The XR Weekly Spotlight (March 18, 2025): Niantic Sells Pokémon Go, Meta Unveils Passthrough APIs, and More!

Wow, what a whirlwind of a week it has been in the world of XR and gaming! It’s been a flurry of developments, and I’ve had my hands full, but in the most exciting of ways. Just as I thought my schedule couldn’t possibly get any busier, Meta threw a curveball by releasing the camera access for the Quest, and of course, I couldn’t resist diving right into it. Now, let’s unpack some of the most compelling news stories from the XR realm this week. Stick around because there’s a giveaway at the end that you won’t want to miss!

Let’s kick things off with the headlines that caught everyone’s attention:

The buzz this week started with Niantic shaking up the gaming landscape by selling its entire gaming division, including the iconic Pokémon Go, to Scopely for a staggering $3.85 billion. With Scopely now under the umbrella of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the ownership of Pokémon Go has interestingly shifted to the kingdom. Niantic is now redirecting its focus toward geospatial technology through its new venture Niantic Spatial, which has already secured $250 million in funding. This is a bold, albeit risky, move away from their major revenue generator, betting big on the bright future of XR and AR. While this demonstrates Niantic’s confidence in the profitability of AR in the near future, the absence of Pokémon Go might make this transition more precarious without the cushion of their successful franchise.

Meanwhile, over at Meta, a significant development has unfolded with the release of Passthrough APIs for the Quest 3/3S series. This move empowers developers to access camera frames, allowing mixed reality apps on Quest to interact more intelligently with their environment. The inclusion of AI and ML models to interpret these images marks a major advancement. While currently an experimental feature with some limitations regarding app store releases, the community is already abuzz with new experiments and tutorials. I personally have published a comprehensive guide on my blog on how to get started with this exciting technology.

The VR gaming scene was also alight this week with updates from the VR Games Showcase led by Jamie Feltham. Although no groundbreaking announcements were made, there were plenty of exciting updates. My top picks include “Stay: Forever Home,” a charming game involving adventures with a virtual canine buddy set to launch on Quest this April, and the much-anticipated “Hitman: World of Assassination” for PSVR 2 scheduled for late March. New trailers for “Memoreum” and the terrifying “Slender: The Arrival VR” were showcased, besides announcements from Flat2VR Studios on exciting new VR ports of popular flat-screen games.

On a sadder note, Ultraleap faces tough times, having sold off parts of its business. Known for leading innovations in haptics and hand tracking, the company’s assets are being divided, with musical instrument company Roli acquiring its hand-tracking segment. Such news underscores the fluctuating fortunes within the tech sector.

In more upbeat headlines, Samsung is reportedly gearing up to release motion controllers with its upcoming Project Moohan headset, a strategy that contrasts with Apple’s focus solely on hand tracking. This development aligns with the broader trend of enhancing cross-platform compatibility, crucially easing content porting from devices like the Meta Quest.

Yet, not all reports this week invoked optimism. New World Notes revealed persistent hurdles with Meta’s Horizon Worlds, including issues with employee engagement and misaligned skillsets among developers. These insights raise critical questions about the internal passion and direction within the Horizon Worlds team.

Several other developments also stood out this week. Google is in talks to acquire AdHawk Microsystems, adding a groundbreaking eye-tracking technology to its portfolio, while Valve continues to innovate with its upcoming SteamVR Link Dongle, intended to enhance wireless VR experiences.

There’s also promising news of Meta releasing micro gesture detection in its SDK, adding another layer of intuitive interaction to their platforms.

Amid these tech developments, Immersed announced further delays on the Visor headset, reflecting ongoing challenges in hardware production and financial management—a situation that underscores the difficulties faced by emerging tech companies.

Unfortunately, the week also brought more of gaming’s harsh realities, with veteran studio Phaser Lock shutting down due to economic pressures. Publisher People Can Fly has decided to back away from VR game distribution, citing reduced investments in new VR titles—an echo of Meta’s shifting focus.

Outside of VR but equally captivating, were two wild experiments. Cortical Labs announced its first deployable biological computer, blending human neurons with silicon. Meanwhile, researchers have made strides in dream-based communication between two people—a glimpse of future possibilities that blur the lines of reality.

For those seeking fun physics-based chaos, MAGE continues to push the limits on Quest with its remarkable new engine delivering unprecedented performance.

On a musical note, Apple has released a Metallica concert as an immersive experience for Vision Pro users, bringing 8K 3D video and spatial audio to life in innovative ways.

Lastly, as SXSW 2025 wraps up, it once again highlights the intriguing intersection of immersive storytelling and technology, with many standout projects showcased.

Oh, and don’t miss out on Steam’s and the Horizon Store’s big sales if you’re keen on expanding your VR game library. With discounts on titles like Half-Life: Alyx, it’s the perfect opportunity to snag some must-play games.

To wrap things up, here’s some great news about the Mythic Realms game—a staple in the mixed and virtual reality gaming world. If you’re quick, you might just snag a free game key from our giveaway! If not, supporting the developers by purchasing the game can help continue their innovative work.

Before I let you go, consider donating to a worthy cause. The Red Cross continues its essential work in Ukraine, and any support you can provide goes a long way in these challenging times.

And with that, my fellow XR enthusiasts, have a great week filled with immersive experiences!