Latest news with #Oculus
WIRED
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- WIRED
The ModRetro Chromatic Is a Game Boy Fit for Your Apocalypse Bunker
Jul 10, 2025 12:00 PM Palmer Luckey's sold-out, souped-up cartridge-only console clone is back—and this time, it wants to live forever. It took just 24 hours for the ModRetro Chromatic to sell out when it launched December 2024. An unapologetic Game Boy clone packaged in a slick, tough new shell, it delivered the perfect dose of gaming nostalgia alongside a few modern upgrades. Keen to build on that success, ModRetro has revamped production efforts and rejiggered its supply chain to make sure the Chromatic can stand the test of time. Now, the snazzy, geeky gadget is available for sale again—this time with new features, new games and a brand new colorway. The company, helmed by Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, says this time there will be no shortages of the Chromatic. It'll cost you $199 with no games, or $299 for a version with a beefier sapphire crystal screen. More than that, Luckey wants the device to last, basically forever. Maybe even become the Game Boy's final form. 'In theory, you could put this in a box for a hundred years and then pop in a pair of batteries and it would just go,' says Luckey. 'If you're saying this is going to be the last Game Boy ever made—that this is the thing that will persist and be the way you experience that whole era of gaming—you better make something to last. It's almost like you have a moral duty to make sure it's something that is going to survive.' Luckey, Silicon Valley's preeminent Hawaiian-shirt-clad tech bro, is famous—or infamous, depending on how you look at it—for pioneering VR tech and military defense alike. In 2012, he created the Oculus Rift, the product that effectively gave life to the then merely theoretical VR industry. He's had a controversial journey since then, selling Oculus to Facebook in 2014, then leaving in an acrimonious split three years later. He moved on to start the military industrial tech company Anduril (named after a sword from the Lord of the Rings series) that now makes attack drones, border surveillance tech, and AI-powered weapons. His right-wing political leanings, while once out of favor in Silicon Valley, are now on display much more freely by the broader tech elite. Luckey has recently been re-embraced by Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta (née Facebook), in his own rightward turn. Another of Luckey's recent endeavors, a crypto-bank called Erebor (after the Lonely Mountain in The Hobbit ), is being funded by conservative billionaire and fellow LoTR nomenclature enthusiast Peter Thiel, the CEO of Palantir. On another front, Luckey is still very into the tech of the past. The name ModRetro comes from a forum Luckey created as a kid to interact with other gadget enthusiasts. The thing that stuck with him the most from his childhood was the Game Boy. The Chromatic isn't the only Game Boy replacement out there. Nintendo has a collection of classic Game Boy games available to download (for a price). You can find emulators online. There are devices like Analogue Pocket that aim to recreate the experience of a physical Game Boy and even offer more games to play. Luckey says that while those efforts are all good, they come with compromises that he wants to blow right past. 'If something is worth doing, it's worth someone in the industry doing it right,' Luckey says. If you can get past that baggage of a fun gadget being tied to an arms dealer, reviews of the first edition of the Chromatic make the device sound very good. As a handheld gaming device, the ModRetro Chromatic harkens back to nostalgia of the early '90s Game Boy era, albeit housed in a case that is built like a bomb shelter. With the heft of a graphing calculator, the Chromatic leans into the chonkiness of early gaming handhelds, albeit with some much more modern upgrades. The gadgetry within is housed in a lightweight magnesium alloy chassis, assembled in a clamshell format that is meant to be straightforward to take apart. The screens are protected with Gorilla Glass, or you can opt for the scratch-resistant sapphire crystal surface for an extra $100. The buttons are made of satisfyingly clicky metals. The screws, though still the less common tri-wing screws found in early Game Boys, are easy enough to take out and replace. According to Torin Herndon, the lead engineer at ModRetro who has worked with Luckey at Anduril and Oculus, repairability and the ability to fix or tweak the device were paramount. 'The idea is to preserve it for multiple generations down the line, so what we had to do was make the device as deserving of that as possible,' Herndon says. 