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Oculus CEO clarifies: one Oculus Rift headed to consumers, supports Android and PC
Despite contrary reports, Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe says that only one version of his company's consumer-ready virtual reality gaming headset is planned for launch. "We will be delivering a single Oculus Rift," Iribe tells Engadget. After giving a keynote during GamesBeat 2013 this week, it was widely reported (based on this VentureBeat piece) that two versions of the consumer Oculus Rift are being prepared for launch: one PC version, one Android. That is not the case according to Oculus. "We will be delivering a single Oculus Rift which is a tether to multiple different devices," Iribe says. The device is able to tether to a variety of laptop/desktop OSes (Windows/Mac/Linux), "and now we're looking to also support tethering to a mobile device." At launch, Android support is slim -- not exactly a surprise considering the horsepower required to run VR -- but Iribe promises it won't require next-gen, Kepler-grade mobile GPUs. "I don't think it's going to require that full Kepler capability. I think we'll be able to deliver on an even earlier chipset than that." He says that newly hired CTO John Carmack is producing impressive results already on existing mobile hardware. "I think people will be pretty surprised with what set of devices we're able to make this work on. We are focused on just a few right now, basically just to stay focused so that we can deliver a great experience on a couple devices first. Then over time we'll have that span out," Iribe says. Of course, he won't say what devices those are just yet, but we'd bet they'll be of the Snapdragon 800 variety -- something powerful. The company never specifies "mobile" as tablets or phones, and Iribe didn't say during our interview. When we followed up, the official company line is this: "We're testing the latest Android phones, tablets and gaming devices to see what delivers the best VR experience." Devs have yet to receive the Android SDK from Oculus; Iribe admits it's "taking a little bit longer," but he promises it's for the best. "When we do release it, and we say it works with this set of devices, and here is the SDK, and here are the demos and samples...when people try them they're blown away with how well they work. It's coming soon, but not ready to release a date."
Oculus Rift's John Carmack says a new Rift dev kit is in the works, sees consumer model running Android (video)
Oculus Rift's new Chief Technology Officer John Carmack says a new Oculus Rift dev kit is in the works and will arrive in developers' hands before the retail unit ships some time next year. In an interview with Engadget this morning, Carmack also spelled out what he sees as the future of the Rift's consumer model: an Android-powered standalone headset powered by an SoC. "The way I believe it's going to play out is you will eventually have a head-mounted display that probably runs Android, as a standalone system, that has a system-on-a-chip that's basically like what you have in mobile phones," Carmack said. Echoing company founder Palmer Luckey, Carmack said that the Rift was born from mobile technology's constant push forward, bringing down the price of Rift's components and making it accessible to consumers. He expects mobile tech to reach 4K resolution in the not-so-distant future, making future models of the Rift much sharper visually. The bigger issue, though, is head-tracking -- something Carmack's actively concerned with and working to solve ahead of a retail release. "A lot of the work at Oculus has gone into working out better position tracking," he told us. "The tracking side is something that there hasn't been as much of a push for and we're frantically working on a lot of that, because that is one of the other really large issues. But we expect that the next developer kit will have higher resolution and position tracking addressing some of these significant issues." As for how the Rift consumer version will launch, that's another question altogether -- he said that there are several camps within Oculus arguing for a retail release vs. direct-to-consumers vs. other options. Head below the break for the full video interview with much more from one of gaming's most famous faces.
Toyota and game devs team up on CorollaCade, an arcade machine that uses the Oculus Rift
What happens when you take Toyota's money, a team of game developers, an Oculus Rift, an aging driving game arcade machine setup, and throw them all together? You get "CorollaCade," the embarrassingly named / extremely cool advergame that Ogeeku (the aforementioned dev team) created for Toyota using an Oculus Rift, programming savvy, and an old driving game setup from an arcade. The team apparently put the whole shebang together in just under a month, and the game (driving around a Western-style town in a modeled out 2014 Toyota Corolla) is modeled on old arcade racing games. Head below the break for a more thorough breakdown, in video form, of CorollaCade. We've reached out to the team at Ogeeku to see if there are any chances to get your hands on the machine, but for now it seems like little more than a fun experiment. Update: Jon Brence from the dev team tells Engadget, "We are in talks with the brand [Toyota] to have another cabinet built for showcase to the public and for several events, as well as releasing the game we built for those who have access to Oculus - but nothing has been fully confirmed yet. The big hope is that systems utilizing technology like this will be available to the public during car shows and events so people can test drive the car of their choice." Sounds like we might get a chance to check it out sooner than later! [Thanks Kyle!]
