The world of video gaming is currently getting to grips with virtual reality technology, with the likes of the HTC Vive and Facebook’sOculus Questspearheading this modern age of immersive gaming. The latter company made an announcement a couple of weeks ago, in which theQuest 2 VR headset was updated to allow even faster wireless connectivityfor users. Now, Facebook has made a new announcement which will upgrade the base model some more.
Recent rumors suggested that theOculus Quest 2would be getting a storage upgrade, taking it from a 64 GB model to a 128 GB one. As it turns out, this rumor was true as Facebook confirmed the upgrade news in a blog post. It was stated that the Quest 2 would be getting 128 GB of storage starting August 24, and will be replacing the current model. Facebook also confirmed that this new iteration will remain at the same price of $299, and that the 256 GB version will still be available as well.
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Facebook, whichbought Oculus back in 2014 for a lofty $2 billion, also said in the blog post that the company will be introducing a new silicone cover, which will fit over the foam facial interface of the Quest 2. This will come with every headset from day one of the 128 GB SKU being released. The company also looked into some concerns, in which production of the Quest 2 was halted due to reports of skin irritation from the device. An investigation was launched back in December, which included consultations with dermatologists, and it was determined that Oculus Quest did not contain any materials that were likely to cause irritation. However, the company decided to go ahead and create the silicone covering.
Facebook also acquired Downpour Interactive, the developer behind the virtual reality military shooterOnward, back in May. The merger suggests that the studio will be working with the social networking company and Oculus to continue development of its IP. The company was bought due to the game’s success on the Oculus Rift and Oculus Quest. The amount Downpour was purchased for was not mentioned at the time of the story being published.
Virtual reality is slowly becoming more popular as more products become available and more studios begin putting out games that favor virtual reality immersion. Titles such asResident Evil 4being an Oculus Quest 2 exclusiveshows that developers are interested in making that leap forward in terms of gaming technology, and that Facebook’s hardware is arguably the de facto device to make games for. The announcement of the new 128 GB model may even entice new studios into putting out games for it.
