Obduction coming to Playstation VR

Cyan, Inc., the legendary indie studio that created beloved and best-selling games, Myst and Riven, today announced that their critically-acclaimed sci-fi adventure puzzler, Obduction, will be getting its first console reveal this holiday season at PlayStation Experience, December 3-4, at the Anaheim Convention Center.

"After nearly 20 years, we're thrilled to be heading back to console. With its massive player base and rich PSVR experience, PlayStation is the perfect platform to introduce Obduction's meticulously-crafted worlds to millions seeking to magically transport themselves elsewhere," said Rand Miller, CEO of Cyan. “Cyan has seen the future and we're all in on VR."

Fans who attend PlayStation Experience will be the first to get their hands on Obduction PS4 with guided tours by Cyan’s dev team. Additionally, there will be a special conversation with Rand Miller at the Obduction booth on Saturday, December 3, 3pm, on Cyan's vision for PSVR and beyond.

Having recently announced Obduction for HTC Vive, Cyan has already begun work adding support for hand controls and room scale. Hand controls will allow players to interact directly with objects in the world - buttons, levers, doors, valves, etc. - even picking up objects to examine them. These new features will provide an even more immersive experience to players with the appropriate capabilities (Vive, Oculus Touch, and PSVR).

Obduction is available for PC and Rift on  Oculus Store,  Steam,  GOG, and  Humble Store, for the introductory price of $29.99, coming soon to Mac. Obduction for PS4, PSVR and Vive coming 2017.

The NFL and Google to launch VR series on Youtube and Daydream.

The NFL and Google announced an expansion of their relationship that will allow fans around the world to see the NFL as never before in virtual reality.  NFL Films,  will produce a 9-part series that gives viewers a 360-degree perspective of life in and around the NFL – from players, to coaches, to executives, to cheerleaders, to the fans themselves – detailing how each prepares for game day in a completely new and immersive way.

The first episode of the virtual reality series will be available to watch via the NFL channel on YouTube on Thanksgiving Day.  Later this year, episodes will also be available via the NFL VR app designed for Daydream, Google’s high-quality mobile VR offering, along with other immersive content experiences.

This will be the NFL’s first foray into producing content in virtual reality, after having experimented with the technology last season.  The series will also be the first episodic sports program in virtual reality.

“We are always looking for new ways to engage with our fans.  Virtual reality is an emerging platform that enables content experiences with a truly unique vantage point that brings fans closer to the game,” said Vishal Shah, Senior Vice President, Digital Media at the NFL.  “It’s an exciting new medium to explore as we look to evolve and grow our offerings, and this partnership with Google is an important step in that direction.”

The NFL Films series is currently in production and being shot using Jump, Google’s 360-degree camera and capture system.  In the first episode of the series, viewers will spend a week with the Philadelphia Eagles defensive line as they prepare for the upcoming matchup and gain exclusive access to the Eagles bench and sideline on game day.  Other episodes will give viewers the opportunity to tag along with the Miami Dolphins cheerleaders, experience the distinctive football culture in Green Bay, and take a unique look inside the San Diego Chargers organization, to name a few.

“This series will give fans an opportunity to connect with the NFL like never before, whether they are on YouTube or using Google’s virtual reality headset, Daydream View,” said Amit Singh, Vice President, Google VR.  “We’re thrilled to work with the NFL to capture the series with Jump and bring it to YouTube and Daydream.”

“NFL Films has always been known for telling great football stories and capturing the emotional essence of our sport,” said Ross Ketover, Senior Executive at NFL Films.  “Now using Google VR technology, there’s potential to do that in a whole new way and we’re excited to bring that perspective to our fans.”

Get your game on with SportsBar VR for Playstation VR. Out Today.

Another VR game has come out for the Playstation VR for those looking for some additional content for your library. This may actually be the best title for those who work for a VR but need a break from the office but it's like 2 in the afternoon. 

Perilous Orbit and Cherry Pop Games released today their VR-enabled collection of pub games, SportsBar VR , for Sony's Playstation®VR in North America. SportsBar VR drops players into a fully immersive VR pub, where they can hang out with other players while battling in multiplayer pub pastimes like pool, darts and skeeball.

Much more than a collection of popular pub games, SportsBar VR gives players the ability to interact with the 3D world around them -- and to get rowdy! All set within an interactive virtual sports bar, SportsBar VR enables up to six players to play games ranging from air hockey to pool to darts, hang out, chat, roam the bar, or even make up their own challenges -- like throwing cue balls, smashing bottles and much more. Loosen up in the virtual bar without ever drinking a single drop of beer!

