Several developers made proof of concept games and apps that utilize new controller-free hand tracking features after the release of the software development kit for the Oculus Quest last week.
While the Oculus Quest received an update a few weeks ago with beta support for controller-free hand tracking, it is only currently implemented as an experimental feature for use in the Quest Quest menus, Oculus TV and the Oculus Browser. With the release of the developer SDK, Quest developers can optionally update their applications and games to support controller-free hand tracking as a method of input.
Facebook, however, also stated that the first games and apps with the feature were likely to arrive on the Oculus Store in early 2020. Still, some smaller developers made proof-of-concept applications and games that utilize the new hand-tracking SDK but are only available to sideload onto your Quest.
It should be noted that these experiences are not fully-fledged applications or games, but just small and experimental projects that aim to show off the potential of what hand tracking applications and games might look like in the future.
For example, Might of the Gods: Sun Shard sees you amusingly use your god-scale hands to flick and destroy puny little figures who run toward you in an ancient-civilization setting. While perhaps not the most in-depth gameplay or experience, it looks like a great demonstration of what hand tracking games might look like when developers spend more time to push the SDK further.
Likewise, VirtualPiano does exactly what it says and provides you with a virtual piano to tinker with using the Quest’s controller free hand-tracking. That being said, the limited accuracy and lack of any haptic feedback on the piano means you’re unlikely to be banging out some sweet Debussy tunes anytime soon though.
The demo app that comes with the SDK as an example for developers is also available to install via SideQuest. This demo sees you move a little train around a track, controlling it with buttons that you can press using your fingers with hand tracking.
These apps are available on the SideQuest store for free, as they are sideloaded apps that aren’t approved or available on the Oculus Store. If you don’t know how to use SideQuest and want to get started, be sure to check out our handy how-to guide here.
While we wait for the controller-free hand tracking feature to leave beta, you can also view our list of Oculus Quest apps that plan to support the feature next year, including some popular apps and games.
