340°

GDC: Microsoft has Worked on VR 'For Quite a While'

During a conversation about virtual reality technology at the Game Developers Conference, Microsoft Game Studios' Phil Spencer said "I think the technology is really interesting, and it’s definitely something we’ve been playing with for quite a while."

Irishguy953704d ago

Would expect them have too, same with Sony. VR is the future. Always has been. After VR comes brainwave VR.

8|

darthv723704d ago

VR has been something that has been toyed with for 20+ years by various companies. Looking at the tech then and now there has been huge advancements in making it not only better but more cost effective.

Hatsune-Miku3704d ago

This would put further strain on the xbox one that is already stretch thin trying to run games at 720p. VR with two 480i glasses wouldn't be good at all but I'm sure fanat-X would love to buy it.

christocolus3704d ago (Edited 3704d ago )

@Hatsune

Why are you so biased? You are in every xbx article with nothing reasonable to say? Dont you get tired of talking crap? If MS does release a VR headset im sure xbx fans would go ahead and buy it just as Ps fans would buy morpheus...so why the name calling? Its funny how some guys can have so much bias towards the choice of others.

MelvinTheGreat3704d ago

@hatsune

Whats you're deal dude? How bout you stop taking it up the butt from sony and be glad and happy theres competition between the two companies.

3703d ago
Volkama3703d ago

Phil spencer is quite right that convincing the masses to wear a headset is a challenge though. Look at stereoscopic 3D and the Hugh push within the TV industry to get glasses-free 3D working.

I don't think something like illumiroom or anything projecting images on your walls can be as immersive or high quality though.

Such a cool time for the games industry right now.

morganfell3703d ago

Microsoft and VR looks like a nice idea for some but then ESRAM rears it's ugly head.

Bandwidth, or rather the lack of it will haunt the X1 this entire generation.

FriedGoat3703d ago

@morganfell

Dunno why you're getting disagrees, The XBone is really going to struggle to output 2 720P images.

malokevi3703d ago

I imagine MS will go the AR glasses, as pet their "Fortaleza" patents.

The way I see it, they stopped working on Illumaroom because they realized that they could achieve the same effect with image-overlay using AR. They would also be cheaper than a full headset, and would augment the TV rather then replace it.

Remains to be seen. For now, I'm happy gaming on my TV. If morpheus turns out well, is well supported, and isn't overly expensive, I'm sure I'll end up getting one.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 3703d ago
AngelicIceDiamond3704d ago

I bet VR will be cool and very unique but like I said I just want to play on a controller at the end of the day.

I just hope its not forced on us.

Muffins12233704d ago

Your still useing a controler,its not like wii or kinect,its a different way of seeing the game. ITs like going from pixels to polygons.

MorePowerOfGreen3704d ago

We already knew this. Seen this in the 2010 leaked docs almost 2 years ago. MSFT will obviously see if the tech flops due to its novelty and if successful, go big as they always do. Kinect 2.0 would be the only thing that would make this tech mainstream.

Eonjay3704d ago

That is a catch 22 you are describing. You said that they would join in if it doesn't flop and you said that only Kinect can keep it from flopping. There is no way to reconcile these opposing situations.

christocolus3704d ago

@morepower

My guess is that MS will go ahead with their VR plans irrespective of what Sony and Oculus are doing. Theyve been working on similar tech for some years now i.e fortazella and illumiroom..its just a matter of when now.

@majiebeast

Huh? You are funny.....lmao.

corvusmd3703d ago (Edited 3703d ago )

Exactly, MS has always been an innovative console company, that's why we now have Broadband, Achievements, Motion controllers, Massive dedicated server support, cloud computing and, game streaming as a mainstay. I'm sure MS will/is doing this right. They don't need to worry about anyone else. I like the AR aspect the seem to be taking...kinda like including the "illumniroom aspect into VR

Pay no mind to maji...based on his/her comments they're clearly new to gaming and lost as to what the facts are.

@fireseed. To be fair, Sony did originate the idea of massive network hacks and charging $50 a year for "free" games.

BlueTemplar3703d ago

@Corvusmd

You're crediting Microsoft with Broadband? Really?

I Know the original Xbox had a ethernet connection, but come on - do you really think the other platforms would be stuck in 1999 otherwise?

Also, motion controllers?? I think you're crediting the wrong company. Game streaming too.

Amazing.

