After the best Meta Quest 2 games? Here are our top recommendations.
Six years after the original Oculus Quest headset debuted, the content library available on the Meta Quest platform is bigger than ever. That makes picking a list of the best Meta Quest 2 games tough. With Meta Quest 3 now available and the new Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset allowing for far improved visuals, we’ve prepared a separate list of the best Quest 3 games.
While Quest 2 and Quest Pro have been officially discontinued, many developers are continuing to launch games that are compatible with the older headsets. As such, we’re keeping this list ongoing with our picks for the best Quest 2 experiences and games available for this generation. There will be some differences as our other list takes Quest 3 enhancements into consideration, too.
In the past, we’ve taken a ranked approach to choosing our top 25 Quest 2 games, but we’ve now adopted a different strategy with an unranked list. That’s because some games simply aren’t comparable in a meaningful sense, so we’ve now listed our recommendations without a score and in alphabetical order. This list also aims to offer variety across different genres, ensuring there’s something for everyone.
We have to draw a line somewhere with these lists, but we don’t want to ignore the wider library when there are so many great games available. Here are a few titles that are just shy of making the top 25. Some were previously on the list and later nudged off by newer titles, while others were beaten out by another game in the same genre.
With that in mind, you should definitely check out: The Room VR, Eleven Table Tennis, A Township Tale, Blade and Sorcery, Song in the Smoke, Ghost Giant, I Expect You To Die 2, Until You Fall, Outta Hand, Ghost Signal, Unplugged, Carve Snowboarding, Warplanes: WW1 Fighters, Gorn 2, Bonelab, Star Wars: Vader Immortal Trilogy, Tentacular, Ultrawings 2, What the Bat?, Green Hell, and The Last Clockwinder.
While this list is specific for Quest 2, all the listed games will also work on other Quest headsets like Quest Pro and Quest 3 as well. That excludes the original Oculus Quest headset following Meta’s decision to end Quest 1 support, though some older games may still be playable on it.
This may change as more upcoming VR games get released, but for now, here’s our top 25 best Meta Quest 2 games.
A Fisherman’s Tale is a unique, mind-bending puzzle game and easily one of the best Meta Quest 2 games available. In A Fisherman’s Tale, you solve intricate, scale-based puzzles in which you work… with yourself. Its best puzzles utilize a miniature model of the lighthouse the game’s set in. Lift the model’s roof, and you’ll see a mini-you imitating your every move. Try to keep your brain from breaking as you hand yourself giant objects, or reach down to poke your head.
It’s a trip, to say the least. Throw in a poignant story about self-acceptance, and you have a short, sharp VR game that will stay with you much longer than most multi-hour epics. If you’re still keen for more, then you can check out the sequel, Another’s Fisherman’s Tale (which was later renamed to A Fisherman’s Tale 2) as well.
UploadVRJamie Feltham
Among Us 3D brings the viral flatscreen sensation into VR on Quest 2, translating the original game brilliantly. It adds new depth to the experience, featuring top-tier VR design and the added immersion of experiencing this social whodunit in virtual reality means that it offers something familiar yet original compared to the flatscreen release.
Since launch, it’s been rebranded as Among Us 3D (or Among Us 3D: VR on some platforms) to coincide with a flatscreen edition on PC. Fortunately, the game supports cross-platform multiplayer, so you can play alongside your friends on PC, PC VR, Pico, and PSVR 2. Schell Games continues adding post-launch updates, too, like various Limited-Time Events.
UploadVRIan Hamilton
Arizona Sunshine 2 is a fantastic VR campaign featuring pitch-perfect writing, acting, pacing, and outstanding action. It’s everything you hope for in a sequel, taking everything that worked in the original and refining it to near perfection. This time, you’ll be joined on your adventure by canine companion Buddy, who you’ll use for crowd control during intense action sequences and develop a relationship with across the course of the campaign.
This follow-up to one of VR’s seminal early hits reanimates the zombie genre and brings with it some of the most engaging and accessible arcade violence we’ve seen in VR. Plus, the entire campaign is playable in two-player co-op, just like the first game. Whether you’re looking to dismember some zombies alone or with friends, Arizona Sunshine 2 is a great pick. And when you’re finished, we recommend checking out Arizona Sunshine Remake too.
UploadVRPete Austin
Asgard’s Wrath 2 offers impressive scale on an uncharted level previously unseen on Quest headsets. It features many incredible moments of bespoke gameplay, expert cinematic direction and sequences of god-like proportions. However, it also wraps its best moments around an open world that can feel fairly unsatisfying to explore and an RPG structure that sometimes feels as though it gets in the way of the main campaign.
This game isn’t a tight linear experience, but if you’re looking for an expansive, near-overwhelming RPG to dig into, then Asgard’s Wrath 2 is a great option. It’s worth keeping in mind that the game runs at a lower render resolution on Quest 2 and hits a 72Hz refresh rate compared to 90Hz on Quest 3. It’s since received an enhanced graphics mode on Quest 3, and the previously limited time events can still be experienced on a rotating basis.
UploadVRHarry Baker
There was a lot of understandable doubt about whether the Assassin’s Creed franchise could survive the transition to VR and come out better on the other end. However, Assassin’s Creed Nexus proves that the series can absolutely work in VR and manages to stand proud with the main series.
It presents players with a 20-hour campaign that leaves them wanting more, demonstrating what a fully-fledged VR entry can do for a big franchise. Adapting the series’ stealth, parkour, and combat into a new immersive format works wonders – Nexus is the most fun we’ve had with the series yet. Just be aware there is a noticeable resolution drop on Quest 2 when compared to Quest 3.
UploadVRHenry Stockdale
For the longest time, Beat Saber has been VR’s poster child and one of its earliest (and continuing) successes. It’s always been a natural fit on Quest, where you’ll slash notes to the beat of the music, dodge obstacles and try to master a truly spectacular selection of first-class music tracks. It’s an empowering, energetic and addictive VR game.
There’s been plenty of new DLC added to Beat Saber over the years, including music packs or individual songs featuring high-profile artists like Lady Gaga, The Rolling Stones, Queen, Billie Eilish, Metallica, Kendrick Lamar, and more. We’re bound to see these releases continue in the following months.
UploadVRHarry Baker
Cubism is an understated but absolutely stunning VR puzzle game – and one that’s deceptively simple. Each level features a 3D wireframe shape into which you have to fit different Tetris-like block pieces. The puzzles get harder and the pieces more complex – it’s a slow and measured puzzle experience. While it may not be as flashy as other titles on this list, Cubism is an experience that is perfectly designed for the current capabilities of Quest hardware.
The minimalist design, reserved soundtrack, and its simple nature all come together to create a fantastic and polished end product. It’s also regularly updated with support for the latest cutting-edge VR features – its post-launch updates include support for passthrough mode, hand tracking, and 120Hz. If you’re a fan of puzzles that put your mind to work, then don’t sleep on Cubism. Solving each level is infinitely more complex than you’d expect and incredibly rewarding.
UploadVRHarry Baker
Demeo isn’t a perfect tabletop game by any means. But it is a really good one and, more importantly, its first-rate four-player multiplayer VR experience makes it feel like a genuine social event in a way that no flatscreen game – and even few VR games – have ever really matched. You pick a class and tackle randomly generated dungeons, but the game’s punishing difficulty means sessions can last anywhere from a few minutes to multiple hours.
Demeo is one of the best Quest games that’s only gotten better with post-launch updates, including the recent technical update. Free updates provided new campaigns to play through, like Reign of Madness, Curse of the Serpent Lord and more. It’s a must-have for any Quest 2 owner, and Demeo Battles is also available if you’re interested in a PvP spin-off.
UploadVRJamie Feltham
If you’re looking for a fantasy action RPG that you can play with a group of friends, Dungeons of Eternity is the obvious pick. This first-person immersive experience feels significantly polished across all Quest headsets, allowing you and your friends to explore various hack-n-slash combat options while clearing rooms in true “dungeon crawler” style.
Dungeons of Eternity caters to many styles of play, pairing a rewarding progression system with endless randomly generated dungeons. There’s a good reason why we named it our Best New Multiplayer VR Game for 2023 and further updates are planned in its post-launch roadmap. For an immersive first-person dungeon crawler, there’s no better pick.
UploadVRHenry Stockdale
Eye of the Temple is one of the best examples of a game designed from the ground-up for VR – it’s a triumphant room-scale platformer on Quest. In this Indiana Jones-inspired adventure, you’ll begin outside a large temple with a whip in one hand and a torch in the other. Work your way deeper into the temple by completing puzzles and navigating platforming obstacles along the way.
The genius part of Eye of the Temple is that the room-scale approach means almost all movement is real around your play space. Some clever design tricks ensure you never have to worry about walking out of your play space or into your guardian (which also makes it a great experience for those who are starting out with VR). Be warned, though: you’ll need a decent amount of space – Eye of the Temple requires a minimum play area of at least 2m×2m.
UploadVRHarry Baker
Ghost Town is one of our favorite new VR games so far in 2025, and it’s a strong return for Fireproof Games following The Room VR: A Dark Matter. Set in the ’80s, this story focuses on a witch turned ghost hunter and exorcist called Edith Penrose, who now heads up a paranormal detective agency with her flatmate across London.
It’s a brilliant supernatural puzzler that delivers a thoroughly compelling mystery, fantastic visuals and intuitive puzzles that never feel too difficult or too easy. Our only complaint is that we wished it lasted longer, but don’t let that deter you. If you’re a fan of narrative-driven adventures, we highly recommend checking out Ghost Town.
UploadVRHenry Stockdale
Originally released as a PSVR exclusive, Iron Man VR flew its way onto Quest in 2022, making some drastic improvements to the experience along the way. While the technical constraints of the system marred the PSVR release, Iron Man VR on Quest 2 is a different beast.
