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Dev: Next Xbox Console May Not Have VR, Microsoft shows no interest in it.

Is it a good or bad thing that Microsoft is not participating in VR?


  • Total voters
    249
The largest room for improvement and innovation in videogames is VR.

Uhh,, we haven't even reached 60fps standard yet. VR will only start to improve when everything around it also improves. If our standard is still games with poor image quality, backed effects, checkerboard 4k and 30fps VR ain't going to be moving very far.
 

Jigsaah

Gold Member
Good counterpoint. But how many sets of competing consoles throughout gaming console history shared 80% of the same library and not called PlayStation # and Xbox something?

All I'm saying it would be cool if we got back to a point where each console was doing completely different things from each other.

It would mean an end to the console wars...this cannot stand!
 

Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
Uhh,, we haven't even reached 60fps standard yet. VR will only start to improve when everything around it also improves. If our standard is still games with poor image quality, backed effects, checkerboard 4k and 30fps VR ain't going to be moving very far.
Most VR games achieve 90+ fps on fixed hardware like PS4, and companies clearly indicate your PC needs to run the games at that rate for the best experience in PCVR (with games being more optimized for performance than fancy graphics as a result, though some can offer both). That's the result of extensive early testing by the likes of Oculus revealing the threshold for a solid, immersing experience with "presence" in terms of frame rate, input response, field of view and more. There already are VR sets with pretty great image quality (like Samsung Odyssey for something with consumer pricing vs Vive Pro or Pimax) but not everyone has the hardware to push the games at that kind of resolution and in full stereoscopic 3D. You really shouldn't believe you miss out on having a great experience with anything less, much like you don't miss out on great experiences if you play your PC games in SDR 1440p rather than 4K HDR. Improvements, visual and otherwise, are always around the corner when it comes to the tech world, in or out of VR, but there's no threshold where it "gets good" beyond the agreed upon requirements. It just gets even better with more.
 
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Jigsaah

Gold Member
A random guy: "Microsoft is the richest company in the world, they gonna dominate next gen, you keep looking, brah"

Same random guy , a minute later: " Investing in VR is a waste of time and money, Microsoft rather not put money on that shit because they need it elsewhere"·

Again the same random guy, 4 years from now : "Sony is leading the VR market only cos they got there first. Wait for Microsoft to buy some more studios"


The largest room for improvement and innovation in videogames is VR. I understand why Microsoft is not prioritizing this for they have more pressing matters to address but discarding VR altogether would be a HUGE mistake unless their strategy is focused on services instead of games.

Pretty sure you almost countered yourself there. I think the focus is services AND games.
 
Uhh,, we haven't even reached 60fps standard yet. VR will only start to improve when everything around it also improves. If our standard is still games with poor image quality, backed effects, checkerboard 4k and 30fps VR ain't going to be moving very far.
Checkerboard rendering doesn't work for VR. VR has it's own ace which is foveated rendering, which provides a native picture and is extremely performant. So much so that it means VR games will be easier to render than non-VR games. It just needs a few years in the oven, as it requires perfect eye tracking.

And VR moves on it's own, it doesn't need to rely on any improvements in gaming. But gaming does need to rely on VR to improve in areas like audio and haptics because VR will work towards solving those a lot faster than the industry otherwise would.
 
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I didn't say that, and you knew this already.




VR literally needs hardware to be decent to even be plausible.
It's already plausible because it already works. Presence is the unique trait of VR, and it happens today. So I'll take it you mean on a more mass consumer scale?

VR is already working towards improving in every area, whilst expanding what VR headsets are by including brand new technology. Already, on the audio side Oculus has updated their SDK to allow for some much-improved 3D audio propagation. These are things that the game industry has never really tried to establish, but VR is doing it.
 

McCheese

Member
Sony just need to announce Astrobot 2 for PSVR2 and I'm theirs for another generation.

But I can't be mad at Microsoft for not thinking about VR, they have much larger concerns to be dealing with still. But it's a shame they don't even throw in generic VR port support, so at least third-party headsets etc could work on it. They are giving Sony a bit of a free win by having any VR console titles be a Playstation exclusive. Beat Saber showed that there is mainstream appeal in VR titles and that's only going to increase into the next gen.
 
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It's already plausible because it already works. Presence is the unique trait of VR, and it happens today. So I'll take it you mean on a more mass consumer scale?

VR is already working towards improving in every area, whilst expanding what VR headsets are by including brand new technology. Already, on the audio side Oculus has updated their SDK to allow for some much-improved 3D audio propagation. These are things that the game industry has never really tried to establish, but VR is doing it.

Ok but it still needs the hardware, stop acting like VR can run on its own, this reads like a 3D argument.
 