ToxicSushi3703d ago

@BlueTemplar
Sega Dreamcast had a NIC add on module vs. the modem module. Now that was a technological machine ahead of its time :-)

johndoe112113703d ago

What the hell does kinect have to do with virtual reality???? Does oculus have kinect? Is that the logic you're using to justify that piece of sh!t accessory???

beerzombie3703d ago

Yes it dose it had to use a camera for motion tracking to be better. That's were the Kinect will be a plus because everyone has one not 20% percent like the ps4 which by all standards is freaking great.
also Ps4 will either have to bundle a camera that will raise the price where X1 can just sell the Vr cheaper because everyone has a camera.

MusicComposer3703d ago

@beerzombie The Kinect 2 refresh rate is only 30hz which is too slow to be used in VR. The PS4 camera by comparison is 60hz at 720p and is 120hz at 480p. It seems like Microsoft is pursuing AR instead of VR though.

majiebeast3704d ago

Microsoft the me too company.

MelvinTheGreat3704d ago

Its not like VR has been done before....oh wait it has...that means...sonys is copying too *gasp*

BG115793703d ago

Oh yeah, everyone remembers the Virtual Boy.

Old McGroin3703d ago

@ BG11579

Or a more recent example, Oculus Rift.

beerzombie3703d ago (Edited 3703d ago )

I think Sega and Nintendo did some of this too.

specialguest3703d ago

I've done it first before those companies. Made both hands shaped like a binocular and put it against my eyes and BAM! instant VR.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3703d ago
Fireseed3703d ago

Oh totally, why do they always have to copy Sonys HYPER ORIGINAL ideas...
Like Morphe... Ohhh Oculus...
Oh I know Mov... Oh Wii (Also know by Sony as the "lollipop")...
Oh wait I got it Trophi... Oh achievements...
Hmm

3703d ago
Fireseed3703d ago

@gulash

My point being, everything is iterative.... and yes I'd accept that MS probably took that from Spyro. Along with a lot of others things, but that's how we get advancement.

MazzingerZ3703d ago (Edited 3703d ago )

Achievements and the whole XBL concepts and features for the X360 are rather taken from Bungie's MP ideas in Halo 2, including voice messages.

Bungie created XBL, it's amazing how after all that partnership Bungie kept free after all that, one must respect their ideals of being an independent developer.

Microsoft paid for XBL so I guess we can't call it copied, Bungie was behind it, but yeah, MSFT has mostly been the company that purchase others ideas and I have nothing against that if that help to make things better and reach more people.

You can't blame on everything on the buyer as there's also a seller, those buys out motivates small companies to innovate and someday make big money from that, so innovation is still on the picture, just not from big companies.

http://www.gamespot.com/art...

3703d ago
Gazondaily3703d ago (Edited 3703d ago )

@grim

what?? Oh please. That's some desperate spinning. A system wide system of achievements that is universal snd tracks your achievements and logs them online is the same as Spyro thr Dragon's skill point system?? Aha okay. Yeah because MS looked at that and came up wjth their system.

My days are some people delusional.

But MS are copying Sony with VR right?? Lol look at the double standards.

starchild3703d ago (Edited 3703d ago )

@grimlash

You're really grasping at straws there. I mean, that is a huge and absurd stretch. The idea of earning things in games goes much farther back than Spiro. Microsoft was the first one to systematize it across their entire ecosystem in all of their games and to have them all add up towards an online "gamerscore". Give credit where credit is due.

Edit: Haha it looks like Septic beat me to it by a couple minutes.

Angeljuice3703d ago

@Fireseed
Thought I'd make a few corrections to improve the accuracy of your bodged points;

" Oh I know Mov... Oh Wii" .....OH EYETOY (THE ORIGINAL)

" Like Morphe...(began 2010) Ohhh Oculus...(began 2011-2012)"

No need to thank me, it's a free service.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 3703d ago
Old McGroin3703d ago (Edited 3703d ago )

@ majiebeast

Sony is more of a "me too" company in many ways, they just do it a bit more stealthily. They see what new ideas are being implemented by other companies, gauge how the public reacts and then once everything has blown over, implement the exact same ideas themselves. Examples are the VR headset (Oculus), the Move controller (Nintendo Wii Controller), PS4 TV shows/capabilities (Xbox One TV Shows/capabilities), streaming games (Gaikai/Onlive), PSP/Vita (Nintendo handhelds), remote gaming on the Vita (Wii U remote gaming), Trophies (Xbox Achievements) and the list goes on. Maybe they should actually just change their name to Me Too altogether.

goldwyncq3703d ago

If last gen was the motion control gen, this gen would be the VR gen.

Show all comments (59)
80°

Microsoft Opening Xbox Mobile Game Store in July

The Xbox brand is expanding, as an Xbox mobile game store is opening this coming July where Microsoft will brings its "first-party portfolio."

Jin_Sakai1d 10h ago (Edited 1d 10h ago )

“Bond adds that they will start on the web”

This will go nowhere.