SportsBar VR Gameplay Features:

Tons to Do: Darts, pool, air hockey, skeeball and more. Just about every classic pub game is here… All in beautiful, realistic 3D VR.

Go on, Make a Mess! Had enough of being a good sport? Then enjoy throwing bottles, cue balls and sticks around – nobody gets hurt and nobody has to clean up!

Hang with Friends: A fully immersive social setting enables you to simply hang out and chat.

An Amazing VR Experience: Sports Bar VR is developed from the ground up for VR. Experience a fantastic VR environment, right from the comfort of your own living room.

The long awaited PLAYSTATION®VR OUT TODAY with the amazing launch title ACE BANANA! Used for Scale

So the Playstation VR is officially out today and hopefully Best Buy gets the delivery soon cause I am going BANANAS waiting for it. Ace Banana that is! 

Ace Banana, has launched. Developed exclusively for VR, Ace Banana is a first person arcade archery game where players wield a bow to protect their banana stash from a host of marauding monkeys. The light-hearted shooter features a mix of over-the-top fun supported by native VR controls, which allows players to quickly get into the action.

“ Ace Banana is a great game for the PlayStation VR launch with its fun and unique gameplay offering,” said Alen Wu, Business Director at Oasis Games. “Players will find themselves stepping into a colorful world, armed with a bow and variety of fun ‘arrows’ to protect their tasty bananas from waves of attacking monkeys – the fun is quick and the experience is immersive.”

In the game, players assume the role of a skilled Banana Archer, the world-famous protectors of innocent bananas. In opposition are hordes of mischievous monkeys who are dressed in a variety of different costumes and approach you using different techniques and moves that add to the surprise factor and excitement of the game. As these meddling monkeys arrive in waves through 16 stages, players must use the PlayStation®Move controllers to mimic drawing, aiming and shooting their bow with an arsenal of quirky arrows ranging from plungers to rubber fish and even cute pandas! Players will need to stay alert and be aware of their virtual surroundings as when all their bananas are stolen, the game is over!

Ace Banana is developed by TVR (Time of Virtual Reality) and is published by Oasis Games in North America, Europe and select countries in Asia for the PlayStation®VR.  From October 13, 2016 through October 27, 2016, there will be a 10% discount off the base price of $14.99 and a 20% discount for PlayStation®Plus members.

Forget that Batman hype and get Bananas man!

Oculus Connect 3 Developer Session Videos are now up to view.

If you were not able to make Oculus Connect 3 this year here is a Youtube playlist with 32 videos from the event included:

I was able to attend quite a few and some highlights for me include the sessions below. Check them out to really get a great understanding of not only what Oculus and Facebook are doing with VR but how the industry is developing as a whole. 

The proliferation of 360 content coupled with the new WebVR standard promises to bring a wave of fresh content to VR. Using familiar tools such as WebGL, three.js, and React, developers can easily create interactive 3D and 360 experiences.

Virtual reality has changed how we create. From games and movies, to experiences and tools-we're just beginning to see what's possible. But what happens when you take traditional artistic methods and transfer them to VR? Learn how Oculus is creating new tools, specifically for Touch, to help more people express themselves.

VR has become a powerful empathy machine. What is it about this new medium that's so effective at connecting humanity? This panel discusses how we can continue to harness the power of VR for positive social change.

What went under the radar (Other than Palmer Luckey) from Oculus Connect 3.

Well last week was Oculus Connect 3 and it was a pretty inspirational time for VR. Attending connect as both press and in a biz dev role had me in a position where most of the super exciting news had been reported on. Well I am still going to post about it but I am also going to mention some stuff that I felt fell under the radar. OC3 was actually a very big event for Oculus and Facebook in that they showed that this is not a fad for them and they were bringing the big guns to show. The keynote featured perhaps one of the biggest tech guns of them all, Mark Zuckerberg.

They did not hold back from showing how social Facebook want VR to be with Avatars and social interactivity rooms. I wonder if companies like AltSpaceVR  are pretty much f'd right now. How do you compete with Facebook on Social VR? They are bringing VR emojis that will use body language to show emotion in your virtual avatar. Just WOW!