Commercial Reality: Why the man behind EVE Online is betting on VR while others aren't
Hilmar Pétursson is convinced virtual reality gaming will be mainstream in 2014. It's a bold claim to put to people who, by next year, will have been exhausted by next-gen console purchases. But Pétursson has already tasked 20 engineers at his company, CCP, with creating what looks set to be the first major game designed solely for the Oculus Rift VR headset. EVE Valkyrie is a high-profile commitment: a Wing Commander-esque dogfighting title, which will tie into the same universe as CCP's main PC and console properties, EVE Online and Dust 514. The question is whether significant numbers of gamers will choose to spend an estimated $300 on a pair of Oculus goggles. For a number of reasons -- some immediate, some futuristic and others downright outlandish -- Pétursson believes they'll come up with the money. They won't be able to stop themselves.
VorpX turns BioShock Infinite, Mirror's Edge (and more) into Oculus Rift-ready games
Irrational Games' blockbuster BioShock Infinite and EA DICE's Mirror's Edge weren't built with the Oculus Rift in mind, but both are part of a huge list of games supported by a new piece of software available today: VorpX. The still-in-beta, $40 application promises to convert a variety of games from monitor-exclusive experiences to Oculus Rift-ready VR games, including the aforementioned two and a lengthy list of others. As none of the supported games are meant to work with the Rift, a variety of workarounds are implemented by VorpX. Clicking in and holding down your mouse wheel, for instance, allows you to "edge peek," which allows users to look freely at the edges of their field-of-view instead of it moving with the headset's movement. Additionally, since rendering two distinct views of high-def, modern games is taxing, VorpX uses a workaround called "Z-buffer," which is apparently "the highest performing" of the two available options, but not as pretty. You can also choose "Geometry 3D," which does render two distinct feeds and, well, we're jealous of whatever system you've got that's running that smoothly. Not every game supports both modes, but a fair number do (there's a list right here comparing both). Head below for a handful of video demonstrations of VorpX in action, as well as the full list of supported games.
Oculus Rift latency tester now available for pre-order, knows better than your eyes
Sure, you could try and measure the motion-to-photons latency present in various Oculus Rift virtual reality games using your naked eye, but the latency tester Oculus just put up for pre-order is much easier and far more accurate. As demonstrated by Oculus Rift inventor Palmer Luckey in the video after the break, simply pop off one of the Rift dev kit's two lens caps and pop on the latency tester. After plugging it in via mini-USB, the tester reads the latency per eye and outputs a number on the rear -- voila ici. Like with so many things Oculus, folks who put in their name early have first crack at the latency tester. The rest of us can put in our names now for pre-order and they'll start shipping out in early October -- Oculus tells us, "they're sitting in our warehouse now, waiting for new homes." If you're looking to get in on the action you probably shouldn't wait, as only a "limited quantity" is available for now, though more could be produced "based on demand."
Wander winds its way to the PS4
At PAX Prime, players who yearned for more to a game than just combat were treated to a glimpse of a game that doesn't even have combat. Aptly named Wander, this game's focus is on collaborative exploration and discovery. Currently the game runs on Linux, PC, and OS X, but today Creative Director Loki Davison announced that the Oculus Rift-supporting title will be available on the PlayStation 4. What can players expect when wandering in Wander? Explorable land totals 64 square kilometres so far and players will start off as a giant tree exploring a rainforest. Throughout their journeys, they can morph into a total of five different forms: Ent, Polynesian Elf Girl, Griffon, Azertash (sea creature), and Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger). You can get a taste of the world in the gallery below. [Source: Wander Game press release]
PAX Prime 2013 and FFXIV relaunch event in pictures
This year's PAX Prime has come and gone, but during my trip I snapped a bundle of pictures we're pretty sure you're going to love. Enjoy some booths, crowds, games, and quite a bit of the Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn launch event. Even Jesus showed up for my photo shoot!
