Pico Interactive’s consumer-ready standalone VR headset could pose a serious threat to the Meta Quest 2
During the 2022 Laval Virtual event in France earlier today, Pico Interactive, a VR hardware manufacturer based out of Beijing, China, announced that its latest VR device, the Pico Neo 3 Link, will be available for consumer purchase in Europe in the near future. Similar to the Pico Neo 3, the Neo 3 Link is a standalone VR headset, meaning no PC is required in order to play.
That said, you can pair the device with a PC via built-in WiFi 6 streaming or a standard DisplayPort cable to access PC VR content through SteamVR. For those without a PC, the Pico Store will offer a variety of standalone content accessible directly from the headset. According to Pico, the store already features over 200 games and apps, including popular titles such as SUPERHOT VR, Walkabout Mini Golf, Demeo, and After the Fall just to name a few.
If this sounds a little familiar, that’s only because it is. Based on the information provided, the Pico Neo 3 Link will offer a similar experience to that of the Meta Quest 2, which is, without doubt, the most popular standalone VR device currently on the market. In 2019, Meta (formerly Facebook) launched the official Link beta, allowing Quest users to connect their headset to a VR-ready PC via a USB-C cable to access PC VR content. Last year the company took it a step further with Air Link, allowing users to stream PC VR content wirelessly to their Quest headsets.
Since then the Meta Quest 2 has found itself largely unchallenged as competing VR manufacturers continue to focus their attention on streamlined VR glasses and mixed reality devices. By expanding past the Asian market to Europe, Pico Interactive has the unique opportunity to compete with Meta in the standalone VR space.
“In Asia, Pico is already the leading provider of consumer VR headsets in China and will bring the beta program to new markets such as Japan and Korea,” said the company in an official press release. “Pico will target VR fans and gamers with its new Link headset; users will participate in a unique beta program where feedback informs future product development.”
The Pico Neo 3 Link will be available for €450 in “limited quantities” in France, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands this coming May followed by the UK (£399) and Italy in June. Pre-orders will begin on April 15th. For more information on the specs visit here.
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Image Credit: Pico Interactive
