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The Gaming Potential of Apple Vision Pro

Introduction

The Apple Vision Pro is a cutting-edge new mixed reality wearable headset device that lets the user enhance the physical world around them or fully immerse themselves in the digital realm. 

If you have been wondering what gaming is like from the new Apple Vision Pro, which first hit the shelves in the United States on February 2, 2024, for a mouth-watering retail price of US$3,499, you've come to the right place. 

On this page, we will be exploring the gaming potential of the Apple Vision Pro, looking under the hood, exploring its features and functionality, and finding out what games are currently available to play on this groundbreaking new device. 

When marketing the device, Apple avoided using the phrases virtual reality device or augmented reality device, which is essentially exactly what it is. They prefer calling it a 'Spatial Computer' and the gaming content, 'Spatial Games.'

The thing to remember about the Apple Vision Pro is that it was not designed as a gaming device. Gaming on the device is possible, but it was designed for many other uses. Without further ado, let's dive straight in to discover more about Apple Vision Pro gaming, offering an overview of its main features, functionality, user experience, gaming apps, hit titles worth checking out, and more. 

Overview of Apple Vision Pro's Features

The Apple Vision Pro is the most advanced mixed reality headset in the world that enables users to fully immerse themselves in a computer-generated digital/virtual world or enhance the physical world around them with mixed/augmented reality technology. 

Aside from gaming and successfully blurring the line between the physical and digital realms more than any other device, the other main uses include everything from working to exercising and bringing digital content like television shows, movies, images, and video chats to life.

Apple AR technology computing capabilities on this highly sophisticated new device seemed all too promising before it was released. However, there's no doubt that Apple has delivered on everything it originally promised. The most notable features that everyone who is considering investing in the Apple Vision Pro needs to know about are the following:

  • It runs on the visionOS (iOS-based) operating system

  • The AirPlay and Mac Virtual Display allow users to mirror the primary display of a macOS device

  • The impressive 4K micro OLED display boasts a jaw-dropping 23 million pixels

  • It comes with more than a dozen inward and outward-facing cameras

  • It can display the user's face/eyes on the outside screen to anyone looking at the user (known as the 'Eyesight' feature)

  • The external battery lasts for around 2hrs (120 minutes) when fully charged

  • It uses optic ID iris scanning technology

  • Apple AR technology

  • 3D photo and video capture capabilities

  • It comes with built-in spatial audio

  • A wide range of apps allow gaming on Apple Vision Pro

  • For control and navigation of the device, it comes with both gesture and eye-tracking technology

Other notable specs, design features, and Bluetooth peripherals include Gamepads, a Magic Keyboard, a Magic Trackpad, six beamforming microphones with surround sound speakers, and 16GB of memory, with several storage options to choose from – 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1TB. 

This impressive standalone MR headset that's brought to you by Apple Inc. was developed by Luxshare. It comes with the Siri virtual assistant and stereoscopic 3D main camera, weighing 600–650 g (not including the battery). 

The stunning 3D-rendered animations and sharp 4K graphics use Apple M2 (10 cores) at 3.5 GHz, with up to 3,578 TFLOPS. This amazing clarity enhances the user experience and leaves most people breathless when seeing things for the first time using the Apple Vision Pro. 

Gaming Applications and Possibilities

Gaming on Apple Vision Pro has been met with mixed reviews. However, most reviews are positive. You can now find well over 250 games, and there's something to suit all types of games. 

For example, if you enjoy playing classic/traditional casino games, then you may enjoy playing titles like Vision Blackjack from the App Store. However, if you prefer zombie apocalypse/horror games, then you might prefer playing Resident Evil 4.

You can find PC and cloud games on sites like Steam, and many iOS and iPad gaming apps are compatible with the Apple Vision Pro. You can also find hundreds of games designed specifically for this device. Additionally, Apple announced more than 600 new apps for users to look forward to over the coming months. 

If you are looking for something more traditional, you may try the spatial board & card game collection from Resolution Games called Game Room, which includes titles such as Chess, Yacht, Sea Battle, Solitaire, and Hearts. These games have various skill levels and can be played online in the multiplayer mode against others, or you can put your wits to the test against the computer in the artificial intelligence (AI) gameplay mode. 

Although it's not yet possible to play hit mobile titles like PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG Mobile) or Call of Duty (COD Mobile), you can play a range of fun and entertaining adventure, puzzler, fantasy, action, strategy, and Apple arcade games. Most gamers agree that the best games to play on the Apple Vision Pro headset are the ones that support the controller. 

Some of the main titles you may like to check out should you invest in an Apple Vision Pro are Palworld, Super Fruit Ninja, Soul Spire, Wisp World, Synth Riders, Mindway, and TinyFins. If that's not enough to keep you going, you may also like to try Just Hoops, Rec Room, What the Golf, Illustrated, Patterned, and Puzzling Places, to name just a few. 

Coming soon to the Apple Vision Pro device are hotly anticipated new titles, such as Cut the Rope 3, Bloons TD 6+, Jetpack Joyride 2, Stitch, and Wylde Flowers. 

 

User Experience and Performance

The device is relatively easy to use, and the user interface design and layout are simple to navigate. If you haven't ever used a mixed reality device, such as the Pico 4, Meta Quest Pro, Meta Quest 3, Magic Leap, Google Glass, HTC Vive XR Elite, or HoloLens 2, don't panic. Even the most inexperienced user should quickly adapt to its features, settings, and functionality. 

The 4K definition graphics and animations enhance your viewing experience, but you also have various adjustable in-play settings that can make your viewing experience even more pleasurable, such as windows/image resizing, high-quality presets, and FPS/framerate. 

The games have skill levels to suit all abilities, from amateurs/novices to expert gamers, and in some of the more labour-requiring games, you will feel as though you have had a good physical workout after finishing a session, whereas others are much easier and don't require too much physical effort on the players' part. 

Integration with Popular Games

As mentioned, you can play Apple Vision Pro games designed specifically for this device or play computer games from Steam and plenty of iPad/iOS app games. To get a more immersive gaming experience, the best way to play the games would be to view the action using the entire screen (i.e., in the big screen mode) instead of playing the games as if from a virtual desktop computer monitor.

The integration with popular games means you can experience them in a totally unique way. The seamless mixed reality and virtual reality experience (or 'spatial' realm, as Apple likes to call it) is highly entertaining and has taken this form of gaming to an exciting new level. 

Playing games with the Apple Vision Pro headset is a unique way to play some of your favourite titles, but it will appeal to some people's gaming tastes and preferences more than others. In other words, it's not for everyone. 

There's no denying it has excellent resolution and clarity, and it does everything the company promises, and more, but for the current asking price of US$3,500, many people who want the AR/VR/MR experience will no doubt use other devices until the price comes down, which could be several years from now. 

Don't forget that the Apple Vision Pro is a device built for more than just gaming. In fact, gaming was more of an afterthought. The main uses are for enhancing the physical world around you, bringing movies, images, and video chats to life unlike any other device on the market is currently capable of, and successfully blurring the lines between the physical world and the digital realm.