 18 mission campaign with either full locomotion or single stick teleport. You’ll use rifles, SMGs, pistols, shotguns and the developers are promising some satisfying gunplay throughout. The game will also include a VR version of x-ray kill cam that’s a signature of the Sniper Elite franchise.

We’re looking forward to seeing how the game handles on Quest in particular, we’d tried it in 2019 with the PlayStation Aim Controller and heard in late 2020 it was planned for standalone release as well.

Playing ‘Beat Saber’ From The Back Of A Dragon Is Pretty Cool

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A new update turns TypeEh Studios’ DragonRide VR into a fast-paced VR rhythm game.

Originally released back in August 2020, developer TypeEh Studios’ relaxing VR dragon-riding experience, DragonRide VR, received a massive update this week introducing a brand new game mode inspired by VR rhythm games like Beat Saber and Supernatural.

Available now on SteamVR headsets, DragonRide VR is a fantasy-lovers dream, offering players the rare opportunity to grab the reigns and take control of a mythical beast as they soar throughout a diverse selection of visually stunning environments, from the gorgeous Dragon Valley to the volatile Volcano Islands, with more locations on the way. There you can participate in a variety of unique dragon-based activities.



You can enjoy a laidback non-interactive tour of each location in Dragon Ride mode, grab the reigns and pilot your beast in one of several Free Fly activities, take down targets using your dragons powerful fire breath in Target Shooting and Balloon Hunt, and discover hidden dragon eggs before time runs out in Egg Hunt.

This latest update, Rhythm Ride, introduces a new game mode to the mix, allowing you the chance to slice balloons to the beat of a classical soundtrack composed of 25 original songs with support for custom tracks. Similar to Beat Saber, each target must be sliced in a particular direction with the correct weapon; the bigger your combos, the more points you earn. In terms of comfort, Rhythm Ride features five different types of ride types. If you’re looking for a conventional VR rhythm game experience, you’ll probably like Smooth Straight, while those looking to mix things up may be interested in trying more unpredictable flight patterns, such as Wild.

Image Credit: TypeEh Studios

The gameplay is relatively straightforward. At the end of the day, you’re essentially playing a simplified version of Beat Saber, only instead of slicing colored bricks using a pair of neon lightsabers, you’re popping multicolored balloons from the back of a dragon using an assortment of medieval weaponry.

Is this one game mode worth the $9.99 price tag? Probably not. That being said the game has come a long way since its original launch thanks to a regular stream of free updates and game improvements. If you’re a fan of dragons or the medieval fantasy genre in general, DragonRide VR is definitely worth checking out.

Image Credit: TypeEh Studios

DragonRide VR is available now on SteamVR headsets for $9.99. According to the developers, an official PlayStation VR release is currently in development.

For more information visit here.

Feature Image Credit: TypeEh Studios

VR Party Game ‘Werewolves Within’ Gets Its Own Feature Film

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Ubisoft’s VR multiplayer party game comes to life on the big screen as a modern horror-comedy.

Back in 2018, it was revealed that the popular VR party game Werewolves Within was being developed into a full-length feature film produced by Ubisoft Motion Pictures, the same team responsible for 2016’s Assassin’s Creed film.

Today, we received our first look at the modernized film adaptation, and what we’ve seen so far has us genuinely excited for this upcoming horror-comedy.



Released back in 2016 on Oculus Rift, SteamVR, and PlayStation VR headsets, Werewolves Within is a VR party game based on classic “whodunnit” games like Werewolf, aka Mafia. Five to eight players are seated around a campfire and tasked with determining which member of the group is a werewolf in disguise by asking questions and voting as a collective. The social deduction game requires a certain amount of persuasion and deceit from those playing as the werewolf, often resulting in heartbreaking betrayals and plenty of surprises.

In theaters next month, Ubisoft Motion Picture’s upcoming film Werewolves Within looks to capture the same feeling of uncertainty and deception, only instead of the medieval villagers of Gallowston, we have the quirky townsfolk of Beaverton. Trapped by a vicious snowstorm, residents of the sleepy town soon find themselves at the mercy of bloodthirsty werewolves. Much like the VR game, these horrific creatures are capable of blending in with the crowd, which means anyone could be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Image Credit: Ubisoft

Werewolves Within will be in theaters June 25th and streaming on-demand July 2nd.

The film stars Sarah Burns (Enlightened), Michael Chernus (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Catherine Curin (Stranger Things), Glenn Fleshler (Joker), Harvey Guillén (What We Do In The Shadows), Cheyenne Jackson (30 Rock), Sam Richardson (Veep), Milana Vayntrub (This Is Us), and Michaela Watkins (Wanderlust).

Feature Image Credit: Sabrina Lantos

‘Rec Room’ CEO Talks About The Impact Of VR Subscriptions

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CEO and Co-Founder Nick Fajt lends his thoughts on premium app subscriptions and exclusive VR content.

Last month Facebook announced the launch of premium app subscriptions on the Oculus Quest, offering users the chance to unlock exclusive VR content from select developers by paying a monthly fee. We’ve already seen several VR games and apps take advantage of this new service, including FitXR, Tribe XR, TRIPP, vSpatial, and VZfit just to name a few.

