Virtual reality storyteller creates project showcasing historically Black community in Seattle The recognizable chords from Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” are the sonic greeting to a new virtual reality experience created by… Read More
Filing: Facebook parent Meta to cut 726 jobs in Seattle region as part of broader layoffs Meta, parent company of Facebook, Oculus, WhatsApp, and Instagram, will lay off 419 workers in Seattle and another 307 in… Read More
Seattle gaming startup Polyarc grows team as it brings ‘Moss: Book 2’ to Oculus Seattle-based VR developer Polyarc Games is bringing its recently-debuted adventure game Moss: Book 2 to the Oculus Quest 2 headset… Read More
Pluto VR debuts tech that lets you stream virtual reality to a headset without a computer Seattle startup Pluto VR has brought its virtual reality streaming platform PlutoSphere into Early Access, which gives interested players a… Read More
Meta/Oculus expands in Seattle’s stadium district as tech giants anticipate regional light rail All aboard the Meta Express? The parent company of Facebook and Oculus has renewed and expanded its office leases in… Read More
Christmas was so Meta: Big jump in Oculus app installs signals a tipping point for VR New installations of the Oculus mobile app jumped more than 150% over the Christmas weekend, compared to past years, according… Read More
Microsoft unveils Mesh, betting on mixed reality for gatherings and collaboration across platforms The avatar will see you now. Or at least Microsoft hopes so. In a world still adjusting to the realities… Read More
Pluto VR promises high-end VR without a computer via new PlutoSphere platform Seattle-based Pluto VR is launching a new streaming platform for virtual reality. The service, PlutoSphere, is meant to stream games… Read More
Review: ‘Lies Beneath’ virtual reality horror game from Drifter feels both new and nostalgic Lies Beneath feels like a throwback to the early 2000s, and I absolutely mean that as a compliment. It’s a… Read More
Facebook building a virtual assistant out of Seattle-area offices to rival Amazon’s Alexa Editor’s note: This story has been updated with a statement from Facebook Facebook may be the next tech giant to… Read More
How a Seattle VR studio helped bring Epic Games’ ‘Robo Recall’ to the new Oculus Quest headset A big story in the virtual reality market is the upcoming Oculus Quest, an all-in-one portable headset that lets users… Read More
New Oculus VR headset unveiled to tepid reviews, but survey finds optimism for immersive tech Facebook-owned Oculus today unveiled its next-generation virtual reality headset that will reportedly some day replace its flagship Oculus Rift. The… Read More
Led by ex-Oculus research scientist, Seattle drone startup Vtrus raises cash for indoor inspection tech Seattle startup Vtrus has raised investment for a different kind of drone — one that’s designed to conduct precision inspections… Read More
Facebook reveals size of its Seattle-area footprint, confirms mysterious Oculus ‘Building X’ Facebook has grown as fast as any company in the Seattle area in recent years, but it has done so… Read More
ZeniMax and Facebook settle Oculus VR suit It’s been nearly five years, but ZeniMax’s lawsuit with Facebook over the development of the Oculus Rift headset is finally… Read More
Facebook tops 3,000 Seattle-area employees as major hiring spree continues Facebook’s dizzying growth all over the Seattle area continues unabated, and now the social media giant’s regional presence is up… Read More
Building X? Facebook reportedly plans major expansion of Oculus campus in Seattle suburbs Facebook appears to be eyeing even more expansion in Redmond, Wash., where it has amassed a sprawling campus near Microsoft’s… Read More
Facebook inks two more leases in Bellevue, as tech companies hedge their bets across Seattle region Facebook already has a large presence in Seattle’s urban core, but the company is increasingly expanding its operation to other… Read More
Oculus co-founder Brendan Iribe is leaving Facebook, the latest in a series of founder departures Brendan Iribe, co-founder and former CEO of Oculus, is leaving Facebook’s virtual reality arm, marking another key founder departure from… Read More
Double feature: Seattle youth film festival NFFTY teams with Oculus to give event a VR boost Back in 2007, three Seattle teens who grew up with a love for making films decided to help others share… Read More
Here’s everything Facebook announced at its Oculus Connect virtual reality event A new virtual reality headset, the $399 Oculus Quest, headlined the fifth edition of the Oculus Connect event in San… Read More
Facebook unveils standalone $399 Oculus Quest virtual reality headset, shipping next spring Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed the company’s next big virtual reality release, the $399 Oculus Quest. Oculus Quest is the… Read More
First peek inside PAX West: Giant game event opens in Seattle with heightened security PAX West, the video game convention that brings tens of thousands of gaming fans to Seattle every summer, opened Friday… Read More
Facebook-owned Oculus releases $299 business bundle for standalone Oculus Go VR headset Facebook-owned Oculus is following up the release of its $199 standalone virtual reality headset with a new bundle targeting big… Read More
Permit analysis details massive investment by Facebook-owned Oculus in Seattle-area footprint Facebook is making a massive investment in a Seattle-area campus for its virtual reality company Oculus, and a new report… Read More
Seattle zoo turns to virtual reality and beacon technology to give visitors a closer look at animals For all of the excitement that goes on in some of the award-winning exhibits at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo, a… Read More
The state of virtual and augmented reality: Industry sees new reasons for hope amid the hype Tim Harader has seen this story before. When the digital media entrepreneur arrived in Seattle two decades ago, he was recruited… Read More
Podcast Geared Up Podcast: Is Oculus Go the future of VR? Plus: T-Mobile, Sprint and Trump Oculus Go, a new VR headset from the Facebook-owned company, sprang onto shelves in a surprise launch Tuesday. It’s lower-powered… Read More
Facebook-owned Oculus’ $199 standalone Oculus Go virtual reality headset is here UPDATE: The Oculus Go virtual reality headset is shipping today, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said at Facebook’s F8 developer conference.… Read More
What is Facebook doing in Microsoft’s backyard? Building purchases point to Oculus expansion An entity that shares the same infamous address as Facebook — 1 Hacker Way in Menlo Park, Calif. — has… Read More
