We began the year by launching an editorial with Job Simulator’s Devin Reimer, former Owlchemist and creator of
. We began the year with an editorial from Job Simulator creator and former Owlchemist Devin Reimer telling developers
. This article highlights some of that work. This article highlights some of that work.they need a hand tracking planYesterday, we covered our favorite
Why Every VR Developer Needs A Hand Tracking Plan
Job Simulator is one of the highest selling VR games of all time and its technical lead has a message for developers: You need to have a hand tracking plan now.
games of the year on each of those platforms. PCVR, Quest, and Apple Vision Prohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZF-hRcJaWg
We’ve seen innovative gaming ideas pop up that rely on hand tracking in 2024, but the moment we saw Airspace Defender we knew developer Not Suspicious was on the path to something really interesting with its diorama-sized pinch-to-fire air defense system.
This year’s award in the new early access hand tracking game category goes to
, the spiritual successor to the classic Missile Command. Its vector graphics, arcade-style gameplay and use of hand-tracking make this a game that Quest must have. Double Jack’s label Creature and the France-based studio Double Jack are on their way towards creating an amazing roleplaying game concept. It’s a delight to play even without controllers. You can step in as a conductor and direct the sound of the orchestra. Best Early Access Mixed Reality appAirspace DefenderMany people do not think they are capable of drawing a good looking figure with a pencil. Pencil, the early-access mixed reality app for Quest headsets, is here to prove that you don’t need to be a professional artist to draw a decent looking figure. We can’t imagine what the developers will do in 2025 with this application. Some MR games are re-creations of
Airspace Defender’s Mixed Reality Missile Command Comes To Quest Early Access Soon
Airspace Defender is Missile Command in mixed reality with hand tracking and it hits early access on Quest headsets next week.
, a horror mixed reality puzzle escape game. The other standouts are
Maestro and
by Resolution Games. This is a recent multiplayer FPS. Though the campaign mode doesn’t go beyond your standard wave shooter, the multiplayer Arena Mode presents a strong adaptation of Laser Tag across large environments.
Best Mixed Reality App
Maestro Review: Hitting A High Note With Hand Tracking On Quest
Maestro ambitiously redefines VR rhythm gaming, focused on real-world orchestra management techniques using Quest’s hand tracking.
We saw a number of interesting ideas explore mixed reality in 2024 across Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro, but our favorite remains
.PencilFigmin is at its best on Apple Vision Pro but it is incredible on Quest 3 and 3S as well as other headsets. The interactive sandbox of the year uses the Apple Vision Pro eye- and hand-tracking for creative endeavours with Tiltbrush, as well as supporting colocation with Quest 3 Users. Figmin XR is a fantastic tool set that has only recently been available on Apple headsets. Its playground of physics and light effects are a delight. The most anticipated Mixed Reality Game for 2025 is Thomas Van Bouwel’s
. It was one of the better demos of room-scaled mixed reality we have seen. After the developer delayed it, it became our top pick. Thomas Van Bouwel’s
A Case For Pencil!: Why Physical Drawing Is Better In Mixed Reality
Bringing a physical object into mixed reality opens up incredible possibilities, even for a traditional No. 2 pencil.
