Will there be games on Apple Vision Pro? Yes, and while there aren’t many in development, Demeo is worth your attention.
Apple Vision Pro was announced to a tepid reception in a lot of ways. Many expected the device, but the price — among other things — had just as many criticizing it. Despite a multitude of applications, one inevitable use evaded much attention until recently: gaming.
Before we look at Demeo, it’s worth laying some foundations.
What Is Mixed Reality?
Mixed Reality (MR) is a blend of the physical world and the digital world. It combines elements of both Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) to produce new environments where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real-time.
- Virtual Reality (VR): A fully immersive experience where users are transported to a completely digital environment. Think VR headsets like Meta Quest 2 or HTC Vive.
- Augmented Reality (AR): Overlays digital content onto the real world. Pokémon Go and Snapchat filters are popular examples. AR doesn’t replace your environment; it enhances it.
- Mixed Reality (MR): Takes AR a step further. Instead of just overlaying digital content, MR anchors virtual objects to the real world, making them appear as though they’re truly there. Crucially, they can interact with the environment and the user.
Now we’re clear on Mixed Reality, let’s look at how Apple’s recently announced Vision Pro and the popular game, Demeo, can combine for something truly novel.
What Is Demeo?
Demeo by Resolution Games is a VR, fantasy RPG dungeon crawler that’s cross-platform and co-op up to four players. Demeo is aiming to progress the popular tabletop game format into the digital world without losing the format’s original identity, and rightfully, has received a lot of praise. (Incidentally, the reimagining of tabletop games has become more common of late.)
Demeo could conceivably work with the Apple Vision Pro without too much fuss given it is VR. However, what makes Demeo particularly noteworthy is their latest announcement, which is really two announcements: Mixed Reality 2.0 update available on Quest 2 and development for the Vision Pro.
Last Fall we released Demeo’s first mixed reality update […] which let players take the gameboard out of the virtual world and into their homes for the first time. And while it felt incredible to walk around a real table and plan your strategy from every angle, we wanted players to mirror the real world tabletop experience even further. Starting today, players can use their hands to pick up miniatures, play cards, and roll the die just like they would with physical components.
— Tommy Palm, founder and CEO of Resolution Games
The Mixed Reality 2.0 update is rather special as it adds support for hand-tracking, which as you can see in the video above, is incredible for immersion in digital tabletop games. The update is already live for Quest 2 and Quest Pro, and will also work with the Quest 3 when it launches.
Games on Apple Vision Pro
Games on the upcoming Vision Pro are few and far between, or abundant, depending on how you frame the question. As could be seen in Apple’s keynote, it’s possible to play games on the Vision Pro and there will even be over 100 games available upon launch, though these are part of Apple Arcade. There is also Bluetooth controller compatibility. Nevertheless, there aren’t many examples of people leaning into the cutting-edge Apple device and its spatial visionOS.
This is why Demeo’s announcement is worth some attention from a technological standpoint alone. We can say with reasonable comfort that the Vision Pro will be excellent at what it does, particularly with the AR and MR technology; when Apple does something, they usually do it brilliantly. With hand-tracking added to Demeo allowing you to pick up game pieces, it could act as a real showcase for both the value of innovative gaming experiences on the Vision Pro, as well as the emerging MR tabletop genre.
