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The Stinger Report #1226 - Electric Blizzard of New Tech – Part 2
The CES 2025 and EAG Expo have highlighted significant trends in the immersive tech and entertainment sectors that investors should note. At CES, while mixed reality (MR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies gained prominence, virtual reality (VR) appeared to be diminishing in influence, with private showcases indicating a shift towards high-end PC VR solutions featuring advanced optics and eye-tracking capabilities. Additionally, competitive pricing strategies from new manufacturers, such as Play For Dreams, challenge established players like Apple, whose Vision Pro headset has underperformed against expectations. The EAG Expo showcased the expansion of the out-of-home entertainment sector, emphasizing social immersive experiences and competitive gaming, revealing a growing market for these genres. The rise of immersive displays and AI in everyday technology also points to an evolving landscape for consumer engagement. Furthermore, industry dynamics are shifting as companies like Google acquire essential talent from HTC VIVE, potentially impacting the VR hardware support ecosystem. Investors should closely monitor these developments across both shows as they reflect broader trends in consumer accessibility, competitive pricing, and technological advancement.
This is the Stinger Report, issue Number 1226, I the Electric Blizzard of New Tech, part 2, by Kevin Williams. This coverage reports on the conclusion of the developments seen at CES 2025, and starts the reporting from the UK-London amusement trade Spectacular, eag, looking at the amusement crossover between immersive tech and new trends in XR and CES. Returning to the 58th annual Consumer Electronics Show, ces 2025, organized by the Consumer Technology Association, cta, held in Las Vegas, and while MR and AR were on the ascendance on the CES 25 show floor, vr was relegated to a smaller profile and, in many cases, being showcased in private hotel suites adjacent to the main exhibition floors. Vr influencers invited to see a slew of 4K per eye, micro-organic light-emitting display, uled panels, vr headsets that hoped to offer interest to the prosumer niche VR landscape, all in early development and purporting hefty price tags if released. Demonstrations were seen from Shiftool Meganex at $1,900 and PMAX Crystal Super at $1,800, as well as several concept designs planned for release. These systems focused on a PC VR route to market against the standalone smartphone processor approach. Would like to thank VR Influencer and our friends at Thrillseeker for their coverage of these new hopefuls. Pointing out a possible future were high-end VR headsets requiring eye-tracking, 8k UOLED panels with amazing lenses could buy off the shelf Such solutions from CES Exhibitor Optics, who supplies the displays for several of those new headsets mentioned. These high-end PC VR headsets could be now developed for unique applications so the LBE VR scene could see a dedicated high-end solution without depending on the vagaries of consumer headset production. Those vagaries, illustrated by no word on the show floor regarding Valve and their hoped Index 2 PC VR headset, sparking concerns of further delays. Sources now suggesting a Q4 2025 schedule reveal the Google acquisition news of some of HTC Vive tech, adding to the speculation on the sector's future diversity.
Speaker 1:Ces 25 saw the first clones of the Apple Vision Pro from a Chinese manufacturer, with the Play for Dreams MR platform from the company of the same name, key differences being that this MR headset is shipped with controllers and embraces a MR consumer route to market, including PC VR streaming. That Apple have ignored with their offering All in a package lower than the Apple system, play for Dreams charging $1,900 for their version. How many other manufacturers intend to follow this path was questionable. Away from the direct copy, many of these MR-AR platforms were fueled by last year's investment into what Apple defined as spatial computing, but was clearly a gloried pass-through MR approach. While the Apple Vision Pro was not at the show, its influence was clearly felt, for Apple, like with Sony, were less than happy with the consumer response T the launch, no matter the brave face put on the situation by executives and their loyal followers. Sources revealed that some 200,000 units had been sold of the expensive headset. This number fell way short of previous hopes for their early adopter numbers that had been revised downwards from 8 million unit expectations at the beginning of the process to develop their frontrunner into the immersive tech sector. Now, facing the reality, apple has started a damage limitation mission, spinning that they expected low market adoption, while still hinting at a new release, rumored as being the Apple Vision Lite for a 2025 reveal. While sources suggest this headset will not be as low in price as some loyal followers are speculating a $2,999 price compared to the original's $3,499, the market that Apple's new headset, if released, will fall into will see a perfusion of MR headsets offering similar form factor and much lower price and better software support. How Apple will survive in water populated by Samsung and Meta will be interesting, especially if consumer VR has succumbed to being replaced by MR, some loyal Apple sources even suggesting that, along with MR, apple, had an AR Ray-Ban Beta smart glasses system about to be revealed, all sources seeming to be employed to paint a positive narrative.
