Microsoft says people don't want Xbox VR — but I definitely do

HP Reverb WMR Source: Windows Central

Recently, Xbox head Phil Spencer said in an interview that VR isn't a focus for Microsoft's gaming arm, noting that "customers aren't asking for information technology," and indeed, the information suggests that. Mat Piscatella of the industry analyst group NPD has data from U.S. consumers that suggests VR spending is a "rounding mistake of a rounding error" in terms of volume. Merely why?

The information advise that Phil Spencer is spot on with his assessment of VR gaming. Perhaps someday this marketplace can develop, simply it'southward been years and the overwhelming bulk of games consumers just don't care. Rounding error of rounding error for games spending, tiny niche.
— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) November 26, 2022

VR can be an incredible experience, but the barriers are numerous and in some ways, subversive. The tech simply isn't at that place, but frustratingly, Microsoft is one of the few big companies that could potentially solve the issues. And so, why don't they try?

Today's VR experience isn't great (or affordable)

HP Reverb Source: Windows Central

Although there have been some significant leaps to try and solve some of the bug, VR remains this fractured matter that requires a fair flake of investment both in terms of research and money to get to grips with.

I have the cheapest of the cheap VR headsets, the original HP WMR headset, and the hardware isn't exactly amazing, although it was impressive for the price point at the fourth dimension. Huge multiple cables are required to connect the thing up; wearing a bulky plastic thing on your face isn't exactly pleasant either. The strap around the back of your head tin can easily become uncomfortable over time, and information technology gets steamed up extremely hands, requiring broken sessions to proceed it defogged. Non precisely the futuristic feel we were sold in The Matrix.

Of course, there are far amend headsets available at present, consummate with wireless options and standalone configurations. It often still depends on how much you want to invest, though. Some require tracking beacons to be mounted and set-upwardly wherever you lot want to play. Others crave large amounts of floor space. And so you have Oculus VR, which is owned by Facebook, a company ~~run past scumbags~~ with questionable ethics when it comes to privacy.

Then, you but accept move sickness to deal with, at to the lowest degree for some. While a lot of the games I enjoy on the HP WMR headset don't induce motion sickness and work well as sit-down experiences, such equally Arizona Sunshine and Superhot VR, some games I would beloved to feel are boundless in all the incorrect means, similar Minecraft VR. Whether this is the fault of the game's design or limitations of modern engineering science, I only don't know. Either mode, I'm pretty certain Microsoft would exist among the few companies with the knowhow and cash to solve these barriers to entry.

Why won't Microsoft step upwardly more than?

Sandbox VR hardware Source: Windows Central / Katie Aiani

When Phil Spencer said Xbox customers aren't asking for VR, it certainly ruffled a few feathers on social media. There is a core of people who would at to the lowest degree like to see a VR option on Xbox, at to the lowest degree so that it can lucifer Sony'south investment on the PS4 side of things. I'm certain game developers building VR experiences would also similar to see Xbox throw its chapeau in the ring too.

Plain, Spencer didn't mean that nobody is asking for VR, merely you need only look at how Microsoft has been investing in Xbox for an instance of what the vast majority of customers accept been asking for. People asked for more games and content, then Microsoft invested in several new studios. People asked for more powerful systems, and it's looking like Xbox's next-gen Scarlett consoles could be genuinely beastly. People asked for Microsoft to set their gaming experiences on PC, so they brought Halo to Steam and split the gaming experience out of the god atrocious Microsoft Store into a separate app (which is really good).

https://twitter.com/JezCorden/condition/930958851029000192?s=20

Microsoft, similar any platform, has to think about the time to come likewise. Attempting to build upwardly a VR platform from scratch doesn't seem similar a smart allotment of funds or expertise, considering the addressable audience on mobile devices via Project XCloud is far, far, far bigger, and already established.

It seems similar more of a case of having "bigger fish to fry" than apathy towards VR. Microsoft has several other higher profile problems with Xbox to address right now, rather than running headlong into a "me too" VR pitch that consumers on other platforms aren't precisely going dizzy over when you lot look at sales figures at least.

It's a bit of a shame

WMR Flashlight Source: Microsoft

Despite knowing precisely why Microsoft doesn't invest more in this expanse, I tin can't help just feel disappointed about it. VR clearly has its place, both in gaming and utility. Microsoft's Mixed Reality team led by Alex Kipman has found success in its augmented reality HoloLens headset, which landed an extremely lucrative contract with the U.S. armed forces final yr, although investments on the plain old Windows Mixed Reality headset OS experiences take been a fleck boring past comparison.

Microsoft is ane of the few companies with the technical know-how to solve some of the issues with VR, from wirelessness, to movement sickness, ergonomics, and other things. Minecraft VR is an absolutely amazing experience, walking through my own Realm, connected to other devices, mining with your hands instead of with a cursor. It all but comes crashing down when I first feeling ill within five minutes. And no, I'one thousand not going to take anti-sickness pills to play a game.

Rather than waiting for VR to become mainstream, Microsoft could be leading the charge instead, offering usa an alternative to the potentially-untrustworthy Oculus platform, while supporting its Steam VR counterparts on Windows PC and Xbox. Alas, it doesn't look like it's meant to be.

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