'And then to architect the device in a way that is really going against the grain of planned obsolescence.' For that reason, the console exclusively plays cartridge games, just like its progenitor. There are no digital downloads, though game makers can issue bug fixes or updates if connected to the internet. Accessories for the Chromatic include rechargeable battery packs, cables, and a headset range in cost from $15-$50. You can also buy a dedicated modification kit which lets you take apart the device and alter it as you see fit. On the library front, the Chromatic has launched with 15 games you can buy, and a special version of Tetris created by ModRetro comes packaged with the device. ModRetro has teased future partnerships for games made with industry stalwarts like Ubisoft, Atari, and Argonaut Games. Otherwise, if you want to play a game, you'll have to find a second-hand Game Boy or Game Boy Color cartridge somewhere. The Chromatic is backwards compatible, so old Game Boy games should work, assuming you've blown on the cartridge enough to get the dust out, of course. Despite the retro-focus, the Chromatic has a few new tricks wired into it as well. A USB-C port can be used for charging or for piping live video directly from the Chromatic to streaming services via Mac, PC, and Discord. That means you can stream directly from the device, which Luckey says will likely delight speedrunners eager to break records on Game Boy games without having to use external cameras to record the feats. (The software that enables streaming capabilities is backwards compatible, meaning it will be work of first-edition Chromatics as well.) 'The goal of Chromatic in a non-technical sense is not to replicate the experience of actually playing a Game Boy or Game Boy Color, it's to replicate the way that you felt playing it when you were younger,' Luckey says. 'You want it to be authentic but also to live up to that rose-tinted recollection of how you remember it.' Aside from all that nostalgia, ModRetro is also trying to make a push to reinforce the concept of ownership. Though the timing isn't deliberate, Herndon points to recent efforts like Stop Killing Games, a movement of game advocates calling for the preservation of digital and online games so they can't just be taken down by the provider. 'That is one of the most upsetting things about being a modern gamer,' Herndon says. 'The true ownership experience back then is something has really gone by the wayside today, and we wanted to recapture that feeling.' Ultimately, Luckey hopes the Chromatic isn't the last stop in ModRetro's efforts. He has his eyes set on recreating the Game Boy Advance and other retro platforms like the Nintendo 64. Eventually, he hopes the process, drawn out though it can be, will help preserve other aging technologies. 'This all sounds a lot more ridiculous and self masturbatory when you're just making a Game Boy thing,' Luckey says. 'But I'm hoping that at some point people will see ModRetro as a portal into the past that is going to live on forever. And then what I'm saying maybe won't seem quite as crazy.'
Irish Examiner
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Katie Taylor, the undisputed champion and the underdog
For a woman who has already walked into a hostile bearpit and emerged with a scalp, the conditions in New York are unlikely to prove intimidating. Nevertheless, the odds are against Katie Taylor. The latest evidence of that came atop the Empire State Building as fight week got underway on Tuesday. YouTuber-turned-boxer and promoter Jake Paul positioned himself behind the face-off and his fighter, Amanda Serrano, holding the super lightweight straps that are on the line. Nakisa Bidarian, the co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, stood nearby clapping while reminding everyone that the showdown was set to take place on Friday night. This is an MVP show. They are the ones who brought streaming giant Netflix along, they organised this all-female boxing card with a remarkable 17 titles up for grabs across five bouts. Their first year signing was Serrano. The investment in that star and their long-term plan to let her shine was always going to lead to a night like Friday at the famed Madison Square Garden. When the trilogy was first announced, Taylor was installed as the favourite, having edged the last two fights. That has since flipped. Serrano's advantage comes with her punch volume and power, something she is adamant wasn't accurately recognised by the judges previously. Later at the Oculus at World Trade Center, two enormous inflatable figurines of Taylor and Serrano loomed above the open workout ring. Outside lightning and torrential rain attacked the city of dreams. The temperature indoors anywhere without full-throttle air conditioning was sweltering. The Lovin' Spoonful were onto something. Hot town, summer in the city. Katie Taylor at Open Workouts, Oculus World Trade Center, New York City, USA. Pic: ©INPHO/Gary Carr Taylor made the walk first to the tune of Dreams by The Cranberries. That was a deliberate decision. 'I am just so excited to be headlining such a huge, iconic moment like this,' she said. 