Google has announced that it intends to step into the VR game properly, going beyond what the tech giant already does with Google Cardboard (which, to be fair, isn’t much).
The headset has the wonderful name of Daydream View, and is similar to the Samsung Gear VR in that the contraption is powered by a mobile device.
Check it out below.
Unfortunately, the Daydream View will – at least on launch in November – only work with the Pixel and Pixel XL, Google’s new line of smartphones.
The Daydream View looks to be a pretty affordable headset at only £69, but having to buy a new smartphone to go along with it will bump up the price considerably.
Still, Google said there are ‘a lot more’ supported devices coming from ‘leading Android smartphone-makers’ in the future.
Google’s VR chief Clay Bavor explained in a blog post:
Our goal for Daydream is to simplify the complexity behind virtual reality. It should be mobile so you can easily carry it with you, and it should be friendly and accessible so everyone can enjoy using it.
The headset is, apparently, 30 percent lighter than other similar devices, and is made with ‘soft, breathable fabric’. Sounds luxurious.
There are three Daydream View color options – Slate, Snow, and Crimson. Or dark grey, light grey, and red if you aren’t a marketing tosser.
GoogleThe device also comes with remote/controller, as Google explains:
It points where you point, and is packed with sensors to understand your movements and gestures. You can swing it like a bat or wave it like a wand. And it’s so precise that you can draw with it. The controller slides right inside the headset when not in use, so you don’t have to worry about losing it in your bag or between couch cushions.
Daydream View will include a number of apps – YouTube, Street View, Google Play Movies, and Google Photos among them.
Also confirmed was an experience for the upcoming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, as well as projects from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
You can also expect apps for Netflix, Hulu, and HBO, as well as the ability to watch some MLB and NBA live events with the headset.
CNETOf course, there will be games too. These include Gunjack 2, Hungry Shark World, Eve: Valkyrie and Need For Speed.
The company made a few other announcements in all the excitement, including a 4K- and HDR-compatible version of its Chromecast device, called Chromecast Ultra, and Google Home, a device that lets you issue voice commands for a number of things.
Also announced was Google Wifi, a device that would replace your existing router with the hope of providing a better, more stable wireless connection throughout your home.
Seems like Google are kind of a big deal – but I’ll wait till Ask Jeeves come out with their VR headset.
Ewan Moore is a journalist at UNILAD Gaming who still quite hasn’t gotten out of his mid 00’s emo phase. After graduating from the University of Portsmouth in 2015 with a BA in Journalism & Media Studies (thanks for asking), he went on to do some freelance words for various places, including Kotaku, Den of Geek, and TheSixthAxis, before landing a full time gig at UNILAD in 2016.