Would love to see a VR headset of some sorts on Xbox, even if it’s some sort of integration with someone else rather than their own. Don’t think it will happen mind.
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I think people are mixing up the “Microsoft might buy IO Interactive” speculation and the “Microsoft is working with IO Interactive on a game” rumour. The former is still rumour/speculation, the latter is a reasonably sourced leak we can probably say is happening. Or was planned to happen at the very least.
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Microsoft is working on the HoloLens project so it’s only a matter of time before they can implement that technology into VR for gaming. I also think that if Microsoft is going to launch a VR headset they would wait until the right timing when the economy and manufacturing shortages are resolved and Microsoft has games for it as well.
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I said this before and hate to be a broken record, but nothing has changed my outlook on Microsoft and VR for the next 10 years.
I don’t think Microsoft will ever release their own VR headset. They will instead continue to partner with other manufacturers through providing the VR API. It keeps them involved yet lets others foot the costs on hardware advances until its closer to a suitable casual consumer product.
This will allow for hardware that can target both Xbox consoles and PC systems. This will seed the console eccosystem with the needed VR software titles without having to create it all themselves. The price of hardware will also be paid by other companies while Microsoft would collect their share of software sales as the platform holder. Maybe they even offer a percentage of all VR software sales to the hardware makers to get them on board.
The timing of when they open up VR games for Xbox likely isnt this generation. There are still many hardware improvements required to cross the consumer threshold.
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They could easily just partner with valve and have it support their VR. Ms dont need to make their own headset.
That is true and I doubt Microsoft has plans for VR this generation and will likely partner with other manufacturers in the meantime but I do think that Microsoft will eventually create their own VR headset if the VR market takes off. Right now the VR market is still small and there isn’t that high of a demand but VR has risen massively the past three years and if this report is accurate by 2030 VR could reach $454.73 billion with a compound annual growth rate of 40.7% which would be huge for the VR market.
I don’t think this means Microsoft needs to have a VR headset but I do think VR should be something they should keep an eye on since it could be a big selling point by 2030 especially if the PSVR2, Oculus, and other VR headsets are successful.
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VR will be interesting, if MS doesn’t sell their own hardware (at a loss, like normal) it won’t be competitive. But it also has the benefit of being compatible across devices.
I’m not sure what’s best tbh.
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Yeeaaaaaah, about that HoloLens stuff. Thats not in a good place right now.
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Yeah things aren’t looking too good for the HoloLens project right now but rather than scrapping the project entirely Microsoft could use that technology and the hardware that they are using for HoloLens and use it for their own VR console. Since VR can also be used for more than just gaming it can be used for education, in the medical field as a way for mental health treatment, and even training simulations.
Scrapping the project would be bad, one of the few where Microsoft has a technological headstart. If they abandon it, they are out of their own VR or AR hardware for the foreseeable future.
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I have observed MS efforts since 2015 in the mixed reality space
And in all these years, MS never seemed comfortable in releasing any consumer oriented devices
R&D is one thing… But actual investment required to make the general consumer products at large scale is not MS cup of tea. Xbox hardware is an exception and Surface really isn’t that big.
At best what could happen is as you mentioned. Partnering with Third party platforms or hardware manufacturers.
Only question is, will the partnership be only related to the physical hardware? Or will it include platform as well?
I would allow any third party VR platform to be a available on Xbox via independent install like on a PC. Things will catchup quickly this way and there will be no hardware or software shortages anymore.
And when the time is right to launch there hardware and software, simply push it through the Gamepass.
And offcourse, I only suggest it for VR platforms only. Not the general PC games.
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I would point you towards the notion that since the inception of Gamepass, the console space is changing.
Expansion is the way to go. Even Sony has accepted it and transforming there strategy, slowly but surely.
This space requires new business ideas and partnership.
Username checks out.
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Grounded is a Mega Hit don’t sleep on it probably the best survival game since Minecraft
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Whatever I try always falls flat in mostly epic-fail ways. I will always be in awe over what users are able to put together creatively.
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I love this kind of editing it shows so much what Grounded is
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I’m reaaallly looking forward to finally diving into this when it releases.
had to hold myself back from doing so when it first launched.
Same, I played a little but then held off waiting for a complete game. Very cool game.
I can’t wait until we know what Everwild will be about