There are practically no load times, and switching to a standalone system without wires makes the gameplay more immersive than ever. You’ll embody Tony Stark and his suit of armor in a thrilling and engaging story-driven campaign, featuring combat and traversal that adds up to an addictive superhero experience.
UploadVRHarry Baker
Little Cities is the best city simulator game available on any VR platform, let alone Quest 2. It perfectly distills the formula down into a focused approach that emphasizes city management through design. Instead of getting bogged down in menus, the ebb and flow of your city will be determined by how you lay out the roads, key services, and various elements provided to you.
It does all of this while being keenly aware of intelligent VR design. Everything in the game is designed to work optimally and intuitively in a VR headset. Even if you’re not a fan of the city simulator genre, Little Cities is visually stunning and charming enough for anyone to enjoy. It’s also received several post-launch content updates, including the Attractions Update, Sandbox Update, Snowy Island DLC, and more.
UploadVRHarry Baker
Developed by Vertigo Games, Metro Awakening is an origin story based on the post-apocalyptic series by Dmitry Glukhovsky that takes place five years before Metro 2033. It’s an impressive first-person shooter packed with impressive atmospheric immersion, all while delivering a strong narrative that grapples with difficult themes of grief and mental health.
Though our review noted some issues with repetition and sometimes clumsy reloading, combat generally feels satisfying. The enemy AI can offer a considerable challenge as you weigh up being stealthy or going in guns blazing. It’s worth a look and Awakening on Quest 2 also supports cross-buy with Rift, providing you with a PC VR edition too as an added bonus.
UploadVRDon Hopper
While Moss and Moss: Book 2 are separate games, we’ve included them as one entry on this list as they flow into each other – Book 2 picks up the story moments after the end of Book 1. Moss helped prove that third-person VR experiences can make for some of the absolute best content out on the platform right now. You guide an adorable little mouse named Quill through diorama-sized levels, solving puzzles and taking on fearsome critters in sword-based combat.
While it’s mechanically refined, Moss’ real claim to fame is the bond you build with Quill over the course of the adventure. Playing as a larger companion to the tiny protagonist, you really start to connect with her as you work together to overcome obstacles. It feels very much like a team effort, which is quite a remarkable feeling in itself.
UploadVRDavid Jagneaux
The second installment – Moss: Book 2 – is technically a stronger, longer sequel, but realistically feels more like a continuation of the same journey instead of a completely fresh adventure. That being said, it does add some new mechanics that innovate on the original’s combat, as well as offering a wider range of environments and vistas than the first title. The Moss series is not one to miss.
UploadVRJamie Feltham
Continual updates and new content have cemented Pistol Whip as one of the best, most stylish arcade rhythm VR games around. It’s sharpshooting, sharp-sounding, beat-based gameplay proves even more hypnotic than Beat Saber, and in our 2023 review update, we proclaimed Pistol Whip is better than ever. In this neon-lit shooter, you stream down corridors, blasting bad guys to grizzly tunes, avoiding incoming fire, and trying to rack up the best scores by firing on the beat.
Whereas Beat Saber wants to make you a dancing Jedi master, Pistol Whip aims to teach you John Wick-esque gun-fu with style, elegantly fusing the rhythmic and cinematic elements together into a pulsating, vibrant monster of its own. Since its launch, Cloudhead Games has continually supported Pistol Whip with more content, new features, and extra tracks, making it one of the most entertaining and comprehensive arcade titles available on Quest 2.
UploadVRHarry Baker
Population: One is VR’s version of Fortnite – and it’s done really well. Matches take place on a massive map where squads of three battle it out to be the last ones standing. It’s a solid shooter with great VR mechanics for climbing and flying – however, that also means it can be an intense experience in terms of comfort for some players.
If you want a competitive shooter fix with a Fortnite-like battle royale structure, Population: One is your best bet. It has cross-play support with other headsets, a Phoenix Royale mode that arrived in 2024, and it’s also free-to-play on Quest. Plus, it has cross-platform multiplayer support, so you can play with friends using other headsets.
UploadVRDavid Jagneaux
Red Matter 2 is a great sci-fi adventure and one of the most impressive visual showcases available on Quest 2. After producing a similarly stunning experience with the original Red Matter, developers Vertical Robot doubled down on creating a compelling and gorgeous sci-fi game with this sequel.
The gameplay is fairly slow, focused on environmental puzzles and occasional combat. It doesn’t always land – some of the puzzles begin to frustrate, especially toward the end – but some beautiful sci-fi vistas and environments supplement any occasional hiccups in gameplay and pacing.
UploadVRHarry Baker
We had doubts that bringing a classic flatscreen title like Resident Evil 4 to VR would work. However, it not only survived the transition, but ended up becoming one of the best games available on the Quest platform. This is the full campaign ported into immersive first-person VR with motion control support, which was later followed up with ‘The Mercenaries‘ mode.
There are some elements, like the use of virtual cutscenes, that are less than ideal, but the overall gameplay experience more than makes up for it. For anyone with a PlayStation VR2 headset, we also recommend taking a look at Resident Evil 4 Remake’s VR Mode. Even still, fighting off hordes of enemies as Leon Kennedy is a thrilling experience on Quest 2, and it’s a wonderful way to revisit a classic.
UploadVRJamie Feltham
After its work on The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners, Skydance Games followed this up with an original action RPG, Skydance’s Behemoth. Inspired by Shadow of the Colossus, this giant killing adventure sees you exploring the Forsaken Lands. Behemoth is ultimately at its best when facing the terrifying foes, and this delivers some truly awe-inspiring moments.
While we won’t deny that Skydance’s Behemoth had a rough start – we noted a few issues in our review – things have begun turning around following a slew of post-launch updates. Alongside extensive bug fixes across the first two patches and combat adjustments, it’s also received a New Game+ mode, and further changes are due to come.
UploadVRHenry Stockdale
Starwave was one of our biggest surprises in 2024. Developed by Tigertron and Skymap Games, this involves hitting notes in time to the music to complete constellations. In a genre dominated by Beat Saber, this interstellar VR rhythm game offers a unique premise with considerable variety across its tracks, earning a strong recommendation.
The base game includes 36 different tracks, and it’s since received post-launch support with the paid ‘Be Strong‘ DLC. While it’s unclear whether further DLC will follow, we hope to see more music packs complement this wonderful rhythm game further in the future.
UploadVRAlicia Haddick
Superhot VR is one of the oldest games on this list. However, it’s still one of the best examples of how VR can enable entirely new gaming experiences. Originally adapted from a flatscreen game, time only moves when you do in this cinematic shooter – stay still and everything around you will remain frozen too. The second you move your body, everything jolts back to life.
It features an accessible design and a slickness that’s rare to find in VR – from last-minute gun grabs to well-placed knife throws, there’s so much satisfaction in working through Superhot’s levels. Further updates like an experimental 120FPS mode later followed, too. Even in 2025, Superhot VR remains an essential introductory experience worth trying.
UploadVRJamie Feltham
There is no denying that The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is one of the best campaigns available on the Quest system – it’s been that way since it first released on Quest a few years back. It set the bar for VR zombie games and the entire medium alike with ridiculously entertaining physics-based combat that has you wrestling with undead hordes, throwing every ounce of effort into every swing and stab.
But this isn’t just a silly sandbox. Saints & Sinners packs its action into a full, meaty VR campaign that sees you trekking through the remains of New Orleans. Add in human enemies, side missions, and the ability to kill zombies with a spoon, and you have one of the deepest native VR games on the market. Thanks to an obscenely good port, Saints & Sinners is one of the best Meta Quest 2 games.
UploadVRJamie Feltham
One Hamsa’s VR mech brawler roguelike made a big impact last year, earning our Best PC VR Game of 2024 award. UNDERDOGS is a physics-based brawler that uses arm-based locomotion and a comic book-style presentation. Previously released on Quest, Steam and Pico, this 22nd century underground roguelike fighter set a new benchmark for VR arena combat.
Between its stylish visuals, grimy soundscape and unique character, UNDERDOGS feels fresh and exciting. Numerous post-launch updates have taken this further, such as ‘Sandboxxer‘ with its level editor while the more recent ‘Rampage‘ mode added an endless endurance mode. Further changes are planned still, with a multiplayer mode also on the way.
UploadVRPete Austin
Mini golf is actually something that could and should work quite well in VR. Walkabout Mini Golf is all the proof you need; it’s an accurate representation of the game that goes beyond what’s possible in real life while also remaining authentic throughout.
This ticks all the boxes – plenty of courses, extensive multiplayer support, different themes for each level and, above all, pinpoint physics that are arguably better than the real thing because there’s none of the small snags you’d find on the surface of physical courses. Plus, the game receives ongoing support from developers Mighty Coconut, with regular free and paid DLC courses added over time.
UploadVRIan Hamilton
Our list of the best Meta Quest 2 games is designed to be updated regularly each year. If you’re looking for our best VR game lists outside of the best Quest 2 games, make sure to check these out:
Update 5/12/2025 – Unranked the list. Removed Outta Hand, Unplugged, Eleven Table Tennis, What The Bat?, and Ghost Signal. Added Starwave, Metro Awakening, UNDERDOGS, Ghost Town, and Skydance’s Behemoth. Renamed Among Us VR to Among Us 3D following recent rebrand.
Update 12/21/2023 – List re-ordered. Removed Green Hell, Hellsweeper, Tentacular, Ultrawings 2. Added Asgard’s Wrath 2, Arizona Sunshine 2, Assassin’s Creed Nexus, Dungeons of Eternity.
Update 10/11/2023 – List re-ordered. Removed Vader Immortal, Onward. Added Outta Hand, Hellsweeper.
Update 07/04/23 – List re-ordered. Removed Bonelab, The Last Clockwinder. Added Eye of the Temple, Ghost Signal.
Update 04/11/23 – Removed Echo VR in light of the game’s shutdown. Added Among Us VR and added information on free-to-play for Population: One.
