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$199 Oculus Go VR headset is ready for pre-order on Amazon
We're just hours away from the first keynote speech of Facebook's F8 event where we're expecting to hear about all kinds of things, including its mass-market standalone VR headset. Facebook showed off early standalone VR work with "Project Santa Cruz" two years ago, then last year revealed the Oculus Go and its $199 price. We got some hands-on time with its comfy wireless experience at GDC recently, but now Amazon watchers Wario64 and the Tracker App note that Monday night it became ready for pre-ordering. If you're already sure you want one of the headsets that will bring a VR experience without requiring any help from a PC or phone then you can go ahead and get in line now. The only issue remaining (other than any idea about details or software support) is the release date, which Amazon has filled in with a likely placeholder of December 31st. Update: After debuting at F8 earlier today, the headset is now officially on sale, and you can read our review right here.
Flying with a VR headset isn't as dorky as it sounds
As a somewhat regular flyer, I had always been intrigued by the concept of wearing a head-mounted display for some immersive in-flight entertainment. However, I never really found the "cinema" part of existing "personal cinema" headsets pervasive at all. Watching a tiny video through those headsets is like sitting in the last row of an empty theater. I'm not going to pay $800 for that. Then came the smartphone-powered VR headsets, but their three-degree-of-freedom (3DoF) tracking for just the head was never precise enough for prolonged usage. It wasn't until the Vive Focus, HTC's $630 standalone 6DoF VR device for China (about $100 of which goes to local taxes), that I finally decided to give virtual reality a chance to prove itself as a worthy alternative to those in-flight touchscreens. Luckily for me, my wife didn't forbid me from bringing this bright blue headset to our vacation, as long as it would fit into my carry-on.
Facebook's Hugo Barra says standalone headsets are key to social VR
Even though Oculus didn't have an official presence at CES this year, its leader, Hugo Barra, made a surprise appearance at Qualcomm's press conference to make an important announcement: Xiaomi would be its global hardware partner for Oculus Go, its first standalone VR headset. What's more, Xiaomi would also be making a special variant of the Go, the Mi VR Standalone, especially for China. In an interview with Barra following the press conference, he explained the reason for the push in standalone headsets: social VR.
HTC's first standalone Vive headset is only available in China
At long last, HTC has released a PC-free version of the Vive... only you probably won't get to use it. The company has introduced a Vive Standalone headset that's intended strictly for the Chinese market. China's mobile space is red hot, HTC says, so it makes sense that to take advantage of this "momentum" with accessible VR hardware. It's not clear just how well the self-contained Vive will compare to its PC-bound counterpart in some respects (such as display resolution and comfort), but HTC is clearly focused on portability and cost over raw power.
Oculus' next headset is a cross between the Rift and Gear VR
Virtual reality is kind of stuck between two markets right now: an extremely mobile but lower quality, phone-powered experience, and an very high end, expensive, wired PC experience. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg says neither is really good enough for the future of the platform. Virtual reality needs to be high quality, wireless and mobile. Today at Oculus Connect 3, Zuckerberg announced that it's coming. Referred to as the "Santa Cruz," the company now has a prototype wireless virtual reality headset designed to bridge the gap between the high end Oculus Rift and the portable Gear VR,.
The next 'Star Wars Anthology' flick is a Han Solo prequel
Get ready to add another big Star Wars date to your calendar. On May 25th, 2018, Disney is planning another standalone flick in the universe, this time focusing on Han Solo's early days -- before he ran into Luke, Leia and the rest. It's going to be directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, the pair responsible for the excellent The Lego Movie, with writing handled by Lawrence and Jon Kasdan. Lawrence wrote and directed Raiders of the Lost Ark, and was a co-writer for Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi and the next main Stars Wars flick, The Force Awakens, while his son Jon has written for movies and TV shows including Freaks and Geeks and Dawson's Creek. The first standalone Star Wars movie, Rogue One, is due in December 2016, with Episode VIII and BB-8 following in May 2017. [Image credit: Steve Parsons/PA Archive]
ESPN offers standalone subscription for the Cricket World Cup
Talks of ESPN's standalone options are nothing new, and for the 2015 Cricket World Cup, the network is offering a cable-free standalone subscription. Access to the event's six-week slate of 49 matches will cost viewers $100 for viewing on the web. Teams from 14 countries begin competition on February 13th, and if you're interested, sign-ups go live on the 3rd. As you might expect, the subscription includes access to all the action via iOS and Android apps too, options that ESPN says will arrive ahead of the first inning. The matches won't air on WatchESPN or any of the traditional channels, but pay-TV companies like Dish Network and Time Warner Cable will serve it up as a pay-per-view add-on -- if you're looking to bundle the bills. If you'll recall, rumors of ESPN's standalone NBA subscription began circulating last fall, and the broadcaster could do the same with Major League Soccer in the future. [Photo credit: Scott Barbour/Getty Images ]
