Meta’s next VR headset will launch in October

The headset is likely Project Cambria, and it will debut at Connect.

Read the whole story

 

[Cumulonimbus Maximus]

Neat. Hopefully someone else will do it better because of just one thing:

There is zero chance in any version of hell I'll invest in anything associated with Zuckerberg, Facebook or Meta as a whole.

Hopefully someone will root it, and we will start getting custom firmware to unlock it and divest it from Facebook.

I'm not paying for a device made by Facebook, rooted and decoupled from Facebook or not, because in the end, they'd still be getting my money.

 

[Totally Radical Liberal]

I really want to love VR. I had a Gen 1 Oculus Rift. I have a Valve Index that I rarely use. For all of the hype and talk about the metaverse, I've yet to hear of any compelling VR experience come out since Alyx and that was March 2020! The greatest hardware in the world means zero if there's nothing to do on it. You can't even get into the Zuckerverse unless you buy a Meta product which also makes zero sense because they're just further limiting your user base.

When I was younger VR seemed like this super cool future thing I was excited to see happen. I used some really early stuff, big polygon 3D level, and it was so neat.

Somewhere along the line I just lost interest. Maybe I'm too old, and it's something for a younger generation, but strapping in and narrowing my vision to a screen lost its appeal.

So that's my personal bias up front. But that said, I really don't know many people excited about it, it's not something I see talked about in gaming or social circles. Just my bubble of course, but it really doesn't feel like there's a killer app anyone is truly excited about.

Maybe I'm not paying attention to the right things, but it just feels like a product they're trying to sell, not something many people really want.

Most people who use VR regularly are busy in metaverses like VRChat. No one cares about Facebook's ugly attempt.

Also the only PC/Quest game of note that anyone is very interested in right now is BoneLab. It's been pretty barren of late. After the Fall is the VR game I've spent the most time with and it's a janky L4D clone.

Hopefully PSVR2 comes out swinging with Sony money, publisher relationships, good hardware, and the visuals that system level foveated rendering enable.

 

[Batmanuel]

Some days I wonder if Zuck is literally the only person in the world who wants the Metaverse to happen.

Aren't the crypto-evangelicals bullish on it? From what I've seen, they seem to also long for a Metaverse where they can pretend their digital scarcity has any meaning.

They just see it as another way to get people to buy NFTs in order to inflate the price of Ethereum. Crypto bros are always on the lookout for new marks.

 

[Batmanuel]

Have they fixed the walking animations?

There's a reason why Metaverse avatars are floating torsos with no leg, like the ghost nanny from the Saga comic:

Spoiler

 

[Batmanuel]

My interest in VR died with Facebook forcing their accounts on the Oculus. It was fun swinging a virtual lightsaber at bricks, but not worth dealing with the facebook shitshow. My VR headset probably won't even turn on now, been sitting unused since 2020, and if it did, will probably still be sitting on the "Sign in with facebook account" login. Ah well.

If it helps, Facebook isn't required anymore for login. See: https://www.oculus.com/blog/meta-accounts/

It probably still GPS tracks you though....

It's still the same company and it probably all goes to the same backend for data mining, so just because the account says Meta doesn't mean I trust them with my private data.

 

[BlandMushroom]

They haven't given up the metaverse idea yet? I thought Meta folding their crypto operations was sort of a shift of ambitions.

 

[deadman12-4]

My interest in VR died with Facebook forcing their accounts on the Oculus. It was fun swinging a virtual lightsaber at bricks, but not worth dealing with the facebook shitshow. My VR headset probably won't even turn on now, been sitting unused since 2020, and if it did, will probably still be sitting on the "Sign in with facebook account" login. Ah well.

If it helps, Facebook isn't required anymore for login. See: https://www.oculus.com/blog/meta-accounts/

It probably still GPS tracks you though....

They now require a "meta account", which is still basically a facebook account by a different name.
Don't fall for the lies, you still need to be logged into their account to track everything.

 

[KnightRT]

I really want to love VR. I had a Gen 1 Oculus Rift. I have a Valve Index that I rarely use. For all of the hype and talk about the metaverse, I've yet to hear of any compelling VR experience come out since Alyx and that was March 2020! The greatest hardware in the world means zero if there's nothing to do on it. You can't even get into the Zuckerverse unless you buy a Meta product which also makes zero sense because they're just further limiting your user base.

VR's been on my back-burner for years. The plan in 2019 was to jump in with both feet for racing and flight sims, but I couldn't get a sufficiently powerful graphics card. Then headsets like the Varjo Aero arrived that make all the other ones look bad, so I'm back in limbo again. Or at least questioning how much I'm willing to spend to take the leap into 3D relative to a bevy of 4K panels.