Palmer Luckey was absent from the Oculus Connect 3 Keynote, perhaps due to the controversy surrounding the Oculus founder as a result of the revelation that he had supported a pro-Trump online campaign. In fact it was rumored that Luckey was the one that was originally going to do the Oculus state of the union that Zuckerberg ended up delivering. Despite the controversy I was a bit sad to not see him in his trademark Hawaiian Shirt and flip flops, especially during the reveal of Oculus's high end wireless prototype, Santa Cruz.

But enough about that,  if you want more info just check out the recorded Keynote bellow.

I want to talk about some things I felt did not get enough media coverage. Lets start with TheWaveVR. Not only was TheWaveVR crew in attendance, Grimecraft played the OC3 afterparty...with Oculus Touch controllers. This is news because every time I have seen TheWaveVR demoed or showed off it has always been on an HTC Vive. This was the first time I had seen the platform used with Oculus Touch controllers in a public setting. 

Something else that went under the radar was the first mass scale public demo of Kingspray VR Graffiti Simulator. I have been hyped for this since May but after releasing a few trailers the team pretty much went dark with no word about development. At OC3 I got a chance to not only try out the game but talk with one of the members of the Infectious Ape development team, Nolan Cunningham. Nolan was super cool but and said I could interview him but did not want to be recorded. Mostly because he is just a cool dev making cool content not frigging Kanye West. 

Funny enough publicity may have been what led the Infectious Ape team to go dark for a little bit. Nolan said the team put out some videos in May, had some congratulatory drinks, and then woke up to way more attention than they wanted at the time. The Infectious Ape dropped off the radar and surprisingly showed up at OC3 with a demo for Oculus Touch. Once again another company who started of with a HTC Vive focused product showing up on Rift before an official Vive launch. 

I also have to give a huge shoutout to High Voltage Software, a company I have followed and supported for years. https://www.destructoid.com/eric-stoll-of-high-voltage-software-reveals-conduit-3ds-196245.phtml

High Voltage was featured heavily during the Oculus Keynote and both the critically acclaimed Damaged Core and their new card battle game Dragon Front were given high praise during the keynote. http://www.catsandvr.com/blog/damagedcore

I had a chance to speak with High Voltage Software's Chief Creative Officer Eric Nofsinger who stated that between him going from the Keynote to the press area there was a significant increase in new users. I am very happy for the HVS team and look forward to seeing what VR excellence they will bring in the years to come. 

Lastly I have to point out the CatsAndVR 9/9 Lives Game Of The Show.  ARKTIKA.1 is a highly immersive, action-packed, first-person shooter designed exclusively for Oculus Touch. 

Nearly a century in the future, the world has fallen into a new ice age in the aftermath of a silent apocalypse. Only the equatorial regions are still habitable, yet pockets of humanity survive in small numbers all over the planet, hanging onto existence in the resource-rich territories to the north and south-- resources that everyone wants to control.

Cats And VR

The Simpsons teamed with Google to produce the virtual reality experience for their 600th episode Treehouse of Horror XXVII.

Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX) and THE SIMPSONS worked closely with the Google Spotlight Stories team to create a special Virtual Reality (VR) experience for THE SIMPSONS couch gag, “Planet of the Couches,” airing in the milestone 600th episode of the animated series, the all-new “Treehouse of Horror XXVII,” on Sunday, October 16, on FOX.

“At first we had concerns about working with Google because we didn't know who they were, but then we googled the company and were very impressed,” said Homer Simpson.

“It’s a thrill to be associated with Google and not only because they have perfected the quality of their cafeteria food, especially those little sausages,” said James L. Brooks.

“Spotlight Stories is all about pushing the boundaries of interactive, mobile storytelling. Having a chance to build an immersive story with one of the most iconic and beloved shows of our time was an honor and thrilling challenge,” said Jan Pinkava, Creative Director, Google Spotlight Stories.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with THE SIMPSONS and Google Spotlight Stories on this milestone virtual reality experience. This is another example of how FOX is able to leverage innovation to deepen fan engagement and strive to bring interesting opportunities to our production partners,” said Angela Courtin, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, FOX.

Produced with Google Spotlight Stories, “Planet of the Couches” will be available on October 16 through the Google Spotlight Stories app on Android and iOS. View it with any Google Cardboard viewer for the full VR experience. The couch gag will kick off the milestone 600th episode, and will be available as a VR experience via the app.

There will be 25,000 limited edition Google Cardboard viewers available for order on a first-come, first-served basis, featuring one of the five main characters from THE SIMPSONS – Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie – with a customized 600th episode “Treehouse of Horror XXVII” slipcover, beginning today at simpsonscardboard.com in the U.S. only.