Elon Musk shows off Iron Man-style rocket design with gestures and 3D printing (video)
In another confirmation that Elon Musk lives life differently from the rest of us, he's just posted a new SpaceX video that's straight out of a sci-fi movie. In it, he demonstrates designing parts for a rocket the company could use just with hand gestures using a Leap Motion controller. After that, we move to a 3D projection of the part, free standing glass projection just like Iron Man, and even an implementation with the Oculus Rift VR headset. While much of its appeal is watching a billionaire play with the latest tech toys, the video gives a peek at what's possible with technology that's actually available to a rapidly growing number of people. Inspiring stuff -- we'll see if we can finish the Hyperloop concept with a Kinect and an old Virtual Boy.
PAX Prime 2013: Exploring Wander with creator Loki Davison
Wander is an MMO that eschews the primary mechanics of traditional titles and instead relies on what creator Loki Davison refers to as "collaborative exploration." Designed to recreate the feeling you get when you discover something beautiful in real life and rush home to tell your friends, Wander has no maps, checkpoints, or objectives. The only ways to uncover the game's secrets are to discover them yourself or have another player show you the way. Our own Jasmine Hrushcak snagged some time with Wander and its creator at PAX Prime 2013 and managed to ask a few questions in between acrophobic Oculus Rift-induced panic attacks.
Editor's Letter: Back to school
In each issue of Distro, Executive Editor Marc Perton publishes a wrap-up of the week in news. There was a time when gearing up to go back to school meant little more than picking up a new backpack, some clothes and the latest HP calculator. Those days, of course, are long gone, and even fifth-graders can expect to start the school year with a new smartphone and laptop. In this issue of Distro, Engadget's annual back to school guide presents our latest recommendations for everything from tablets to TVs to gaming gear. And if you're a US resident over 18 (sorry fifth-graders), there's still time to enter our Back to School sweepstakes, where we're giving away tons of great gadgets, including laptops, e-readers and smartphones.
Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg on how Destiny was 'born modern' and why social connectivity will define the next-gen
Successive generations of console gaming have been, historically, defined by improvements in graphics. But Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg envisions a different future for the coming next-gen of gaming and it's all about connectivity. As he told our own Ben Gilbert at Gamescom 2013 this week, "The same way that Xbox Live and PlayStation Network led to the big trend in this generation being multiplayer games, I think that some sort of connectivity and social amplification of games is probably something you'll see a lot of creative activity around [in the next-gen]." Hirshberg offered up Destiny, Bungie's upcoming hybrid FPS / persistent world game as a prime example of this trend, and referred to the title as being "born modern" -- a video game and social network rolled into one. Hirshberg's aware that not all gamers are ready to jump ship from the current console generation. Which is why his company decided to invest in a new engine for Call of Duty: Ghosts to maximize the beauty of its visuals and audio, but still make it a multiplatform, cross-generational title. Activision's even partnering up with retailers to offer gamers incentives (in the form of a minimal upgrade fee) to make the next-gen leap should they initially purchase the PS3 or Xbox 360 version. As for where forward-facing virtual reality hardware like the Oculus Rift fits in, Hirshberg wasn't as optimistic. He's used the VR headset before, but primarily views it as a non-additive layer for gaming that's better enjoyed in "small doses" due to its intensity. For our full interview with Hirshberg and all his thoughts on the next-gen of gaming, click on past the break.
Daily Roundup: Xbox at Gamescom, Project Spark, Hot Watch hands-on, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Ubisoft isn't afraid of mobile gaming, sees a bright future in Wii U and Oculus Rift
Ubisoft's Alain Corre isn't worried about the rise in mobile gaming. On the contrary, Corre, who heads up the company's overseas operations, seems to welcome the uptick in iOS and Android gamers and not resignedly, either. "What we like in mobile gaming is that it's bringing a lot of new people to games," he told us. "Which for us is very good because it's a teaching thing and... at one point, some of them will feel a bit limited with the scope of mobile games and they'll want to experience something different in gaming." Whether it's the limitations of the casual genre or outright boredom, Corre's confident a chunk of these new gaming converts will seek out home console or PC experiences. Something that's more along the lines of a Watch Dogs or Assassin's Creed, perhaps. And with the advent of the next-gen, the timing for this gaming initiation couldn't be better for Ubisoft.
