Virtual Reality

The confirmed and tested vulnerable versions for root are:

v72, v74, v76, v77,v78,v79

https://github.com/FreeXR

They also have a discord (idk if the invite link still works, if it does it should have been turned off... Sigh...):

https://discord.gg/ABCXxDyqrH

Supposedly root was achieved by a qualcom chip security exploit that meta has been notified about but seemingly hasn't patched:

https://github.com/zhuowei/cheese/tree/ksma-demo

(The group has been heavily censoring this link and not properly attributing credit to this git user for the exploit)

The group that achieved root access have been vague in how they used this vulnerability(apparently they bricked 3 headsets in the process). The little details they gave seem to lead people on the trail with it being a bug in the gpu driver. They seem to be gatekeeping the exploit and only giving some users access (due to concern of "kids being dumb and bricking their headsets" they want to devwlop a full proof easy method before release). They are insistent on unlocking bootloader for their own os and developing magisk modules before they give explanations on how they did it.

https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/issues/9231

Some users have expressed frustration with the groups negligence in opsec (gloating on reddit, trolling meta support, communicating with a meta employee, communicating to developers on the platform they achieved root so they can prepare for cheating on their games). The community is also showing frustration at the branching out of the project in so many directions rather than releasing how root was accomplished.

The group is attempting to file a lawsuit against meta, HTC, and Bytedance for violating the GPLv2 license and locking down the bootloader.

I am posting this info on the exploit because the opsec is already fucked. I think it is of the utmost urgency for something to come of this exploit and we onboard as many users as possible. Many users have spoken up about just wanting root and not really the operating system.

Here is an example of the group telling the world, this post still remains up with the comments from op as well (op is the discord server owner):

https://old.reddit.com/r/OculusQuest/comments/1ma7a1o/plugged_in_my_dead_quest_3_and_rainbow_leds/

Meta's Reality Labs, the unit tasked with building the futuristic metaverse, continues bleeding money.

The social media company reported its second-quarter earnings on Wednesday and revealed that Reality Labs logged an operating loss of $4.53 billion while recording $370 million in sales during the period. Analysts were projecting that unit to post a second-quarter operating loss of $4.99 billion while generating $381 million in sales.

Developed by Berlin-based studio Selkies Interactive with a six-person team, Echoes of Mora is an emotional adventure about two siblings across a mysterious underwater world. With Mora searching for her missing brother who disappeared near a cursed lake, you're tasked with exploring a flooded, abandoned village to solve puzzles and search for clues.

Echoes of Mora is coming to Steam with PC VR support at an unknown date, and a public demo will be available at Gamescom next month.

Burnley fans will be able to take a seat at Turf Moor for next weekend’s friendly with Lazio – without leaving their own homes.

The Premier League newcomers are to become the first football club in the world to present a game in Virtual Reality, where fans can wear headsets that transport them directly to East Lancashire regardless of where they are on the planet.

For those with the budget, the TactSuit Air stands as a practical entry into wearable VR haptic tech, providing a lightweight and easy-to-fit design that offers basic tactile immersion. This bundle is best suited for new users or those wanting a more affordable option, and can be purchased at the current sale price of just under $400.

The Pro, with its larger ERM array and extended battery, delivers finer precision and more robust intensity for those gamers wanting to spend more for extra realism in combat or simulation games. With the additional features the Pro has, this model comes at a much higher price tag and is currently on sale for $650.

For anyone wanting VR interaction to be more than just visual and auditory sensations, these bHaptics bundles do provide what I currently consider to be one of the most consistent and technically mature solutions on the market. The advances in physical immersion I got using both Air and Pro make me confident that we're getting closer than ever to the fictional X1 Haptic Bootsuit from Ready Player One.

The Kickstarter campaign for Eldramoor: Haven in the Mist has come to an end, nabbing developer Resolute Games over $170,000 to bring its ambitious VR MMORPG to life.

The one-month campaign celebrated early success when it launched on June 24th, quickly garnering the project its minimum funding goal of $25,000 in just 1.5 hours of going live.