“Planet of the Couches” takes the viewer on a completely immersive VR experience. In this VR “couch gag,” the world of THE SIMPSONS is extended 360 degrees, an augmentation of THE SIMPSONS’ 600th episode, unprecedented in television history. The audience is able to enter and explore the universe of THE SIMPSONS with multiple viewings yielding different results. Truly a groundbreaking event.

“Planet of the Couches” in VR was developed by Google Spotlight Stories in conjunction with executive producers James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Al Jean, Matt Selman and director David Silverman.

VR at TwitchCon!

Seems like nowadays I can say "this will be a big week for VR" as it seems like everyday there is a major announcement of something or product that will help define the VR ecosystem. I mean yesterday Google gave us a better idea of their new phone and Daydream hmd, today starts the annual Oculus dev event Oculus Connect, and next week the Playstation VR launches. 

Those are all big names and they are trying all trying to show that VR is here to stay and not a passing fad...mostly cause they have money invested in it. Not long ago many people thought that Video Game streaming was a fad. Well last weekend the company that basically helped create an ecosystem of its own had their second annual TwitchCon. 

Funny enough that little site that was once considered a fad is where you can watch a live stream of Oculus Connect this week. https://www.twitch.tv/oculus

VR was limited but their was still enough out their to show that by maybe next years TwitchCon VR will also no longer be viewed as a fad. 

I got a chance to check out the upcoming multiplayer shooter World Wide Toons using a Playstation VR. World Wide Toons will be a PSVR launch title.   www.catsandvr.com/blog/worldwidetoons

That was followed up by finally getting to try a Virtuix Omni virtual reality motion platform. That was a very interesting experience that was a workout. I think this product will be big as VR develops. I am looking forward to seeing a future iteration as well as an Ice Hockey simulator that supports it. Virtuix has been very smart with their partnerships and have already created partnerships in China that will allow them to be an essential part in the development of mass scale VR arcades. www.catsandvr.com/blog/virtuixchina

Ubisoft also had a VR presence at TwitchCon, although I am surprised they did not bring Eagle Flight along, a game that has a competitive element to it and is super fun. They did bring Werewolves Within, a game I have questioned a few times as to who would play it. Well the game is fun and with the right group of people is a very interesting social game. In its current iteration it does feel a little bare bones but I do really like the mechanics of the game. 

Although it may not have looked that that VR was in full effect on the TwitchCon floor, it was still very present. LaserType was presented on the TwitchCon main stage and VReal, the VR streaming platform had a chance to discuss how to streamVR. VReal also held an event that showcased seveal upcoming VR games including Serious Sam VR.   http://www.catsandvr.com/blog/vreal

Watch live video from on www.twitch.tv

Serious Sam VR Hits Steam Early Access on October 17

The virtual Croatians of Croteam and pseudo-real publisher Devolver Digital announce Serious Sam VR: The Last Hope is hitting Steam Early Access on October 17. The first-person virtual shooter is $39.99 and supports HTC Vive with support planned for the Oculus Rift upon release of the Oculus Touch controllers. ( http://store.steampowered.com/app/465240/).   

In Serious Sam VR: The Last Hope, players are transported to the first Mental War. Earth's defense forces are crumbling under the hordes of the vicious Mental. He managed to break the will of many nations by destroying the ancient shrines of the domestic people. A fearless EDF general, Sam 'Serious' Stone, is leading the resistance from the Battlecruiser Saratoga in a desperate attempt to save the galaxy.

For the first time, immerse yourself in the universe of Serious Sam – travel the galaxy, meet interesting aliens, and blow the shit out of them all in a mind-blowing, fast-paced, guns-blazin' virtual reality environment. Get into the action immediately after choosing one of several missions, drop in and start wreckin' faces. With new enemies and old favorites, players will pick up and master a variety of increasingly insane weaponry – this is serious business, after all. Use your power ups to navigate your skill tree to be the boldest, biggest and most virtual Sam you can be. Customize or upgrade your gear on the Saratoga battlecruiser in-between missions using in-game currency that has nothing to do with real-world currency.

Get ready to strap it on and get shooting.  

To keep up with the spacegun collecting devs at Croteam, follow @Croteam. For the best baking recipes and knitting patterns, follow @DevolverDigital.

