The Haptics SDK for Unreal enables you to incorporate haptic feedback into applications in order to create immersive and engaging experiences. It offers pre-built effects, customization options, and support for multiple hardware devices.

With the Haptics SDK for Unreal you can easily integrate realistic vibrations on Meta Quest and other PCVR controllers by playing back haptic clips created with Meta Haptics Studio.

The SDK provides a unified API that makes it easy to use the same haptic clips on different types of controllers, automatically adjusting the vibrations to work best with each controller. This ensures that your haptic clips will have high-fidelity haptics for Meta Quest devices (PCM haptics) and will automatically switch to simple haptics (amplitude only) for other PCVR devices or older Meta Quest devices.

Download the Haptics SDK for Unreal.

The Haptics SDK plays back .haptic clips in your app, making controllers vibrate.

Examples

Enhancing gaming experiences

Meta Haptics Studio can be used to create more immersive experiences by making gameplay feel more realistic. Haptics can be used to simulate walking on different terrains, enhancing object interaction, or creating a sense of weapon recoil. In Asgard’s Wrath II, for example, haptics are used to enhance weapon interactions. Using the Bladed Bow of Alvida, we can feel the weapon charge before releasing the arrow, which showcases how haptics can build up tension and create realism in the game. Check out our Asgard’s Wrath Sample pack to experience these examples firsthand and read more about our haptic design journey.

Improving accessibility and advanced feedback

Use Meta Haptics Studio to create more accessible and intuitive experiences for users. For example, provide feedback for interactions when visual or auditory feedback is not available, helping users navigate through complex menus or interfaces. Additionally, it helps users to interact with virtual environments in a more natural and intuitive way, providing subtle vibrations that simulate the sense of touch.

The SDK provides a lot of control over how the haptics will feel, allowing you to fine-tune the experience to meet the specific needs of your application.

How does the Haptics SDK for Unreal work?

The Haptics SDK enables you to easily create immersive experiences that engage your users’ sense of touch. It plays back haptic patterns in the .haptic format, making your controllers vibrate. The Haptics SDK for Unreal is powered by the open-source Haptics SDK⁠. Clone it to add modern haptics to your platform or system.

Author haptic clip in Haptics Studio. Export the .haptic clip. The SDK converts clips to vibration patterns. Vibration patterns are sent to the controller.

Using the Haptics SDK

Design your haptics patterns using Meta Haptics Studio.

Export your designs as .haptic files

Download and install the Haptics SDK for Unreal from the developer center

Import the .haptic file into your Unreal Project

Use a Haptics Player Component to play the .haptic file

The SDK will automatically detect the type of controller being used and adjust the vibrations accordingly.

The vibration pattern is sent to the controller, triggering it to vibrate.

`.haptic` clips

A .haptic clip is a pre-authored haptic pattern created in Meta Haptics Studio that can be played back on a controller. It contains information about the vibration pattern, including amplitude, frequency, emphasis and duration.

Meta Quest Controller compatibility

The performance of .haptic clips can vary depending on the controller used. Meta Quest 2 controllers have less advanced haptic actuators compared to Meta Quest Touch Pro and Meta Quest Touch Plus controllers. This means they only support a fixed vibration frequency. As a result, .haptic clips will be played with reduced vibration fidelity on Quest 2 controllers, and users won’t feel frequency changes. The Haptics SDK takes care of these differences for you, ensuring a seamless experience across all controller types.

Haptics and audio

Haptic clips often work best when synchronized with audio events. This synchronization can enhance the realism and immersion of the VR experience. When combining audio and haptic events, they should ideally be played simultaneously. For this case, use your existing audio playback API, as the SDK does not provide APIs for playing back audio.

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