Update 01/17/23 – List reordered. Zenith and Gorn removed, Iron Man VR and What the Bat? added.
Update 10/18/22 – List reordered. The Room, A Township Tale, Blade & Sorcery, Song in the Smoke, Ghost Giant, I Expect You To Die 2 & Until You Fall removed. Moss: Book II, Cubism, Tentacular, Bonelab, Green Hell VR, Red Matter 2, The Last Clockwinder, Little Cities added.
Update 05/17/22 – List reordered slightly, Honorable Mentions added.
Update 03/15/22 – Larcenauts, Carve Snowboarding removed. Zenith, Ultrawings 2 added.
Update 11/26/21 – Sniper Elite VR, Red Matter, Cosmodread, In Death, FNAFVR removed. Resident Evil 4 VR, Song in the Smoke, Blade And Sorcery: Nomad, Gorn, Unplugged added.
Update 08/30/21 – I Expect You To Die, Myst, Contractors, Job Simulator removed. A Township Tale, Sniper Elite VR, Larcenauts, I Expect You To Die 2 added.
Update 06/15/21 – The Under Presents, Blair Witch, Vacation Simulator, Accounting+ removed. Demeo, Carve Snowboarding, Walkabout, Cosmodread added.
Update 12/25/20 – Population: One, Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, Myst, Blair Witch, Contractors added. Spaceteam, Robo Recall, Apex Construct, Lies Beneath, Phantom removed.
Update 10/12/20 – Until You Fall added. Trover Saves The Universe removed.
Update 09/13/20 – Acron, Down The Rabbit Hole, National Geographic, Rec Room, VRChat, Keep Talking, VVR, The Climb, Exorcist removed. Onward, Echo VR, Spaceteam VR, The Under Presents, FNAFVR, Phantom: Covert Ops, Trover Saves The Universe added.
Update 04/09/20 – Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets, SPT, Journey of the Gods, Face Your Fears II, Racket: Nx, Job Simulator removed. Down The Rabbit Hole, Ghost Giant, The Room VR, Eleven: Table Tennis, Vacation Simulator, OhShape added.
Update 12/06/19 – Fisherman’s Tale, Pistol Whip, Espire 1, SPT, National Geographic VR, The Climb, Curious Tale Of The Stolen Pets added. Raccoon Lagoon, Wands, Fujii, Orbus Reborn, BoxVR, Dreadhalls, Thumper removed.
If you were affected by 23andMe’s data breach that compromised 14,000 user accounts—plus 6.9 million DNA Relatives and Family Tree profiles—you can now claim your compensation.
Following the 2023 credential-stuffing attack, 23AndMe in 2024 agreed to a $30 million payout for impacted consumers. The genetic testing company then filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year (introducing new privacy concerns around the potential sale of customer data), and the settlement money will soon be distributed amid the proceedings.
If everyone whose account was involved received an equal payout, that would come to about $4.35 per person. However, users with an “extraordinary claim”—those who experienced identity theft or fraudulent tax filings as a result of the breach—could qualify for up to $10,000 to reimburse verified expenses, including costs for physical or cyber security systems as well as mental health treatment.
Individuals residing in Alaska, California, Illinois, and Oregon will receive roughly $100 thanks to state privacy laws, and this same amount will likely be paid to users whose personal health information was leaked.
The settlement also provided for three years of identity monitoring services through a customized program called Privacy & Medical Shield + Genetic Monitoring.
There are actually two types of claims permitted as part of 23andMe’s bankruptcy filing. Consumers who were impacted by the 2023 data breach can file a Cyber Security Incident Claim, which must be submitted by July 14, 2025. To be eligible, you must have been a 23andMe customer between May 1, 2023 and October 1, 2023 and have received a notice (via letter or email) that your information was compromised in the breach. You also must attest that you incurred damages (monetary or non-monetary) as a result of the incident.
Claims can be filed online via the Kroll Restructuring Administration portal, or you can mail a hard copy of your claim form to the address listed. To complete a claim, you must provide some personal information as well as details about the harm incurred with supporting documentation, such as bank or credit card statements substantiating losses.
If you weren’t affected by the breach but have other grievances with 23andMe, you can submit a general claim form using the same process with the same deadline.
An anonymous reader shares a report: U.K. retail giant Marks & Spencer has confirmed hackers stole its customers’ personal information during a cyberattack last month. In a brief statement with London’s stock exchange on Tuesday, the retailer said an unspecified amount of customer information was taken in the data breach.
The BBC, which first reported the company’s filing, cited a Marks & Spencer online letter as saying that the stolen data includes customer names, dates of birth, home and email addresses, phone numbers, household information, and online order histories. The company also said it was resetting the online account passwords of its customers. FT adds: Marks and Spencer could claim for losses of as much as $133 million from its cyber insurers following a sustained hack where some customer data was stolen. The UK retailer’s cyber policy allows it to claim up to $133 million, according to people familiar with the situation.
Allianz is the first insurer on the hook for M&S’s losses, the people added, and is expected to pay at least the initial $13.3 million. Cyber specialist Beazley is also among the insurers exposed to losses at the FTSE 100 retailer, according to the people familiar with the situation.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Baidu’s Apollo Go robotaxi service is making its debut in Europe later this year, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Chinese company is reportedly negotiating with Switzerland’s PostAuto, a Swiss Post subsidiary that offers rural bus services throughout the country, to start testing Apollo Go in Switzerland. To be able to test its technology in Switzerland before the year ends, Baidu is setting up a local entity in the coming months.
Back in March, the company announced that it was deploying 100 fully autonomous cars in Dubai, with plans to expand its fleet to 1,000 vehicles in the city by 2028. It’s also expanding its trials in Hong Kong and reportedly has plans to test its vehicles in Turkey in the future. Baidu launched Apollo Go in all “first-tier” Chinese cities, including Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai, in 2022. As The Journal notes, Baidu, like its Chinese competitors, is likely looking to expand in Europe instead of the US, because Chinese companies could be subject to more scrutiny in the country.
One of the companies Baidu will be competing with in Europe is Uber, which signed a deal with Chinese self-driving startup Momenta earlier this month. Uber and Momenta are launching robotaxi services in the continent sometime in 2026. When Baidu does start testing its vehicles its Switzerland, they’ll most likely have drivers behind the wheel before the company progresses to fully driverless trials.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/baidu-could-start-testing-its-apollo-go-robotaxi-service-in-europe-this-year-123054998.html?src=rss
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If you’ve ever owned a pair of Beats, you probably already know what to expect—flashy design, Apple-friendly features, and a sound signature that leans toward the bass-heavy side. The Beats Studio Pro continues that legacy, but right now, it’s doing it at a much better price. These headphones, which launched in 2023 at a steep $349.99, are currently going for $169.95—a 51% discount and the second-lowest price tracked so far. That makes a real difference, especially if you’re part of the Apple ecosystem.
With hands-free Siri, spatial audio with head tracking, and seamless one-touch pairing, Apple users will get the most out of these over-ears. Android compatibility exists, too, but not all features carry over as smoothly.
At this lower price, it’s easier to overlook some of the limitations reviewers pointed out at launch. PCMag gave it a “good” rating, noting its sculpted sound, comfort, and sleek design, but also made it clear that more balanced-sounding options with better ANC and customizable EQ exist at similar or lower prices. That said, for under $170, you’re still getting premium build quality, long battery life (up to 40 hours with ANC off), and fast charging that gives you around four hours of playback from a 10-minute top-up. The ANC itself won’t blow anyone away—it’s slightly above average—but it’s good enough for commutes and background office noise. And while you can’t fine-tune the sound with a manual EQ, the built-in EQ presets offer a solid workaround.
For anyone who wants spatial audio, Apple-first integrations, and a good-looking pair of over-ears that feel comfortable over long sessions, this is a compelling deal. The dual-device connection, transparency mode, and Find My support round out the convenience side of things. If you’re after fine-tuned audio controls or industry-leading ANC, you’ll want to look elsewhere. But if you want a solid all-rounder at nearly half the price, the Beats Studio Pro finally feels like it’s priced where it should’ve started.
Discover 4 fun and free open-source meme generation tools that let you unleash your creativity and share laughs with friends. Start creating today!
The post 4 Fun Free and Open Source Meme Generation Tools appeared first on Linux Today.
General Motors is partnering with LG to develop lithium manganese-rich (LMR) batteries, which are safer, denser, and cheaper than current EV battery tech. The automaker aims to begin U.S. production by 2028 and become the first to deploy LMR cells in electric vehicles. Ford also announced it would start adopting LMR batteries for its EVs, but not until 2030. The Verge reports: GM’s current crop of electric Chevys and Cadillacs use high-nickel batteries, which supply enough energy for around 300-320 miles of range. The new LMR batteries are denser, with greater space efficiency due to their prismatic shape, enabling up to 400 miles of range, GM says. Prismatic cells are packed flat in rigid cases and are generally thought to be less complex to manufacture than cylindrical cells. Less complexity and cheaper materials will hopefully lead to lower-cost EVs, which has been a significant challenge for the auto industry’s shift to electric vehicles. “The EV growth rate is really dependent on how quickly we can bring the costs down over time,” says GM’s VP for batteries Kurt Kelty. “And this is the biggest lever we have. Batteries make up roughly 30 to 40 percent of the cost of vehicles. And if you can drop that down significantly like we’re doing here, then it ends up being a lower cost to the consumer.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Looking for the best Quest 3 games? Here are our top 25 picks available now.
Before we begin, it’s worth noting that our best Quest 2 games list and best Quest 3 games list will be maintained separately. There’s some natural crossover of course, but with a few key differences. On Quest 3, our recommendations will also consider upgraded visuals, mixed reality experiences, better performance, and newer releases that shine on this VR headset.
