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Xbox to stay out the VR space, believe software will scale better but applauds Sony, Oculus, Valve

cormack12

Gold Member
Source: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/xbox-is-staying-out-of-the-vr-hardware-space-says-spencer/

"We’re big believers in that software platform and the devices that will enable that. Absolutely. [But] we’re focused a lot more on the software side of that right now. When I think about immersive worlds and I think about the connection of a player and community, that’s something that’s very high on our investment list.

I think that the hardware innovation that’s happening is great and it’s an important enabler, [but] right now I’m deciding to stay more in the software side of that enablement. I believe it will scale better in the long run.

“And you know, I applaud what Sony‘s doing, I applaud what Oculus is doing, what Valve has done. I mean, there’s a lot of good players out there that have done some amazing VR work."
 

DeepEnigma

Gold Member
I think that the hardware innovation that’s happening is great and it’s an important enabler, [but] right now I’m deciding to stay more in the software side of that enablement. I believe it will scale better in the long run.
Well, yeah. You can't subscription headsets... yet.
Girl Smile GIF
 

MachRc

Member
I do agree that it can come off as gimmicky and alot of us who have headsets do not use them as much as we'd like to.
I rarely go back for tiltbrush or even Alyx (which I have not finished yet) My kid does play it for recroom, but maybe once every 3 weeks or so.

Its a smart take for now. Focus more on gamepass, and getting back on track in the console biz.
 

Lognor

Banned
Let those others spend the r&d on vr. Then ms can enter when/ if the market develops further. Not worth the hassle for ms right now. They're going after the big fish
 

Papacheeks

Banned
He said a long time ago they wouldn't pursue it until it was fully wireless, and I personally think that's the right call.

I personally don't. The longer you wait and do not have software being built thats your brand of VR, then when its wireless you basically will be starting at scratch. And that means more than likely they will just have everyone else's VR games and nothing that is made internally by them. They will allow oculus and Vive on xbox at some point, but thing is Sony is investing in AAA VR. No one really is on facebook Quest nor on steam Vive playing AAA outside of half life alyx.
There will be nothing special about playing everything thats been available for a while on tons of options to play them via quest, PSVR2 ect.

Thing is PSVR2 will have a library of PS VR titles that are exclusive to them. And that also means deals like for RE7 and 8 VR being on playstation exclusively. I feel this will bite them in the ass when they start getting into VR.
They will be super late, they will more than likely allow third party VR headsets which is great in theory but means tons of work on the OS backend to make all the different configs that have different styles of sensors/controllers work.
So I get, waiting till it's "perfected" but thing is it's already a 1 cable setup and investments have been going very fast.

It's going to be another issue of MS playing catch up like they are with studio software.
 
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Great Hair

Banned
2016 - High Fidelity VR and Pixels never seen before
2021 - We´re staying far away from that ...

So far, i´m inclined to agree. VR is still in beta. 1 or 2 nice showings, but far from a "new venue" or THE future. Prolly have to wait another 5 years or more.
 

Danknugz

Member
for those with PC VR this isn't really a loss except maybe xbox live friends and getting achievements in VR games. xbox series x could probably do VR but it would be limited and outdated in a year or two compared to what is possible on PC.
 

jason10mm

Gold Member
This seems odd since they were so big on augmented reality a few years back and you'd think the technologies would overlap a lot. Minecraft VR seems like a total no-brainer as well. I'm sad that samsung turned it off for their phones, I'd pay a whole 10 american dollars to get oculus on my s21 again :p

Facebook is gonna get me in the end, won't it? Grrr, really don't like their implementation tied to the account like that but it seems to be the clear winner so far if Sony can't A. make a PS5 I can buy, and B. is sticking to tethered which will lead to destruction for my kids.
 
Microsoft doesn't need to develop their VR Headset. They can use their own Windows Mix Reality headsets from different companies like Samsung, HP i.e, or and partner with Oculas Rift.

For me, VR on last gen consoles was useless because of its low quality settings than PCs low settings, even lower. Too many cons and wires...
 
Microsoft is doing the Hololens 2 which recently signed a 21 billion dollar contract with the US Army under the IVAS program. It got delayed by a year currently. Mercedes, hospitals, Bosch, etc are using it as well. I believe AR is more useful to them than VR at this time.
 

LimanimaPT

Member
He said a long time ago they wouldn't pursue it until it was fully wireless, and I personally think that's the right call.
I really don't understand this wireless obsession. I only play games that can be played while seated, so it doesn't mater if there's a cable or not. I'll pass any game that requires me to be standing up doing a lot of movement.
 

YukiOnna

Member
Wouldn't it more so be Nadella's decision? In that case, it doesn't really surprise me. They more or less own the AR enterprise space with Hololens and basically 0 competition. I think MS would sooner release a consumer version of Hololens or another MR device than go into the VR industry.
 
I really don't understand this wireless obsession. I only play games that can be played while seated, so it doesn't mater if there's a cable or not. I'll pass any game that requires me to be standing up doing a lot of movement.
I both agree and disagree with you. I only want VR games while seated so wires are not an issue. BUT
There is no way I'm allowing the kids to flail away in front of the Big Expensive screen tv. It needs to be setup in a room that doesn't care what gets broken. because things will get broken. and wires are just a catalyst
 

Flintty

Member
Disappointing. I always thought they should have added a Display Port on the XSX and let me plug a Rift in. If you’re not gonna make one, at least support third party tech.
 

MaulerX

Member
Yea were just not there yet.

Around 4% of the PS4 istall base bought PSVR and even less were invested enough to buy hames frequently.

And now HTC's latest device is pitched as a mental health device.
 

Kagey K

Banned
Damn, I wish I had time to thoroughly dissect your reasoning here. Unfortunately the amount of introspection and research required to challenge such an intricate web of concepts and ideas would be best left to scholars.

All I have to offer is

f u middle finger GIF by Midland
You summed it up beautifully.
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
What’s the tam on VR probs around 10 to 15 million total Spread across 3 key players? If that was a console platform it would be considered doa.

I love vr though and own three headsets, there’s nothing like it but it hasn’t set the world on fire.
 
NGL I think they're making a mistake on this one. They could have at the very least said they're "seriously considering" some type of partnership with a VR provider or maybe allowing VR device compatibility on Xbox Series but nope, nothing. Basically the same thing they said back in 2019.

I do think this is going to hurt some of the immersion factor with certain games coming from their 1P particularly on console; they have so many first-person games in development, how cool would it have been to play as Joanna Dark in the new PD in VR, built with VR in mind from the ground-up? Could've felt revolutionary. There might be a chance players on PC can still experience that but then it makes Xbox feel like a second-class citizen IMO.

Also part of the answer Phil gave in that interview is kinda BS; Xbox division has been focusing a lot on peripheral sales these days and there's no telling the amount of revenue they could bring in selling their own VR devices at profit. It'd also open up a new avenue for their 1P studios to explore in terms of creative game design, especially when partnered with xCloud streaming and Azure. They've even done the bulk of R&D already between Mesh and their own VR & AR developments for areas like medical, military etc.

You mean to tell me they don't want to spin that back around to a gaming VR venture to enrich the ecosystem and generate even more revenue? I call manure on that one.
 
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