Nickelodeon's standalone streaming service is coming in February
With networks announcing new streaming options on the regular, Nickelodeon is set to reveal a standalone service of its own. During an investor call this morning, Viacom chief Philippe Dauman said the kid-friendly channel will announce its subscription plans in February, targeting mobile devices. Details are scarce for now, but we should hear more soon, as the first of the month is imminent. HBO and CBS have already revealed their plans for cord cutters, and both AMC and ESPN are rumored to be mulling similar models, too. Of course, Nickelodeon will have to compete with the likes of Amazon and Netflix who already offer dedicated streams for younger viewers, included with subscriptions that parents are already paying for. [Photo credit: Shearer/Invision/AP]
Standalone Company of Heroes 2 add-on welcomes new troops in June
Hoping to draw more virtual commanders to the online battlefields of World War 2 strategy hit Company of Heroes 2, publisher Sega has announced a standalone multiplayer version of the game that will make it easier than ever to join the fight. Slated for release in June, Company of Heroes 2: The Western Front Armies will bear a $20 price tag. For that entry fee, players will be granted access to two new factions, the German Oberkommando West and US forces. As its name suggests, The Western Front Armies takes place on the heavily-contested Western Front, and offers players a new campaign, progression system and "other unique content." Best of all, this $20 standalone release will grant players access to the Company of Heroes 2 multiplayer servers. Though The Western Front Armies lacks the singleplayer content found in its predecessor, it does include a full complement of multiplayer options as well as all 31 official multiplayer maps released for Company of Heroes 2 to date. [Image: Sega]
Assassin's Creed 4 'Freedom Cry' standalone sets sail on PS3, PS4 today
Today marks the standalone debut of Freedom Cry, a tale set adjacent to the events of Assassin's Creed 4, and starring Edward Kenway's first mate, Adewale. Freedom Cry sees Adewale shipwrecked on Haiti, without supplies or a ship full of surly pirates backing his every murderous action. Instead, Adewale must form his own crew while aiding the local slave population in their fight against oppression at the hands of wealthy European landowners. As you'd expect from an Assassin's Creed entry, Adewale spends most of Freedom Cry avoiding a civilized discussion of human rights in the colonial era in favor of acrobatic assassinations and periodic brutal machete killings. While the original incarnation of Freedom Cry required players to own a copy of Assassin's Creed 4, this new version does not. Simply visit the PlayStation Network Store, hand over $15 and Adewale's quest is yours. A PC version of Freedom Cry will feature the same price tag, though that game won't debut until February 25. [Image: Ubisoft]
Assassin's Creed 4 'Freedom Cry' DLC earns standalone release
Having proven itself as a downloadable addition to Assassin's Creed 4, the game's Freedom Cry DLC will see a standalone release - though only on Sony's consoles and PC. The standalone Freedom Cry will be released exclusively as a downloadable title on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PC. The former two versions of the game are slated to appear on February 18 while the PC incarnation of Freedom Cry will debut on February 25. Each version will feature a $15 price tag and will not require that players already own Assassin's Creed 4. Freedom Cry stars Adewale, a former slave turned pirate turned assassin, who finds himself shipwrecked on Haiti. As he gathers a ship and crew to return to the sea, Adewale assists the locals in their attempts to escape slavery. Beyond the novel (if short) storyline, Freedom Cry is typical Assassin's Creed fare, full of acrobatic parkour and spectacular instances of stabbing people in the skull. [Image: Ubisoft]
Google Text-to-Speech hits the Play Store, brings charming British accent with it
Google is continuing its trend of pushing Android's built-in apps directly to the Play Store with Text-to-Voice. The application isn't very flashy on its own, but when coupled with Google Books it can read you a bedtime story or even integrate with Google Translate for aural pronunciation examples. Mountain View also added Korean language support, which could be useful if you ever want to ask a question while touring Samsung HQ. However, to use the app you have to be running Ice Cream Sandwich at the minimum -- you're still out there, right?
DayZ standalone version jacks up graphics, player customization
The race to a DayZ standalone version release is on, and creator Dean Hall is feeling excited and confident about the progress being made. Hall posted a list of improvements that the team is currently working on, from graphics to customization, and gave an update regarding the testing process. DayZ standalone's graphics are clearly improved from the ARMA II-modded version, and Hall includes side-by-side comparison photos of a town to show just how big of a difference the new engine makes. He said that the team is working on vehicle, character, and weapon customizations, although players will find that the real avatar customization will come while engaging in the game proper. One notable entry on Hall's list is the fact that the team is building the servers to be "MMO-like" so that hacking and cheating will be markedly more difficult. He also said that while external testers haven't been invited into the beta yet, this will happen once the full server/client architecture is completed.
