DecaGear: Difference between revisions

|image =  

|Developer = [[Megadodo Simulation Games]]

|Manufacturer = [[Megadodo Simulation Games]]

|Announcement Date = October 2020

|Release Date = Cancelled

|Price = $450 USD (announced), $700+ (revised)

|Website = https://www.deca.net/decagear/ (offline)

|Status = Cancelled

|Display = 2× LCD

|Resolution = 2160×2160 per eye

|Refresh Rate = 90 Hz

|Horizontal FoV = 114°

|Ocularity = Binocular

|Tracking = Inside-out 6DoF (4 cameras)

|Tracking Volume = 225°

|Eye Tracking = No

|Hip Tracking = Yes (DecaMove accessory)

|Controllers = Index-style with finger tracking

|Audio = Built-in

|Connectivity = PC tethered

The '''DecaGear''' was a cancelled [[PC VR]] [[head-mounted display]] announced by [[Megadodo Simulation Games]] in October 2020. The headset was notable for its ambitious feature set at a low price point, including face tracking, hip tracking (via the DecaMove accessory), and Index-style controllers with finger tracking, all for $450. After multiple delays due to the global semiconductor shortage and rising component costs, the project went silent in late 2021 and is presumed cancelled.

=== Announcement (October 2020) ===

Megadodo Simulation Games announced the DecaGear in October 2020 as an ambitious PC VR headset targeting the enthusiast market at a competitive $450 price point. The announcement generated significant excitement in the VR community due to the comprehensive feature set at a fraction of the price of competing headsets like the [[Valve Index]].<ref name="roadtovr">{{cite web |url=https://www.roadtovr.com/decagear-vr-headset-megadodo-simulation-games/ |title=DecaGear PC VR Headset Promises Face & Hip-tracking, 4.6MP Per-eye, and 2021 Launch |publisher=Road to VR |access-date=2025-01-07}}</ref>

Valve confirmed the headset was real and would support SteamVR, lending credibility to the project.<ref name="uploadvr1">{{cite web |url=https://www.uploadvr.com/decagear-steamvr-headset/ |title=Valve Confirms $450 DecaGear 4K SteamVR Headset Is Real |publisher=UploadVR |access-date=2025-01-07}}</ref>

=== Pre-orders and Delays ===

=== Pivot and Cancellation (2021-2022) ===

"Even if we solve the financial issues and produce the headset as is, its current price is ~$700, more than double the cost of the Quest 2."

After this announcement, Megadodo went into radio silence. Kuntzman stopped posting on social media, and the project's website eventually went offline. The status of the 10,000+ pre-orders remains unclear.<ref name="uploadvr2">{{cite web |url=https://www.uploadvr.com/decagear-pivot-chip-shortage-delay/ |title=DecaGear To 'Pivot', Warning Of $700 Viable Price & Late 2022 Shipping |publisher=UploadVR |access-date=2025-01-07}}</ref>

<ref name="mixednews">{{cite web |url=https://mixed-news.com/en/high-end-vr-headset-decagear-website-offline-project-dead/ |title=High-end VR headset Decagear: website offline, project dead? |publisher=Mixed News |access-date=2025-01-07}}</ref>

== Announced Specifications ==

=== Display ===

* 2160×2160 resolution per eye (4.6 megapixels per eye)

* 90 Hz refresh rate

* 114° field of view

* Similar resolution to [[HP Reverb G2]]<ref name="vrcompare">{{cite web |url=https://vr-compare.com/headset/decagear |title=DecaGear: Full Specification |publisher=VRcompare |access-date=2025-01-07}}</ref>

=== Tracking ===

* Inside-out 6DoF tracking

* Four outward-facing cameras

* Sub-millimeter tracking accuracy claimed

* 225-degree tracking volume for controllers

* No external base stations required

=== Face Tracking (FaceFlow) ===

The DecaGear was to include comprehensive face tracking called "FaceFlow":

* Upper face camera: pupils, eyelids, brows, upper nose, forehead

* Lower face camera: mouth, lips, lower nose, cheeks, tongue

* 52 blendshapes based on Facial Action Coding System (FACS)

=== Hip Tracking (DecaMove) ===

A unique accessory called DecaMove was included:

* Enabled movement in body-facing direction

* Allowed separate aiming and looking without affecting locomotion direction

* Addressed a limitation in existing VR systems

=== Controllers ===

* Index-style design

* Full finger tracking

* Pressure sensors

* Included with headset

== Impact and Legacy ==

The DecaGear represented an ambitious attempt to bring premium VR features to a mid-range price point. While the project failed due to market conditions, several of its promised features (face tracking, hip tracking) have since been implemented in other products or remain areas of active development in the VR industry.

The project serves as a cautionary example of the challenges facing hardware startups during supply chain disruptions, and the importance of managing consumer expectations through pre-order campaigns.<ref name="arvrtips">{{cite web |url=https://arvrtips.com/decagear-vr-headset/ |title=DecaGear VR Headset: Everything We Know So Far! |publisher=ARVRtips |access-date=2025-01-07}}</ref>

* [[Valve Index]]

* [[Pimax 8KX]]

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Virtual Reality Devices]]

[[Category:Cancelled VR Headsets]]

[[Category:PC VR Headsets]]

[[Category:2020 announcements]]