 

[ferny]

Neat. Hopefully someone else will do it better because of just one thing:

There is zero chance in any version of hell I'll invest in anything associated with Zuckerberg, Facebook or Meta as a whole.

Hopefully someone will root it, and we will start getting custom firmware to unlock it and divest it from Facebook.

that would be great if they sell the hardware at a loss.

 

[Lansow]

Cool! My kids love their Quest 2, and I even enjoy it for some VR experiences over wifi; you can stream directly from your PC, and untethered PC VR is a next level experience. A newer version, maybe higher res with better refresh? Yup, I'll buy it.

For any seated stuff I use my Reverb G2 because the picture quality is aces.

 

[Lansow]

VR's been on my back-burner for years. The plan in 2019 was to jump in with both feet for racing and flight sims, but I couldn't get a sufficiently powerful graphics card. Then headsets like the Varjo Aero arrived that make all the other ones look bad, so I'm back in limbo again. Or at least questioning how much I'm willing to spend to take the leap into 3D relative to a bevy of 4K panels.

I play a lot of sims, flight and racing. I have a cockpit with Fanatec equipment(CSL DD, Clubsport Pedals v3 inverted, VNM Simulation Shifter), multiple bass shakers, triple screens, full HOTAS with rudder pedals and a Reverb G2. The G2 sits on the shelf most of the time, I find triple screens far more comfortbale for sessions of any real length.

MSFS 2020 in VR is something else, though. Wow.

 

[sphigel]

I really want to love VR. I had a Gen 1 Oculus Rift. I have a Valve Index that I rarely use. For all of the hype and talk about the metaverse, I've yet to hear of any compelling VR experience come out since Alyx and that was March 2020! The greatest hardware in the world means zero if there's nothing to do on it. You can't even get into the Zuckerverse unless you buy a Meta product which also makes zero sense because they're just further limiting your user base.

VR's been on my back-burner for years. The plan in 2019 was to jump in with both feet for racing and flight sims, but I couldn't get a sufficiently powerful graphics card. Then headsets like the Varjo Aero arrived that make all the other ones look bad, so I'm back in limbo again. Or at least questioning how much I'm willing to spend to take the leap into 3D relative to a bevy of 4K panels.

The Quest 2 was a no-brainer IMO at its old price. You could play basic VR games without a PC and tether to your PC once you upgraded graphics cards. Yes, VR will only get better, but as an original HTC Vive owner, it's pretty damn impressive already IMO.

 

[Resolute]

Nope. Won't even consider it as long as Zuckerberg and Facebook are involved with Oculus in any way.

 

[Hlafordlaes]

There is no less trustworthy being than Mark Zuckerberg in RL, VR or cyberspace. Not even a wooden nickel for anything related to this man.

 

[ChickenLegs]

I'm not surprised to see so many knee-jerk reactions to Meta's efforts in the VR space. And to be certain, I hardly hold Meta up on some kind of pedestal. Meta has tremendous flaws.

But their VR efforts are not part of those flaws. Meta has pushed VR forward more than any other company, with perhaps the sole exception of Oculus (before they were bought out by Meta). The Quest 2 is the defacto VR device to buy at this point and nothing is even close.

As a VR enthusiast that's been keeping tabs on the community ever since the Oculus kickstarter was announced, I'll be buying whatever the next Meta VR headset is the day it goes on preorder. I don't personally give a crap about the Metaverse (at least not yet), but I use my Quest 2 daily now as a general media consuption device. I watch YouTube TV with it. I watch movies with it. I browse the web with it. I play games on it. And I'll be doing the same with whatever the next version is... and then the next... and then the next...

 

[andygates]

So is this going to be an AR headet, or just Quest++?

 

[andygates]

Actually this reminds me, I should try that sailing sim now that my arms can work again moderately extended. Mmm, backlog.

 

[Resolute]

I'm sorry Chickenlegs, but no. VR is 100% a part of those flaws. Literally the only thing Facebook cares about is harvesting and stealing your personal data. That's it. If they are advancing VR - which from a technological and adoption perspective is not unfair - it is ONLY to further their goals of data harvesting. I will happily consider an Oculus device once the company is fully and completely separated from Facebook. But not one second before that.

 

[captain numerica]

Facebook set VR back by years. Not so much the hardware - that's great - but by poisoning it with all this other shit.

FB killed VR for me entirely. My Oculus dev kits (pre-FB) are in a dusty box next to VGA cables and TV 3D glasses.

