These Third-Party Vision Pro Controllers Hit Kickstarter and Promise to Unlock VR Gaming

The Vision Pro doesn't have controllers, but that's not stopping third-party hardware makers from trying to take on Apple. That's where Surreal Touch, a motion controller that's launched a Kickstarter campaign to take advantage of the Vision Pro's ability to play PC VR games, comes in.

Update (August 27, 2024): The Kickstarter for Surreal Interactive’s controller, the Surreal Touch for Vision Pro, is now live. It’s already surpassed its initial funding goal of $50,000, with an estimated shipping date of December 2024.

The lowest funding tier is still available at the time of writing, priced at $249. The campaign claims this saves 30% on its $369 MRSP. All funding tiers come with a single controller set, but mix and match Steam keys for Contractors Showdown (2024) and/or Grimlord (2023).

You can see some of the main features of the product by watching the product introduction below:

Original Article (July 3, 2024)Surreal Interactive, the startup behind Surreal Touch, hopes to release the controllers at some point next month (check out the update), with pricing to be revealed at launch.

Similar to Meta's Touch Pro controllers, the Surreal Touch features optical sensors with fisheye lenses that allow the device to track independently of the headset.

Much like Meta’s Touch Pro, you’ll find a ring-less design thanks to its inside-out optical sensors, built-in SLAM tracking that allows for 6DOF input, and a standard button configuration that anyone with a modern VR headset will instantly recognize.

Speaking with CEO and founder Zhenfei Yang The Road to VR I've learned that Surreal Touch will come with a SteamVR compatibility mode that supports all current PC VR games. This means you'll need a VR-ready PC to play these types of games: Half-Life: Alyx (2020), The company has shown that it is working on the following:

So how will this work? Surreal Interactive says it's currently developing a Vision Pro native streaming app that will let you play SteamVR games in “4K, 120Hz” from your computer.

While PC VR gaming is undoubtedly a big focus, the company says it's also working on its own native SDK that will allow Vision Pro app developers to support Surreal Touch.

“We are currently collaborating with several studios to bring their games to the AVP platform. We also plan to reach out and partner with more developers in the near future,” Yang said. The Road to VR.

Surreal Interactive also announced that it's working on a 'Vehicle Mode' that could also presumably allow for basic UI selection while in the Vision Pro, but the company didn't reveal its exact function, only stating that the additional mode is “still in in-house development.” Stay tuned for more details.

There's still a lot to learn, including battery life, real-world tracking accuracy, compatibility with other headphones, price, and more. We expect to learn more closer to launch, so check back soon. In the meantime, check out the spec sheet below:

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