How VIVE XR Elite’s 4.0 Update Enhances Gaming Experience

You might have seen we recently launched our FOTA 4.0 update for VIVE XR Elite, bringing a bunch of new features and improvements to existing ones for VIVE XR Elite users. But what even is a FOTA update, and what does this one mean for you and your VR and MR experiences? Here’s all you need to know.

What is a FOTA update?

FOTA stands for Firmware Over-The-Air. It’s essentially our name for core system software updates, improving on existing features, enhancing the software experience and sometimes even adding new elements to the XR Elite ecosystem. Many of our FOTA updates will be headlined by a handful of significant additions and fixes, though some may only have minor improvements to talk about.

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What’s New In VIVE XR Elite FOTA 4.0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXhQEGZ12Lc

Instant Area Tracking & No More Relocation

There are now three ways to set up your gaming space for the VIVE XR Elite. The first two are already accessible:

- Default Mode, where you manually mark out your boundaries

- Passenger Mode, for when you’re enjoying your XR Elite on a flight

With this VIVE XR Elite update, we’re introducing a third option: Instant Mode. This is for anyone that wants to cut straight to the fun, automatically marking up a 3m circular area without waiting for the headset to detect your previous Default Mode boundaries. It’s perfect for when you want fast access to your regular, clear VR play space but please note this mode should only be used when you’re confident your surroundings are safe to use.

You can access this via the ‘Settings’ menu in-headset, then scrolling through the 'General’ tab. But keep in mind – some mixed reality titles might not be compatible in Instant Mode and will still need Default Mode.

We’ve also added a prompt to look around your surroundings if your VIVE XR Elite needs a hand recognizing your existing play spaces. This typically takes about 2-3 seconds, getting you into your VIVE XR Elite time faster than ever.

Find Your Favorite Titles Faster

You can now see all your apps in your library, and our store interface has improved. You’ll now find a comprehensive list of every VIVE XR Elite title in the ‘See More’ section at the bottom of the ‘Store’ menu. This gives you a faster way to find the newest apps. If you want to search through the entire library, we’d still recommend downloading and booting up the VIVEPORT app.

Check out our gaming highlights for the VIVE XR Elite.

Hand-Tracking Improvements

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcQW-NPF0NM

We’ve improved tracking conditions for hand-tracking input. You’ll find the feature now performs better in both low-light and reflective environments. We still recommend seeking out a well-lit environment for hand-tracking play, but this update makes it that bit easier to enjoy the likes of Unplugged: Air Guitar, Maestro: The Masterclass and Finger Gun.

For our top 5 hand-tracking picks for the VIVE XR Elite, check out our latest blog post.

Parental Controls to Keep Kids Safe

Now you can safely let younger gamers jump into the VIVE XR Elite with Parental Controls. Using the VIVE Manager app you can choose which titles you want to allow access too, set the length of play sessions, and protect your choices with a pin.

Still worried about what VIVE XR Elite users might be seeing, or maybe want to help out when players get stuck? Don’t forget you can cast what’s going on in the headset to your phone through the app, too. So if you want to let younger users jump into potentially scary titles like Green Hell VR, you'll be ready to jump in when you need to.

When Can I Get FOTA 4.0?

FOTA 4.0 is rolling out now. Look out for a notification in-headset when it’s available on your device, or head to the ‘Settings’ menu and scroll to the bottom of the ‘General’ tab. Here you’ll see the ‘System update’ setting with the ‘Check now’ button. If your headset is ready for the update, it will appear here after clicking that button.

Read the full release notes for more info on this VIVE XR Elite update, and check back for the latest on VIVEPORT.