Ok but it still needs the hardware, stop acting like VR can run on its own, this reads like a 3D argument.
Needs what hardware? There are about as many standalone VR headsets as there are tethered headsets. The major future of VR is standalone systems. with all the compute built in. This is exactly why people tout VR as a full blown computing platform, because you know, it is.
 
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Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
Needs what hardware? There are about as many standalone VR headsets as there are tethered headsets. The major future of VR is standalone systems. with all the compute built in. This is exactly why people tout VR as a full blown computing platform, because you know, it is.
Oculus Quest is cool but given the pricing I'd wait for more capable innard versions. It'll always have to be mobile chips but something better than a mid tier snapdragon will be possible very soon. It'd also be awesome if later models double as wireless (since they have a battery) or wired PCVR.
 
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Oculus Quest is cool but given the pricing I'd wait for more capable innard versions. It'll always have to be mobile chips but something better than a mid tier snapdragon will be possible very soon. It'd also be awesome if later models double as wireless (since they have a battery) or wired PCVR.
I'm sure we'll get hybrids that optionally tether wirelessly to a device, and then... hybrid hybrids, AR/VR hybrids that can also tether to devices.

Foveated Rendering will pick up a lot of slack on the mobile compute side. CPU aside, you'll be able to easily close the gap between current PC GPUs and mobile GPUs. It's always a moving target, but it's a big deal nonetheless.
 

shark sandwich

tenuously links anime, pedophile and incels
Good.

I personally have zero desire for VR. I bought a PSVR and sold it after 2 weeks.

- a few games made me sick as hell after a few minutes

- it’s not fun strapping a damn headset to your face, clearing your surroundings, and being cut off from your environment

- IMO VR is best suited for short, arcade-like novelty experiences. Most VR headsets will collect dust when the novelty factor wears off


MS should adopt VR if, and only if, it actually becomes mainstream. And that is a big if.
 
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Good.

I personally have zero desire for VR. I bought a PSVR and sold it after 2 weeks.

- a few games made me sick as hell after a few minutes

- it’s not fun strapping a damn headset to your face, clearing your surroundings, and being cut off from your environment

- IMO VR is best suited for short, arcade-like novelty experiences. Most VR headsets will collect dust when the novelty factor wears off


MS should adopt VR if, and only if, it actually becomes mainstream. And that is a big if.
Microsoft already has adopted VR.

Most people disagree about arcade-like experiences. The general public outside of VR wants big games, I'm sure you know that by now. The VR community itself wants big games.

Therefore, the majority of people want big games.
 
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shark sandwich

tenuously links anime, pedophile and incels
Microsoft already has adopted VR.

Most people disagree about arcade-like experiences. The general public outside of VR wants big games, I'm sure you know that by now. The VR community itself wants big games.

Therefore, the majority of people want big games.
LOL OK. I’m gonna need a citation for that. Show me a poll of “general public” non-VR owners saying they want big in-depth VR games.
 

mckmas8808

Banned
They have 7 Windows MR headsets with partners on PC, and at least one more confirmed on the way.

They don't even have to manufacture anything if they don't want to.

But they'll possibly be a decade behind Sony if they keep waiting. Learning how to create and market VR games is very tough. I can't expect MS to just jump in on it in 2025 and pick it up like it's nothing, you know?

I have a psvr. Its cool but its a gimik and isnt setting the world on fire

People said the samething about video game consoles in the 80s and now look.
 

Jigsaah

Gold Member
The fact I can't tell is this is a real reply or not is amazing.

But I'm assuming you were joking.

Actually to be honest I feel it can go either way. I was joking but you know they say there's a little truth in joking. Console wars carry a negative stigma but ultimately what it boils down to are the extreme sentiments gamers have about their console of choice. I'm saying that even the obviously flawed instance of competition is better than no competition at all.
 
LOL OK. I’m gonna need a citation for that. Show me a poll of “general public” non-VR owners saying they want big in-depth VR games.
I'm not even going to provide because you already know it's true. Look anywhere on the internet. People want big AAA games. Just about every single time anyone has ever said "there needs to be more games before I buy in", they are talking about AAA games.
 
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Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
I'm not even going to provide because you already know it's true. Look anywhere on the internet. People want big AAA games. Just about every single time anyone has ever said "there needs to be more games before I buy in", they are talking about AAA games.
I'd say people want both, the likes of Skyrim VR and Beat Saber garner roughly equal attention as far as I can tell. And I'm in the camp of both myself. Just as I'm in the camp of both outside VR. But yeah he's being ridiculous to deny the desire and success of deeper VR experiences. Most recently everyone interested wished there was more to Ace Combat VR rather than just a few stand alone missions for example, with many people thinking the whole game was going to be VR compatible before release and having that shot down as more information came to light.
 
