DecaGear

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.

DecaGear
Basic Info
VR/AR	Virtual Reality
Type	Head-mounted display
Subtype	PC VR
Platform	SteamVR
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)
System
Storage
Display
Display	2× LCD
Resolution	2160×2160 per eye
Refresh Rate	90 Hz
Image
Field of View	114°
Horizontal FoV	114°
Optics
Ocularity	Binocular
IPD Range	Adjustable
Tracking
Tracking	Inside-out 6DoF (4 cameras)
Eye Tracking	No
Face Tracking	Yes (FaceFlow, 52 blendshapes)
Tracking Volume	225°
Audio
Audio	Built-in
Connectivity
Connectivity	PC tethered
Device

History and Development

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.

Valve confirmed the headset was real and would support SteamVR, lending credibility to the project.

Pre-orders and Delays

Pre-orders opened shortly after the announcement, with over 10,000 units reportedly pre-ordered by November 2021. The original May 2021 shipping date was delayed to Q4 2021.

Pivot and Cancellation (2021-2022)

In November 2021, co-founder and CEO Or Kuntzman warned that the global semiconductor shortage made the $450 price point no longer viable:

"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.

Announced Specifications

Display

• Dual LCD panels
• 2160×2160 resolution per eye (4.6 megapixels per eye)
• 90 Hz refresh rate
• 114° field of view
• Similar resolution to HP Reverb G2

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:

• Hip-mounted tracker
• 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.

See Also

• Valve Index
• HP Reverb G2
• Meta Quest 2
• Pimax 8KX