2016 Gaming Predictions: Oculus VR on Xbox One

Armik Asheghian from Gamerscore Whores writes "When Phil Spencer stood up on the Oculus press conference stage last year it formulated the beginning of a partnership between Xbox One and Oculus VR that we feel will go much deeper than a mere accessory bundle and a Windows 10 Xbox One virtual room experience. The HoloLens is more of an enterprise product in our eyes, it’s limited scope for a wide array of gaming leaves it already at a disadvantage against the likes of the Playstation VR. We believe that in 2016 Microsoft will announce a partnership with Oculus VR which will make the headset work on the Xbox One using an eGPU or internal GPU if Microsoft decides to dump the disc drive and bring out an Xbox One Slim. Katie & Armik go into greater detail in our video prediction."

[YinYangGaming]

A long shot but if true will only be a smart move on Microsoft's end, if VR succeeds they'll make a good chunk of profit without the manufacturing/research costs etc. While if it fails to take off they'll be in a much better position than Sony would be if VR flops, again doubt this will happen but would be very cool

[DarkOcelet]

The problem is the XboxOne cant handle Oculus Rift, It needs a very powerful GPU to handle it.

The minimum is at least a GTX 970. And the XboxOne GPU is equivalent to an 7770 GPU or slightly lower.

The GTX 970 is 2 times more powerful than a 7770 so i doubt we will see Oculus Rift working on the Xone.

[PistolsAtDawn]

Project Iridies

[thisgamer503]

That would be a 970 required for the games Oculus is running on PC. I'm sure the headset could handle the PSVR style games that could be shown on the xbox one just fine. From what i've seen, it's mostly smaller indie stuff on the psvr.

[DarkOcelet]

@thisgamer503

Um, Ace Combat 7, GT Sports and the AAA 1st party games wont be small indie stuff.

[Bdub2000]

The article addresses that by saying they acknowledge it will need some type of on board GPU

[OC_MurphysLaw]

@darkocelet a work around by using an external processor no doubt could be found to help xbox one.

[Khaotic]

External gpu maybe. Otherwise maybe bundle a new xbox device with occulus made strictly for VR gaming. I really have no clue but if MS plans on staying in gaming for the long-term I can't see them not doing something to compete in the market.

[TheCommentator]

Thank you Pistols, I've pointed out that Project Irides and cloud compute could reasonably stand in as the external processor before. Haters want to hate though...

[neoandrew]

This just BS.

Xone has a equivalent of minimum 7790.

PS4 is like between 7850 - 7870.

Neither xone or ps4 can handle Oculus, neither have the power of gtx 970, if you can't handle Oculus you can't handle VR.

PSVR is just sony big fat lie, it will be gimped to work, interpolating frames, compromising quality to hit the required fps and res, nowhere near th efull Oculus quality.

Or they will gimp Oculus to psvr specs, the only way any VR will work on any console.

That is the TRUTH

For good VR you need a minimum 2k and 75 fps. Not achievable by any console without some dirty tricks.

REAL VR = ONLY ON PC and a expensive one.

Or a cheap one, but using the same poor tricks of psvr, frame interpolating, lower quality etc.

[TheCommentator]

Neoandrew, I remember people getting all techie about why XB1 and PS4 couldn't run BC. Heck, even reputable tech websites said BC was impossible for 8th gen but look what happened there.

You are right about the fact that it will resort to the same sub-par interpolation that PSVR will use, but with OR on XB1 it will be handled via cloud compute middleware acting as the external processor. I'm curious though; what people who disagree with Pistols and I think MS are developing Irides for if Hololens is completely self contained?

[Yetter]

We believe that in 2016 Microsoft will announce a partnership with Oculus VR which will make the headset work on the Xbox One using an eGPU...

perhaps you missed this part of the prediction

[dakunclear]

@neoandrew PSVR will have an external processing unit to do what it does.....here is a link to the article http://www.psu.com/news/285...

[TheCommentator]

Dakunclear, the problem Neoandrew points out is that while Oculus Rift is native, PSVR is done by emulating things that can't be done natively due to its' power limitations. Native is always better than using post processing effects. I can run my games at 120fps with my tv's interpolation, for example, but it introduces artifacts not present in the original(native) data.

[ApocalypseShadow]

This gamer,you're saying GT sport,ace combat,rigs,London heist, eve valkyrie,etc are....indie games?

You serious?

[ApocalypseShadow]

I'm predicting the same thing.At CES they will announce an oculus solution.Just create a box similar to Sony's.

If VR succeeds,they'll eventually come around with VR too.it's only an optional way to play. And kinect could easily track markers put on a controller.

But we'll see...

As for the other part of this video, it's nonsense.Keep hearing Microsoft has better bundles and is selling better during the Christmas season. But sales don't show that to be true. Game sales don't show it to be true. Or we would have seen release numbers. Things aren't what they seem if you have to hide them and bring up "experience" numbers. I'm sorry but that's just the truth.

[joeorc]

@ Apocalypse Shadow

"Microsoft has better bundles and is selling better during the Christmas season. "

10000000% correct if there ever such a %

Not only was this claim by this video sites factually incorrect, it was in no way shape or form correct among any region world wide where The Xbox one even outsold the ps4!