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shark sandwich

tenuously links anime, pedophile and incels
People said the samething about video game consoles in the 80s and now look.
People said the same thing about stereoscopic 3D and Kinect, and they were right.

My guess is that VR will join that trash heap of “stuff gamers thought they wanted because it’s more immersive, but they abandoned it as soon as the novelty wears off.”

And if I’m wrong, how would MS be behind exactly? It’s not like they have to design their own tech. If VR actually does become mainstream, there will be plenty of vendors whom MS can source it from (for probably cheaper than it would take to develop it from scratch)
I'm not even going to provide because you already know it's true. Look anywhere on the internet. People want big AAA games. Just about every single time anyone has ever said "there needs to be more games before I buy in", they are talking about AAA games.
LOL okay buddy. The few people you encounter on GAF are not representative of the mainstream non-VR owning public. Even the majority in THIS POLL are glad MS isnt focusing on VR. You are delusional.
 
I'd say people want both, the likes of Skyrim VR and Beat Saber garner equal attention as far as I can tell. And I'm in the camp of both myself. Just I'm in the camp of both outside VR.
Sure, both are wanted. But AAA is what's stopping them, because there is plenty of AA/A/Indie content at this point.
 
People said the same thing about stereoscopic 3D and Kinect, and they were right.

My guess is that VR will join that trash heap of “stuff gamers thought they wanted because it’s more immersive, but they abandoned it as soon as the novelty wears off.”

And if I’m wrong, how would MS be behind exactly? It’s not like they have to design their own tech. If VR actually does become mainstream, there will be plenty of vendors whom MS can source it from (for probably cheaper than it would take to develop it from scratch)

LOL okay buddy. The few people you encounter on GAF are not representative of the mainstream non-VR owning public. Even the majority in THIS POLL are glad MS isnt focusing on VR. You are delusional.
I said the Internet. Every single forum on the Internet. Every single video on YouTube, Facebook or other sites - there is no shortage of people saying they need big games (aka AAA) before they buy in.

But then again, we all know you're the resident troll here so it's not like you'd listen to reason.

Your guess is hilarious, considering VR is a full blown computing platform. There will be people and gamers that adopt the technology as their default 'screen' setup instead of a TV/Monitor. Ah, also - consider that most people who try Astro Bot, Beat Saber, Lone Echo / Echo VR, you know, the good games, are astonished and love playing them all with 1st generation hardware that can improve immensely in ways you won't even realize.

Given such a positive reaction already, it's clear that this is going to be a big deal.
 
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I have always been of the mind to say "I Just Want A Gaming Machine.:

VR and other stuff is great for optional side endeavors. Just give me the most powerful box that 500 bucks can buy
 

Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
Sure, I already said that's all it really lacks in a previous post, AAA stuff made for VR. But I'm fine with it, I'm not all about AAA outside VR myself, there's so much more to gaming than that. The production values constantly increase and concepts are polished further from smaller devs too.

Many Oculus funded games are deeper. Even before they had the Touch controllers they were funding third person action adventures, RPGs and shooters, now they're funding stuff like Lone Echo and Asgard's Wrath. They know people want to see that sort of thing as well as arcade stuff :)
 
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shark sandwich

tenuously links anime, pedophile and incels
I said the Internet. Every single forum on the Internet. Every single video on YouTube, Facebook or other sites - there is no shortage of people saying they need big games (aka AAA) before they buy in.

But then again, we all know you're the resident troll here so it's not like you'd listen to reason.
You can find “no shortage” of people expressing literally any opinion you can think of on the Internet. That doesn’t mean it represents the opinion of the general public. Get real.

God, you are to VR threads what D.Final is to Final Fantasy XV threads.
 
You can find “no shortage” of people expressing literally any opinion you can think of on the Internet. That doesn’t mean it represents the opinion of the general public. Get real.

God, you are to VR threads what D.Final is to Final Fantasy XV threads.
Uh huh. You keep believing that in your own little bubble.
 

Wonko_C

Member
Novelty wearing off is not exclusive of VR, it happens with everything. Yet we didn't (normally) sell our Xboxes, Playstations or Nintendos after their novelty wore off.

I still have zero interest in VR.
It's hard to be interested in something that has to be experienced first hand to really "get". According to Springboard VR, 95% of the world have never tried VR.
 
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HeresJohnny

Member
The smartest thing Microsoft has done in some time if true. Make a game console that you play with a conventional controller. Make it powerful, and make it reasonably priced. Fuck the flavor of the week gimmicks that comes and go like the tide. Great systems don't need them. There is an existing ocean of 200+ million players, why go looking for success in streams and rivers with gimmicks?
 

