When we first launched Google Earth VR, we knew there was something powerful about being able to point anywhere in the world and start flying. You could soar over landscapes and cities, and discover locations you didn't even know existed. But we also know people want to quickly find and revisit the places that mean the most to them, whether it's a childhood home or favorite vacation spot.
So, today we’re launching an update to Earth VR that gives you the ability to search. Just type an address or location name, and you can quickly visit anywhere in the world.
We’ve also added 27 new hand-picked locations to help you discover some of the world's most incredible places. You can check out Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany (the inspiration for Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle!), stand on the top of Table Mountain in South Africa, fly over Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina, and much more.
And today we're bringing Earth VR to Oculus Rift with support for Oculus Touch controllers. Now, go explore!
Release notes
- Search — integrated Google Earth’s search backend with new keyboard
- Oculus Rift and Touch controller support
- Advanced caching settings (ability to customize location and size) and
- Improvements to caching performance
- New introductory tour and 27 additional featured locations
- Ability to switch dominant controller via game settings or desktop window
- Fixed: Surround sound audio. Note: Stereo headphones recommended for best experience.
How to access advanced cache settings:
- Navigate to AppData directory (e.g. C:\Users\<user_name>\AppData\Local\Google\VR\Earth\)
- Locate “earth_vr_preferences.json” file
- Open in text editor and replace default values (bolded) for "diskCacheDirectoryPath": "C:/ProgramData/Google/VR/Earth/earthdata" and "diskCacheLimitInMb": 2048.