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Large sales of hardware without large sales of software is a problem though, and one Meta speak to in the leak. These headsets, like consoles, are most certain

by dagmx 4y ago

Large sales of hardware without large sales of software is a problem though, and one Meta speak to in the leak. These headsets, like consoles, are most certainly subsidized with some expectations of game sales. Meta say they’re not seeing long lasting engagement. That would make each headset some form of loss. Regarding graphics…I think comparing VR graphics to regular console graphics is a mistake. The immersiveness goes a long way to making things feel more realistic than they are. It doesn’t mean they actually look better, but the brain is better at filling in the gaps.

agloe_dreams 4y ago
> These headsets, like consoles, are most certainly subsidized with some expectations of game sales. Meta say they’re not seeing long lasting engagement. This was more true before than now. The Q2 launched at US $299. At that price they were losing potentially hundreds per unit. They were quoting multi-billion dollar quarter losses. Now at $399 and enough manufacturing time to lower costs, I bet they are close to break even. The hardware is becoming dated so the cost get get components must be not too shabby. Ultimately the Quest 2 is a Samsung Galaxy S20 under it all, seriously. The Xr2 is based on the 865 and the display is a high res ~6 inch LCD cut in half via optics.
- dagmx 4y ago
  This will feel a bit like moving the goalposts from me, but I’m guessing you’re talking about BOM costs to make the device? I’m talking about cost of the device+amortized R&D. I still doubt they’re breaking even on parts because there’s quite a few custom components in there but even if so, that’s still not funding their development of content and future devices. That means their Reality Labs section is basically borrowing from every other profitable part of Meta instead to keep going.
dylan604 4y ago
> Meta say they’re not seeing long lasting engagement. That's gotta be a gut punch to both Meta and the consumer. The consumer spent the money for it, but then gets bored quickly. Meta spent all of this time/money to make the next great boring thing. Couldn't happen to a nicer group of folks though /s
- sethhochberg 4y ago
  During the time I owned a Quest 2, probably every 2 months I'd put it on and check out what the latest enhancements and releases were, say "neat", take it off, and not touch it for another 2 months. Friends would come over, try it out, and generally arrive at the same conclusion. Such a weird thing - the potential is clearly there, and it was a really _cool_ piece of hardware, but nothing it ran made me want to actually use it regularly.
  - dougmwne 4y ago
    I would qualify as a high engagement user and I have a similar problem. I have only found a few games that really captured my interest intensely. I’ll play them for a couple of weeks, hit the end of their meager amount of content and replayability, then drop the headset in a drawer for a month or two till I hear of another title that sounds worth trying. And there are some great titles. I was playing Compound late last year and now I’m playing Barbaria. Compound especially really blew me away, like a VR doom. But then I beat it on the hardcore difficulty and that was that. After a couple weeks of playing Barbaria I’m ranked in the top 100 of players and about to drop it.
- damascus 4y ago
  A friend of mine loaned me his quest 2 about a month ago. He hadn't powered it up in about a year. My gf and I have been playing beat saber and pistol whip almost every night and having a blast, but I can tell, at only about 3 weeks of play, its about to run its course. I went looking for other games and at $20-$40 they are all hard sells because of the expectation that they also may last a week or two tops. It's super immersive and a ton of fun, but its a very specific experience. It's like if the Xbox only had shooter games. Yeah Halo was amazing when it launched, but I wouldn't want a console that just had one type of experience, and so far it seems VR is a singular style of experience. At least in my 3 weeks of playing.
  - dougmwne 4y ago
    There are a variety of genres that work well in VR, but I think developers are very much still figuring out the platform. A few things to check out that are not shooters: Physics based combat: Blade and Sorcery, Gorn, Barbaria, Bonelab Diorama: Ghost Giant, Moss, A fisherman’s tale, Demeo Arena duels: try Blaston, which is free Sports simulators: Eleven Table Tennis, Thrill of the Fight, Walkabout Mini Golf Puzzle/walking simulator: Red Matter, the last clockwinder Art: Gravity Sketch(free), Vermillion , Kingspray, Virtuoso Maps: Wooorld Weird: Tea for God (free) a really great example of how devs are inventing something new given the odd constraints of VR

