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Gabe from VRDB again! Another exciting week in VR/MR, and we're back with another issue of VRDB Weekly.
This week brings major industry moves with Google's acquisition of HTC Vive talent, Samsung's XR headset reveal, and some candid insights from PlayStation's former executive. Plus, we've got news about upcoming games and an exclusive discount code for Green Hell VR.
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In this week's digest:
- • Google buys part of HTC's Vive VR team for $250 million
- • The Smurfs - Flower Defense Coming to Quest 3 in May
- • Shuhei Yoshida "Sorry" About PSVR2 Expectations
- • Green Hell VR - 40% off Promo Code
- • Samsung Previews New Android XR Headset
- • Trombone Champ: Unflattened! Gets Big Update
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Image source: HTC
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In a strategic move to bolster its Android XR ambitions, Google has announced a $250 million acquisition of key HTC Vive talent and technology. The deal brings select members of HTC's Vive engineering team under Google's wing, leveraging their proven expertise in virtual reality development since the original Vive's consumer launch in 2016 through recent releases like the Vive Focus Vision and Vive XR Elite.
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- Google gains non-exclusive access to HTC's XR technologies while HTC retains rights to its IPs
- HTC commits to continued development and support of its XR hardware lineup
- Deal supports Google's vision for a unified Android XR ecosystem across headsets and glasses
- First Android XR devices expected this year, including "Project Moohan" from Google-Samsung collaboration
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The agreement is expected to close in Q1 2024, subject to standard closing conditions. Both companies have expressed interest in exploring future collaborative opportunities in the XR space.
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Image source: Kalank Games
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French developer Kalank Games has announced The Smurfs - Flower Defense, a new tower defense game coming to Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S in May 2025. The game combines action and strategy as players defend the Smurf village from Gargamel's evil plans.
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- Play as four different characters: Smurfette, Storm, Brainy and Jokey, each with unique powers
- Build defense towers and use mixed reality to protect the Smurfs in your living room
- Face off against three boss battles featuring Gargamel, Azrael, and the Howlibird
- Rescue 20 captured Smurfs while exploring iconic locations from the series
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The game is being developed by Kalank Games, a 25-person studio based in Angoulême, France. More details about the game will be revealed soon.
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Image source: UploadVR
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In his first interview since retiring from Sony, Shuhei Yoshida, a 30-year veteran of Sony Interactive Entertainment, expressed regret about his earlier optimism for PlayStation VR2. During an appearance on the Kinda Funny Gamescast, Yoshida stated "I'm sorry I was wrong - PS VR2 didn't become PS2," referring to his previous comparisons of VR's potential to the early days of PlayStation.
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- Yoshida led PlayStation's Worldwide Studios from 2008 to 2019
- He praised the original PSVR development as "the most fun I had"
- PSVR2's market reception has reportedly fallen short of expectations
- Despite challenges, he highlighted Synapse and Before Your Eyes as "amazing" PSVR2 titles
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Image source: Incuvo
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40OFF-EDBF03
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Take your friends on an amazing and immersive survival experience in the Amazon rainforest. The newly released 4-player co-op mode lets you team up to explore, hunt, and survive together while defending against predators and hostile tribes using authentic survival techniques.
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- New 4-player co-op mode for shared survival adventures
- Authentic survival mechanics including crafting and resource gathering
- Full story campaign following anthropologist Jake Higgins
- Includes "Spirits of Amazonia: Part 1" - a free prequel expansion with 10+ hours of gameplay
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Image source: Road to VR
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Samsung has unveiled a near-final version of Project Moohan, their upcoming Android XR headset, at this year's Unpacked event. While the device was kept behind barriers, preventing hands-on demos, its design shows clear inspiration from both Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro.
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- Features include eye-tracking, pancake lenses, and a rigid head strap design
- Comfort level reportedly comparable to Meta Quest Pro
- Powered by Google's Gemini AI for contextual assistance
- Controllers were notably absent from the showcase
- Expected to launch later this year
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Image source: Flat2VR Studios
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Flat2VR Studios has released a significant content update for Trombone Champ: Unflattened, introducing several new features and quality-of-life improvements to enhance the VR adaptation of the popular rhythm game. |
- New Custom Songs feature automatically detects and loads downloaded tracks
- New snowy outdoor environment added, with more landscapes planned
- New trombones including a bean-themed community favorite and mythical fish variant
- Optional "Pitch Assist" setting added for more enjoyable streaming and casual play
- "Simplified mode" renamed to "Unflattened mode" with hand-mapped VR-optimized tracks
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Thank you for reading!
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How can we make this better? Let us know by replying to this email or by reaching out at [email protected] |
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