Lionsgate and Starbreeze to showcase highly anticipated John Wick Chronicles VR game during New York Comic Con

Lionsgate and Starbreeze will showcase their highly anticipated, newly titled first-person action shooter VR game, John Wick Chronicles, during New York Comic Con, October 6–9, 2016. The first missions of the game will be released on Steam for HTC Vive in February 2017.

New York Comic Con attendees will be able to demo a 7-minute preview of the first mission of the VR game in HTC Vive, titled John Wick Chronicles: An Eye for an Eye, at the John Wick Chronicles booth at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, hall 1E, booth 1ECC6. Additionally, a bite sized version of the game John Wick Chronicles: Arcade Edition will premiere in the StarVR© HMD at the first location based IMAX VR Center, to be opened later this year in Los Angeles. Additional DLCs (downloadable content) that immerse players into the world of John Wick will be announced soon.

In John Wick Chronicles, players have the opportunity to explore the iconic Continental Hotel and are tasked with assassinating seemingly unbeatable targets that only John Wick himself could handle. The game was created by Lionsgate and Starbreeze in collaboration with Grab Games, Big Red Button and GameCo. It is inspired by Lionsgate’s hit movie John Wick starring Keanu Reeves and its sequel John Wick: Chapter 2, which hits theatres February 10, 2017.

Besides showcasing John Wick Chronicles: An Eye for an Eye, Lionsgate will also host a panel featuring Q&A with the stars and filmmakers of its upcoming feature films John Wick: Chapter 2 and Saban’s Power Rangers, as well as exclusive, never-before-seen footage from both films. The panel will be held Saturday, Oct. 8 at 2 p.m. in the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Those who cannot attend will be able to watch the panel LIVE on Twitch.

Best Of VR at TechCrunch Disrupt SF....did not include anything using an Oculus Rift.

One of the big issues with working for a VR startup in Biz Dev while also running a VR blog is that your bandwidth ends up at some pre cable modem levels. Well I was at TechCrunch Disrupt SF recently and I am only now getting the chance to post. I mean outside of a little small time Oculus news yesterday. www.catsandvr.com/blog/palmer

Ironically Oculus does not make any best of TechCrunch Disrupt SF list cause the only presence was a giveaway. Well I think devs have been making a choice on their VR platform of choice before the recent Palmer Luckey news. 

I decided to set up the post as the Best Of VR from TechCrunch Disrupt SF and even got Kent Bye to give CatsAndVR his VR impressions. If the reactions of people at the event are any indicator it looks like music will be big. Projects like SoundSpaceVR and The WaveVR are getting lots of attention.

Best Of Best Of VR at TechCrunch Disrupt SF-MUSIC

This is the SoundSpaceVR prototype that was shown at TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2016. 

Kent Bye of Voices OF VR checks out the WaveVR

Best Of VR at TechCrunch Disrupt SF- Television Tie-ins

Who says $3X does not sell anymore? Well HBO knows that is a lie and was able to have people salivating at a chance to check out their Westworld VR experience. I guess HBO never got the booth babe memo. All in All it was actually pretty darn good and perhaps one of the best instances I have seen where gameplay and 360° video have meshed perfectly. 

Best Of VR at TechCrunch Disrupt SF- Marketing...I mean thats what its all about for major companies....right.

Well Toyota did a great job of doing that with its Tilt Brush-esq experience matched with a driving experience that made their Prius prime look pretty darn cool. The staff on hand was super helpful and Toyota left a great impression with me.

The one thing all of these had in common is that they were on HTC VIVE. So hey Oculus and Palmer....looks like you have some issues on your hand right now. 

Oculus Story Studio wins Emmy for VR animated short Henry.

Henry, the charming VR film from Oculus Story Studio, has won an Emmy® for Outstanding Original Interactive Program! This award recognizes creative achievement in interactive media and comes from the juried Emmy categories, where winning entries must earn unanimous approval from a panel of Interactive Media Peer Group professionals. Henry is the first VR original narrative movie to ever win an Emmy.

“When we set out to make Henry, it was a step into the unknown world of making an emotional VR movie. While we didn’t know what the outcome was going to be, we were excited about the possibilities. We never anticipated that one of our first projects would be given such a distinction and this recognition is not only a testament to our team’s creative and technical achievements, but also a validation for the VR storytelling community as a whole. While Henry is just one step in the long journey ahead, we hope this moment inspires storytellers to bring their ideas to this new medium and help shape the future of VR storytelling.” - Ramiro Lopez Dau, director of Henry

Guerrilla Cambridge breaks down Single Player Mode for RIGS Mechanized Combat League.