Speaker 1:Returning to CES 2025, and glove controllers hoping to replace physical controllers. And haptics also supported the remnants of the VR landscape, with haptics showing off a new range of haptic vests, including a new low-cost consumer model. These improved versions expected to also be employed in the LBE scene. Another developer with both a commercial and consumer approach to their tech was Striker VR, who promoted their new consumer weapons interface while also promoting the success of their deployment into the LBE VR sector. The big haptic guns were also represented, with D-Box promoting that the company had achieved over 1,000 cinema screens using D-Box 4D cinema seating worldwide some 23,000 seats, this achieved over the last 15 years since they entered the market.
Speaker 1:Immersive display technology was being pushed hard. At the Las Vegas start-of-the-year show, the latest and largest LED displays were in perfusion, along with a selection of new transparent displays. The large consumer LED displays were pushed into a corner compared to the ultra-expensive commercial applications of UOLED display technology. As reported previously in our Sony coverage at the show, immersive screens also played a part in keynote presentations with Delta Airlines celebrating their 100th anniversary, presented an immersive presentation within the massive Las Vegas sphere, the whole of the venue atrium used for an interactive exhibit as well as the main keynote on the exosphere screen, all promoting the technological advancement the airlines is employing across its fleet, as reflected on the Sony content area and across several exhibitors. Immersion was another of the popular trending terms. Siemens ran a massive immersive theatre on their booth. Immersive projection was also on the show floor. Regarding social entertainment application, basketball e-tertainment concept, neoj was presenting their immersive basketball court platform part of their socialising dining concept, with one facility already opened. The company is looking to roll out the venue concept internationally. The immersive courts using camera tracking and advanced projection, all supported by a real-time player stats app Competitive socialising venues now breaking into the CES space the promotion of this aspect of the out-of-home entertainment market expected to be more prevalent in coming years.
Speaker 1:At the Consumer Electronic Event, promoting the fidgetal landscape ahead, ces 25 was also populated heavily with the latest robotic innovation, seeming to push the automotive element of the show aside. Robots ranging from agricultural, construction and service robots, as well as consumer home models, littered the event. The crossover between physical robotics and AI support was also echoed on the show floor following the NVIDIA keynote and obviously, as previously stated, ai was everywhere, clearly usurping the metaverse zeitgeist for all things AI, with even a gaming area dedicated to the technology called AI your Game For the consumer electronics scene. The Internet of Things seems to have been superseded by the, the connected AI house, with the use of sensors in appliances feeding AI machine learning to elevate chores and speed up processes. Panasonic, who have been exhibiting at CES for the last 50 years, allowed attendees to test drive an AI-powered family-friendly app connected to appliances on the booth. It is expected that the next generation of digital twin-facility construction and operation will apply this AI approach towards smooth operation and fault-finding.
Speaker 1:Regarding the encroachment of AI into all aspects of business, the Stinger report needs to clarify coverage of AI from our IAAPA24 review. Our friends at Hypercinema wanted us to confirm that it was them, and not their booth partner and friends' forward-thinking design that showed the Hyper engine demonstration, the ai experience from the college football hall of fame game on exhibition. Forward thinking design had provided av design and eventual platform applied in the attraction, but it was the hyper cinema ai platform that had created the amazing experience we reported on. Sorry for any confusion caused and we look forward to being able to speak more on the next major AI installation they are working on. In conclusion, the CES 2025 show organization, cta, which represents a trade association supporting the 505 billion US consumer technology industry, reported on this year's show attraction some 40,000 attendees and over 4,500 exhibitors a massive gathering and an indication of the ubiquity of consumer technology across the market sectors. It was interesting to see how this technology, in the guise of the latest immersive displays, screens and the use of advanced AI in the application of content, is shaping amusement and attractions, as well as immersive experiences, as was reflected off the show floors.