Within only a week, the Kickstarter crossed the $100,000 mark, going on to unlock a number of stretch goals along its way to $171,536: a bonfire healing system, more air and earth abilities, two new playable species, guest access to player housing, and pet abilities.

The 'Game Master Edition' previously cost $50 and lets you host other players and provides full toolkit access, offering an unlimited number of characters, maps, and miniatures. Anyone who didn't buy the original release or the subsequent GM Edition can also participate in these online multiplayer sessions through a free 'Player Edition' with limited features.

Despite today's news, Dungeon Full Dive will not be disappearing. Though it won't receive further updates on Steam and the previously announced Quest version will no longer happen, the GM Edition will become free for everyone to download on August 1 with all current features remaining available.

Online servers will remain live “for the foreseeable future” with no plans to shut them down, and TxK states "we’ll do everything we can to keep them running as long as possible.”

The XR (Extended Reality) headset that Samsung is about to release — dubbed Project Moohan — is apparently just an experiment, and not something long-term. Samsung does not plan on releasing further similar headsets at this time, and Project Moohan will be used to gauge consumer interest in XR.

As with Meta’s Orion smart glasses, the AR glasses that Apple is working on, and Google’s own experiments in this field, Samsung is preparing (translated source) for the future of smartphones. All of these companies are betting on AR smart glasses replacing smartphones in the near future, especially after the advent of modern AI models.

Samsung is apparently only releasing Project Moohan to see whether people even want something like this. If there’s sufficient interest, then the company will more seriously consider investing in the research of AR smart glasses.

There are a lot of factors that will affect consumer demand, however. From the prevalence of immersive content, to the comfort, and the price tag, everything has the potential to turn off a potential customer. At least there shouldn’t be a shortage of apps and content, as the headset will use Google’s new Android XR operating system.

The basic idea here isn't new, and companies like bHaptics even sell haptic VR gloves for $250, and have done for years now. But based on the images and description, Sharp's glove would have much higher tactile resolution, allowing for a far more realistic recreation of textures.

Further, rather than just being a glove, Sharp's device includes the surface of a typical VR controller, including the buttons and thumbstick, attached to the side of your index finger for your thumb to rest on and use. It's essentially a hybrid VR glove and controller, something many VR enthusiasts have been asking for for years.

Sharp's webpage for the project lists a "provisional price" of ¥100,000, roughly $700, though notes that "it has not been decided that this will be commercialized".

Further, the device in its current form does not include any kind of positional tracking or finger tracking, meaning on its own, you'd need to hope that computer vision based hand tracking systems detect it as a hand. The page notes that Sharp is "considering an attachment method to controllers with a high market share, in which case a position tracker will not be necessary".

Still, we imagine Sharp will see significant interest from VR enthusiasts, especially VRChat users, and we'll keep an eye out for any future news of this fascinating hybrid glove controller.

As first spotted by XT Today, Varjo says it’s now “focusing our manufacturing efforts on the XR-4 Series headsets,” which released in late 2023.

The Finland-based company notes in a support FAQ that its companion software, Varjo Base, will receive software updates and bug fixes until the January 1st, 2026 cutoff date.

After its final update, the company says that owners of XR-3, VR-3, and Aero can still use older versions of the software, but this also includes the end of customer support, technical and developer assistance for those devices.

Bigscreen unveiled a new ‘VRChat Edition’ of its slim and light Beyond 2e PC VR headset, which the company says is specifically designed for die-hard users of VR’s most popular social platform.

Bigscreen began shipping the first production units of Beyond 2 late last month, which includes both the standard Beyond 2 and its eye-tracking enabled variant, Beyond 2e.

Now, the company announced it’s also launching an exclusive VRChat Edition of the Beyond 2e, slated to start shipping out sometime in September 2025.

Now available for pre-order for $1,269—just $50 more than the standard Beyond 2e—the upcoming VRChat Edition does however promise a few differences, notably including a translucent Atomic Purple shell and hand-drawn packaging artwork.

