Meta’sOculus Quest 2headset is at the forefront of VR gaming at the moment, and a new patent filed by the company suggests that interactive gaming gloves could allow for a whole new level of immersion in the near future.Meta’s interest in gaming gloves and so-called “smart garments”has been rumored for quite some time, and it now seems that Facebook’s parent company is preparing to take the first step into totally new VR territory.
Released in October 2020, theOculus Quest 2 enjoyed a massively successful launch, quickly becoming the highest-selling VR headset by March of the next year. Accessible in terms of price and design, the Oculus Quest 2 felt like the culmination of years of work from multiple companies dating back to the original Oculus Rift Kickstarter campaign in 2012. That said, while the technology has come a long way, a lack of in-game feedback and less-than-immersive control schemes still hinders the widespread appeal of VR gaming.
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Fortunately, Meta has plans to change that. A new patent filed by the company describes a device that looks something like a smartwatch that can connect wirelessly to other pieces of—presumably wearable—tech, as well as, in all likelihood, theOculus Quest 2. This could be anything from gloves that would grant a player refined control over their fingers and hands in-game to shirts or ankle bracelets that could more accurately track player movements or even provide feedback through vibration—theoretically, at least.
The patent doesn’t explicitly lay out what this new wearable tech system could be used for, but it’s likely to crop up again ahead ofthe reveal of Meta’s new VR headset, which is currently anticipated to release in 2023. Regardless of the implementation, this sounds like an interesting new innovation that could keep Meta ahead of its competitors in the VR space.
Of course, while the company’s hardware has been industry-leading, Meta’s flagship software has left much to be desired. Facebook integration and the much-touted Metaverse hit with a resounding thud, and player interest has declined to such a degree thatMeta had to commit to mass layoffslast month in order to stay afloat. Plus, Meta’s involvement in the cryptocurrency space hasn’t reflected well on them in recent weeks, suggesting that the company’s focus may have to move away from its underperformingSecond Life-esque software. Still, should Meta repeat the Oculus Quest 2’s success with its next VR product and restructure with less of a focus on the Metaverse, the future could remain very bright for both Meta and VR gaming as a whole.
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