Guerrilla Cambridge breaks down Single Player Mode for RIGS Mechanized Combat League. 

Coming exclusively to PlayStation VR, RIGS Mechanized Combat League puts you in the pilot seat of an athletic fighting machine, battling for supremacy in the adrenaline-fuelled sport of the future. Though pushed as a multi player potential VR esport the game has a very in-depth career mode. 

Guerrilla's Samrat Sharma gave an overview of the Career Mode

"In Career Mode, you and your team of AI pilots rise through the leagues as you defeat other teams, earn fame and fortune, and gain access to new Rigs and pilots," "In total, there are 24 unique Rigs to unlock, each with their own style of play. While climbing the ranks in Career Mode you will also impress sponsors and obtain exclusive sponsorship deals, liveries, and pilot outfits."

Acer and Starbreeze Announce First Shipment of StarVR Head-Mounted Displays

 Acer and Starbreeze AB  today announced at a global press conference in Berlin that they have started to ship StarVR® Virtual Reality (VR) Head-Mounted Displays (HMD) to IMAX Corporation in preparation for the highly anticipated opening of the IMAX VR® Center in Los Angeles, expected later this year, and others in the near future. Earlier in 2016, Acer committed to delivering a small volume of units of StarVR® HMDs this year with mass production of the devices to commence in 2017. Also on hand at the press conference were Bo Andersson Klint, CEO at Starbreeze and Rob Lister, Chief Business Development Officer at IMAX Corporation.

“With this shipment to as important a player in the entertainment industry as IMAX, we are absolutely thrilled that we are well on our way in bringing the virtual reality experience to the next level and to the world” said Jason Chen, President and CEO at Acer. “The realization of the most premium VR experience ever offered isn’t just our dream, but one of an entire ecosystem that encompasses hardware makers, videogame developers, theater companies, filmmakers and many others.” Chen highlighted at the global press conference that movies and videogames have exceedingly become ever more closely entwined. The lines are blurring between movies and videogames, and are moving beyond just two mediums that have traditionally only complemented one another. He said they were converging to become a more dynamic, immersive form of storytelling, and virtual reality would feature prominently in this development.

“We’re extremely proud to be able to show the first manufactured units of the StarVR® headset produced in our collaboration with Acer. Since announcing the StarVR® headset in 2015, we’re finally at a place where we can see the pieces of our vision coming together. From day one we’ve been convinced that we can deliver premium experiences with premium hardware. The search for great partners sharing the same vision was long, but we’re happy to be able to lay down these two fundamental parts in Starbreeze VR-ecosystem together with Acer and IMAX. We can’t wait for people to start experiencing world-class virtual reality in the StarVR HMD and at IMAX VR® centers, said Bo Andersson Klint, Starbreeze CEO.

“We are looking forward to the launch of our first IMAX VR® center and pleased with the progress demonstrated by the initial shipment of StarVR® HMDs from Acer and Starbreeze, as this exciting industry continues to develop and grow,” said Robert D. Lister, Chief Business Development Officer, IMAX Corp. “IMAX is committed to delivering immerse, multi-dimensional virtual reality experiences, featuring some of the world’s best entertainment and gaming properties, to premium locations, including multiplexes, malls and other commercial destinations.”

Acer Inc. and Starbreeze AB announced earlier in the year that their respective Board of Directors had approved the establishment of a joint venture, for design, manufacturing, promotion, marketing and sales of the StarVR® Head-Mounted Display. The joint venture has since obtained regulatory approval and will be known as Acer Starbreeze Corporation. its best-in-class cinematic experience, StarVR® targets professional- and location-based entertainment markets such as high-end cinemas, gaming arcades, automotive retail and aviation training. StarVR® provides a truly immersive VR experience with its unique ultra-wide 210-degree horizontal field of view, with custom optics that deliver great image quality across the eye’s natural vision.

Dead Or Alive VR is a pretty shitty cash grab and a tasteless move showing a lack of understanding of what is troubling to many gamers.

Koei Tecmo Games recently showed off Dead or Alive Xtreme 3’s VR Paradise for PSVR. This may be a Japan exclusive given the how this kind of content is viewed in the American gaming public.