While we’ll still update our other list while the headset remains supported, we want our list of Quest 2 recommendations to provide insight into the best VR games for that generation on that specific headset as more upcoming VR games arrive. That’s why we’ve tried to approach our Quest 3 list with a fresh perspective: we want it to feel like a good representation of games that play best on this generation of standalone VR.
In the past, we’ve taken a ranked approach to choosing our top 25 Quest 3 games, but we’ve now adopted a different strategy with an unranked list. That’s because some games simply aren’t comparable in a meaningful sense, so we’ve now listed our recommendations without a score and in alphabetical order. This list also aims to offer variety across different genres, ensuring there’s something for everyone.
We have to draw a line somewhere with these lists, but if you’re after even more recommendations, fear not. While we’ve also got separate lists for both the best mixed reality games and the best free games on Quest 3 and 3S, we’d like to offer some honorable mentions here too. These are games that were either previously included on our list or didn’t quite beat out the rest.
We’ve linked our reviews or other coverage below where possible, and here are a few additional choices worth looking into.
For games previously released on Quest 2, we’ve often linked our original reviews in our recommendations below. However, where appropriate, we’ve also linked to footage and articles detailing Quest 3-specific changes, enhancements, and updates that added significant new content since our initial reviews.
Among Us 3D brings the viral flatscreen sensation into VR on Quest 2, translating the original game brilliantly. It adds new depth to the experience, featuring top-tier VR design and the added immersion of experiencing this social whodunit in virtual reality means that it offers something familiar yet original compared to the flatscreen release.
Since launch, it’s been rebranded as Among Us 3D (or Among Us 3D: VR on some platforms) to coincide with a flatscreen edition on PC. Fortunately, the game supports cross-platform multiplayer, so you can play alongside your friends on PC, PC VR, Pico, and PSVR 2. Schell Games continues adding post-launch updates, too, like various Limited-Time Events.
UploadVRIan Hamilton
Arizona Sunshine 2 is a fantastic VR campaign featuring pitch-perfect writing, acting, pacing, and outstanding action. It’s everything you hope for in a sequel, taking everything that worked in the original and refining it to near perfection. This time, you’ll be joined on your adventure by canine companion Buddy, who you’ll use for crowd control during intense action sequences and develop a relationship with across the course of the campaign.
This follow-up to one of VR’s seminal early hits reanimates the zombie genre and brings with it some of the most engaging and accessible arcade violence we’ve seen in VR. Plus, the entire campaign is playable in two-player co-op, just like the first game. Whether you’re looking to dismember some zombies alone or with friends, Arizona Sunshine 2 is a great pick. And when you’re finished, we recommend checking out Arizona Sunshine Remake too.
UploadVRPete Austin
Asgard’s Wrath 2 offers impressive scale on an uncharted level previously unseen on Quest headsets. It features many incredible moments of bespoke gameplay, expert cinematic direction, and sequences of god-like proportions. However, it also wraps its best moments around an open world that can feel fairly unsatisfying to explore and an RPG structure that sometimes feels as though it gets in the way of the main campaign.
There were very few Quest 3-specific upgrades initially, featuring textures, lighting and an overall graphics presentation aimed at Quest 2. However, it’s since received an enhanced graphics mode on Quest 3 and various limited time events. This game isn’t a tight linear experience – there’s more of those below – but if you’re looking for an expansive, near-overwhelming RPG to dig into, then Asgard’s Wrath 2 is the best offering of that on Quest 3.
UploadVRHarry Baker
There was a lot of understandable doubt about whether the Assassin’s Creed franchise could survive the transition to VR and come out better on the other end. However, Assassin’s Creed Nexus proves that the series can absolutely work in VR and manages to stand proud with the main series.
It presents players with a 20-hour campaign that leaves them wanting more, demonstrating what a fully-fledged VR entry can do for a big franchise. Adapting the series’ stealth, parkour, and combat into a new immersive format works wonders – Nexus is the most fun we’ve had with the Assassin’s Creed franchise yet.
UploadVRHenry Stockdale
Batman: Arkham Shadow brought the series back to VR with a brilliant return for The Dark Knight, becoming UploadVR’s Game of the Year for 2024. Set between Arkham Origins and Arkham Asylum, we find Gotham City besieged by the mysterious Rat King. What follows is a compelling tale that remains faithful to the flatscreen games while innovating in its own way through VR-specific design and satisfying combat.
While Camouflaj has moved on to its next project, Batman: Arkham Shadow received numerous post-launch updates that’s only enhanced the experience further. That includes a New Game+ mode with a brand new post-credits scene and additional challenge missions, and the last major update went even further with an Extreme difficulty setting.
UploadVRHenry Stockdale
For the longest time, Beat Saber has been VR’s poster child and one of its earliest (and continuing) successes. It’s always been a natural fit on Quest, where you’ll slash notes to the beat of the music, dodge obstacles and try to master a truly spectacular selection of first-class music tracks. It’s an empowering, energetic and addictive VR game.
There’s been plenty of new DLC added to Beat Saber over the years, including music packs or individual songs featuring high-profile artists like Lady Gaga, The Rolling Stones, Queen, Billie Eilish, Metallica, Kendrick Lamar, and more. Not long after the headset launched, Beat Games also released an update adding support for playing at 120Hz on Quest 3.
UploadVRHarry Baker
Cubism is an understated but absolutely stunning VR puzzle game – and one that’s deceptively simple. Each level features a 3D wireframe shape into which you have to fit different Tetris-like block pieces. The puzzles get harder and the pieces more complex – it’s a slow and measured puzzle experience. While it may not be as flashy as some titles on this list, Cubism is an experience that is perfectly designed for the current capabilities of Quest hardware.
The minimalist design, reserved soundtrack and its simple nature all come together to create a fantastic and polished end product. It’s also regularly updated to support the latest cutting-edge VR features – post-launch updates include mixed reality support, hand tracking, and 120Hz. It’s one of the best mixed reality experiences on Quest 3 right now; MR support is a game-changer for Cubism on Quest 3.
UploadVRHarry Baker
Demeo isn’t a perfect tabletop game by any means. But it is a really good one and, more importantly, its first-rate four-player multiplayer VR experience makes it feel like a genuine social event in a way that no flatscreen game – and even few VR games – have ever really matched. You pick a class and tackle randomly generated dungeons, but the game’s punishing difficulty means sessions can last anywhere from a few minutes to multiple hours.
Demeo is one of the best Quest games that’s only gotten better with post-launch updates, including the recent technical update. Free updates provided new campaigns to play through, like Reign of Madness, Curse of the Serpent Lord and more. Plus, mixed reality support on Quest 3 is one of the best ways to play – especially when combined with controller-free hand tracking and colocation for local multiplayer. It’s a must-have for any Quest 3 owner, and Demeo Battles is also available if you’re interested in a PvP spin-off.
UploadVRJamie Feltham
If you’re looking for a fantasy action RPG that you can play with a group of friends, Dungeons of Eternity is the obvious pick. This first-person immersive experience feels significantly polished across all Quest headsets, allowing you and your friends to explore various hack-n-slash combat options while clearing rooms in true “dungeon crawler” style.
Dungeons of Eternity caters to many styles of play, pairing a rewarding progression system with endless randomly generated dungeons. There’s a good reason why we named it our Best New Multiplayer VR Game for 2023 and further updates are planned in its post-launch roadmap. For an immersive first-person dungeon crawler, there’s no better pick on Quest 3.
UploadVRHenry Stockdale
Eye of the Temple is one of the best examples of a game designed from the ground up for VR – it’s a triumphant room-scale platformer on Quest. In this Indiana Jones-inspired adventure, you’ll begin outside a large temple with a whip in one hand and a torch in the other. Work your way deeper into the temple by completing puzzles and navigating platforming obstacles along the way. Thanks to its Quest 3 upgrade, it looks even better on the new headset.
The genius part of Eye of the Temple is that the room-scale approach means almost all movement is real around your play space. Some clever design tricks ensure you never have to worry about walking out of your play space or into your guardian (which also makes it a great experience for those who are starting out with VR). Be warned, though: you’ll need a decent amount of space – Eye of the Temple requires a minimum play area of 2m×2m.
UploadVRHarry Baker
Ghost Town is one of our favorite new VR games so far in 2025, and it’s a strong return for Fireproof Games following The Room VR: A Dark Matter. Set in the ’80s, this story focuses on a witch turned ghost hunter and exorcist called Edith Penrose, who now heads up a paranormal detective agency with her flatmate across London.
It’s a brilliant supernatural puzzler that delivers a thoroughly compelling mystery, fantastic visuals on Quest 3 and intuitive puzzles that never feel too difficult or too easy. Our only complaint is that we wished it lasted longer, but don’t let that deter you. If you’re a fan of narrative-driven adventures, we highly recommend checking out Ghost Town.
UploadVRHenry Stockdale
Little Cities is the best city simulator game available on any VR platform, let alone Quest 2. It perfectly distills the formula down into a focused approach that emphasizes city management through design. Instead of getting bogged down in menus, the ebb and flow of your city will be determined by how you lay out the roads, key services and various elements provided to you.
It does all of this while being keenly aware of intelligent VR design. Everything in the game is designed to work optimally and intuitively in a VR headset. Even if you’re not a fan of the city simulator genre, Little Cities is visually stunning and charming enough for anyone to enjoy. It’s also received several post-launch content updates, including the Attractions Update, Sandbox Update, Snowy Island DLC, and Quest 3 visual enhancements.
UploadVRHarry Baker
Created by Double Jack and Wild Sheep Studio, Maestro orchestrated a hit last year on Quest with its bold and innovative hand tracking gameplay. A distinctive rhythm game that focuses on classical music, we would’ve liked some further variety in the base game but found an exciting title filled with style.
Since launch, it’s received two major paid DLC packs with additional tracks. The five song ‘Doom Bound‘ pack included music from both Game of Thrones and Lords of the Rings, while the ‘Secret Sorcery‘ pack included musical scores from Harry Potter and Disney’s Fantasia. Hopefully we’ll see more on the way soon.
