Microsoft's VR Move
Next-gen VR headset from HP with support from Microsoft and Valve
HP just revealed a next-generation VR headset made in collaboration with Valve and Microsoft. The headset is meant to set a new standard for VR, delivering the most “immersive, comfortable and compatible experience” in the market.
While there’s not a lot of details yet, it appears to be the second generation of the HP Reverb headset, so this might be the HP Reverb G2, which is based on Microsoft’s Mixed Reality platform, which is compatible with SteamVR.
- Phil Spencer has denied that the Xbox Series X will feature VR support, so don’t expect any VR on Xbox
- It remains unclear how Microsoft and Valve have contributed to the project aside from providing APIs
Who is this headset for? The price range for VR headsets is pretty broad. The Valve Index costs £900, while the Oculus Rift S is less than half that at £400. HP’s new headset is rumoured to launch at the same price point as the HP Reverb – around £600.
Time For A Quick Daily Quiz?
What was the name of the first game in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series?
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Get Out of Here
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat
The answer will be revealed at the bottom of today’s issue. Join up with our community on Twitter and Facebook to discuss what the answer could be.
Daily Fact
Making a splash: From mods to Stadia
These days, Splash Damage are working on a Stadia exclusive for Google, but they actually started out as a mod team.
The studio was formed by the developers responsible for Quake 3 Fortress, released in June 2001. They also worked on over 150 TV shows about Quake 3’s popular capture the flag mode.
The team then went on to work on several big projects including Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory and the multiplayer maps for Doom 3, before taking on the Battlefield series with Enemy Territory: Quake Wars.
Their first major IP was Brink, published by Bethesda in 2011, which unfortunately sank like a stone. Since then, the team has made games for PC, consoles and mobile, as well as delivering multiplayer features for a range of major games.
The team still has a knack for crafting unique multiplayer games, so we’re excited to see what they’re cooking up for Google.
Join up with our community on Twitter and Facebook to discuss today’s fact.
Half-Life Alyx Verdict
Half-Life: Alyx Review Roundup
It’s been thirteen long years since Half-Life 2: Episode 2 and since then the Half-Life series has not showed any sign of concluding or for that matter even continuing – until now!
It’s not Episode 3, but Valve’s biggest bet on VR yet and judging by its Metacritic rating of 92, it just might be the killer app we’ve all been waiting for!
Upload VR (Score 100/100) – “Half-Life: Alyx makes good on its second chance, it is as essential a VR game as you’ll find in 2020, but perhaps the most exciting thing about it is the message is that the best is yet to come.”
IGN (Score 100/100) – “Back when VR first became a real thing and we all started spitballing which game worlds we’d most like to be fully immersed in, Half-Life topped my list (tied with BioShock). It took a few years, but Half-Life: Alyx has more than realized that potential. With it, Valve has set a new bar for VR in interactivity, detail, and level design, showing what can happen when a world-class developer goes all-in on the new frontier of technology. In a lot of ways, it feels like a game from the future, and one that the rest of VR gaming will likely take a good long while to match, much less surpass.”
VGC (Score 100/100) – “A stunning return for Half-Life and an essential VR purchase – if you have the required equipment and space.”
Game Informer (Score 90/100) – “Half Life: Alyx is a must-play game worthy of the series’ legacy. Despite some puzzles and encounters that feel like filler, the overall experience is strong. The stunning setpieces, beautiful world, and smart writing stand out no matter the medium, and mark a return to form for Valve. If you were waiting for a killer app before you made the investment into virtual reality, this is it.”
VentureBeat (Score 80/100) – “It’s an incredibly immersive experience. It’s just one I didn’t really want to be immersed in right now.”