[ApocalypseShadow]

It's like the followers are determined to rewrite history so that it seems that the two consoles are on par with each other.

Never seen so much misinformation in my life to help this company. Truth just seems unheard of to some of these people.

[DigitalRaptor]

It's inevitable that at some point, Microsoft is going to jump into native VR development, and not just coast on the strange TV within a TV experience that they announced last year, acting as though it counts as a full-on answer to what Sony is offering.

I think the removal of the disc drive to make space for an additional processing "unit" for VR, is a terrible prediction. "That just makes sense!"- no it really doesn't. That would leave upwards of 15 million Xbox One consoles out now, unable to play VR games. I'm not seeing that. I think that the point of going all digital, is reducing the cost of the console by not having a disc drive (as well as the whole theory of them controlling your purchases via digital-only channels). Adding some extra tech in there is not going to lower the cost, but maintain it or even increase it.
--------

Oh and even these Xbox guys are vouching for the excitement of the kind of experiences VR is bringing to the table. Just listen to this video @ 6:30

[ApocalypseShadow]

Yeah.I heard that part and chuckled. Microsoft would be crazy to drop the disc format. That's like a middle finger to current buyers.

But on the other hand, last gen they didn't provide any HDMI solution for component 360 buyers. So you never know with them. Even though HDMI wasn't that necessary to play games accept if you wanted better HD.

But yeah, I laughed.

[Yetter]

having a SKU with out a disc drive isn't a slight against current buyers, but putting a new GPU in would be

[rainslacker]

I could see MS offering a digital only machine with no drive. Could offer a low cost solution for those that don't mind digital content. Personally think those users may be restricting themselves to fewer options, but it's certainly a viable market to make a profit off of.

As far as adding in additional hardware, that kind of defeats the purpose, and assumes that people would actually be willing to spend more just for the VR feature, but at the same time, not be given the option for retail games. It limits the market, and that's probably why it won't happen.

I suppose though it is possible to offer a supplimental box for existing owners, as well as a new premium machine, but to me, it seems like if MS went this route, it would make quite a few SKU's for them to have to manage, as well as be confusing for the average consumer.

Simple is usually better when it comes to the console itself.

[ScorpiusX]

With Zuckerberg giving away & taking a more philanthropy lifestyle , Could a buyout of Facebook be happening or certain assets are being sold . Lets be honest VR is bound to be a success of sorts and it being a PC feature , you know MS is going to make certain they are not left behind . JMT

[BiggerBoss]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but did you just suggest that Microsoft was going to buy out Facebook?

[ScorpiusX]

A buy or whatever you want to call it, not an impossible concept .
I also stated that certain assets can be bought by MS .

[badz149]

MS buying FB? LOL

in which universe? certainly not this one because they can't afford it!

[Bladesfist]

@badz, Yer MS' research budget per year alone is only half of the majority stock value in facebook...

I think they are the one of the few companies that could buy facebook, doubt they ever will though.

[jb227]

The day MS buys out Facebook is the day a lot of people quit using Facebook...I can see it now, Facebook, now exclusively available on Surface tablets & Zune media players!

Potential buyout aside (not very likely IMO), Spencer himself has specifically said that he "doesn't think VR is ready for a consumer market, it's a future tech." & he specifically called out AR like HoloLens as being closer to fruition...considering HoloLens is still at least a year or two off, that'd put any foray into the VR realm as being at least a few years down the line if Spencer has any say in the matter. I honestly don't see MS doing much w/ VR this gen. They will have the virtual cinema idea on Oculus for a few games, but beyond that VR for MS would be next gen at the earliest, assuming they even go that route. Shouldn't matter much anyway because all I've seen from the majority of MS fans in regards to VR is that it's either garbage on consoles or garbage altogether, so it's probably not a worthwhile market for them in regards to Xbox at this point.

[ScorpiusX]

A purchase of this magnitude is not a decision made by Spencer and seeing how its a item that can help keep Windows relevant with the PC crowd they would look into it & do so .
As for it being exclusive to one product it would defeat the service aspect they are trying to establish .
Hololens is cool and all but it wouldn't hurt to have a stake in both AR & VR , seeing how lens is not geared towards gaming out the gate.
As for the rest of the Xbox community they can think whatever they want , i think VR & AR are going to be awesome it just a matter of choosing which suits what you want or need.

[zerocarnage]

I think your prob rite. As an xb1 owner I myself like the look of the hololens better than the vr, ar looks in a better state at the moment, looks like it has more functions, more you can actually play around with. It's all to soon to tell anyway on both ar and vr, we will know more as more info pops up.

But as I was about to say for this gen I myself, wouldn't say vr looks garbage, but it doesn't look incredibly fantastic. Also I have Kinect it just sits there as it did on the 360, at first though I tried to get fit through it on Xbox 360, but that soon past. Most gamers sit and play games, it's what were used to I can't see many people getting up for vr on either console or pc and if they do the novelty will wear off after a while. Let's face it, it all just looks like a more flashy step forward to Sony's PlayStation move and Microsoft's Kinect, it certainly is all a big risk for the developers of vr and ar..