UploadVRDon Hopper
Developed by Vertigo Games, Metro Awakening is an origin story based on the post-apocalyptic series by Dmitry Glukhovsky that takes place five years before Metro 2033. It’s an impressive first-person shooter packed with impressive atmospheric immersion, all while delivering a strong narrative that grapples with difficult themes of grief and mental health.
Though our review noted some issues with repetition and sometimes clumsy reloading, combat generally feels satisfying. The enemy AI can offer a considerable challenge as you weigh up being stealthy or going in guns blazing. It’s worth a look and Awakening on Quest also supports cross-buy with Rift, providing you with a PC VR edition too as an added bonus.
UploadVRDon Hopper
Continual updates and new content have cemented Pistol Whip as one of the best, most stylish arcade rhythm VR games around. It’s sharpshooting, sharp-sounding, beat-based gameplay proves even more hypnotic than Beat Saber, and in our 2023 review update, we proclaimed Pistol Whip is better than ever. In this neon-lit shooter, you stream down corridors, blasting bad guys to grizzly tunes, avoiding incoming fire, and trying to rack up the best scores by firing on the beat.
Whereas Beat Saber wants to make you a dancing Jedi master, Pistol Whip aims to teach you John Wick-esque gun-fu with style, elegantly fusing the rhythmic and cinematic elements together into a pulsating, vibrant monster of its own. Since its launch, Cloudhead Games has continually supported Pistol Whip with more content, new features, and extra tracks, making it one of the most entertaining and comprehensive arcade titles available on Quest.
UploadVRHarry Baker
Population: One is VR’s version of Fortnite – and it’s done really well. Matches take place on a massive map where squads of three battle it out to be the last ones standing. It’s a solid shooter with great VR mechanics for climbing and flying – however, that also means it can be an intense experience in terms of comfort for some players.
If you want a competitive shooter fix with a Fortnite-like battle royale structure, Population: One is your best bet. It has cross-play support with other headsets, a Phoenix Royale mode that arrived in 2024, and it’s also free-to-play on Quest. Even better, developers Big Box VR also released a Quest 3 update that bumps up the resolution, runs at 90FPS and increases the LOD distance.
UploadVRDavid Jagneaux
Puzzling Places has been one of our favorite indie experiences available on Quest for a while now, but it plays better than ever on Quest 3. The game uses photogrammetry data to present you with 3D puzzles based on real places. Split into pieces, you can group sections of the puzzle and reference tiles around your environment as you piece the 3D model back together, often accompanied by thematic ambient recordings and sound effects.
On Quest 3, you’re able to play Puzzling Places in mixed reality, which brings all the game’s elements into your real environment. Not only does it make for a natural and comfortable extension of the experience, but it’s just an obvious and solid evolution of an already fantastic concept. For those after even more puzzles, realities.io continues releasing monthly packs.
UploadVRHarry Baker
When it released on Quest 2, Red Matter 2 was one of the most impressive visual showcases available on the headset. Thanks to the developers at Vertical Robot, it now looks even better. The Quest 3 update brings “console-quality” enhancements to the sci-fi adventure with increased rendering resolution, 4K textures, dynamic shadows, and much more. It’s a stunning achievement for what was already one of the most visually impressive standalone VR releases.
The gameplay itself is fairly slow in pace, focused on environmental puzzles and occasional combat. It doesn’t always land – some of the puzzles begin to frustrate, especially toward the end – but the beautiful sci-fi vistas and detailed environments often smooth over frustrations caused by occasional gameplay hiccups. It’s a great follow-up to Red Matter that’s worth looking into.
UploadVRHarry Baker
We had doubts that bringing a classic flatscreen title like Resident Evil 4 to VR would work. However, it not only survived the transition, but ended up becoming one of the best games available on the Quest platform. This is the full campaign ported into immersive first-person VR with motion control support, which was later followed up with ‘The Mercenaries‘ mode.
There are some elements, like the use of virtual cutscenes, that are less than ideal, but the overall gameplay experience more than makes up for it. For anyone with a PlayStation VR2 headset, we also recommend taking a look at Resident Evil 4 Remake’s VR Mode. Even still, fighting off hordes of enemies as Leon Kennedy is a thrilling experience on Quest, and it’s a wonderful way to revisit a classic.
UploadVRJamie Feltham
After its work on The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners, Skydance Games followed this up with an original action RPG, Skydance’s Behemoth. Inspired by Shadow of the Colossus, this giant killing adventure sees you exploring the Forsaken Lands. Behemoth is ultimately at its best when facing the terrifying foes, and this delivers some truly awe-inspiring moments.
While we won’t deny that Skydance’s Behemoth had a rough start – we noted a few issues in our review – things have begun turning around following a slew of post-launch updates. Alongside extensive bug fixes across the first two patches and combat adjustments, it’s also received a New Game+ mode, and further changes are due to come.
UploadVRHenry Stockdale
Starwave was one of our biggest surprises in 2024. Developed by Tigertron and Skymap Games, this involves hitting notes in time to the music to complete constellations. In a genre dominated by Beat Saber, this interstellar VR rhythm game offers a unique premise with considerable variety across its tracks, earning a strong recommendation.
The base game includes 36 different tracks, and it’s since received post-launch support with the paid ‘Be Strong‘ DLC. While it’s unclear whether further DLC will follow, we hope to see more music packs complement this wonderful rhythm game further in the future.
UploadVRAlicia Haddick
Superhot VR is one of the oldest games on this list. However, it’s still one of the best examples of how VR can enable entirely new gaming experiences. Originally adapted from a flatscreen game, time only moves when you do in this cinematic shooter – stay still and everything around you will remain frozen too. The second you move your body, everything jolts back to life.
It features an accessible design and a slickness that’s rare to find in VR – from last-minute gun grabs to well-placed knife throws, there’s so much satisfaction in working through Superhot’s levels. Further updates like an experimental 120FPS mode later followed, too. Even in 2025, Superhot VR remains an essential introductory experience worth trying.
There is no denying that The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is one of the best campaigns available on the Quest system – it’s been that way since it first released on Quest a few years back. With the Quest 3 update now available – an upgrade which hasn’t yet happened for the sequel, Chapter 2: Retribution – it’s never looked better on standalone VR.
After a much-anticipated wait, the Quest 3 update adds dynamic shadows, expanded draw distance, greater environmental detail, additional zombies in open areas, and more. Even before this update, Saints & Sinners sets the bar for VR zombie games with fantastic physics-based combat and a meaty campaign set across the remains of New Orleans.
One Hamsa’s VR mech brawler roguelike made a big impact last year, earning our Best PC VR Game of 2024 award. UNDERDOGS is a physics-based brawler that uses arm-based locomotion and a comic book-style presentation. Previously released on Quest, Steam and Pico, this 22nd century underground roguelike fighter set a new benchmark for VR arena combat.
Between its stylish visuals, grimy soundscape and unique character, UNDERDOGS feels fresh and exciting. Numerous post-launch updates have taken this further, such as ‘Sandboxxer‘ with its level editor while the more recent ‘Rampage‘ mode added an endless endurance mode. Further changes are planned still, with a multiplayer mode also on the way.
UploadVRPete Austin
Mini golf is actually something that could and should work quite well in VR. Walkabout Mini Golf is all the proof you need; it’s an accurate representation of the game that goes beyond what’s possible in real life while also remaining authentic throughout.
This ticks all the boxes – plenty of courses, extensive multiplayer support, different themes for each level and, above all, pinpoint physics that are arguably better than the real thing because there’s none of the small snags you’d find on the surface of physical courses. Plus, the game receives ongoing support from developers Mighty Coconut, with regular free and paid DLC courses added over time.
If you’re looking for our best VR game lists beyond the best Quest 3 games, make sure to check these out too:
UploadVRHarry Baker
Update 5/12/2025 – Removed Unplugged, Samba De Amigo, A Fisherman’s Tale, Outta Hand, VTM Justice, and Demeo Battles. Added Metro Awakening, Ghost Town, Underdogs, Skydance’s Behemoth, Starwave, Batman: Arkham Shadow and Maestro.
Eight Sleep has launched a new sleep system called the Pod 5, which uses the power of artificial intelligence, as one would expect from a lot of new products these days. The Pod 5 system consist of a cover, a hub, a blanket and a base that works with any mattress you already have. Its cover and hydro-powered blanket cool down or heat up from 55 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit across your whole body, adjusting their temperatures based on the biometric reading from the cover’s embedded sensors.
If the system detects that you’re snoring through vibrations, the base automatically but gently elevates your head in response, which had been clinically proven to reduce snoring. The base is supposed to go in between your mattress and the bed frame, but it can also be used freestanding with an optional leg kit. Pod 5’s base comes with a built-in surround-sound speaker that plays audio, which the company says was designed to support relaxation and recovery. The company has added a guided meditation technique to its audio options, as well as a curated selection of white noise and calming sounds. Finally, the Hub contains the water that the system uses to regulate the cover’s and blanket’s temperatures. It also contains tech like the WiFi that connects the Pod 5 to the internet.
The company says the whole experience is powered by its proprietary AI engine Autopilot that’s trained on almost 10 million hours of sleep data. It also learns from your own biometrics and sleep patterns, so it can adjust the system as needed. In addition, Eight Sleep has launched a set of AI-powered algorithms called Health Check that monitors your heart and respiratory rates while you sleep through the sensors in the cover. If your heart rate or breathing shows some abnormality, for instance, you’ll see a report in the system’s accompanying app notifying you of the reading.
The Pod 5 system is now available for purchase in the US, the EU, the UK, Canada, Australia, the UAE, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Monaco and Switzerland. Prices begin at $2,849, and you can get up to a 30-night trial and free returns in case you change your mind.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/eight-sleep-launches-the-ai-powered-pod-5-sleep-system-130034283.html?src=rss
Smash Drums, the drumming rhythm game, debuts on PS VR2 with new bells and whistles. Read on for our impressions.