UK-based startup Freeaim kicked off a new Kickstarter campaign yesterday to support the release of a pair of motorized shoes designed to enable natural walking in VR, essentially giving your feet two independent treadmills to walk on.

VR treadmills are usually pretty costly and bulky, which means they mostly appeal to enterprise. Now, Freeaim has unveiled its VR Shoes, which aims to reduce the cost and footprint of immersive VR locomotion devices.

Freeaim is offering two versions of the device, with its flagship ‘VR Shoes Advanced’ featuring rotating wheel modules that can automatically reposition the wearer to prevent drifting from a designated play area. This version can be used without a frame in spaces as small as 1.5 x 1.5 meters.

Its ‘VR Shoes Light’ model is a more affordable alternative, which notably lacks automatic rotation, requiring an external support frame to ensure user stability. Freeaim has developed two such optional support frames—the Hex and Swivel—designed to offer users additional balance and spatial guidance, particularly when starting out.

Known for its acclaimed The Room series, Fireproof Games has once again delivered a captivating experience with Ghost Town. Reviewed positively on Quest, we praised it as a standout atmospheric journey filled with mysterious environments, engaging puzzles, and a narrative steeped in sustained suspense and emotional depth.

In this game, you step into the shoes of Edith Penrose as she investigates the disappearance of her brother. Set against the backdrop of a ghost-hunting detective agency, you navigate a spirit-filled London while encountering supernatural mysteries that reveal themselves by solving intricate environmental and mechanical puzzles.

For fans of paranormal adventures, Ghost Town offers an unforgettable journey into the supernatural. Whether you play it on PC or Quest 3, be prepared for a thrilling and engaging experience that showcases Fireproof Games' commitment to quality and deep immersion.

In its latest report, Juro Osawa and Wayne Ma from The Information cite three sources as informing them ByteDance, Pico's parent company, is working on a “lightweight mixed reality device” resembling a pair of goggles.

Following its previous launch on Quest and Steam in April, we've known for months that GORN 2 would eventually follow on PlayStation VR2. Now live today on Sony's headset, this arena-based gladiatorial combat game sees you taking the fight to the afterlife, where you must battle the five sons of the God of the Afterlife across five heavenly realms.

Following 2021's Iron Guard by Xlab Digital, Iron Guard: Salvation is a direct sequel that tasks us with fending off a new threat years after defeating Akris. A new fight for survival ensues across the solar system. While a specific release date wasn't confirmed, it's arriving this August on Quest.

Xlab Digital confirmed that the Steam version will arrive “soon after” the Quest launch, while Salvation's Pico and PS VR2 editions target a launch closer to the end of this year. Cross-buy and cross-progression are not supported, and there's a limited time pre-order discount too.

Released on PC earlier this year, Grit and Valor – 1949 lets you command an elite squadron of tiny mechs, as you seek to topple the Evil Axis forces and liberate Europe from their legion mechanical minions.

Players pick their mech combat style, choose their pilots, and upgrade mechs with a variety of unlockable parts, like new cockpits, engines, bodies, legs, and weapons.

Original developer Milky Tea Studios says it worked with XR veteran studio nDreams to bring the game to VR, letting you go hands-on to command the battlefield, move your mechs, and choose your upgrades. Notably, the VR adaptation of Grit and Valor – 1949 is being developed and published nDreams.

In September of last year supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that the next Vision Pro would have an M5 chip and enter production in late 2025, and he reiterated this claim last week, stating that it would have no other changes besides the chip.

Gurman too referenced an M5 Vision Pro refresh in an April edition of his weekly newsletter, though said that Apple was "looking to go further" than just the chip upgrade, with a "cheaper and lighter" design.

The Invisible Hours' co-creator hopes to remaster the VR murder mystery game for modern headsets, and we interviewed Rob Yescombe to learn more.
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last year saw developer Tequila Works file for insolvency, and an auction then followed back in April with the rights to the studio's IP catalog. It's here where Yescombe found an opportunity.