Bernkastel

Ask me about my fanboy energy!
They already have Windows Mixed Reality and Hololens

And it seems like there will be some new announcement in MWC 2019

It's better for them to integrate Windows Mixed Reality into Xbox then to create a separate "Xbox VR".
 

scalman

Member
Then they wrong, there is that part of VR that any tv could give you ever no matter how much you raise resolution. So sony will have all market for themselfs then
 
In what way is it a gimmick? In need of many improvements doesn't make it a gimmick if it's still adding something to gaming.

Ya its a great product. But the gameing media talked about it beimg the next big thing and its clearly not. It did well enough to warrent a 2nd psvr in the future. I hope more games use it like re7 but I dont see it beimg used outside of. Another way. to play
 

scalman

Member
Still waiting for new console that is portable on the go with small vr glasses when you need and home conection to more power when you home on big screen. Switch is allmost that just not enough power. But then when you have less power you make better games. Graphic slaves are not gamers they just res/fps/graphic slaves that dont care of game in general.
 

Three

Member
Man the adding of long sentences with many claims to the poll options reminds me of someone.

I want to pick that it's bad but I don't think it's 'risky'.
 

Shmunter

Member
Were essentially Gen1 with VR. Imagine what a few gens from now it can become. It’s an unwritten responsibility of a platform holder to push the envelope. Instead MS are behaving like EA or Activision, only the biggest money spinners matter like GaaS. An unsustainable future, Microsoft is foolish to not invest in it.
 

Havoc2049

Member
Not gonna lie, I would love a full fledged Halo VR side story game in the 2-3 hour range.

Halo Recruit on Windows Mixed Reality was a fun VR experience. Independent dual wielding weapons brought a smile to my face.
 

Foxbat

Banned
Uh huh. You keep believing that in your own little bubble.

I must be the same bubble... along with the majority of people in thread going by the poll numbers.

You're stating things as blatant fact that is not. It's impossible to win any argument that way, much less convince anyone reading to embrace your beliefs.
 
I must be the same bubble... along with the majority of people in thread going by the poll numbers.

You're stating things as blatant fact that is not. It's impossible to win any argument that way, much less convince anyone reading to embrace your beliefs.
I'm talking specifically about people wanting AAA games. You've aligned yourself with him here without even knowing what the discussion is about.

The reason I know this is because you're saying the poll numbers reflect the opposition of what I said, which isn't the case.

AAA games, that's all I'm talking about - and I'm right on this one.
 
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Ya its a great product. But the gameing media talked about it beimg the next big thing and its clearly not. It did well enough to warrent a 2nd psvr in the future. I hope more games use it like re7 but I dont see it beimg used outside of. Another way. to play
So your reason for it being a gimmick is because it wasn't the next big thing overnight? Really?
 
The smartest thing Microsoft has done in some time if true. Make a game console that you play with a conventional controller. Make it powerful, and make it reasonably priced. Fuck the flavor of the week gimmicks that comes and go like the tide. Great systems don't need them. There is an existing ocean of 200+ million players, why go looking for success in streams and rivers with gimmicks?
VR isn't a gimmick, and it's not some flavor of the week trend either. Unlike every other peripheral, it has long legs.
 
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Vetro

Member
MS has HoloLens but won't force it upon the new Xbox?
Either they learned from the stupid Kinect failure or they just trolling.
 

mckmas8808

Banned
People said the same thing about stereoscopic 3D and Kinect, and they were right.

My guess is that VR will join that trash heap of “stuff gamers thought they wanted because it’s more immersive, but they abandoned it as soon as the novelty wears off.”

And if I’m wrong, how would MS be behind exactly? It’s not like they have to design their own tech. If VR actually does become mainstream, there will be plenty of vendors whom MS can source it from (for probably cheaper than it would take to develop it from scratch)
.

Because you don't go from not doing VR, to doing VR great in a year. If MS doesn't do it next-gen, they'll be 2 generations behind. And "IF" (BIG IF), VR does become pretty popular they would have missed the boat.
 

Ar¢tos

Member
MS should adopt VR if, and only if, it actually becomes mainstream. And that is a big if.
Isn't that kinda of a contradiction?
If MS doesn't adopt VR for next Xbox and Sony is the only one pushing it, then 3rd parties will still be reluctant to jump on it, making it harder for it to become mainstream, since PCVR has a much higher cost.
If MS adopted VR for Xbox then 3rd parties would make more games for it and Sony + MS install base would easily make it mainstream and evolve faster.
 

Odinnii

Member
I Love VR when it’s well utilized, but MS needs to focus on putting out some good games first before I care whether or not they support VR.
 
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