'I didn't think it was going to get any bigger than the last fight but here we are, headlining an all-female card in such an iconic venue, Madison Square Garden, this is the stuff of dreams.' There were various endearing moments to emphasise that. Taylor brought four young fans into the ring with her. One opted to shadowbox beside her before leaning into the mic to declare her affection: 'I love Katie.' Another performed some Irish dancing while her friend, dressed head to toe in Donegal green and gold, clasped the corner of the tricolour. Serrano came after and looked at home. Earlier, fellow Puerto Rican boxers Krystal Rosado and Elise Soto had taken part in officially sanctioned bouts in the ring. They returned with Serrano, until eventually a five-strong army were all ducking and swinging at the same time. The seven-division world champion held her arms out to acknowledge this legacy. Earlier this year, the 36-year-old signed a lifetime agreement with MVP that will last for the rest of her professional boxing career and then continue in retirement. It has already been agreed she will become chairwoman of MVP's women's boxing initiatives. Despite the justified criticism of what was an absolute circus co-main event last time in Texas, MVP do deserve credit for the stage they have set this week. The undercard includes their new signee, former undisputed champion and current WBC interim world champion Chantelle Cameron (20-1, 8 KOs) who takes on Canada's Jessica 'The Cobra' Camara (14-4-1, 3 KOs) in a 10-round women's WBC interim super lightweight championship bout. Cameron is the only fighter to have defeated Taylor in the pro ranks. After the rematch, she split with Eddie Hearn, taking issue with his celebrations in Dublin. There is no doubt she would relish the prospect of settling that score in a winner-takes-all trilogy and it now looks far more likely than it ever did in the aftermath of the 2023 3Arena clash. Alycia Baumgardner is another recent MVP signing. She meets Jennifer Miranda in an undisputed super featherweight bout on the card and has her sights set on the main event winner. In total fighters from nine countries are involved. A whole host of tickets were still available early in the week, varying from $50.00 for the back of the bleachers to $2,500 for the 'Diamond VIP package.' It is a show that Serrano is proud to headline. She wants to lead the way. 'Listen, the struggle that me, my team, my sister, Jordan (Maldonado), I don't want these girls to go through what we went through,' she said at the public workout. 'The struggle was real. We were getting paid 50 dollars, 100 dollars. It was pretty sad. Obviously, we were doing the same thing and fighting just as hard but not getting what we deserve.' Not that she is letting the buzz distract from the task at hand. "I am all in. I am dialled in. Can't wait for Friday night or Saturday night when I am back in Puerto Rico celebrating.' A chance to make up for two close calls, a night of coronation and celebration for MVP and a proud champion from Bray who will be more than happy to spoil the party.
Washington Post
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
VR training is booming in baseball. The Nats haven't fully bought in.
About four hours before a March home game, Alex Call rummaged around in his locker, pulled out a white Oculus virtual reality headset and rushed out of the Washington Nationals' clubhouse. Within a minute, he was in the batter's box at Denver's Coors Field. A few seconds later, Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola was on the mound.
CNET
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition Hands On: What $400 Gets You
I have major throwback memories to 2016 as I open up the limited-edition Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition. This new VR bundle includes a black Quest 3S VR headset with Xbox green highlights, similarly colored Touch controllers and an Xbox controller, too. The original Oculus Rift headset I reviewed years ago also came with an Xbox controller inside, because back then Oculus didn't even have its VR Touch controllers yet. It was also black, not white like the current Quest headsets. It's funny how things come full circle. This Xbox-branded Quest was announced over a year ago, but it took till now to show up. It is far from anything like PlayStation VR 2. Really, it's just a Quest 3S in black with a few extra accessories thrown in. For $400, the deal isn't bad considering the included Meta Elite Strap and Xbox controllers run more than $100 total when bought separately. There's a three-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate trial code inside, too. But it's hardly anything anyone would need, and it's a little odd that the special bundle incorporates the lower-end 128GB capacity 3S instead of the better-visual-quality, larger-storage Quest 3. There's that Xbox logo on the side. Scott Stein/CNET The Quest headsets can stream Xbox GamePass games via cloud gaming in a Quest app, throwing 2D games on a bigger virtual screen in headset. That's something you can already do on