Unity's Android XR support allows game devs to launch on new Samsung Galaxy XR in "about a week"

Overnight, Samsung announced the launch of its new extended reality headset, the Samsung Galaxy XR, a device that introduces the first Android XR-based alternative to the expensive Apple's Vision Pro and Meta's Quest. That's a milestone for Samsung, but it's also something bigger.

The prospect of more devices coming from other manufacturers all compatible with the same operating system could lead to a boom in innovation in mixed-reality gaming, and Unity's keen to ensure that devs can quickly take advantage.

Unity 6 remains the single-most popular game development software, so it's a fairly big deal that its developer has made Android XR support generally available on the same day the Samsung Galaxy XR launches. It says the addition will allow developers to build and ship immersive Unity XR experiences quickly and with little work, with a batch of Unity-developed titles already available.

Unity Technologies says Unity’s Android XR tools have been verified in real production environments, enabling developers to build for Android XR's entire ecosystem, not just for Samsung’s new device.

“By collaborating closely with Google and Samsung, we integrated Android XR tools into Unity 6 early and verified them with developers in real production environments ahead of the launch,” says Alex Blum, COO at Unity. “We’re not just optimizing for one headset — we’re building for an open,scalable Android XR ecosystem where developers can reach new markets with less lift and more confidence.”

The release also quotes Andrew Eiche, CEO of Owlchemy Labs, who says Unity’s support of Android XR made it easy for the developer to bring some of its biggest games to Android XR "in about a week", helping it reach a potentially large new audience players without a ton of work.

Launch-day apps built with Unity and now available for Galaxy XR, include Google Maps XR (above), which brings the Immersive View feature to Android XR and allows users to explore locations in detailed 3D environments. Games already available include StatusPRO Inc's NFL Pro Era, the first licensed NFL virtual reality simulation game, and Owlchemy Labs games Inside [JOB] (below), Vacation Simulator, Job Simulator, and Dimensional Doubleshift.

Unity’s Android XR support is available in Unity 6 and later versions. You can see the documentation on the Unity website. If you need a device to build your game on, see our guide to the best laptops for game development.