“One interesting VR trend is how quickly it’s growing beyond just games. Some of the top apps on Quest are social apps, and there’s a growing number of productivity tools (both for collaboration and solo use, like Infinite Office), creativity tools (like the DJ app Tribe XR), and even fitness apps (like FitXR and Supernatural),” said Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Image Credit: Facebook, Oculus

That being said, the idea of premium subscriptions for VR games and apps is hardly a new one. As previously mentioned, VR fitness app Supernatural has been offering daily workout routines accessible via a monthly subscription since April 2020. Before Supernatural and Facebook’s premium app subscriptions, however, there was Rec Room Plus.

Despite having launched way back in 2016, Rec Room remains one of the most highly trafficked VR social platforms at the moment, thanks in large part to its growing catalog of entertaining mini-games; not to mention its low, low price tag of $0.00. In March of 2020, the company launched Rec Room Plus, an optional membership program that allows players access to exclusive content, expanded outfit slots, free tokens, discounts towards the official Rec Room store, and various other benefits by paying a monthly fee of $7.99. Several months ago the company took things even further with the launch of its Creator Compensation program, allowing veteran players the opportunity to profit from their in-game creations by exchanging in-game tokens for real-world cash.



With other mainstream developers now jumping on the bandwagon with Oculus’ subscription service, we sat down with Rec Room Inc. CEO and Co-Founder Nick Fajt to get his thoughts on the rise of premium subscription services and the potential impact on future VR games and apps.

What kind of impact do you see this new kind of service having on the Oculus Quest player base?

“I think what most people are seeing just in games, in general, is more and more games are moving to the services model. This is not a secret; you’re seeing fewer and fewer 60 dollar discs sold and you’re seeing more and more free-to-play content. And I think one of the things that any developer is excited about is if you can set up a great deal with consumers where you have predictability in what your revenue is going to look like, it makes it really easy to invest long term.”

“And I think it really matches the way we want people to be using Rec Room as well. We are not trying to bring you in and monetize you really quickly in the first three days. We would want to have somebody that’s been a customer for two or three years; they’re getting a really good deal and we’re getting predictability and providing a better and better service every month.”

Image Credit: Rec Room Inc.

“That’s what we’ve been thinking about with Rec Room Plus: how can we give users a really good deal? It’s the most efficient way to buy our virtual currency and it also gets you into the seller economy. If you’re in Rec Room Plus you can start to charge for items that you make and you’re also eligible to do cash-out payments as well. So we just think there’s so much value in that model; that’s the kind of the direction that we’re steering towards.”

What’s the response been like from your existing player base since the launch of Rec Room Plus?

“We’ve seen that number steadily grow over time. Every time we launch it on a new platform we see a very positive reaction. And it means there are more and more people in our seller ecosystem, which we think is really, really valuable.”

“I think we’re just going to keep pouring value into [Rec Room Plus] and hopefully make it a better and better deal for more people going forward. Every month you can add a little bit more value to that. You’ve seen it work out really well for things like—you know—I’m sure you have a Netflix subscription, and there’s a lot more content on Netflix today than there was five years ago. It’s a much better deal.”

“And I think you can just keep driving that as the number of people that are subscribing to your content increases; you can continue to provide more and more value for each individual subscriber.”

Image Credit: Rec Room Inc.

What I really like about Rec Room Plus is the ability for players to monetize their in-game creations. Can you talk a little bit more about that and what the results have been like since launch?

“Maybe back in 2017, we started adding these user-generated content features. The community was so creative and they were begging for some of these features. And that’s largely how we build our roadmap. We just follow what users ask us for. 75%-80% of the app is spent in user-generated rooms that these players are building inside of Rec Room.”

“We think that’s amazing. It led us to think through how could we reward those players who are building the best content. Then we started seeing players earning quite a bit of in-game currency and so we wanted to provide them even further incentives. And so we said, “Hey, we’ll actually buy it back from you under these circumstances.””

How important, in your opinion, is social VR to the development of the modern VR industry?

“Our belief is that the next big social app will probably look a lot more like a game than an algorithmic feed. All the social apps that exist today, they’re actually not very social; you’re not interacting with a human, you’re interacting with an algorithmic feed. That algorithmic feed happens to know you very well, but it’s not the same as interacting with a human. And I think that’s the thing that we see with Rec Room. It feels a lot more like there is another human in the same room as me and I can hang out with them. I can meet them and we can go on adventures and we can form new memories. And the reason I think that experience resonates with so many people is probably because our brains crave social interaction the same way that they crave food and water.”

Image Credit: Rec Room Inc.

“If you were to scroll through Twitter for two hours, you would not be like, “That was time well spent. I’m so glad I spent two hours scrolling through Twitter!” But if you went to a restaurant with a friend and grabbed pizza, you would be like, “I’m super glad I got to catch up with that friend from college.” You would consider that time really well spent. Why do our social apps feel like time poorly spent, but socializing feels like time well spent? Could we combine those two? Could we get this great real-time social interaction into the digital space? And I think you’re seeing a bunch of games experimenting with that and trying to deliver on that experience, Rec Room being one of them.”

Rec Room is available free on Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, SteamVR, and PlayStation VR 100% free-of-charge. Rec Room Plus can be purchased separately for $7.99 per month. For more information visit here.

Feature Image Credit: Rec Room Inc.