Nice knowing you Xbox. This is what happens when the house never gets cleaned.

MrDead1d 10h ago

The only this MS is expanding is the amount of feculence it sprays on everyone who just want to enjoy gaming and make games.

The best thing MS can do for the gaming industry is leave and never return.

XiNatsuDragnel1d 8h ago

Good luck with this even it might not succeed.

Show all comments (7)
210°

Microsoft once tried to nab LittleBigPlanet from Sony after a few drinks

It turns out that many moons ago, Microsoft once had its eye on the Sony published LittleBigPlanet series.

Read Full Story >>
eurogamer.net
XiNatsuDragnel2d ago

Microsoft had a good idea but fumbled it again.

Cacabunga22h ago(Edited 22h ago)

Project Spark idea was decent but they quickly gave up ..
LBP was wonderful

ApocalypseShadow1d 16h ago

Microsoft in a nutshell. Always tried to poach Sony employees, games, 3rd party games and devices like the depth camera that was turned into Kinect but was running on PS2 before Xbox 360. Wouldn't be surprised they wanted LBP. Just like they worked behind the scenes pushing the MLB to bring Sony's baseball game to Xbox instead of making their own.
https://www.playstationlife...

They didn't spend years trying to develop their own baseball game. They wanted Sony's game.

They're scum.

Zachmo18220h ago

Microsoft didn't force MLB on Xbox. MLB gave Sony 2 options either go multiplat or risk losing the license.

Rynxie11h ago

And why do you think MLB said that? I believe Ms approached MLB.

ApocalypseShadow10h ago(Edited 10h ago)

Totally ridiculous comment.

The only exclusivity Sony had was to their own creation of The Show. Microsoft could have paid the MLB for the license just like Sony did and made their own baseball game.

Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox. They're worth 3 TRILLION dollars. You think that's not enough money to make their own baseball game? Don't be delusional.

Microsoft spun it like they always do and told the media that they had to trust Sony with their hardware. After they put Sony in that position of not having a choice. Either go multiplatform or stop making one of their successful games. That's a no win scenario.

And what did Microsoft do? They didn't try to sell the game to the Xbox community. They put it on game pass to hurt Sony. Pushing the idea of why buy games that are $70 when you can play them in their cheap service for $10. It was a dirty tactic.

You fell for the Kool aid drink Microsoft served you instead of spitting it out. Hope it tasted good because you were fooled by Phil and the gang.

5h ago
Hereandthere2h ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

Bond revealed that MLB The Show “always came up” in conversations between Microsoft and the Major League Baseball organization. “We always said, ‘We love this game. It would be a huge opportunity to bring it to Xbox.'” she recalled. However, when Microsoft’s efforts materialized, it put the company in an awkward situation where it had to send in pre-release consoles to a rival company.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 2h ago
Notellin7h ago

"Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox."

Take a nap, conspiracies are rotting your brain.

5h ago
Hereandthere2h ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

Hereandthere2h ago

They were too cheap/inept/lazy to develop their own mlb game, so they port begged for years and bribed the mlb to make the show multiplatform. Like i said many times, xbox brought nothing to the table their 24 years, ZERO.

OtterX23h ago

"However, Healey said Media Molecule wouldn't have felt right doing that, adding it would have been "morally corrupt"."

Major kudos to Media Molecule for being an upright studio with principles.

RNTody23h ago(Edited 23h ago)

Great, more stories like this please. Show the last of the zombies holding the line what we've been saying for years: Microsoft is anti competition, anti industry and has no interest in making games at all.

But hey, at least there's an Xbox Games Showcase to look forward to, right?

Inverno22h ago

Well considering SONY just killed the series, LBP would've been dead by now either way. Though MM probably wouldn't exist by now either, so I'm glad they stayed with SONY, hopefully they don't get shut down any time soon or ever honestly.

Inverno20h ago

They shut down the servers, that's millions of user created levels gone. That and dead are pretty much the same, it's also been years since 3 and they cancelled HUB soooo.

5h ago
fsfsxii7h ago

They shutdown the servers because no one was playing, no one in the community cared about the user created levels so why keep them up? Wtf you guys would never succeed in running a business.

Inverno6h ago

Yea dood no one was playing so they shut off the servers. Cause people with enough common sense can't just Google why they were actually shut of, right?

Show all comments (26)
60°

Game Studio Closures, Entertainment News, Disney, And More Skewedcast

The full Skewedcast crew back for this episode and Gareth, Justin, Michael, and JoeyZ at Skewed and Reviewed break down the latest entertainment news qith a focus at 40:00 on the Microsoft Studio Closures and how it impacts the game community and what can be done to help offset this negative trend.