"With VR mode, Dead or Alive goes from creepy to harassment"-Alegra Frank of Polygon

Those sentiments are actually shared by several game journalists.

http://www.polygon.com/2016/8/30/12710076/dead-or-alive-vr-mode-harassment

https://www.engadget.com/2016/08/29/dead-or-alive-vr-is-basically-sexual-assault-the-game/

http://venturebeat.com/2016/08/30/dead-of-alives-vr-groping-is-uncomfortable-but-virtual-sex-is-only-going-to-get-messier/

Personally I think people that media as a whole from comic books to video games have used sex to sell content and this is a continuation. Is it right? Well not for the people who are bothered by it and they have the right to protest this.

I will play DOA VR probably not for that long cause it seems like a limited experience and I will play it to actually get an idea of how bad it really is. My hypothesis is that it is pretty bad. 

The thing is sex sells and that bothers people. I get that and those people have the right to voice their opinion. Many times I think those opinions are overboard, but not this time. 

My problem is actually not with that sex sells but that this game is just creepy and is basically fondling and unwanted sexual advances in a game version.

The flip of all of this is that we are still super ok with all the violence in gaming. Well this is life. I mean no one is flipping out about Slot Tub Party and that it is using sex to sell VR. That is because we kinda get that is what people do, but where is the line drawn. 

Co-Creator of Rick and Morty starts a VR studio, Squanchtendo.

The idea for Squanchtendo was living in the brain of Justin Roiland for multiple years before the studio got properly started up. A gamer his whole life, he awoke to the idea of doing game design once he played with an Oculus DK2 headset. The possibilities of the technology and how it could be used for comedy combined with great gameplay was super exciting.

Justin reached out to multiple potential developers, including Crows Crows Crows for the opportunity to collaborate and to just make some funny and fun stuff in VR.

In 2016, Justin met up with Tanya Watson, who after leaving Epic Games after 10 years there working on games like Gears of War, Bulletstorm, and Fortnite, was eager to get into the VR space herself. So with their powers combined, they formed to create Squanchtendo.

http://squanchtendo.com/

High Voltage Software launches excellent VR FPS Damaged Core, purchase now for access to the Dragon Front beta.

I have been following the work of High Voltage software since Conduit 2 and I recently had the chance to play Damaged Core three weeks ago at High Voltages office right outside of Chicago. The game is down right amazing and is a high-water mark for the still infant world of VR gaming. The ability to jump from robotic body to body smoothly showcases that you can capture a large and dynamic VR combat experience without the need for Room Scale VR. 

With a compelling 10+ hour campaign against the networked artificial intelligence known as the Core, you will be immersed in a war against robotic armies bent on destroying mankind to further their own evolution. 

Damaged Core is available now for 29.99 https://www.oculus.com/experiences/rift/660396644063513/

  
Key Features
•        10+ hour story-driven campaign written by Drew Holmes, one of the minds behind the Bioshock series. 
•        Wholly unique control system that is rooted in the fiction of this future earth, and only possible in VR.
•        Take the fight to 17 unique enemy types as form of sentient software virus that can take control over the enemy.
 
In Damaged Core, you won’t just fight your foes, you become them.

Purchase before September 6th and gain guaranteed access to the Dragon Front closed beta, also by High Voltage Software.

10/10

The first collectible card game built for VR is here! Developed by High Voltage Software, and produced by Oculus Studios, Dragon Front combines traditional high fantasy with a dieselpunk aesthetic for a one-of-a-kind experience. http://ocul.us/DragonFront Official Oculus Channels: Oculus: ocul.us/Oculus Facebook: ocul.us/Facebook Twitter: ocul.us/Twitter Instagram: ocul.us/Instagram

Skullcandy looking to enhance your VR experience with the upcoming Crusher VRA headphones.

If you attended VRLA Summer Expo you know that the VR Rave was amazing. During the rave Skullcandy allowed attendees to demo the brand’s first VR audio headphone, the new Crusher VRA. I have been a fan of Skullcandy's many products for a while including the Plyr 1 and Slyr headphone lines.  From my past experience with their products it is my honest opinion Skullcandy is looking to bring a great immersion VR product to market not just a pair of headphones with VR slapped on. 

“In our day to day lives, all the senses combine to create a meaningful or memorable experience,” said Hoby Darling, Skullcandy’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “There’s been remarkable progress with accessibility of hardware, software and content creation tools, but the majority of these advancements have been focused on elevating the visual VR experience. We’re here because we want to be catalysts for progressing the virtual reality audio, which we believe is an essential part of having a true VR experience.”

