XR Week Overview (January 15, 2025): CES Showcases an Array of XR Devices, Quest 3S Tops 2024 Console Sales, and More!

I’m finally back in Italy after a truly exhilarating experience at CES! It’s kind of surreal that I got to attend such a huge event. Although I returned home utterly exhausted, with every muscle in my body protesting, my spirits remained high. Visiting CES was enriching in every sense—whether as a blogger, a tech enthusiast, or an entrepreneur, I found immense satisfaction in every aspect of my roles. Naturally, CES is going to be the highlight of this week’s round-up, but there’s plenty more interesting news that didn’t originate from there. So, let’s dive into it! Apologies for the delay in publishing this newsletter—a mountain of tasks awaited me upon my return from Las Vegas!

Top news of the week

CES, arguably the most significant tech event of the year, revealed a vibrant section dedicated to XR companies. The turnout from the XR community was substantial, underscoring the growing traction of this niche field. The event was dominated by smartglasses, often integrating AI—like the Ray-Ban Meta pictured above—or the Halliday glasses, notable for their diminutive display. Goertek showcased new reference designs for smart glasses and AR glasses, likely prompting more companies to rollout products in this category. While there weren’t any groundbreaking announcements for XR at CES, major players like NVIDIA and Sony did deliver some intriguing news during their keynotes. NVIDIA unveiled its RTX 50 graphics cards, promising enhanced PCVR performance, maintaining price parity with the series 40, except for the $2000 5090 model. Furthermore, NVIDIA’s Geforce Now streaming service is poised to debut on Quest, Pico, and Apple Vision Pro, allowing MR users to enjoy flatscreen games on a virtual large screen. Sony, meanwhile, unveiled a new line of XR products called XYN, aimed at creatives. Despite the vague announcement, which included a costly, previously unseen headset, Sony’s commitment to XR and digital realms appears unwavering. HDMI also introduced a new 2.2 standard, boasting a mighty 96Gb/s bandwidth, prompting speculation about headset manufacturers revisiting this connection type. I’ve already shared insights on some devices I got to test at CES, like the Shiftall MeganeX SuperLight 8K and Ray-Ban Meta. My favorite was the Play For Dream headset, with a detailed review on the horizon. I was thrilled to share this enthusiasm with Amanda Watson, who also found it to be the standout device at CES, and meeting her was a personal highlight. For those who couldn’t attend, I’ve put together a video tour of the entire XR area—linked below. Although it wasn’t a groundbreaking CES for XR, it was nevertheless a promising one.

Other noteworthy news include the Meta Quest 3S becoming the top-selling console on Amazon in 2024, and the unfortunate discontinuation of Meta’s Quest Pro. The Quest 3S’s success indicates a significant holiday season boost, although it’s premature to declare VR has achieved mainstream status. Meta’s decision to pull the plug on Quest Pro comes as no surprise given its rushed market entry and subsequent underperformance. However, this leaves a gap for eye and face tracking which might be bridged by the upcoming ASUS headset.

In other relevant updates, the ASUS ROG VR headset is reportedly set to feature eye and face tracking, and Infinite Reality stunned the XR community by raising a massive $3 billion for its ambitious WebXR content engine, thanks to a single investor. Meanwhile, a quirky research project showcased a method to simulate walking in VR while lying down, leaving us amused and puzzled.

Exciting news for accessibility includes DotLumen’s headset for visually impaired individuals, providing guidance by scanning the environment to facilitate navigation. Meta is also offering a $50 discount on the Quest 3S 256GB model, bundling it with Batman Arkham Shadow in an effort to boost sales. Sanzaru Games is redirecting focus from their flagship title, Asgard’s Wrath 2, to their new project, promising some exciting developments presumably in mixed reality.

Content-wise, several new games have hit the market, from Boneworks arriving on Quest 3 to Shardfall: FitQuest VR offering a unique fitness experience. Synth Riders has expanded its offerings with an ’80s Mixtape Side B pack, and intriguing narrative-driven games like Human Within and Detective VR are now available on Quest. Additionally, Chrono Weaver’s time-travel puzzle adventure presents an engaging challenge for VR enthusiasts.

In terms of reviews, Epyka delivers an engaging albeit brief puzzle adventure, while Pirates VR: Jolly Roger offers vibrant visuals but lacks depth in design and combat. Shardfall presents an entertaining fitness journey reminiscent of Ring Fit Adventure, and Gears & Goo captures user interest with well-implemented hand and eye tracking in a tower defense format.

Wrapping up with other bite-sized stories, a Reddit user innovatively enhances Oculus Touch controllers for VR combat, and a cinematic adaptation of Exit 8 is on the way. Road To VR shared first impressions on the Surreal Touch controllers, and immersive gameplay emerges with Minecraft mods providing full body tracking in VR. Moreover, a Unity-focused introduction to Lens Studio was shared, rounding off a week rich with advancements and aspirations.

Also, don’t miss some fun in the XR realm! From a truck being driven in mixed reality to relatable moments during Steam Sales, there’s plenty to chuckle about in tech.

Before signing off, I’d like to encourage donations to the Red Cross for their humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. A heartfelt thanks to my generous Patreon supporters for their continued encouragement and backing. (And of course, here’s the link for the Red Cross donation.)

Your engagement fuels this venture, making it all possible. And, a little self-promotion: Tyriel Wood, a fantastic mate at CES 2025, produces amazing XR content. Check out his YouTube channel—you won’t be let down!

That’s a wrap on this week’s tech tales and I’ll catch you in the next one!