I do hope Zuckers' Metaverse is a complete strategic failure, such that Facebook companies (by any name) clear out of AR/VR, so that hackers, tinkerers, and devs passionate about AR/VR experiences have a chance to redefine the domain.

 

[Tekagi]

Calling the headset "Cambria" feels like yet another not so subtle way of trying to bury the Cambridge Analytica scandal

If someone starts a google search with "facebook/meta cambri" the first suggested results will be for a product of theirs that they're selling to you, instead of a story about why they should cease to exist as a company and don't deserve any of your money.

 

[Fatesrider]

I am looking forward to seeing what are Meta's cutting-edge hardware specs and what then can be expected from Quest 3. Say whatever you want about Meta (and you will be probably right), but Quest 2 was the first headset that was simultaneously good and affordable so if Quest 3 keeps it up I would be pretty happy with it.

I think the point the majority of people are making is that regardless of how good the VR headset is, as long as it requires integration with a Facebook account, it's DOA for a humongously large majority of people who would otherwise be interested in trying it out.

I figure Facebook's purchase of Oculus set back the wide-spread adoption of VR by decades, simply because the owner of the "best stuff" is so fucking evil.

 

[Oliver Weichhold]

The urge, to punch face, so stronk.

 

[orangpelupa]

Wait and see for psvr2 PCVR compatibility. If it supports pc officially or unofficially, then there will be no plan to buy quest 3.

I almost exclusively used quest 1 and 2 for PCVR.

 

[orangpelupa]

My interest in VR died with Facebook forcing their accounts on the Oculus. It was fun swinging a virtual lightsaber at bricks, but not worth dealing with the facebook shitshow. My VR headset probably won't even turn on now, been sitting unused since 2020, and if it did, will probably still be sitting on the "Sign in with facebook account" login. Ah well.

If it helps, Facebook isn't required anymore for login. See: https://www.oculus.com/blog/meta-accounts/

It probably still GPS tracks you though....

They now require a "meta account", which is still basically a facebook account by a different name.
Don't fall for the lies, you still need to be logged into their account to track everything.

I just want to check what's being discounted on oculus store and it showed full screen warning to switch to meta account and that my quest 2 (surprisingly, not quest 1) listed as potentially be factory resetted.

Blergh. I instantly closed the oculus store. Too much headache

 

[orangpelupa]

I really want to love VR. I had a Gen 1 Oculus Rift. I have a Valve Index that I rarely use. For all of the hype and talk about the metaverse, I've yet to hear of any compelling VR experience come out since Alyx and that was March 2020! The greatest hardware in the world means zero if there's nothing to do on it. You can't even get into the Zuckerverse unless you buy a Meta product which also makes zero sense because they're just further limiting your user base.

When I was younger VR seemed like this super cool future thing I was excited to see happen. I used some really early stuff, big polygon 3D level, and it was so neat.

Somewhere along the line I just lost interest. Maybe I'm too old, and it's something for a younger generation, but strapping in and narrowing my vision to a screen lost its appeal.

So that's my personal bias up front. But that said, I really don't know many people excited about it, it's not something I see talked about in gaming or social circles. Just my bubble of course, but it really doesn't feel like there's a killer app anyone is truly excited about.

Maybe I'm not paying attention to the right things, but it just feels like a product they're trying to sell, not something many people really want.

The trick is to play games that obscures the low field of view.

Rez infinite area X and tetris effects comes to mind

 

[Apple fanboy 101]

How have we normalized that Zuckerberg appears in a far right podcast?

 

[the_frakker]

Tried to sign into my oculus account today and was asked to create my Meta account in order to continue. Fine. Whatever.

But then it also is going to force me to setup a Horizons profile. Like…why!? I just want to play my games. I will never open the Horizon app. I don’t want to be a part of that bs metaverse.

I did not know this was part of the transition and I’m very unhappy that, until I make this profile, I can’t continue.

My kids are excited for a new Quest. The Quest has been a great VR gaming headset that works independently and with PCs. As much as I like the hardware I don’t want to go down this path with Meta. So… thanks, but no. I think I’m done with their devices.

 

[bbanditx79]

The big problem with VR is there still is no really "killer app or game" that really excites people. I have the quest 2 and I like it, but for actual gaming it is still a step down from what I can play and experience just gaming on my pc or console normally. The graphics are lesser, the sound not as good, and of course the whole headset thing. I'm a techie so I'll probably eventually get another vr headset (one that connects wirelessly to my pc since that's how I use my quest 2 95% of the time) but we still need that "killer app or game" to go with whatever new and upgrade tech they come out with otherwise it doesn't matter.

