Metaverse

Facebook-parent company Meta has reportedly received a go-ahead from a court to complete its purchase of virtual reality startup Within Unlimited, after the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sought to block the deal saying the purchase could end the competition in the market. A report by Bloomberg cited people familiar with the ruling as saying that a US judge denied the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction to block the proposed transaction. The judge also issued a temporary restraining order that will essentially block Meta from closing the transaction for a week. This gives time to the FTC to appeal the ruling. What’s the case? In July 2022, the FTC filed a complaint to block Meta from acquiring virtual reality studio Within, which makes the popular VR app Supernatural. FTC said that the Mark Zuckerberg-owned company bought Within to end competition in the fitness market. Meta already owns Beat Saber which is a lot similar to Supernatural. Read … [Read more...] about Meta’s plans to expand metaverse are up and running again: Here’s how

Rumor mill: Word on the street is that Sony's PS VR2 pre-orders were disappointing. As such, insiders say the company is allegedly cutting back production. The two million units it expected to sell in the first quarter of 2023 are now projected to take until March 2024 to move. However, Sony says these reports are false, and everything is on track. With Sony's PS VR2 only three weeks from release, Bloomberg reports that the company has cut shipments of the next-gen VR headset in half due to low pre-orders. The company previously estimated it would ship at least two million units in its launch quarter. However, anonymous sources say those sales are now projected at one million. Sony expects another 1.5 million units to ship between April this year and March 2024. Bloomberg reached out to Sony for official comment, but a spokesperson said, "the company does not discuss its product inventory." However, shortly after publishing the story, Sony told GamesIndustry.biz that it had not … [Read more...] about Insiders say Sony slashed PlayStation VR2 production; Sony says, “No we didn’t”

Forward-looking: As Meta's metaverse division, Reality Labs, threw another few billion dollars into the furnace last quarter, the company presses forward with VR products. Those include the next Meta Quest headset, set to succeed the popular Meta Quest 2 when it launches later this year. Meta's Q4 2022 earnings call included new information about the company's next VR headset. Likely to be called the Meta Quest 3, Meta wants the device to be a relatively accessible vehicle for its mixed reality ambitions. Company CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed that the Quest 3 would incorporate Meta Reality, the company's technology that makes VR headsets capable of augmented reality, making them mixed reality headsets. The $1,500 Meta Quest Pro, which Meta launched last October, includes it as a primary feature. When Meta debuted the Quest Pro, Zuckerberg confirmed that the company aims to launch the Quest 3 in late 2023 for a price between $300 and $500. Meta currently offers the Quest 2 … [Read more...] about Mark Zuckerberg talks mixed reality on Meta Quest 3