VR support for Microsoft Flight Simulator will launch with its next update on Dec. 22. The free VR support will arrive for all PC headsets - not just the new Reverb G2 headset as previously thought - in Sim Update 2.

More:

• Developer Asobo Studio and Microsoft confirmed that the VR version will have both gameplay and menu navigation for a more seamless experience.
• During a developer Q&A on Twitch, Asobo executive producer Martial Bossard said the VR experience will be open to "all devices" including Oculus and Valve headsets.
• The game will be available on Steam. Asobo didn't specify if it would also launch on the Oculus store.
• World Update 3 is also slated to launch on Jan. 28 with more data and aerial images of the U.K., including new procedural buildings and landmarks.

Some Oculus Quest 2 owners are experiencing controller tracking problems caused by holiday lights. The issue appears to be the same one that plagued some Oculus Quest and Rift S users last year, before Oculus released a patch for it.

More:

• While Oculus hasn't said if it will release a second patch for the Quest 2, turning off the lights fixes the problem.
• Certain holiday lights emit a spectrum of light that's similar to the headset's controllers, which causes them to lose tracking or become confused.
• Last year's patch fixed the problem for Quest and Rift S by mapping static lights in tandem with the room space, causing non-moving holiday lights to be ignored during tracking. (A Facebook blog post explains the process in full.)

VR mass adoption is still a way's away, according to market analyst firm Omdia. Household penetration of VR will reach 1.2% by the end of this year, rising to a mere 3% in 2025, according to the firm's latest report. In this special feature, we break down some of the report's main findings:

• According to Omdia, 6.4 million VR headsets will be sold overall in 2020. 3.3 million are standalone. An estimated 1.2 million Quest devices are expected to be sold...

VR headset developer Pimax released its Pimax “5K” Super, its fastest VR headset yet. The $750 headset has dual 2560x1440 displays and a maximum 180Hz refresh rate for ultra-smooth performance.

More:

• The headset is the latest in Pimax's 5K series of ultrawide VR headsets. Its predecessor, the $600 Pimax “5K” Plus, launched two years ago with 2,560 × 1,440 pixels per-eye LCD display and a 144Hz refresh rate.
• Like the Plus, the “5K” Super also has a 200-degree FOV. Its standard refresh rate is 160Hz, with 180Hz in experimental mode. By comparison, the Valve Index tops out at 144Hz.
• Pimax recommends users have Windows 10, an Intel i5-9400 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti or better graphics, and at least 8GB of RAM.
• In addition to the headset, buyers have to purchase either Steam VR 1.0 or 2.0 tracking beacons. A $1,250 bundle is available with Steam VR 2.0 base stations and Valve Index controllers.

Universal Studios Japan's upcoming Super Nintendo World will have a Mario Kart AR ride when it opens on Feb. 4. Riders will don AR headsets featuring Mario's cap as they race against other players inside a model of Koopa’s (aka Bowser’s) Castle.

More:

• "Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge" places four riders in a replica kart that's on rails. The AR glasses allow players to view and throw shells at other players.
• The ride includes not just AR, but projection mapping and screen projection footage with steam and other special effects.
• The new Nintendo-themed world was slated to open at the Osaka-based theme park this past summer but was delayed due to the pandemic.
• Nintendo released an AR-based Mario Kart game for the Switch on Oct. 16. "Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit" allows users to drive a real physical kart around their homes in a self-designed track.

An estimated one in every 10 VR players now owns "Arizona Sunshine," according to developer Vertigo Games. Marketing Director Kimara Rouwit said the game has seen great success since its initial launch for PC VR headsets back in 2016.

More:

• The zombie first-person shooter is now available for Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, Valve Index, PS VR, and other headsets. It's also launched a number of DLC and free updates over the years.
• The game generated $1.4M in revenue in just its first month. "We didn’t expect this amount of success," Rouwit said.
• A Quest 2 patch for the game was available when the headset started shipping in October. You can check out a graphic comparison of the Quest 1 and Quest 2 versions here.
• Vertigo Games' next big VR title, "After the Fall," was recently delayed until early 2021 for PC VR and PSVR. The co-op shooter is "not too far off from Arizona’s foundations."

QUICK HITS:

• During this holiday season, find out how SimpliSafe is protecting over 3 million homes with less markup and more security.*
• Pistol Whip's latest update is out today for Oculus and PC VR headsets. Pistol Whip 2089, set in a sci-f future, includes five new scenes with new guns, models, and enemies.
• Aerial fighter-jet combat game "Project Wingman" launched today with SteamVR support.
• Forestlight Games' "Dolphin Trainer VR," which allows players to teach dolphins new tricks, is coming to PC VR headsets in Q2 2020.
• A VR version of rolelaying game "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind" (2002) is now playable with full motion controls.
• Neurtech company OpenBCI is working on new multi-sensor-equipped hardware and software for immersive headsets.
• Revtown's changing the denim game by applying the best parts of workout clothes—comfort, flexibility & durability—to jeans.*

*This is a sponsored post.

Tweet of the Day: XR developer Dilmer Valecillos released a video about the XR device simulator, which allows you to emulate device input actions into a mouse, keyboard, or gamepad to speed up testing without deploying to an actual VR/AR device.