Metaverse 💞 beyond.pictures

Former Oculus CTO John Carmack calls Meta's 30% VR developer fee 'wasteful churn,' arguing the company subsidizes third-party devs only to tax them 30% back. He suggests Epic's model of no fees for the first 1M USD in revenue would better reward increased economic activity. https://www.roadtovr.com/john-carmack-oculus-cto-meta-fee-structure-critique/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Meta #Carmack

YouTube dominates as largest streamer with 62B USD revenue in 2025, surpassing Disney. Sandbox's franchise model signals a rebound in location-based VR, while Snap reaches 1B USD in subscription revenue. https://arinsider.co/2026/03/13/spatial-beats-youtube-dominates-sandbox-scales-snap-diversifies/ #Metaverse #VR #AR

Snap has reached 1B USD in annual recurring revenue from Snapchat+ subscriptions, showing how AR platform companies are diversifying beyond advertising. The subscription model offers VIP features like exclusive Bitmoji skins and early access to content. https://arinsider.co/2026/03/12/snaps-sustainability-3-revenue-diversification-moves/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Enterprise #Snap

Jason Rubin, co-founder of Naughty Dog and VP of Content at Oculus/Meta for 12 years, has left the company. He was the second longest-standing executive from the 2014 Oculus era. Rubin said he's proud of building the Oculus Content team and Meta's Metaverse Creative Team. https://www.uploadvr.com/jason-rubin-leaves-meta/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Meta

SteamVR usage on Steam dropped to 1.05% in February, nearly half of January's numbers, but this was not a trend. Chinese New Year celebrations (February 15-23) caused the dip as millions of gamers in China took holiday. Usage typically returns to normal in March. https://www.uploadvr.com/steamvr-usage-february-2026-steam-hardware-survey/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Steam

Valve has revealed the requirements for its Steam Frame VR headset to achieve the 'Steam Frame Verified' badge. VR games must run at minimum 90 fps in standalone mode, significantly higher than the device's base 72Hz refresh rate. Non-VR content has much lower performance thresholds. https://www.roadtovr.com/steam-frame-game-certification-specs/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Valve

Meta is upgrading Quest's Horizon OS with FrameSync, a new frame timing algorithm that promises visually smoother VR with noticeably fewer hitches. The update replaces Phase Sync and should arrive for all users soon. https://www.uploadvr.com/meta-horizon-os-framesync-smoother-vr-quest/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Meta

VR modder Luke Ross re-releases his R.E.A.L. VR mod suite for free after a DMCA takedown from CD Projekt for his Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod. The bulk of the work is now available to all. https://www.roadtovr.com/luke-ross-vr-mods-free-cyberpunk-2077/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Gaming

Sandbox VR now operates 80+ locations worldwide, serving 150,000 monthly players and generating 300M USD in lifetime ticket sales. The location-based VR pioneer, which turned Squid Game into a 50M USD hit, signals the sector's turnaround after The Void and Dreamscape collapsed. https://arinsider.co/2026/03/11/sandbox-scales-signaling-location-based-vrs-turnaround/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Sandbox

Fujitsu is using AR to streamline assembly lines and worker training at its factories. The company deployed AR overlays to guide workers through complex assembly tasks, reducing errors and speeding up onboarding. Initial results show significant productivity gains. https://arinsider.co/2026/03/10/case-study-fujitsu-streamlines-assembly-and-training-with-ar/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Enterprise #Fujitsu

Meta is facing a class action lawsuit over privacy concerns with its Ray-Ban smart glasses. The company allegedly sent private camera footage to a Kenya-based subcontractor for manual review to train AI models. The lawsuit accuses Meta of misleading consumers about privacy protections. https://www.roadtovr.com/meta-lawsuit-ray-ban-smart-glasses-privacy/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Privacy #Meta

Niantic Spatial has made its WebAR creation platform 8th Wall free and open source, shutting down hosted services including user logins and the cloud editor. Previously a paid service, 8th Wall enables Web-based XR content for smartphones, computers and XR headsets. Available under MIT license. https://www.roadtovr.com/niantic-webar-platform-8th-wall-open-source/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Interoperability #Niantic