 

[punctualDonkey]

…. You can't even get into the Zuckerverse unless you buy a Meta product which also makes zero sense because they're just further limiting your user base.

That’s because Zuck really, really wants to own the hardware platform. Apple’s privacy changes on iOS cost him billions and so he’s determined to have the biggest hw platform with VR
so he’s not at the mercy of another platform owner. Of course nobody is going to give a shit about Oculus if the software sucks (Horizon Worlds?!?) and Apple will be extremely tough competition for him when they release their entry into this space. And since many of us already mistrust him (fuck zuck), if I were betting it would be against him. But it makes sense why he’s doing it this way, if you think about his motivation. Also fuck zuck.

 

[D10genes]

There’s no content. They might have the best tech in the world, it doesn’t matter. It lacks imagination. I’d rather play a real board game. Same reason I haven’t bought a ps5. Same reason I haven’t upgraded my TV in a decade. I don’t need slightly better black levels. Tech has far outstripped the creative imagination needed to bring it to life.

 

[Resolute]

How have we normalized that Zuckerberg appears in a far right podcast?

Because it is no secret that Zuckerberg and Facebook have catered to and promoted the alt right for years.

 

[Pete Mitchell]

Beware the Zuckerborg!

 

[Vipre77]

Edit: Nevermind. Ninja’d a bunch.

 

[Aurich]

My interest in VR died with Facebook forcing their accounts on the Oculus. It was fun swinging a virtual lightsaber at bricks, but not worth dealing with the facebook shitshow. My VR headset probably won't even turn on now, been sitting unused since 2020, and if it did, will probably still be sitting on the "Sign in with facebook account" login. Ah well.

Potentially some good news for you then. Facebook no longer required.

https://www.oculus.com/blog/meta-accounts/

This is why Facebook created the Meta brand, so that people could say "oh, it's not Facebook, it's Meta" like it's not exactly the same thing.

 

[Zylon]

I really want to love VR. I had a Gen 1 Oculus Rift. I have a Valve Index that I rarely use. For all of the hype and talk about the metaverse, I've yet to hear of any compelling VR experience come out since Alyx and that was March 2020! The greatest hardware in the world means zero if there's nothing to do on it. You can't even get into the Zuckerverse unless you buy a Meta product which also makes zero sense because they're just further limiting your user base.

When I was younger VR seemed like this super cool future thing I was excited to see happen. I used some really early stuff, big polygon 3D level, and it was so neat.

Somewhere along the line I just lost interest. Maybe I'm too old, and it's something for a younger generation, but strapping in and narrowing my vision to a screen lost its appeal.

So that's my personal bias up front. But that said, I really don't know many people excited about it, it's not something I see talked about in gaming or social circles. Just my bubble of course, but it really doesn't feel like there's a killer app anyone is truly excited about.

Maybe I'm not paying attention to the right things, but it just feels like a product they're trying to sell, not something many people really want.

I loathe FB as much as anyone, but 15 million units sold seems like a lot to me for a niche product. The original Xbox sold 24 million units.

 

[Eurynom0s]

My interest in VR died with Facebook forcing their accounts on the Oculus. It was fun swinging a virtual lightsaber at bricks, but not worth dealing with the facebook shitshow. My VR headset probably won't even turn on now, been sitting unused since 2020, and if it did, will probably still be sitting on the "Sign in with facebook account" login. Ah well.

If it helps, Facebook isn't required anymore for login. See: https://www.oculus.com/blog/meta-accounts/

It probably still GPS tracks you though....

It's still the same company and it probably all goes to the same backend for data mining, so just because the account says Meta doesn't mean I trust them with my private data.

They're definitely doing this kind of shit. One time I got a friend recommendation on Facebook for someone whose phone number I'd just gotten that really only made sense if Whatsapp was harvesting my contacts and then Facebook was linking it back to my Facebook profile. Zero overlapping social circles, having the phone number in my phone is the only thing that makes sense for why they got recommended.

 

[glutenstructure]

I'm sorry Chickenlegs, but no. VR is 100% a part of those flaws. Literally the only thing Facebook cares about is harvesting and stealing your personal data. That's it. If they are advancing VR - which from a technological and adoption perspective is not unfair - it is ONLY to further their goals of data harvesting. I will happily consider an Oculus device once the company is fully and completely separated from Facebook. But not one second before that.

its funny, the wall street analysts dont think the data derived from a quest 2 is worth that much, can you explain to me whats so juicy about it?

Google and alexa are way juicier, they "trigger" very easily and are always on and always plugged in.