Our series Inside XR Design examines specific examples of great XR design. Today we’re looking at the game Synapse and exploring the concept of embodiment and what makes it important to VR games.

So what the hell is embodiment and why am I boring you talking about it rather than just talking about all the cool shooting, and explosions, and smart design in the game? Well, it’s going to help us understand why certain design decisions in Synapse are so effective. So stick with me here for just a minute.

Embodiment is a term I use to describe the feeling of being physically present within a VR experience. Like you’re actually standing there in the world that’s around you.

And now your reasonable response is, “but don’t we already use the word immersion for that?”

Well colloquially people certainly do, but I want to make an important distinction between ‘immersion’ and ‘embodiment’.

‘Immersion’, for the purposes of our discussion, is when something has your complete attention. We all agree that a movie can be immersive, right? When the story or action is so engrossing it’s almost like nothing outside of the theater even exists at that moment. But has even the most immersive movie you’ve ever seen made you think you were physically inside the movie? Certainly not.

And that’s where ’embodiment’ comes in. For the sake of specificity, I’m defining immersion as being about attention. On the other hand, embodiment is about your sense of physical presence and how it relates to the world around you.

Resolute Games launched a crowdfunding campaign late last month to kickstart a VRMMO called Eldramoor: Haven in the Mist. Now the campaign has officially crossed the $100,000 mark, and it’s not showing any signs of stopping.

Launched on June 24th, the Eldramoor campaign is hoping to revive some of the fun of recently shuttered VR MMO Orbus VR.

Founded by ex-Orbus players, Resolute Games celebrated some early success with the Kickstarter. Within just 1.5 hours of going live last month, the project had already crossed its “all or nothing” minimum funding goal of $25,000.

Apple's decision to call its first headset "Vision Pro" strongly hints that it plans a more affordable product line in the future. Kuo, The Information, Mark Gurman, and other sources have claimed to have knowledge of these plans in recent years, though some of these reports have contradicted each other. Kuo's latest report claims that mass production of a headset he calls Apple Vision Air should begin in the second half of 2027, a changed position from his November report where he suggested it was delayed "beyond 2027". According to Kuo, Apple Vision Air will be over 40% lighter than today's Vision Pro, and have a "significantly lower price point". He claims that this weight and price reduction will be achieved, at least partially, by using A-series chipset (specifically, the one also set to be used in the iPhone 19 Pro), fewer sensors, plastic instead of glass, and magnesium instead of aluminum.

A Humble Bundle for The UploadVR Showcase gathers together some of VR's best games for an extremely low price.

The bundle benefits Safe In Our World through the PayPal Giving Fund. The $18 minimum nets Steam codes for nine total games in the bundle,

including:

Vertigo 2

Hard Bullet

Until You Fall

The Light Brigade

Pirates VR: Jolly Roger

Moss II

Mothergunship: Forge

Townsmen VR

50% discount code for Metro Awakening

Apple is apparently working on at least seven head-mounted devices, with one set to arrive later this year. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shared an updated forecast roadmap for the company’s headset and smart glasses market, which includes three products for the Vision series and four smart glasses variants. Additionally, five of these devices already have confirmed development timelines.

According to Kuo, an upgraded version of the Apple Vision Pro which uses an M5 processor is scheduled for mass production in the third quarter of 2025. He also stated that aside from the chip upgrade, the device specifications will remain unchanged. Shipments of the product are estimated to be between 150,000 and 200,000 by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, a cheaper version of the Vision Pro, the Vision Air, will reportedly only enter mass production in Q3 2027. The headset will weigh 40% lighter than the original, use plastic and a magnesium alloy instead of glass and titanium alloy, as well as feature fewer sensors. Kuo also mentioned that it will be equipped with the company’s latest flagship iPhone processor.

"We're excited to announce that we've started shipping the very first Bigscreen Beyond 2 production units to customers around the world. We expect to ship more headsets in the next 7 weeks than our typical annual shipment volume, and we are prepared to ship 5X more product this year than we shipped in 2023 or 2024." - Bigscreen Beyond Team