Quest headsets now; you don't need this Xbox Quest for that. This is simply a limited-edition design drop, a little collector's item. But it also makes me wonder when (and if) Microsoft will start dipping its toes into VR and AR a bit more. Microsoft used to have its own VR hardware, and the HoloLens, and aspirations to be a key part of the XR landscape. (Also: Minecraft VR, RIP.) Times are different now, and this Xbox Quest is really just another flavor of Microsoft's "This is an Xbox" marketing campaign that's been pushing cloud gaming on tablets, TVs and everywhere else. The Xbox Quest 3S (left) next to the white Quest 3S (right). I like the return to the black color. Scott Stein/CNET And yet, Microsoft is also extending some of its gaming interests. An Xbox-branded Asus Xbox ROG Ally handheld coming later this year is expected to finesse the ways Xbox games play on Windows handhelds, a stepping stone toward Microsoft figuring out how to evolve better hardware of its own eventually, perhaps. Maybe this Xbox Quest experiment is another toe in the water to gauge interest in other things, too. Scott Stein/CNET For now, it's just a fun way to get a black Quest 3S. But it's also weird because the Quest 3S is not the best-quality Quest headset for visual fidelity. The Quest 3 has a better-resolution display and better lenses. And this is just the 128GB version of the Quest 3S, not the 256GB model. Xbox cloud streaming may not need more storage, but plenty of beefy Quest game downloads do. An Xbox Quest 3 would have made more sense to me, but it would have cost more than $400. My suggestion? I think Meta should bring back the black VR headset color option to all of its headsets, because it looks really good.
CNET
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
I Wish Meta and Microsoft's New Quest 3S Xbox Edition Was More Than Just a New Color
I have major throwback memories to 2016 as I open up the limited-edition Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition. This new VR bundle includes a black Quest 3S VR headset with Xbox green highlights, similarly colored Touch controllers and an Xbox controller, too. The original Oculus Rift headset I reviewed years ago also came with an Xbox controller inside, because back then Oculus didn't even have its VR Touch controllers yet. It was also black, not white like the current Quest headsets. It's funny how things come full circle. This Xbox-branded Quest was announced over a year ago, but it took till now to show up. It is far from anything like PlayStation VR 2. Really, it's just a Quest 3S in black with a few extra accessories thrown in. For $400, the deal isn't bad considering the included Meta Elite Strap and Xbox controllers run more than $100 total when bought separately. There's a three-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate trial code inside, too. But it's hardly anything anyone would need, and it's a little odd that the special bundle incorporates the lower-end 128GB capacity 3S instead of the better-visual-quality, larger-storage Quest 3. There's that Xbox logo on the side. Scott Stein/CNET The Quest headsets can stream Xbox GamePass games via cloud gaming in a Quest app, throwing 2D games on a bigger virtual screen in headset. That's something you can already do on Quest headsets now; you don't need this Xbox Quest for that. This is simply a limited-edition design drop, a little collector's item. But it also makes me wonder when (and if) Microsoft will start dipping its toes into VR and AR a bit more. Microsoft used to have its own VR hardware, and the HoloLens, and aspirations to be a key part of the XR landscape. (Also: Minecraft VR, RIP.) Times are different now, and this Xbox Quest is really just another flavor of Microsoft's "This is an Xbox" marketing campaign that's been pushing cloud gaming on tablets, TVs and everywhere else. The Xbox Quest 3S (left) next to the white Quest 3S (right). I like the return to the black color. Scott Stein/CNET And yet, Microsoft is also extending some of its gaming interests. An Xbox-branded Asus Xbox ROG Ally handheld coming later this year is expected to finesse the ways Xbox games play on Windows handhelds, a stepping stone toward Microsoft figuring out how to evolve better hardware of its own eventually, perhaps. Maybe this Xbox Quest experiment is another toe in the water to gauge interest in other things, too. Scott Stein/CNET For now, it's just a fun way to get a black Quest 3S. But it's also weird because the Quest 3S is not the best-quality Quest headset for visual fidelity. The Quest 3 has a better-resolution display and better lenses. And this is just the 128GB version of the Quest 3S, not the 256GB model. Xbox cloud streaming may not need more storage, but plenty of beefy Quest game downloads do. An Xbox Quest 3 would have made more sense to me, but it would have cost more than $400. My suggestion? I think Meta should bring back the black VR headset color option to all of its headsets, because it looks really good.