DayZ standalone version should arrive by April
What everyone seems to be clamoring for these days is a standalone version of DayZ, the hit zombie survival game by Dean Hall. The creator opened up to Reddit on the progress of the version and his feelings on being confused for the maker of The War Z. Hall says that DayZ's standalone version should come out before April, although he allows for wiggle room if something comes up between now and then. The team is being cautious about pulling the trigger on testing, too: "Slowly we'll hand out the first keys and get a few servers running. Then we will reassess. It could go really well and we open up quickly, or it could go badly. Don't expect the tech test to be fun, or very pretty." Past the release of the standalone version, Hall said that he has plans to create a new map that centers around a western city. Hall also addressed his frustration at being confused with The War Z: "I am angry about The War Z. I'm very angry. I'm quite hurt personally because anyone can see how similar the words are, and while the average gamer knows the difference, individual people don't. I've had family members and close friends mistake the difference and confront me about what they believed was unethical behavior they thought I was making."
Might & Magic Heroes 6 'Shades of Darkness' standalone coming Feb. 28
Ubisoft has announced a release date for the upcoming Might & Magic Heroes VI standalone expansion. Shades of Darkness, as it's called, will be available worldwide on February 28, 2013. Set in time one century after the core game's events, Shades of Darkness will feature two storylines, setting two factions – the Dark Elves and the Necromancers of Heresh – against each other for the fate of Ashan.The expansion will be available independently or as part of a Might & Magic Heroes VI Complete Edition, which includes the core game and the expansion along with all bonus content, two DLC packs, and a full soundtrack. And Ubisoft has also premiered the Might & Magic web portal, featuring lots of information about the franchise's mythology, an interactive timeline about the world's history, and lots of new and info on the various games in the series. You can see some portal layouts and a bit of concept art for the expansion in the gallery below. %Gallery-172876%
DayZ mod is going for the hobo appeal
For all DayZ fans who feel that the inclusion of powerful weapons and relatively plentiful supply caches don't accurately portray their personal vision for a horrible post-apocalyptic zombie world, then a new mod in the making might do the trick. Called DayZ 2017, the mod seeks to progress the game world forward five years to a time when everything's a lot harder to come by. Modder Luke Hinds explained his reasoning on the DayZ 2017 website: "I now want to go back to basics and really focus on what made Rocket's mod really tick with players, and that was scarcity and threat. The main changes will be taking out most loot and making what's left very rare." Hinds cites films such as The Book of Eli and The Road as inspiration. He created "hobo-like" characters who look far more worn-down and a combat that slants more toward melee than ranged. DayZ 2017 hopefully will arrive by the end of the year. Recently, the makers of DayZ cracked down on a different mod that sought to monetize the game through a bounty system.
DayZ cracks down on 'Bounty' mod
You'd be hard-pressed to find a dedicated DayZ player who doesn't think the game's already exciting enough. Even so, there is a trio of gamers who have decided that the hardcore zombie survival mod needs some spicing up. Hence, the creation of a real-money version of the game called DayZ Bounty. DayZ Bounty requires players to pay per life but offers income in return if the gamer is good enough to take out NPCs and other humans. Co-creator James Ortiz said that it made the game far more interesting: "We figured that if people had a value on their life... there'd be something to fear besides the zombies." Unfortunately for the Bounty team, DayZ's creators are calling for an end to the mod. A spokeperson for the development team said that Bounty "undermined" the title, and asked for a cessation of the project. "It changes the focus of DayZ from being a creative, enjoyable, gritty gaming experience to a game that is based almost solely on financial gain," the spokesperson explained, "and that is not something we want to be associated with."
Google Calendar for Android becomes stand-alone app
Google has historically broken out preloaded Android apps like Gmail and Maps as stand-alone titles so that they don't have to be upgraded in lock-step with the main OS, but its Calendar app typically hasn't had that privilege. The isolation ends with a newly distinct Google Calendar that's treated as just another Google Play download. You'll need at least Android 4.0 or 4.1, which leaves relatively few differences between the download and what's already on your device, but that's not the point -- the change really lets Google move users on to the Jelly Bean app and beyond, even if their device makers aren't ready. Owners currently running Jelly Bean will still get a few extras, such as better support for non-Nexus hardware and a wider time range for calendar syncing. Hit the source link if you're game for that kind of futureproofing.
DayZ development screenshots released
The development as DayZ as a standalone title is rolling ever forward. To give fans a hint of the sort of progress being made, the development team shared a few work in progress screenshots of some interiors in the game. The art team's recent focus (as you might've guessed from the content of the screenshots) has been on going through and giving each building an interior. Moving forward, the developers will be working on balancing complexity within cities and an interest in scavenging opportunities with a need for greatly increased performance.%Gallery-168382%
DayZ receiving a standalone version before the year is out
Are you interested in zombie survivalist fantasies but not interested in buying an unrelated first-person shooter? DayZ has already garnered a fan following despite being a mod for an existing game, but a standalone version of the game is in the works for release before the end of the year. Creator Dean Hall has stated that in terms of what the team wants to accomplish (some of which was outlined in our interview on the game), the alpha version absolutely has to be out by the end of the year. Hill has not named an exact price, but he has made it clear that the standalone version will be cheap. He's also made a point of stating several of his longer-term plans for the standalone version, including the spread of diseases, makeshift first-aid remedies, and the eventual inclusion of vehicles. All of it is very ambitious, but that's part of the reason that the team is dead-set on having the standalone game out before the end of December.
