The incredible displays within the Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset make it a potentially transformative gaming device. However, for its first 12 months on sale, that potential has been almost completely untapped.
However, that tipping point may have come with the launch of Nvidia GeForce Now on the first device to be launched as part of Apple’s ‘spatial computing’ category.
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Access to GeForce Now users via a Vision Pro suddenly facilitates access to over 2,000 games that are supported via the service. There’s no native app for GeForce Now, but the support comes through the Safari browser in visionOS. Vision Pro also supports popular gamepads from Sony and Xbox so compatibility won’t be an issue either.
You can see the library of compatible GeForce Now games, which are now also available on Meta’s VR/AR headsets, here.
The GeForce Now service utilises cloud streaming technology to give gamers access to Nvidia’s best-in-class graphics chips for a monthly fee, rather than having to buy an expensive rig packing an RTX 4080 GPU.
That means 4K resolution, higher frame rates and real-time ray-tracing for top PC games like Cyberpunk 2077. Vision Pro gamers can expect 4K gaming at up to 120fps with a GeForce Now Ultimate subscription.
Because GeForce Now works by connecting users Steam and Epic Games accounts, high-end PC games purchased through those stores will be playable on a Vision Pro. It’s also possible to connect an Xbox account and access Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, and Activision Blizzard games via the PC Game Pass library.
Of course, it’s important to state that this doesn’t mean you’ll be able to play loads of games in VR, but there is support for ultrawide aspect ratios and a really immersive experience, akin to gaming in an IMAX cinema.
Apple is reportedly keenly aware of the Vision Pro’s shortcomings when it comes to gaming and has enlisted Sony to help make the PlayStation VR’s controllers compatible with the headset. But this is a huge boost for Apple without having to do a whole lot.
Can this give the Vision Pro purpose?
This can only be good news for the Vision Pro, which has lacked real purpose since arriving on the scene. It’s a technical marvel providing mind-blowing experiences, but what’s it actually for? Apple hasn’t been able to provide a compelling answer and, coupled with the £3,500 price point, that’s translated to poor sales.
While the Immersive Video and Spatial Photos are deeply impressive there aren’t many reasons to use a Vision Pro every day. A GeForce Now subscription could certainly provide that.
