PC gaming news and reviews

The latest PC gaming news and reviews of gaming PC hardware, software and accessories.

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CNN’s Magic Leap app lets you interact with the news, if you dare
It's 2019, so the idea of bringing the news, which is usually not good, into your living room sounds a bit ominous. That's not stopping CNN. The 24-hour-news network now has a mixed-reality app for the Magic Leap One that allows viewers to watch and interact with programs via augmented reality.
'Kingdom Hearts' PlayStation VR experience launches tomorrow
Square Enix released a VR Kingdom Hearts experience for Japanese gamers in January, so where's the release for everyone else? Right around the corner, apparently. Sony has confirmed that Kingdom Hearts: VR Experience will be available on February 28th. The free PlayStation VR title serves as a sort of trip down memory lane, letting you relive key scenes from the Disney/Square crossover from Sora's perspective. This isn't a slice of familiar gameplay in 360 degrees, unfortunately, but it might spark some familiar emotions.
HTC's Vive Focus Plus is a business-ready VR bundle
Oculus Quest is coming. The all-in-one VR headset, which is due this spring for $399, represents a major threat to HTC and its expanding Vive business. So how is the company responding? With a new headset bundle, of course. At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, I was able to try a brief demo with the newly-announced Vive Focus Plus. The headset is near-identical to the Vive Focus that came out in 2017, however the controllers are much improved and promise similar immersion to the Vive Pro.
We're live from Microsoft's press event at MWC 2019!
Microsoft may have surprised us when it sent out invites for an MWC event in mid-January, but now it's time to find out what the company wants to discuss. Based on the invitation, we know that HoloLens creator and Microsoft technical fellow Alex Kipman will be part of the festivities, as will CEO Satya Nadella and CVP Julie White. Nothing is set in stone, but Kipman's participation seems to indicate some HoloLens news is on the agenda -- perhaps even the official reveal of the HoloLens 2 or some Windows Mixed Reality news. No matter what Microsoft has to show us, we're on the ground in Barcelona, ready to bring you all of the news as it's announced. Keep your browser locked here when the event kicks off at 12PM ET/6PM CET.
Steam now supports NextVR's virtual reality broadcasts
NextVR has finally arrived on Steam, giving more people access to its virtual reality sports and entertainment broadcasts. The program offers NBA, NHL and ICC soccer games, as well as WWE matches, concerts and stand-up comedy shows, which are a lot more interactive than the typical versions streamed online or shown on TV. It gives people a way to watch the events from various points of view -- from the courtside, on the ice, in the ring or from the front row -- and immerse themselves in its original experiences using a virtual reality headset.
The Vive Focus Plus is HTC’s answer to the Oculus Quest
Back in October, HTC offered a dual 6DoF controller dev kit for its Vive Focus standalone headset, in the hopes of offering a truly untethered and more immersive VR experience -- something which the original single 3DoF joystick couldn't fully simulate. As such, it comes as no surprise that the company is soon releasing a new Vive Focus Plus bundled with two 6DoF controllers, meaning you'll be able to naturally wave around -- as you do with the controllers for the PC-powered Vive headsets -- without having to regularly recalibrate.
Varjo's human-eye resolution VR headset costs a mere $6,000
When it comes to virtual reality, achieving human-eye resolution is arguably the main objective -- you want to see things as they would appear in real life, right? In 2017 Finnish company Varjo said it was working on a headset that delivered exactly that, and despite a few delays in its timescales, it's now launched its VR-1 device which promises the high resolution of more than 60 pixels per degree -- equivalent to human-eye resolution -- for the modest price of $6,000. According to Varjo, the headset's resolution is 20 times higher than other devices on the market, and it comes with advanced eye-tracking capabilities. The company said it plans to introduce a mixed reality component later this year.
Valve 'retires' Steam's video business
While Steam is mostly known as a gaming platform, over the years it has also become a hub for video. That's included its own documentaries and even major Hollywood releases, but today Valve announced it's going to "refocus." According to a blog post, it has retired the Video section of the Steam Store menu, and said that over the coming weeks, non-game related content will also exit so it's no longer available for purchase. Still, if you did buy a movie or video from Steam, you'll be able watch it just like before. That doesn't mean you won't see videos on Steam now, however they'll be associated to games and can be found under those games' pages or via search. As the company revamps its content policy and faces a new challenge from Epic, it's probably just about time to re-evaluate its efforts and focus on what gamers use the most, which is what Valve claims caused this decision.
Linux gaming is on a life-support system called Steam
In September 2013, Valve founder Gabe Newell gave a rare, 20-minute presentation at LinuxCon. He called Linux "the future of gaming," predicting that as the industry became more user-driven and connected across both distances and devices, an open-source foundation would be the only way to keep pace with coming innovations. With the standard, proprietary operating systems powering Windows, Mac and consoles, Newell argued, all control over content, pricing and change rested in the hands of billion-dollar corporations. Linux offered a chance for all players and developers to shape the marketplace.
NYC's hip-hop museum will include iPad graffiti and a VR theater
Hip-hop and rap were not only instrumental in defining modern music, but in defining the technology behind that music. It's only fitting, then, that a major museum dedicated to the genres will be shaped by tech. New York City has confirmed that the Universal Hip-Hop Museum will start construction in the Bronx at 65 East 149th Street in winter 2019, and tech-driven exhibits will play a central role. The creators (including rap legend Kurtis Blow) plan on a virtual graffiti station that translates iPad drawings to an external building projector, holograms and a VR theater to "put you at the center of the show."
