A couple of months ago VRFocus reported on a new Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign for a virtual reality (VR) head-mounted display (HMD) called Gamingvisor. The device is touted as being compatible with both PC and console videogames, and through changeable lenses can display either 2D or 3D imagery. The project creators were looking to raise €50,000 EUR in funding, but having reached just over the halfway mark the campaign has been cancelled.
In an update it seems as if the cancellation isn’t due to the Kickstarter underperforming, as is usually the case, but due to Gamingvisor securing investment through an external partner. This new funding will then allow the company to optimise production, reducing the build cost of each unit. So Gamingvisor has decided to cancel, then re-launch the funding campaign at a later date with the cost of the headset at a lower price.
This should be good news for anyone who backed the project as they’ll be able to do so again at a cheaper rate. Gamingvisor hasn’t yet revealed when the new campaign is likely to commence or what the new funding tiers will be set at. The re-launch will also be the projects third attempt this year at securing Kickstarter funding. The first campaign failed in February not quite hitting the halfway mark, and this second one didn’t look like it would be successful as it was due to end today.
The Gamingvisor concept is a headset that does have head-tracking – like the Samsung Gear VR – but it doesn’t have positional-tracking like the Oculus Rift. Users plug their console or PC into the device – like you would a TV – to experience their favourite games on an immersive platform. But for fully immersive 3D gaming you have to fit the supplied lenses, and the function will only work for 3D titles on PC, the Gamingvisor won’t convert 2D videogames into 3D.
As and when Gamingvisor comes back with another funding campaign, VRFocus will bring you the latest details.