Gorilla Tag, the world's most popular VR game with 15 million players, is coming to real-world stores. Bonkers Toys will release Gorilla Tag-themed plushies, figures and collectibles at major US retailers in 2027. The VR game hit over 1 million daily users in 2025. https://www.uploadvr.com/gorilla-tag-toys-are-coming-to-us-retail-stores-next-year/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Commerce

VR medical training powered by AI is expanding. A study with 437 participants showed VR simulation improves airway management skills. Lucid Reality Labs partners with Medtronic and Lausanne Hospital to develop AI-guided XR training. The XR market is projected to reach 57.6B USD by 2029. https://arinsider.co/2026/03/05/ai-guided-xr-is-expanding-the-boundaries-of-airway-management-training/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Enterprise #AI

Shop & Stuff, the chaotic supermarket simulator, launches on PS VR2 on March 27. Players stock shelves, physically remove shoplifters, and reinvest profits for upgrades. Currently on Quest Early Access for US$ 13.99. https://www.uploadvr.com/chaotic-supermarket-sim-shop-stuff-bags-a-playstation-vr2-release-later-this-month/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Commerce

Valve confirms its Steam Frame standalone VR headset is still shipping this year, now marked as 'coming soon' on Steam backend. Despite component shortages, Valve says all three products will ship in 2026. https://www.roadtovr.com/valve-steam-frame-coming-soon-2026/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Hardware #Valve

Enterprise VR spending is projected to grow from US$7.07 billion in 2024 to US$10.43 billion in 2029, an 8 percent CAGR, according to ARtillery Intelligence. The enterprise segment includes VR headsets, apps and enablement tools, with immersive training being the biggest opportunity. https://arinsider.co/2026/03/09/how-much-do-enterprises-spend-on-vr/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Enterprise

Please Just Let the Metaverse Go: Despite Meta's failed attempts, Google and Epic are pushing forward with metaverse browsers. A new deal hints at virtual worlds with portable virtual items and identity across different worlds. Epic's Fortnite remains one of the few functioning metaverses. https://gizmodo.com/please-just-let-the-metaverse-go-2000730281 #Metaverse #VR #AR #Epic

Darts VR2: Bullseye brings arcade-style gameplay to VR with a zombies mode where players defend against undead hordes while aiming at a flaming dartboard. The sequel also includes classic modes like 501 and Around the World, plus online leaderboards and customizable cosmetics. https://www.uploadvr.com/darts-vr2-bullseye-coming-to-quest-playstation-vr2-pc-vr-soon/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Gaming

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Empire City demo is now live at Steam Next Fest: The 15-20 minute extended tutorial introduces combat and parkour mechanics, letting players try all four turtles. The full game from Cortopia Studios is one of 2026's most anticipated VR titles. https://www.uploadvr.com/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-empire-city-steam-next-fest-demo-impressions/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Gaming

Global VR revenue is projected to grow from US2.2B in 2024 to US8.9B in 2029, with consumer spending alone reaching US.18B by 2029: The consumer segment is growing at 11.67% CAGR, driven by headset sales and software purchases. Hardware sales peak during Q4 holiday periods. https://arinsider.co/2026/02/24/whats-the-consumer-spending-outlook-for-vr/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Enterprise

Google has unveiled Glimmer, a new UI design language for AR glasses with transparent heads-up displays: The system emphasizes glanceable layouts, light content on dark backgrounds, and power-efficient designs using outlines instead of filled blocks to extend battery life on lightweight devices. https://www.uploadvr.com/google-details-glimmer-its-ui-design-language-for-hud-ar-glasses/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Hardware #Google

Meta's Horizon+ game subscription service has crossed over 1 million active subscribers in 2025, the company announced. The US/month service gives Quest owners access to around 100 premium VR titles including Asgard's Wrath 2, Assassin's Creed Nexus VR, and Resident Evil 4. https://www.roadtovr.com/metas-horizon-plus-1m-active-subscriber/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Gaming

Steam Next Fest February 2026 is live with dozens of PC VR demos, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Empire City, Birdseed VR, Echoes of Mora, and more upcoming titles. https://www.uploadvr.com/steam-next-fest-february-2026-list-of-games/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Gaming

AR is transforming warehouse logistics with vision picking that overlays pick paths and bin locations directly into workers' field of view. DHL reported 25% productivity gains in early deployments. https://arinsider.co/2026/02/23/immersive-inventory-spatial-design-for-warehouse-logistics/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Enterprise