What makes a rockstar performance true to life? The intoxicating stage pyrotechnics, the blinding light show, and the perfect rendition of a timeless track must all come together to recreate what it must feel like to be in front of a live audience. In that sense, Smash Drums delivers in spades, with a solid soundtrack and drumming gameplay that’s straight to the point with little hand-holding.
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Gameplay video captured by UploadVR on PS5 Pro.
Starting with a no-frills tutorial, Smash Drums guides you through the motions of drumming where its mechanics of measuring the strength with which you hit the drum from lightly to “barbarian” are deftly introduced. Committed to the rock and roll bit, it’s easy to perceive that this game does not take itself too seriously. The main menu has you floating in space and looking at Earth from a distance, which is presumably about to explode thanks to your musical prowess. From there, several game modes await to show the world your skills.
Arcade, Classic, and Fusion are the ways to play Smash Drums, and each mode feels rather distinct. Arcade mode is the trademark play style in which snares and cymbals approach your position from the front, from crystal to burning notes, and have you smash accordingly. As a longtime Rock Band player, I gravitated towards the Classic mode initially, which has the usual color-coded notes falling down to the strum bar. That said, Fusion mode feels the most pleasingly immersive after some practice.
As the name suggests, Fusion mode has a full-on drum kit that tells you in real-time when and how many times to tap a note, making it more reactive overall. Once you decide what song to play, the Easy, Normal, Hard, Extreme and Hardcore difficulty levels are the next step before entering the arena. A nice detail is the fact that, depending on how long you have played, Smash Drums hints as to how much you might struggle with each level, establishing its approachable design.
While some tracks can only be unlocked after earning a certain number of stars per song played, that is the sole sense of progression to look forward to. The fact that there is no sort of career mode for those more story-inclined looking for a tall tale to become the best drummer in the world or a narrative in a similar vein, is a missed opportunity.
Smash Drums takes advantage of the PS5 Pro’s extra power with a native 120FPS in both Performance and Fidelity mode, compared to the base console’s 90FPS on the latter mode. The visual effects have been enhanced, though the spectacular firework & particle show could be disorienting in the beginning. Lastly, I noticed a clearer resolution but as this isn’t the focus in a rhythm game, this feels like a minor improvement.
As expected, Smash Drums entails considerable physical activity, flailing your arms around to hit the cymbal, snare, and toms at the right time. As such, a no-fail mode for those who do not need the added pressure to perform correctly each time is welcome. Just be aware that this also disqualifies you from the competitive leaderboards. Regardless, the Sense controllers’ haptics also make it easy not to lose a sense of rhythm while rocking out.
Though a career mode would be welcome, Smash Drums is perfect for a solid drum session jamming to various rock & metal tracks. No stranger to the different iterations of rhythm games that have come before, the game smartly offers several options to appeal to all of them equally. It’s easy to learn, hard to master gameplay taunts players to hit every note with precision all the way to the end. Luckily, the modes available to tailor your experience make it a rhythm-based joy for casual and hardcore players alike.
Smash Drums arrives on PlayStation VR2 tomorrow, and it’s available already onQuest.
As people continue to move away from sedans to larger vehicles, the distinction between SUVs, crossovers and MPVs has become even blurrier. But make no mistake, if you’re looking for a big car with tons of power, excellent handling and a true seven-person capacity, the Lucid Gravity might be the coolest three-row EV on sale today. Just don’t call it a minivan.
Not that you would be incorrect. Between its extra-long dimensions (198 inches, three inches longer than a LWB VW ID. Buzz), a smooth, sloping front end and an emphasis on aerodynamics, the Gravity certainly looks more like a Chrysler Pacifica than a brawny Rivian R1S. But as one Lucid representative told me, minivans have gotten a bad rap in recent times, due to their focus on basic practicality while eschewing anything in the way of engaging driving dynamics. This makes slapping the minivan tag on a car feel almost like a death sentence, even if the biggest difference between the Gravity and some of its cross-category rivals is the lack of sliding doors.
With the Gravity’s Grand Touring spec (which starts at $94,900) packing a whopping 828 horsepower along with fancy features like standard air suspension and optional rear-wheel steering, this thing is anything but pokey. And that’s before you consider a 0 to 60 time of just 3.4 seconds, which puts most sports cars (especially gas-powered ones) to shame. So despite how it looks, there’s no doubt the Gravity offers better performance than any minivan on the planet.
The speed continues when it’s time to charge. Thanks to its 926 volt architecture, the Gravity can suck down up to 400 kW of juice, which makes this the fastest charging EV outside of China. Lucid’s charging tech is also capable of adding 200 miles of driving distance in under 11 minutes. When combined with up to 450 miles of range, this vehicle is almost single-handedly upending the idea that electric cars are bad for long road trips.
Meanwhile, for those who want to travel in luxury, the Gravity has more creature comforts than minivans too, even for a class of vehicle that can often be judged by its number of cupholders. Not only are the front and second row seats heated, Lucid’s glass panoramic roof runs nearly the entire length of the car. That means unlike most rivals where the driver is stuck without a view, all you see is sky when you look up from behind the wheel. There’s even a screen for second row occupants to control music and climate (among other things).
Lucid also makes great use of the Gravity’s length. While I wouldn’t want to ride back there as an adult all the time, it has one of the most spacious third rows I’ve ever sat in. Alternatively, if you need extra cargo space, the rearmost seats fold into the floor, providing you with a flat load space featuring 56.2 cubic feet of room (and that’s with the second row still up). And while it’s not something you’ll use all the time, I love the company’s optional folding cushion that transforms the frunk into a loveseat — complete with cupholders on each side. It’s a fun little feature that makes me sad that drive-in movie theaters are becoming extinct.
The most enchanting contradiction about the Gravity is what it feels like to drive. After getting into the pilot’s seat, you’re greeted by a massive 34-inch 6K OLED display. And unlike some of its competitors, it’s not two or three screens sandwiched together. It’s all a single panel that’s an absolute treat to look at. This expansiveness is only reinforced by Lucid’s squircle-shaped wheel. It’s a touch smaller than you might expect on a vehicle this size, but it also gives you increased visibility at its giant infotainment system.
The hard thing to wrap your head around though, is that for a long SUV with three rows of seats, it doesn’t drive like a big car. The cabin is spacious and airy and it feels like you could fit a pickleball court between its mirrors. And yet, thanks to features like the optional rear-wheel steering on my demo vehicle, it almost felt petite during a quick drive around New York City.
Now, I will admit that my route down the West Side Highway wasn’t the best place to really test out its driving dynamics. But there were a few spots where I got a sense of how good the Gravity will be on the open road. For example, I had to make a U-turn down near Battery Park and I thought there was no way I was going to make it without committing to a three-point maneuver. But to my delight, it just darted around the divider in a way that defies its dimensions.
Lucid’s suspension is also a work of art. For a car that weighs around 6000 pounds (depending on spec), it doesn’t lumber or bounce when it goes over bumps. It just kind of floats. You can still feel the road, but it’s just more of a gentle reminder that its surface texture is constantly changing rather than a jolt up your backside. Granted, my test vehicle was equipped with Lucid’s Dynamic Handling Package, which includes three-chamber air suspension instead of the standard two. But, honestly, that extra $2,900 feels well worth it, especially when that option also adds the rear-wheel steering.
I also appreciate how the car automatically hunkers down when you set it to sport mode to improve performance. Even without room to get it up to top speed, it’s impossible to escape the feeling of immense power the car gets from its dual motors (a single-motor RWD is slated to come out later). The Gravity might just have the best ride quality of any EV SUV currently on sale.
However, I do have some complaints. The most obvious one is that this thing ain’t cheap at just shy of $95,000 for the initial Grand Touring version. And even when the base model eventually comes out at around $80,000, that’s still a far cry from mainstream affordability. It really makes me wonder why Lucid didn’t jump straight to making its rumored (and almost certainly more affordable) mid-size SUV.
I don’t love Lucid’s current color options either, which seem aimed more at boomers than younger, more EV-friendly drivers. (Though I guess that’s where the money is.) The most vibrant paint choice is either a brownish bronze or a faded olive green. I was hoping that the company had learned something from the stunning blue it uses on the Air Sapphire and carried over some of that styling to the Gravity. But here we are.
Finally, Lucid won’t have its version of Dream Drive 2 Pro hands-free driving tech available at launch. Furthermore, the company is running into issues sourcing components for its HUD system, which means you’ll have to wait a bit longer for that option. The good news is that when (or if) Lucid eventually figures out its hand-free tech, all the hardware needed to support it will already be in the Gravity, so all you’ll need is an OTA update to turn it on.
Regardless, as Lucid continues ramping production throughout the year, the Gravity already feels like the coolest big EV SUV on sale today and an immediate top contender for anyone looking for a luxurious three-row people carrier.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/the-lucid-gravity-is-the-coolest-three-row-ev-on-the-market-120024089.html?src=rss
Sony has sold 77.8 million PlayStation 5s since the console first went on sale in 2020 after shipping 2.8 million units in its latest quarter, the company announced. That figure lines up remarkably well with PlayStation 4 sales which hit 79.1 million units in approximately the same amount of time. However, Sony’s full year fiscal 2024 PS5 sales of 18.5 million were down compared to the 20.8 million it sold in 2023.
Game sales more than made up for that though, rising nine percent and helping push the division’s operating income up 43 percent year over year. That was largely due to third-party sales, as first-party sales actually fell a bit. Sony has only released one first-party game so far this year with key titles like Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Ghost of Yōtei still to come.
Sony doesn’t expect this growth to continue, though. The company is predicting a ¥100 billion ($700 million) hit to sales next year due to tariffs, given that most of its sales occur in the US — and the company had already forecast flat revenue for 2025. Another key blow was the delay of Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto VI launch that was just pushed back to May 2026.