Oculus Rift's Palmer Luckey and Nate Mitchell talk VR as a platform, the new Share program
Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One may be the big next-gen stars at this year's Gamescom, but Oculus Rift is here as well, continuing to draw our adoration with news of a developer portal called Share. The portal facilitates easy distribution and cataloging of apps for current Oculus Rift dev kits, essentially centralizing the software world of the Rift in one convenient place. Company co-founder and Rift creator Palmer Luckey told us during GDC Europe this week that Share is just the tip of the iceberg -- a precursor to the future consumer portal of VR applications that'll exist alongside the eventual consumer model of the VR headset. He and product VP Nate Mitchell sat down with us for a candid interview, touching on everything from the future of Share, to VR as a platform (and the challenges therein), to why mobile is the next space to watch for virtual reality (seriously!). Head past the break for the full video...and for a peek into the future of gaming's most innovative product in, well, maybe ever?
CCP's Oculus Rift demo becomes EVE: Valkyrie, space dogfighting due in 2014 (video)
We've been waiting for a proper Wing Commander successor for ages and it looks like EVE: Valkyrie could be it -- if you don't count Star Citizen, that is. What was originally demoed as EVR back at EVE Fanfest and on the Oculus Rift at E3 is now a multiplayer space dogfighter set within developer CCP's longstanding EVE Online universe. Details are as scarce as Megacyte, but, according to the Icelandic dev, it's coming out in 2014. It's a sure lock for a PC release, but CCP's history with the PS3 EVE spin-off Dust 514 and Sony's amoré for the Rift makes us wonder if consoles are in its future. Hopefully this means we'll be able to play on PS4 at some point, but instead of holding our breath, we'll just keep watching the trailer below on repeat.
Oculus Rift's John Carmack working on mobile SDK support first, coming soon
Ever since Oculus Rift hired Doom co-creator and legendary game designer John Carmack as Chief Technology Officer a few weeks back, he's been hard at work on the Rift's SDK. "John likes to do what he likes to do," VP of product Nate Michell told attendees of an Oculus panel at GDC Europe this evening. "He's got a ridiculous amount of good ideas that he's working into the SDK. Especially around mobile, frankly," he added, coyly teasing an update to the Oculus SDK that's apparently coming sooner than later. Mitchell's speaking to the SDK's promised Android support, which company CEO Brendan Iribe revealed as a forthcoming goal in an interview earlier this year. When asked by a panel attendee when iOS support is coming, headset creator Palmer Luckey smilingly admitted, "It's Apple's fault!" Mitchell quickly jumped in, explaining that the Android platform is simply more open to peripherals like the Rift. We'll have more from Oculus as the week goes on, so keep an eye out for even more.
Find and share the best Oculus Rift games on Oculus Share, now in beta
Oculus Rift is a pretty incredible little peripheral, enabling intense and thrilling virtual reality interaction with a variety of PC games. While the device is still in developer kit form, though, finding and sharing games can be a bit on the challenging side. Oculus is making its first attempt to fix that issue today in launching Oculus Share, a web subdomain which gathers Oculus-ready experiences from a variety of devs and runs them through a submissions process before making them widely available. There are few details on the submissions process, but it sounds like it's merely a temporary concept. "Initially, we'll be vetting submissions to make sure the content isn't offensive or malicious. If you're planning to submit your work right away, please be patient as we improve and streamline the approval process," company head Palmer Luckey wrote in an email to Rift backers. Oculus also hired on a new head of developer relations, Aaron Davies, who's officially on the lookout for new developers. Of course, considering Oculus just hired one of the most famous developers ever just recently in John Carmack, we'd say other prospects have a mighty high watermark to reach.
Virtuix Omni pre-orders open, time to clear some space in the living room
Good news for everyone who's been eagerly awaiting an opportunity to run in place. A fortnight after closing the door on a successful Kickstarter campaign, Virtuix is ready to open up Omni pre-orders. $500 will get you the massive Oculus Rift add-on, a price that includes the treadmill, a harness, those special shoes and the necessary tracking hardware and software. That price, however, doesn't include a Rift, shipping or Gatorade. Still, for a limited time, entering the "VR50" coupon code at checkout will get you $50 off.
Daily Roundup: LG G2 hands-on, Sony's RX100 Mark II, Oculus Rift's new CTO, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