by dagmx 4y ago

agloe_dreams 4y ago

> These headsets, like consoles, are most certainly subsidized with some expectations of game sales. Meta say they’re not seeing long lasting engagement. This was more true before than now. The Q2 launched at US $299. At that price they were losing potentially hundreds per unit. They were quoting multi-billion dollar quarter losses. Now at $399 and enough manufacturing time to lower costs, I bet they are close to break even. The hardware is becoming dated so the cost get get components must be not too shabby. Ultimately the Quest 2 is a Samsung Galaxy S20 under it all, seriously. The Xr2 is based on the 865 and the display is a high res ~6 inch LCD cut in half via optics.

dagmx 4y ago
This will feel a bit like moving the goalposts from me, but I’m guessing you’re talking about BOM costs to make the device? I’m talking about cost of the device+amortized R&D. I still doubt they’re breaking even on parts because there’s quite a few custom components in there but even if so, that’s still not funding their development of content and future devices. That means their Reality Labs section is basically borrowing from every other profitable part of Meta instead to keep going.

dylan604 4y ago

> Meta say they’re not seeing long lasting engagement. That's gotta be a gut punch to both Meta and the consumer. The consumer spent the money for it, but then gets bored quickly. Meta spent all of this time/money to make the next great boring thing. Couldn't happen to a nicer group of folks though /s

sethhochberg 4y ago
During the time I owned a Quest 2, probably every 2 months I'd put it on and check out what the latest enhancements and releases were, say "neat", take it off, and not touch it for another 2 months. Friends would come over, try it out, and generally arrive at the same conclusion. Such a weird thing - the potential is clearly there, and it was a really _cool_ piece of hardware, but nothing it ran made me want to actually use it regularly.
- dougmwne 4y ago
  I would qualify as a high engagement user and I have a similar problem. I have only found a few games that really captured my interest intensely. I’ll play them for a couple of weeks, hit the end of their meager amount of content and replayability, then drop the headset in a drawer for a month or two till I hear of another title that sounds worth trying. And there are some great titles. I was playing Compound late last year and now I’m playing Barbaria. Compound especially really blew me away, like a VR doom. But then I beat it on the hardcore difficulty and that was that. After a couple weeks of playing Barbaria I’m ranked in the top 100 of players and about to drop it.
damascus 4y ago
A friend of mine loaned me his quest 2 about a month ago. He hadn't powered it up in about a year. My gf and I have been playing beat saber and pistol whip almost every night and having a blast, but I can tell, at only about 3 weeks of play, its about to run its course. I went looking for other games and at $20-$40 they are all hard sells because of the expectation that they also may last a week or two tops. It's super immersive and a ton of fun, but its a very specific experience. It's like if the Xbox only had shooter games. Yeah Halo was amazing when it launched, but I wouldn't want a console that just had one type of experience, and so far it seems VR is a singular style of experience. At least in my 3 weeks of playing.
- dougmwne 4y ago
  There are a variety of genres that work well in VR, but I think developers are very much still figuring out the platform. A few things to check out that are not shooters: Physics based combat: Blade and Sorcery, Gorn, Barbaria, Bonelab Diorama: Ghost Giant, Moss, A fisherman’s tale, Demeo Arena duels: try Blaston, which is free Sports simulators: Eleven Table Tennis, Thrill of the Fight, Walkabout Mini Golf Puzzle/walking simulator: Red Matter, the last clockwinder Art: Gravity Sketch(free), Vermillion , Kingspray, Virtuoso Maps: Wooorld Weird: Tea for God (free) a really great example of how devs are inventing something new given the odd constraints of VR