Birdseed is a cozy free-to-play VR game about photographing silly, cute birds in a peaceful nature setting. Players use a point-and-shoot camera to capture photos, with 12 shots per day creating thoughtful composition. The game features pastel skies, gentle music, and delightfully dumb birds. https://www.uploadvr.com/birdseed-hands-on-relax-photograph-cute-dumb-birds/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Gaming

Peak Rhythm is a VR musical rhythm climbing game launching in Early Access on Meta Quest on March 5th. Players climb in sync to an exciting soundtrack, combining rhythm gameplay with physical climbing mechanics. https://www.uploadvr.com/peak-rhythm-climbs-onto-quest-next-month/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Gaming

Apple visionOS 26.4 brings foveated streaming to Vision Pro, enabling higher-quality wireless VR streaming from cloud or PC. The feature uses eye-tracking to optimize image quality at the center of view, similar to Valve's Steam Frame implementation. https://www.roadtovr.com/visionos-update-improved-vr-cloud-streaming-tools/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Hardware

Vision Pro finally gets a native YouTube app with full immersive video library, over two years after the headset launched. The app includes access to all YouTube videos, Shorts, and spatial video support. https://www.roadtovr.com/vision-pro-youtube-app-immersive-video/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Hardware

VRChat broke its all-time concurrency record with 156,716 simultaneous users during a Japanese anime concert at the Sanrio Virtual Festival. The virtual event featured a performance by the main character from Netflix's Cosmic Princess Kaguya. Additional performances are scheduled through March 8th. https://www.roadtovr.com/vrchat-all-time-high-japanese-concert/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #VirtualWorlds

Fish! is a new social fishing world in VRChat featuring four scenic islands, upgradable rods, purchasable boats, and over 20,000 fish to catch. The experience blends Animal Crossing vibes with Webfishing-style gameplay. https://www.uploadvr.com/fish-in-vrchat-hands-on-impressions/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #VirtualWorlds

Meta is shifting Horizon Worlds to be 'almost exclusively mobile' and explicitly separating its Quest VR platform from the virtual world. The move marks a significant departure from VR, positioning the platform to compete with Roblox and Fortnite. Nearly 80B lost since 2020. https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/20/meta-metaverse-leaves-vr-horizon-worlds-mobile/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Tech

Meta's Horizon+ subscription service has crossed over 1 million active subscribers in 2025, according to Meta. The /month service gives Quest owners access to around 100 premium VR titles including Asgard's Wrath 2, Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR, and Resident Evil 4. https://www.uploadvr.com/meta-horizon-plus-1-million-active-subscribers/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Enterprise

Meta plans to add facial recognition to its smart glasses, according to a report. The feature, internally known as "Name Tag," would allow wearers to identify people and get information about them via Meta's AI assistant, raising significant privacy questions. https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/13/meta-plans-to-add-facial-recognition-to-its-smart-glasses-report-claims/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Privacy

Snap's top AR executive Scott Myers has quit ahead of the company's planned consumer AR glasses release. Myers oversaw all aspects of Specs including hardware, software, product and operations. The exit comes as Snap heads into a make-or-break 2026, with consumer Specs still slated for release this year. https://www.roadtovr.com/snaps-top-exec-consumer-specs-quits-2026/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Hardware

Apple's smart glasses will have two cameras, one for capture and the other for computer vision, and launch in early 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The device will use high-end materials and be powered by an Apple-designed chipset for calls, music, translation, and Visual Intelligence. https://www.uploadvr.com/apple-glasses-could-have-2-cameras-launch-in-early-2027/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Hardware

Meta is explicitly separating Horizon Worlds from Quest and shifting focus to third-party apps. The company will no longer push Horizon Worlds on Quest owners, instead funding and supporting the third-party developer ecosystem. Horizon Worlds will become almost exclusively mobile. https://www.uploadvr.com/meta-explicitly-separating-horizon-worlds-from-quest-focusing-on-third-party-apps/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Enterprise

ARtillery Intelligence's latest survey reveals how mobile AR resonates with everyday consumers: usage frequency, satisfaction levels, favorite experience types, and willingness to pay. The report fills a gap in understanding AR consumer sentiment beyond industry hype. https://arinsider.co/2026/02/19/survey-how-satisfied-are-mobile-ar-users/ #Metaverse #VR #AR #Hardware