During its earnings call, Sony said that it was considering “passing on” tariff hikes to consumers, though it didn’t mention the PS5 or US specifically. The company has already raised the price of the console in other territories including Europe, but US increases are extremely rare. Sony CEO HIroki Totoki also brought up the possibility of building the PlayStation 5 in the US, saying it’s something that “has to be considered going forward.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-has-sold-778-million-ps5s-to-date-but-expects-a-downturn-due-to-tariffs-120013001.html?src=rss
If you’re racing time trials on Zwift, upgrading your frame and wheels will cut some significant time off your efforts. And in the “race of truth” where there is no hiding in the draft, every bit of savings counts!
But figuring out where to spend your hard-earned Drops can be confusing, so we’ve put together these tables listing the fastest TT frame and wheelset available at each Zwift level.
Keep in mind this list applies only to flat and rolling routes. The list below is essentially a simplified, flat-race-focused version of our complete Zwift Shopping Guide. If the climbs in your time trial race are steep and/or last more than a few minutes, you may want to consider a more climbing-friendly setup.
| Level | Fastest Frame | Time Savings |
| 1 | Zwift Steel (Free)* | 0s |
| 3 | Zwift Carbon (55,000)* | 5.1s |
| 4 | Zwift TT (60,000) | 142.2s |
| 7 | BMC Timemachine01 (400,000) | 164s |
| 10 | Cube Aerium (251,700) | 164.1s |
| 13 | QuintanaRoo Roo V-PR (297,400) | 164.2s |
| 16 | Felt IA 2.0 (750,000) | 181.4s |
| 19 | Scott Plasma RC Ultimate (600,000) | 182.1s |
| 31 | Canyon Speedmax CF SLX Disc (1,200,000) | 185.6s |
| 40 | CADEX Tri (1,500,000) | 189.8s |
* the Zwift Steel and Carbon frames aren’t TT frames, but they are the fastest frames available at their respective unlock levels, so they’re listed here as a baseline reference.
| Level | Fastest Wheelset | Time Savings |
| 1 | Zwift Classic (Free) | 0s |
| 3 | Zwift 32mm Carbon (100,000) | 7.1s |
| 6 | Mavic Cosmic Ultimate UST (525,000) | 27.4s |
| 7 | Mavic Cosmic CXR60c (150,000) | 29.6s |
| 12 | Shimano C60 (325,000) | 35.4s |
| 15 | Roval Rapide CLX (500,000) | 37.9s |
| 16 | Roval CLX64 (525,000) | 45.5s |
| 25 | Zipp 808 (425,000) | 47.3s |
| 28 | Enve SES 8.9 (550,000) | 59.6s |
| 36 | Zipp 808/Super9 (650,000) | 69.2s |
| 37 | Zipp 858/Super9 (750,000) | 73.5s |
Total time savings of fastest TT frame and wheelset over stock Zwift setup (Zwift Steel frame and Zwift Classic wheels): 189.8+73.5=263.3 seconds
Times above based on our flat speed tests, done with a solo 75kg, 183cm rider at 300 watts on Watopia’s very flat Tempus Fugit route.
It may seem simplest to just purchase each TT frame or wheelset on the list as soon as you level up, but you won’t have the Drops to do so. Plus, if you want to maximize performance, you also need to take Zwift’s Bike Upgrade functionality into account, since it rewards riders who stay on the same frame long enough to fully upgrade it.
Speaking of upgrades: all the time data in this post is from un-upgraded versions of the frames. Upgraded frames will be even faster. Get more details here >
Don’t have enough Drops? Keep riding – you’ll get them soon enough! (Learn how to earn more Drops here.) And if you’re wanting to level up faster, check out How to Earn More XP and Level Up Faster on Zwift.
The Pinarello Espada is currently the only TT Halo Bike in Zwift, but it wasn’t included in the list above for two reasons:
The Espada is a status symbol on Zwift, for sure, but it performs like what it is: a TT bike that’s over 30 years old.
Read all about the Pinarello Espada >
The biggest TT performance gains come early in a Zwifter’s level progression, just as they do with road bikes. Here’s how much time you would be saving across an hour of flat riding if you upgraded to the recommended setups above at each level:
The biggest percentage improvement comes when you upgrade to the Zwift TT frame (your first TT frame) at level 4. This frame alone accounts for 57% of the overall improvements you can receive by upgrading equipment! By level 16, over 86% of your possible improvement has already been achieved. And once you’ve hit level 40, the only way you’ll get faster is by racing smarter and training stronger!
Want to dig deeper into the speeds of various frames and wheels? Check out our ranking charts and public test data.
Hopefully this helps you select a rig for your next TT effort, no matter your Zwift level. Got questions or comments? Post below!
Important note: this post contains speed test results for Zwift frames or wheels. These results may change over time, and a bike’s performance relative to others may also change. We don’t always revise posts when performance rankings change, but we do keep current, master versions of our speed test results which are always available. See the TT frame charts, wheel charts, and Tron vs Top TT Performers for current time trial-related performance data.
If you’ve got your hands on a Quest 3 or Quest 3S, you’ll have everything you need right in the box to start playing some of the best VR games out there. Once you’ve got a few hours under your belt though, you’ll probably notice a few things that need improving, many of which can thankfully be solved with a few handy accessories.
Updated – May 14th, 2025
It won’t be long after an extended playsession that the included floppy headstrap is begging for a replacement. For many, the stock fabric strap just doesn’t do a good enough job of distributing weight evenly on the user’s head, leading to long-term comfort issues. Some users report the stock Quest 3/3S strap pushes into the top of their ears a bit too, which can be pretty annoying.
Meta makes its own Elite straps, compatible with both Quest 3 and Quest 3S, but at $70 for the basic one and $130 for the one with the back-mounted battery, they just feel a little too expensive to fully recommend.
Luckily, respected third-party accessory makers also make more affordable Quest straps. There are a ton out there, but KIWI Design and BOBOVR are two of the most trusted.
Quest 3/3S Headstraps
KIWI Design K4 Headstrap – $40
We like the Kiwi Design K4 Mini design because the strap is made to avoid your ears and also pivots, making it easier to put on and take off with minimal readjustment. It also includes an easily sanitized rear pad which you can swap to for more grip when playing high intensity games.
BOBOVR M3 Pro (with battery) – $50
The BOBOVR M3 Pro doesn’t just add a hot-swappable 5,200mah battery (additional battery and charging dock sold separately), it’s a completely different strap design which moves pressure away from your face to your forehead, thanks to its halo-style construction. That makes it easy to use the headset without the facepad, exposing your peripheral view to the real world, which makes for a better mixed reality. Like the Kiwi K4, the M3 Pro hinge design makes it easier to put on and take off with minimal adjustment, and it includes the additional rear pad for extra grip in high intensity games.
If this isn’t your first Quest, you’ll probably notice that the stock facial interface on Quest 3/S is actually pretty great. Out of the gate, its fabric weave feels better than having some sort of clammy high-density foam straight on your undoubtedly greasy face, although it isn’t nearly as cleanable as, say, a silicone or removable fabric cover.
Note: Quest 3 and Quest 3S facial interfaces are different, and you can’t swap from one to another.
Silicone covers are great for VR workouts since you can easily wipe them down before or after a session. The benefit here is you can quickly swap out the stock pad when you’re done playing casual games, and swap in the silicone pad for when you’re ready for some Les Mills Body Combat, Supernatural, Beat Saber, Pistol Whip—whatever gets your heart pumping.
For Quest 3, we’re partial to KIWI Design’s the Quest 3 PU leather facial interface replacement, and KIWI’s silicone face pad cover.
KIWI Design V3 Facial Interface (Quest 3) – $25
At an impressively reasonable $25, you’re not only getting a washable PU leather cover that entirely replaces the Quest 3 facial interface, you’re also getting an upgraded light blocker for the nose cavity which adds a bit of extra immersion.
KIWI Design V4 Silicone Cover (Quest 3) – $17
This silicone cover isn’t a replacement, but rather something you strap over your stock facial interface. It’s easy to wipe down, or pop off entirely if you want to give it a deep clean. If you’re careful, you don’t even need to remove the stock facial interface to install, so less worries about breaking the fiddly plastic bits that help you adjust
As for Quest 3S, there are nearly identical versions of both that specifically fit Quest 3S, courtesy of KIWI Design.
If you don’t like the feeling of silicone or PU leather on your face, you can also go the washable fabric route. And there, long-time VR accessory make VR Cover has you, well… covered.
VR Cover for Quest 3 & 3S (two pack) – $30
Like the silicone covers, this slips over the headset’s existing facepad. When it’s time for a clean you can pull it right off and give it a good hand wash, then hang it out to dry. And because you’re getting two in one pack, you can always have a clean one ready to go. In addition to the grey color, there’s also a red option to give your headset a unique look.
If you want to spice up the look of your Quest 3 (not Quest 3S), you can also get full facepad replacements from Meta which comes with matching semi-rigid headstraps in Elemental Blue and Blood Orange ($50).
Quest 3 has charging pins at the bottom of the face plate, meaning some docks can actually charge the headset and controllers just by placing everything into a display cradle.
Meta’s official Quest 3 charging dock works well, but the price kind of stings at $130.
But, as you’d imagine, there’s pretty much almost always a more affordable option than Meta’s official accessories.
Esclick Charging Dock for Quest 3 & Quest 3S – $37
While this doesn’t use Quest 3’s built-in charging pins, instead connecting via a magnetic adapter for the headset’s USB-C port, this dock will charge your headset and controllers for nearly $100 less than the price of Meta’s official accessory. To make controller charging possible, the package includes two special reachable batteries and replacement battery covers that put contact pins on the outside of the controller for easy drop-in charging. The Esclick Charging Dock also includes a 30W power adapter, so it’s 100 percent plug and charge-ready.