The brand’s first VR audio headphone, the new Crusher VRA™, features stereo haptic bass drivers that deliver directional bass you can feel, ferrofluid integration for broader, cleaner bass response and refined digital signal processing (DSP). This proprietary set of features combine to create industry-leading immersion and a premium multi-sensory experience.

Headphone Specs:

• Bluetooth Wireless w/aptX
• Up to 29 hour battery life
• VRA Immersion Tech
• Haptic Bass Response
• Pinnacle Acoustics
• Capacitive Touch VRA Control
• Memory Foam Ear Cushions
• Noise Isolating Fit
• Collapsible Design
• Built-in Microphone
• Call, Track, Volume Control
• Included Protective Case

Expo attendees were also able to demo Crusher VRA with Skullcandy’s Audioscape VR app experience. I had the chance to use it and was really impressed on Skullcandy's dedication to creating a VR experience. The headphones and the app will be available next year, this gives Skullcandy the time to create a fantastic immersion product for audiophiles and VR enthusiasts. 

www.catsandvr.com/blog/

VRLA Preview-WANDS for GearVR

Set in the late 19th-century  London, Wands  presents an  alternate  history  and  drops  gamers  into  a  virtual reality steampunk world where they can join a secret society of spell wielders who seek to prove their power and unlock hidden magical talents. I had recently heard about Wands and it was something I was looking forward to seeing during my time at VRLA. The NUX Studios team showcased the game at a super secret off site location and was on hand to answer my questions. 

There was some buzz about Wands going into the demo as several publications wrote that the trailer looked to good to be a GearVR game. Multiple users posted the trailer in the Gear VR sub reddit the day the trailer was released. Color me impressed; the demo was better than I expected. Not that I doubted the team but A GearVR PVP Wizard battling game could go either direction; pretty shitty or Harry Potter VRified. 

The game starts you of by allowing you to load your Wand for battle with whimsical sounding spells such as Devil's Spit. The game really does look fantastic and shows that Mobile VR is very capable of delivering high quality VR content. Though the game is launching for GearVR the possibility of seeing this on Google Daydream has me daydreaming.

I was offered a gamepad to use during the demo but refused because I like to see how games operate within the absolute confines of GearVR. I am glad I did, the Wands UI was perhaps one of the smoothest times I ever had with the touchpad. The quick changing from spells to teleporting was seamless and down right exciting. Wands offered me very fast paced twitch reaction gameplay as I battled one of the developers.  

One of the things that people use to put down mobile VR is that it does not offer a room scale experience like the HTC Vive. The level design of Wands has created an artificial room scale experience as nothing feels claustrophobic and I really felt like I was moving through a very large battle environment.  Most Mobile VR games currently have a on rails feel to them and though my playing position was mostly static i did feel fully immersed in the Wands level design. 

By including a spectator mode, global leaderboards, and seamless fast paced WiFi PVP combat, Wands could potentially be VR first true entry into the world of Esports.

I will have a full review of WANDS when it launches on GEARVR on August 18. For now check out the official NUX Studios website. http://www.nuxstudios.com/

Cats And VR

TheWaveVR teams up with Subpac,Skullcandy,WeLens,and amazing DJ's to crush it at VRLA Summer Expo

One of the major highlights of the VRLA Summer Expo was the VR Rave presented by Skullcandy, Subpac, WeLens, and TheWaveVR. Attendees like comedian extrodinaire Reggie Watts got to experience a next level audio visual experience that incorporated 3D visuals as well as the ability to experience it all in VR.

As you may know, TheWaveVR recently made headlines for raising $2.5 million to create a VR music ecosystem. http://www.catsandvr.com/blog/thewavevrfunding

TheWaveVR was able to showcase to the many attendees of VRLA just a glimpse of the VR music experience of the future. Reggie Watts strapped in to a Subpac(Subwoofer backpack) and threw on a pair of immersive Skullcandy headphones and was transported into a world of sound and amazing visuals. The lovely and talented Alluxe was throwing down pretty hard and Reggie seemed genuinely impressed.  I was able to snag an interview with Alluxe later in the day as well. 

Several DJ's showcased what they could do with the HTC Vive and TheWaveVR. Unfortunately I was unable to check out the set by TheWaveVR Co-founder Grimecraft due to finally being able to check out Mindshow. I was able to check out his set during the VRScout VRLA party where TheWaveVR was one of the featured attractions. 

Cats And VR