A few months ago, Somnium Space, a social virtual reality (VR) gaming platform based on blockchain and cryptosystems, made a flurry of announcements, which for the first time mentioned a standalone VR headset. In recent days, as part of the first Somnium Space Connect campaign, the company revealed more details, including the specs and appearance of the VR headset.
It is reported that the device is produced in cooperation with enterprise-level headset device manufacturer VRgineer, is an open source and modular VR headset device, if needed, can also be programmed and customized according to their own special needs. The goal is to capture a very specific market in which users are not limited by a particular store or platform.
"We're seeing a trend where many companies that make VR headsets are starting to shut down their ecosystems, creating silos for these closed ecosystems, and we, as metaverstem enterprises, can't afford to take the risk of relying on other ecosystems." Artur Sychov, CEO of Somnium Space, explained at the event. "Some companies are doing great, some headsets are great, but we've also seen some signals from different companies, either blockchain or VR applications and other things that we don't like, and that's a huge wake-up call in my head."
From the beginning of 2021 to date, Somnium standalone VR headsets are still in development, but the basic product has taken shape. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 processor, which can be found in other standalone devices such as the Meta Quest 2, it will come with two 3.2-inch LCD screens with a resolution of 2880 x 2880, a refresh rate of 90Hz (possibly up to 120Hz), and a field of view of 115 degrees. In terms of positioning, Inside-Out 6DoF four-eye tracking also supports Exterior-In laser positioning schemes.
With the built-in WiFi 6e, it can be connected to a PC for lossless VR gaming or streaming content to the device. While no other storage is mentioned, it also adds a MicroSD card slot for expanding storage space. As mentioned earlier, the modular structure of VR headsets may be of interest to many VR users. "We really believe in modularity," Sychov said. "We want a headset that works for a long time, that you can do something with it, that it can be your real partner, your development friend, or your gaming partner."
For example, the front panel can be replaced with other panels, and there are smaller panels on the sides and bottom that can be disassembled to add other items such as 3D printed accessories – Somnium will publish all the details that need to print your own compatible parts. Create a truly customizable VR headset that can better see unusual creations from the community.
Somnium Space, while not revealing its target price, said it would not make any ultra-early bookings or funding activities. Somnium Space plans to release its first VR headsets in the fourth quarter of 2022, with more details about the device coming in the coming months.