Whether you’re using a dock or not, make sure to use the USB wall adapter that was included with your Quest 3/3S, otherwise your headset may charge slowly. Not all USB wall chargers are made the same. Older ones, especially, don’t pump out nearly as much power as more recent adapters.
Pro Tip: If you’re really on a budget (or want something convenient but easily portable): a great option is to just get a magnetic USB-C connector cable, which allows you to attach and detach a special charging cable to your headset without having to wear out the charging port (similar to a MagSafe port that you see on MacBooks). Many on Amazon can even do fast charging, although getting one with data transfer is hit and miss. Even if you could, you wouldn’t want to use Meta Quest Link with a magnetic cable because of how easily it can detach (see our suggestions for Link cables further down).
Meta’s official Quest 3/3S carrying case ($70) is certainly a good option to keeping your Quest prim and proper—if you don’t mind the hefty price tag, that is. There’s also a compact version for $50, but it only fits the flappy stock strap. We can do better than that.
Sarlar Hard Carrying Case – $20
We’re fans of the Sarlar Hard Carrying Case because it’s got enough space to fit the official Elite straps, but still manages to stay quite compact. Just note you’ll need to find a bigger case if you’re using any third-party hard headstrap.
Pro Tip: There are a ton on Amazon, with many hovering under the $25 mark. But if you’ve got an aftermarket headstrap, beware that not all cases may fit.
Whether you’re just looking for a way to charge during gameplay, or you want to connect Quest 3 or Quest 3S to your computer via Meta Quest Link to use it as a PC VR headset, you’ll need a USB-C cable long enough to get the job done.
Note: to play PC VR games via Link, you’ll need a VR-ready PC. If you’re just looking to game and not keep the headset charged too, you can choose to connect Quest wireless via Link’s official companion app for PC, which requires a stable Wi-Fi connection. More info on wireless link below.
By now, you know the drill: ‘Meta first, then the actual option you’ll actually want to buy’. Meta’s Link Cable ($80) is a thin fiber-optic cable that spans 16 feet (5m). It’s a great cable since it’s very thin and fairly light at 7.9oz (224g).
But for an option that’s not only cheaper but in one meaningful way, actually better, check out the INIU 16FT Link Cable ($22). It’s the same length as Meta’s version but it has an extra port to plug into a wall outlet to make sure your headset stays indefinitely charged. While all compatible cables should be able to power the headset indefinitely, not all computers can push the right amount of power out of their USB port, which in many cases means your headset will slowly drain as you play. The INIU cable’s extra port ensures that doesn’t happen.
We know who you are. You’re more of a “low contact” sort of person. You exclusively charge all of your devices wirelessly, only talk to friends through Discord, and prefer courteous bows from across the room over shaking hands. Your ‘hover over public toilets’ game is also suitably on-lock. Well, you’ll be happy to know you can play PC VR games cable-free too thanks to Air Link.
If you’re looking to get the most out of Air Link-ing your headset to a VR-ready PC for a host of PC VR games, you’re going to want a Wi-Fi 6 router. If you haven’t upgraded your router since 2014 or before, you’re almost certainly due for a upgrade to this newer protocols. Not only is a modern router necessary for a great wireless VR experience, the rest of the devices on your home network will thank you.
Assuming you’re looking to upgrade an old router to make sure you’re in shipshape for playing VR wirelessly, the Asus RT-AXE7800 gets our pick for a reasonably affordable high performance router that will futureproof you thanks to Wi-Fi 6E. It costs a pretty penny at $280. If you’re on a budget, TP-Link’s AXE5400 also offers tri-band WiFi 6E coverage for only $130, albeit at a slightly lower 5 GHz data speed.
And to have the best wireless VR experience with Quest 3/3S, you’ll want to make sure your host PC is hard-wired to your router and that you’re using your headset in the same room that your router is in. You might be able to get away with playing one room away, but the further you get from the router, the greater chance for lag and disconnections.
And if you’re playing wirelessly anyway, definitely give Steam Link for Quest a try for an easier connection directly to your SteamVR library.
Did we miss any big ones? What are your favorite Quest 3 and Quest 3S accessories? Let us know in the comments below!
Get the Most Out of Quest
The Best Quest 3 Accessories: Quest 3 is a great headset but there’s a few areas where accessoires can really improve the experience, especially the headstrap!
The Very Best Quest Games: The Quest library can be daunting, here’s our quick guide to the best games.
Essential Quest Tips, Tricks, and Settings: If you’re just diving into VR as a new Quest owner, you should absolutely check out our Quest Tips & Tricks Guide for a heap of useful tricks and settings everyone should know about.
Fitness and Fun on Quest: For fitness in VR that’s as fun as it is physical, check out our suggestion for a VR Workout Routine.
Relaxing in VR: Are you less of a competitive gamer and more interested in how you can use VR to chill out? We have a great list of VR Games for Relaxation and Meditation.
Flex Your Creativity in VR: And last but not least, if you’re a creative type looking to express yourself in VR, our list of Tools for Painting, Modeling, Designing & Animating in VR offers a huge range of artful activities, with something for everyone from fiddlers to professionals.
The post The Best Meta Quest 3 & Quest 3S Accessories & Why You’ll Want Them appeared first on Road to VR.
The new Rokid AR Spatial glasses projects a huge virtual screen into your living room and weighs just 75 grams.
The post Rokid unveils lightweight AR glasses featuring Sony micro-OLEDs for huge virtual displays appeared first on MIXED Reality News.
Longtime Slashdot reader ndsurvivor shares a report from TechCrunch: In 2018, Liangbing Hu, a materials scientist at the University of Maryland, devised a way to turn ordinary wood into a material stronger than steel. It seemed like yet another headline-grabbing discovery that wouldn’t make it out of the lab. “All these people came to him,” said Alex Lau, CEO of InventWood, “He’s like, OK, this is amazing, but I’m a university professor. I don’t know quite what to do about it.”
Rather than give up, Hu spent the next few years refining the technology, reducing the time it took to make the material from more than a week to a few hours. Soon, it was ready to commercialize, and he licensed the technology to InventWood. Now, the startup’s first batches of Superwood will be produced starting this summer. “Right now, coming out of this first-of-a-kind commercial plant — so it’s a smaller plant — we’re focused on skin applications,” Lau said. “Eventually we want to get to the bones of the building. Ninety percent of the carbon impact from buildings is concrete and steel in the construction of the building.” To build the factory, InventWood has raised $15 million in the first close of a Series A round. The round was led by the Grantham Foundation with participation from Baruch Future Ventures, Builders Vision, and Muus Climate Partners, the company exclusively told TechCrunch. How do they do it? According to TechCrunch, InventWood’s Superwood is made by treating regular timber with “food industry” chemicals to remove lignin and modify its structure, then compressing it to increase hydrogen bonding between cellulose fibers. This densification makes the wood up to 10 times stronger than natural wood, with a higher strength-to-weight ratio than steel. “You end up with something that looks like these richer, tropical hardwoods,” Lau added.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Skybox VR is testing one of its biggest updates yet, which will introduce a multiplayer mode and other improvements.
The post Skybox VR on Quest now supports multiplayer, Blu-Ray ISO, Dolby Vision & more appeared first on MIXED Reality News.
Sony offers some VR games in the Playstation Store that you can try out for free if you are a PS Plus member. Find out how this works here.
The post Playstation VR 2: You can try these VR games for free with PS Plus appeared first on MIXED Reality News.
An electric bike battery pack classed as dangerous is being offered for sale by private sellers across the UK via Facebook Marketplace, according to Electrical Safety First, a UK charity working across the electrical industry.
The charity has found 13 listings of the UPP (unit pack power) branded ebike battery, which has been linked to multiple fires. Facebook removed the listings once contacted by the charity.
“We urgently need sellers to check if they are unknowingly passing on a dangerous e-bike battery. A single unit of this affected battery being sold online could put a household at serious risk,” says Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First.
In January 2024, the UK government issued a withdrawal notice to Amazon, eBay and Alibaba, stating that the UPP battery posed a serious risk of fire.
Although Facebook was not issued with the original withdrawal notice, Electrical Safety First says it was published online and re-issued by the government in April to “engage with the wider business community”.
“It’s essential all online marketplaces and businesses proactively engage with the published Government warning,” says Capanna.
“The current rules governing online marketplaces are not fit for purpose, and new laws are urgently needed to protect shoppers from dangerous goods being sold on these platforms.”
Electrical Safety First says models of the U004 and U004-1 triangular-shaped UPP battery are stated to pose a serious risk of fire due to ‘thermal runaway’. This process can see a battery reach 600˚C, release toxic gases and create fire that’s “almost impossible to extinguish”.
In March, a home in Surrey was damaged after a converted bike caught fire while on charge. This was linked to a UPP battery, the charity says.
Electrical Safety First also says a fire in Coventry in September 2023 devastated a high-rise property after a fire linked to a UPP battery spread.
A Freedom of Information request by the Guardian found fires caused by e-scooters and ebikes had injured at least 190 people and killed eight as of May 2023.
Last month, the All Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling & Walking (APPGCW) launched an inquiry into ‘dangerous’ ebikes and conversion kits.
MP Fabian Hamiltion, chair of the APPGCW, said at the time: “Ebikes have enormous potential to support a cleaner, fairer transport future, but that future is at risk if we fail to address emerging issues, especially from low-quality imported upgrade kits.”
Last year, the Electrical Bike Alliance found 23 per cent of UK adults are deterred from buying an ebike by reports of ebike battery fires.
Electrical Safety First urges consumers to check their ebikes for the UPP batteries and explains how you can spot them: “The battery, distinctively triangular in shape, is often found with stickers on the two faces of the battery case with the words ‘UPPBATTERY’ and/or ‘U004 BATTERY’.
“The battery often comes with an LED display or LED indicator, a power switch and a charge socket.
“If the corresponding model number U004 or U004-1 number is displayed on the sticker consumers are urged to stop using the battery immediately.”