Speaker 1:Shared reality. Speaking of Las Vegas and the big news regarding one of the most impressive immersive display platforms in the city, the $2.5 billion MSG Sphere, revealed that it had undergone a restructuring and placed new management in charge. The iconic Sphere had been used by Delta Airlines in their keynote presentation during CES 2025. The Sphere Entertainment operation had appointed a new executive to the role of Executive Vice President, evp, chief Financial Officer, cfo and Treasurer. The new executive roles hope to address the $1.4 billion bank debt as of 2024 and involved in a new deal with JPMorgan Chase, the lead bank for the operation. Speaking of massive immersive display experiences and one of the outlying shared reality developers, cosm announced a new involvement and partnership with WWE. The wrestling organization will see selected matches hosted live at Kiosm venues, adding to the roster of live sport performances and entertainment available at their live watch party centers. This comes on the back of last year's announcement of a $250 million raise in new investment towards increasing the rollout of the operation with new sites in Dallas and Atlanta. And while speaking of large screen presentation, media attraction and 4D theater operation, cimex slash iWorks Entertainment was reported to be about to return to the industry. Was reported to be about to return to the industry, having activated Bankruptcy Protection in 2024 and failing to attend further trade events. Sources have suggested that the assets of the operation had been acquired by a Chinese investment group. Now it has been suggested that an announcement regarding the business will be made, while at the same time, news was revealed regarding developments at MediaMation Inc. We will have more news on these developments in coming weeks.
Speaker 1:Eag the amusement and gaming sector, started with a boom in January with the holding of entertainment attractions and Gaming EAG Expo 2025. The show, managed by the UK trade association Bacta, turned over a new leaf with the expansion of the event with two new co-located events the new social immersive experience SIE Expo and the London Casino and Gaming LCG Show. The growth of out-of-home entertainment business, moving beyond the restraints of the traditional amusement sector, reflected in this new approach. Starting with the first of the co-located areas and the trends witnessed, the SIE Expo was created to gather the social entertainment sector together, offering both immersive gaming and competitive socializing, along with the inclusion of competitive play from racing, sim and online competition For the sake of transparency. The author of this show coverage was also the ambassador for the new SIE event, helping in defining this new edition and moderating the seminar sessions that supported the show floor VR on display.
Speaker 1:Regarding the immersive entertainment aspect of the event, exhibitor HeroZoneVR came to the show with a full setup of their VR arena. The big development was the deployment of their HeroZoneVR arena platform fielding the latest Pico headsets. Speaking to well-placed sources from the company, they confirmed a move to a more agnostic approach to headset adoption for their popular arena system. They had previously been staunch HTC Focus 3 users but had seen several issues, including price, the need for license subscription to use and delays in service and support calls from the Western HTC team, and have been forced to reverted to fielding Pico as an alternative, the company actively supporting headset independence towards offering the best solution for customers. This move is being mirrored by several arena and VR hardware developments in the LBE scene, the need to have support and service questions answered quickly, a key factor. As stated. Lai Games and Warlap have both migrated to DPVR headsets, replacing their long involvement with HTC, while Raw Thrills has also moved to DPVR after trialing both HTC and HP headsets.
Speaker 1:We covered the developments and impacts in our recent CES 2025 coverage. A reason for the slowing of technical support from HTC could be explained by news that broke only days after SIE25. In a move to develop their XR ecosystem, google announced they had acquired part of the engineering team from HTC Vive, a team responsible for the VR headset development, along with non-exclusive IP, a deal that would see HTC receive $250 million. These engineers would be transferred to Google working directly on establishing the Android XR platform. Some industry observers have pointed to a slowing in HTC support, even with their previous successful dominance of the commercial VR scene with their HTC Focus 3 platform. The loss of these engineers is expected to have greater ramifications in VR support in the coming months.
Speaker 1:Returning to the London show and SIE's immersive contingent and exhibitor, vex Solutions, attended to promote their successful implementation of their adventure and arena platforms. The company have successfully installed across 50 countries their unique VR experiences, offering both a high-end and cost-effective solution. The company going on to announce, a few weeks after the show, the launch of their new VEX Arena Lite, a high-impact VR attraction offering a streamlined design of their multiplayer free-roaming VR arena, supported by VEX's extensive library of games. This system a budget-friendly option for operators of all sizes to offer a compelling attraction. Another first-time exhibitor that chose to show at SIE25 was newcomer ESC2VR, the company comprising one of the co-founders of the DNAVR chain of four UKVR arcades that we have covered previously. Now leading this new startup.
Speaker 1:The company coming to SIE with their VR arena in a turnkey solution to help operators. Their system on display was a standalone using MetaQuest headsets, but also have PC VR solutions. Not all the immersive tech was in the SIE section. The EAG section of the show floor included VR. Represented was from Bandai Namco Partners, which we will cover shortly, as well as from Chinese exhibitor Yuto Games, who showed their Operation Firestorm platform, one of several exhibitors using the unique integrated VR gun visor system. Seen as a simple solution to address some of the issues of using unattended head-mounted displays in an amusement space, a reflection of the changing VR approach in this sector.