Ubisoft: Ditching Steam for Epic caused a surge in 'Division 2' sales
Ubisoft recently became the latest big gun to challenge Steam's status quo by jumping ship to the Epic Games Store. And it claims the decision has already paid off by diverting more players to its Uplay portal, where they purchased even more copies of The Division 2. Pre-orders for the sequel are higher than the original overall, and "six-times higher" on the Ubisoft store, noted Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot in yesterday's earnings call (per Rock, Paper, Shotgun).
'90s internet simulator 'Hypnospace Outlaw' launches on March 12
The wild west era of the internet is coming back, and you're tasked with moderating all of the madness. That's the premise of alternate-reality 1990s internet simulator Hypnospace Outlaw, the latest title from Dropsy creator Jay Tholen. The anticipated game finally has a launch date, set for March 12th. The game will be available through Steam and GOG on March 12th for $19.99.
Harmonix's answer to 'Beat Saber' is a VR rhythm shooter
Beat Saber has become something of a hit in the rhythm game scene thanks to its clever VR mechanics, and the veterans at Harmonix clearly want to offer their own response. They've unveiled Audica, a VR-only title where you blast the notes instead of slicing or tapping them. You're testing both your aim and your knack for keeping time, really. The soundtrack includes tunes from "some of the world's most popular electronic artists" (no Rock Band-style jams here), and you'll naturally compete against others on global leaderboards.
Facebook's 3D photos will work with Insta360's 'tiny planet' images
Insta360 rarely disappoints when it comes to adding new app features for its 360 cameras. In the latest update for the One X, users will be able to upload "tiny planet" photos as 3D photos to Facebook, so long as your Facebook app is also up to date. The process is simple: Just pick your desired 360 shot, choose to share via Facebook, and you'll see the new "3D Planet" option which exports your image as a 3D photo. Then it's just a matter of creating a new post in the Facebook app, select "3D photo" and then pick your freshly made 3D planet.
The first Angry Birds VR game puts the slingshot in your hand
In the ten years since the game's original release in 2009, Angry Birds has become both a pop icon and marketing juggernaut, spawning countless sequels, spinoffs, merchandising tie-ins and even feature-length movies. Now, the feathered flock of pig-popping fliers is coming to the Vive and Oculus Rift in Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs.
HP's 'Copper' VR headset will boast extra-sharp displays
HP is working on a new virtual reality headset, which will be a part of Microsoft's Mixed Reality program, according to a report from Road to VR. The headset, codenamed Copper, is still being developed but promises a high-resolution display and a more comfortable, ergonomic design than the company's previous models.
'Rift S' hints revealed in Oculus PC software
After Oculus co-founder Brendan Iribe left the company late last year, TechCrunch reported a shift in strategy from developing a "Rift 2" to a more lightly-refreshed "Rift S" VR headset. Now UploadVR cites code found in the Oculus PC software referencing the new device and giving some hints of its capabilities. A "lighting frequency for Rift S cameras to adjust to room lighting" toggle suggests built-in tracking cameras, while a software setting to adjust "IPD (Interpupillary Distance)" shows it will drop the original Rift's hardware IPD adjustment. Not surprisingly, it seems to have some things in common with the standalone Oculus Quest. Even if it doesn't follow the original Rift's path in pushing the envelope and showing people the cutting edge of what VR experiences can be, a simpler setup that's slightly more accessible is closer to what the company's owners at Facebook have in mind.
HoloLens co-creator leaves Apple after three years of AR projects
Avi Bar-Zeev, perhaps best known as a co-creator of Microsoft's HoloLens, has departed Apple in what may prove a setback for Apple's augmented reality ambitions. Before he left his role last month, Bar-Zeev had reportedly been working on the company's long-rumored, high-resolution AR/VR headset, which could arrive as early as next year.
The sequel to the Bill Murray movie 'Groundhog Day' is a VR game
After 26 years, the hit Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day has a sequel... but it's not a movie at all. Sony Pictures Virtual Reality, MWM Immersive and Rime developer Tequila Works have unveiled Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son, a VR game for PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and Vive. You play Phil Connors' son (appropriately, Phil Connors Jr.) as he encounters a time loop just like his dad, and will remain stuck repeating the day until he "learns the true value of friends and family." As you might imagine, though, the interactive aspect throws a new wrinkle into the story.
‘Wired’ is a multi-scene movie painted and animated in VR
Movies that have been painted and animated with a VR headset are nothing new. Most, however, are single scenes that loop like an animated GIF. The camera might move around, highlighting small details, but there isn't much of a story. Wired, meanwhile, is different. It's one of the first pieces of VR animation (that is, created inside VR) with multiple scenes and a discernible narrative. The gorgeous short follows a boy exploring a world that doesn't have wireless technology. He falls from a cable above some enormous skyscrapers, provoking nearby residents to look up and appreciate the sky. The film was created by a single person: Zeyu Ren, a design student and motion graphics artist in New York. He started the project after watching Alex's Sci-Fi World, a jaw-dropping loop created by Matt Schaefer with Oculus Quill, a Facebook-owned 3D painting and animation package. Intrigued, he started experimenting with the Rift headset owned by his college, the Rhode Island School of Design.

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