The Quest 3 now supports full body tracking and MR occlusion! But why should you care?

We mention the Quest 3 a lot, probably even daily. But that isn’t just because it’s one of the best VR headsets on the market, or even because Meta owns the biggest standalone library of XR apps and games.

It’s because even though the headset is already out, it’s still getting new features, which makes it a really exciting, evolving piece of technology.

At first, things sounded a bit weird when Meta flaunted about features, which the Quest 3 was merely destined to get. In fact, even months after the headset was released, this is still the case, with native MR features expected to drop sometime next year.

But the great news is that we’re getting goodies along the way! And by we, I mean developers. Which still includes us, but at a later point. Look, what I mean to say is that apps and games on the Quest 3 can now get even cooler!

What are the new features on the Quest 3 and who are they for?

If that last bit sounded confusing, that’s because it was a completely intentional attempt at comedy. So let’s get serious and explain what is going on. Basically, the v60 SDK for the Quest 3 just got released and it allows developers to utilize the following Quest 3 features:

• Inside-out body tracking (IOBT)
• Generative Legs
• Occlusion for MR via the Depth API

Now, the interesting bit about this update is that it’s actually three updates. This is because the Quest platform supports a native programming language, then Unity and lastly: Unreal Engine.

So why is that important? Well, basically because the update for Unreal Engine hasn’t gotten anything other than access to the Depth API. Will that change in the future? Maybe, even probably, but not certainly for the time being.

Here’s the thing though: this isn’t just a software update that will allow your Quest 3 to suddenly do more on its own. These features have become available to developers to implement as updates to existing apps and games, or in entirely new future projects.

What do the new Quest 3 features mean for fans and VR gamers?

Inside-out body tracking — or IOBT, which I love saying in front of strangers at parties — basically allows the Quest 3 to get a more accurate idea what you’re doing with your upper body, even extending to detailed movements in the shoulders and wrists.

So basically, this means that your Meta avatars and in-game characters can become a lot more expressive. But wait, there’s more! They can even get legs now, thanks to Generative legs, which have been teased numerous times in the past.

Well, they’re here: legs! Jokes aside, this feature is way more cutting-edge than it sounds, but what can you do with it? Well, basically the Quest 3 can use this hyper-advanced AI to think up legs for you, even though it isn’t actually tracking those.