These days, I’m feeling much better, which means this newsletter is hitting your inbox right on schedule again—yay for small victories! It’s been a pretty good wrap-up to the week on my end: professionally, I broke the news about camera access on Android XR (more on that later), and personally, I managed to whip up some excellent Italian pasta for friends here in China, thanks to some ingredients I brought from back home. Fingers crossed for another stellar week ahead—not just for me, but for all of you, too!
Top News of the Week
The Meta Quest Ecosystem Faces a Turning Point
Henry Stockdale from Upload VR crafted an insightful piece on the current state of the Horizon Store. Since merging the main store with App Lab and revamping the UI for Meta Horizon OS and its mobile app—which now heavily feature Horizon Worlds—Quest developers are finding it increasingly difficult to get their games noticed. Without visibility, revenue dries up. Some studios report a massive 50–80% drop in income compared to 2023. Developers have been vocal for weeks about their struggles with the platform, and months ago, I wrote my own personal account on my blog about this issue. There’s an urgent need for Meta to update the Horizon Store to focus on the discoverability of quality titles over the glut of Gorilla Tag knockoffs, and to shift attention away from promoting Horizon Worlds constantly.
Instead, Meta responded with a blog post celebrating a banner year for Quest 3 and Quest 3S, supported by Steam data, and highlighting a shifting store demographic. Approximately two-thirds of headset purchases this year come from new users, primarily kids. Typically, these younger users prefer free-to-play titles and don’t have the budget for premium games. As a result, they gravitate towards free, simplistic amusements, often low-cost knock-offs available on Horizon Worlds. Essentially, Meta’s stance seems to be: the influx of new, younger users demands free content, so that’s what we’ll provide. Meanwhile, if you’re developing premium, high-quality content, good luck—you’re on your own.
Reading Meta’s blog was disheartening. While it’s true that the XR ecosystem now includes many younger users eager for kid-friendly content—which is positive for XR’s growth—it’s equally true that both types of users can coexist. As platform holders, since Meta takes a 30% cut from transactions, it should strive to benefit all developers, not just those producing free-to-play games. The avalanche of children onto the platform began around 2022, yet developers only experienced the severe 80% revenue drop from mid-2024, coinciding with Meta’s store changes. The fault lies with the store, not the userbase.
I’m eager to see Meta’s plan of action, especially following this week’s layoffs at VR studios like SideQuest and nDreams. Without intervention, developers might migrate to alternatives like flatscreen content or upcoming competitors like Android XR, feeling disillusioned. If Meta envisions its headsets as mere vessels for Horizon Worlds and its minimalistic fare, it risks squandering the robust Quest creator ecosystem it nurtured over six years.
The community mostly sides with developers. Reddit users are encouraging others to support premium content and uninstall Horizon Worlds to clean up search results. Amidst this turmoil, Mark Rabkin, Meta’s VP of XR, departed the company citing family reasons. Executive turnover now complicates a swift resolution to this significant issue.
More info: [Article on Quest developers by Upload VR], [My take on the same topic], [Meta’s perspective on the Quest Store changes—Road To VR], [Meta’s perspective on the Quest Store changes—Upload VR], [Reddit translation of Meta’s blog humorously]
Other Relevant News
Andrew Bosworth Declares 2025 as XR’s "Make or Break" Year
A memo from Andrew Bosworth to Meta employees sparked significant discussion this week. It read like a motivational speech urging the team to rally around XR development. Several passages merit commentary.
Boz asserts 2025 will make or break XR at Meta. Personally, I find this dubious. XR remains nascent, and this year’s breakthroughs will be modest. The launch of Android XR headsets is anticipated, yet Samsung’s device is cost-prohibitive to rival Meta’s offerings. Meta is pouring billions into XR, with commitments extending into the 2030s, and CEO Zuckerberg projects XR spending could hit $100B this year. It’s hard to see why 2025 stands out; it seems more like a motivational strategy.
Boz’s remark, "This year could determine whether this entire [XR] effort will be seen as visionary work or a legendary misadventure,” is stirring speculation. Some perceive it as hedging against potential failure, possibly preluding cutbacks in VR spending. Some speculate Meta might pivot away from VR to focus on smart glasses. To me, that’s unlikely. No executive primes their staff for failure—employees would sense it and bolt. Even with Ray-Ban Meta’s 1 million sales, it’s insufficient to signify mainstream adoption. Dropping VR for a nascent, hyped market would be shortsighted.
Boz mentioned the launch of "half a dozen wearables," likely referring to upcoming smart glasses, watches, and neural smartbands.
John Carmack, having read the memo, found it agreeable but critical on two fronts. Firstly, he felt Boz’s singular focus on “MR” could be read as abandoning VR. Additionally, he criticized the overemphasis on Horizon Worlds for mobile—a fixation that’s detracting from Meta’s broader vision.
More info: [Meta’s $100B XR investment plans], [Details from Boz’s leaked memo], [Speculations on "half a dozen" wearables—Upload VR], [John Carmack’s comments on the memo]
Apple Continues Work on PSVR 2 Controller Integration
Marc Gurman reports that Apple is pressing forward with efforts to integrate PSVR 2 controllers with the Apple Vision Pro. These would be sold separately and optional, aimed at users keen on controller-based gaming on the Vision Pro. Presently, Sony doesn’t sell controllers without the headset, but should the collaboration materialize, that could change. The update for PSVR 2 controller support may coincide with the VisionOS 3 unveiling during June’s WWDC.
More info
Camera Access Promised for Android XR
Google has confirmed that its Android XR operating system will feature camera access akin to its smartphones. With user consent required via a popup, developers can utilize the headset’s front and rear cameras. The front camera parallels a phone’s back camera, capturing the user’s perspective, while the user’s (avatar’s) facial reconstruction serves as the selfie equivalent, utilizing the headset’s sensors. This alignment ensures existing mobile apps function seamlessly, capturing either the user’s environment or their avatar representation.
I think this is fantastic. Only with camera access can developers truly craft mixed reality experiences. It’s encouraging that Google’s approach mirrors its smartphone model, appropriately emphasizing user consent.
More info
News Worth a Mention
Quest Game Optimizer Celebrates 100K Users
To counterbalance the less favorable XR news, here’s a highlight: Quest Game Optimizer—a sideloaded Quest app optimized for performance across various applications—has hit 100,000 users. Kudos to the developer for this remarkable milestone!
More info
John Carmack on XR: "Beat Saber Outshined Half-Life: Alyx"
John Carmack recently tweeted, “standalone VR was VR’s biggest win, hands down, with Beat Saber far outranking Half-Life Alyx.” When it comes to sheer adoption, he’s spot-on. Yet, both games contributed uniquely: Alyx captivated hardcore gamers (specifically Half-Life fans) and showcased VR’s immersive potential.
More info
Ray-Ban Meta’s Super Bowl Ads Released
Meta’s Super Bowl promotional push for Ray-Ban Meta glasses features two ads starring Hollywood icons. I watched the one with Chris Hemsworth—not bad, but perhaps not award-winning either. The timing was off, and the humor only mildly amusing. Nevertheless, I hope it raises smart glasses awareness.
More info
Spatial.io Ventures into Gaming
After a series of strategic pivots, Spatial.io has found traction with a new game titled Animal Company, heavily inspired by Gorilla Tag. It’s heartening to see success follow a challenging journey of business adaptation.
More info
Civilization VII Ventures into VR
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII is headed to Meta Quest, in addition to traditional platforms, available in both MR and VR modes. While the current Quest market may not crave it, as someone who spent countless hours on Civilization II, it’s a delightful prospect.
More info: [Civilization VII Quest teaser—YouTube trailer], [Civilization VII Quest update—Upload VR]
Content Updates
- Synth Riders hosts a Super Bowl LIX Kendrick Lamar Experience on Apple Vision Pro.
- FRENZIES launched a Super Bowl-themed event on Quest.
- Gorilla Tag marked its fourth birthday with a Birthday Bash event.
- Harpagun, a hybrid shooter-slasher VR arcade game, enters early access on Quest on February 13.
- Project Aeroes, a mixed reality spaceship guidance game, hit Quest at $9.99 but is free until March 5 for a 30-day trial.
- Boxed Out, a color-matching VR puzzle game, arrives on Quest March 24.
- DIVR Labs’ Aim Assault debuts a PC VR demo on February 13.
- Indie developers are crafting Duet, a co-op game fostering silent collaboration.
- Upload VR’s XR News Round-Up delivers the week’s minor XR updates.
More info: [Synth Riders], [Frenzies], [Gorilla Tag], [Harpagun], [Project Aeroes], [Boxed Out], [Aim Assault], [Duet], [XR News Round-Up]
Content Reviews
- COLD VR offers a fresh take on SUPERHOT, yet some levels are challenging and need refinement.
More info: [COLD VR review]
Other News
Steam now flags early access games that remain unchanged for over a year.
Learn more
Stereopsia and AWE Europe unite under UnitedXR in Brussels.
Learn more
Meta is exploring "Desk Mode" for Meta AI on Quest, allowing AI queries even in standby, but its release is uncertain.
Learn more
News From Partners (And Friends)
Support XR developers! You’ve read how challenging survival is for XR developers today. Please support us by purchasing a game/app, leaving a positive review, sharing it with friends, or promoting it on social media—your support means the world to us!
Some XR Fun
Discover the real reason the UEVR universal mod is so popular—creatives have shared some comical takes.
Funny link
Browse hilarious comments on the post.
Funny link
Curious about saving for a new headset?
Funny link
Men want only one thing—find out what!
Funny link
Donate for Good
Again this week, instead of requesting donations for my blog, I urge you to contribute to aid those affected by the war. Please consider donating to the Red Cross for Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis. I am immensely grateful to my Patreon supporters for their generosity:
[List of Patreon Donors]
Here’s the link to make a donation:
Support The Red Cross in Ukraine
(Header image by Meta)
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