[kaizokuspy]

@zero carnage I would buy it if it just let me control camera angles with a wider fov

[ShadowKnight]

That's not happening anytime soon. I do see Microsoft trying to buy AMD in the future. This is a guess and prediction

[ScorpiusX]

if they can buy an IP or AMD why can't they buy Facebook . they are a public company , that is more than a social app . Bottom line if MS did buy FB it would be for its assets, the app is just icing on the cake.

[ShadowKnight]

I'm not saying they can't buy them I just don't think they're really interested in Facebook and VR. But we shall see what happens. I'll mark your words and remember what you said if they do buy them. It's gonna be an interesting year.

[zerocarnage]

As an Xbox owner, I think it'd be a great error to get rid of the disc drive, but we all know eventually disc games will be a thing of the past. Sony , Microsoft, Nintendo all want to cut the middle man out, developers don't want profits going to games stores and online sites no more now they have figured a way to sort that out and that's digital downloads.. who know maybe next gen vr will be more intense and the disc drive will be in the past, sent Nintendo already leaning on no disc drive for there next console???

I must admit, me and my son both own an Xb1 each, we share games through the digital sharing thing Microsoft have put in place, so we get two machines playing one copy of the game. It's also been much cheaper to buy American xb1 digital download codes and go onto the American market to download the American releases, saving anything from 5 GBP up to 25 GBP. Over time I have saved a he'll of a lot with this method and have a vast library of games that are digital on xb1..

To be honest I am not all that into vr at the moment, maybe once development progresses and it all gets better for sure, oh and costs drop, because let's face it, this vr tech isn't going to be cheap. I've already spent a fortune on this current gen and no doubt I'll spend more, to add vr to only increase my further spending would be crazy at first..

[kaizokuspy]

You can game share on ps4 as well. Shareplay with your friends who don't even own the game. You can do a lot more with the ps4 than an xbox one. You can even use your mic to control the system. Only thing you can't do is say turn on, but hey I can press a button.

[kraenk12]

It is even possible to share one account with two people legally and share all games on both machines...I do that with my brother, so nothing unique to the X1 at all.

[paulogy]

I guess never say never, but I suspect Oculus would be displeased if the experience of Rift running natively on Xbox One is less than ideal. If anything detracts from their intended level of performance at launch early next year it will damage first impressions.

I can see how they might choose to widen the audience a year or so later though. So perhaps we'll see Rift on Xbox One in 2017?

[DigitalRaptor]

Very well put. That's an interesting outlook.

I don't think Microsoft has been planning VR this far ahead to get enough developers behind it to create content on their console for it to launch in 2016, anyway.

[lastking95]

It's a waste of time imo, VR won't be a big hit.

[bumnut]

Not tried it yet?

[NeoGamer232]

I have a Rift development kit. It is a very cool tech, but after about two weeks of use it has joined my pile of electronics that collect dust.

Nothing at all wrong with the device. Its immersion is second to nothing. But, the issue with VR is that while you have it on, your ability to take part in real world activities like phone calls, facetime/skype, family conversations, get the door, etc become a annoyance always causing you to take off the device and interrupt what you are playing.

VR will have a market, will it take over gaming? I would love to play some games in VR for sure. But, I highly doubt I will play it for every game.

[DigitalRaptor]

"But, the issue with VR is that while you have it on, your ability to take part in real world activities like phone calls, facetime/skype, family conversations, get the door, etc become a annoyance always causing you to take off the device and interrupt what you are playing."

Oh this again...

Facebook owns Oculus, if you think there is no plan for huge social media integration, including phone/video calling, Skype interfacing or that it's feasibly impossible, you'd be naive. You can make the argument about family conversations and getting the door about traditional gaming too. If your family wants to talk to you, you should be paying them attention, whether you're wearing a VR headset or holding a controller whilst playing on your TV.

And I don't know about the consumer version of Oculus, but PSVR in particular is very effortless to put on and take off. Plus... nobody is saying that it will take over or that we're expecting people to use it for every game.

The person you're responding to is making a valid response to what is your average ignorant detractor of VR, and look.... he's not responded yet, so he's obviously not tried it.

[specialguest]

The Oculus Rift will be impossible on the Xbox1 if ran natively like how it was meant to run. They'll have to resort to "tricks" to pull off the high frame rate like what the PS4 is doing called reprojecting. People forget that that 120fps on the PSVR is not true/native 120fps. However, it still looked good. It was explained in an old article a while back.

[Khaotic]

And is the ps4 so much more powerful that there wont be limitations on vr for them. Im not very up to speed on both consoles specs. I know the ps4 is more powerful than xone but is it really so much more so that psvr is going to be great right off

[thisgamer503]

No, the PS4 does not have even close to the power to provide what Oculus is doing on PC. It will still be the first step though into VR gaming and honestly it will probably do more for VR in the gaming industry than Oculus will for some time.

[Khaotic]

Im just not sold on VR yet. People that say they have played it say its a gamechanger. But from games i have seen listed my go to genres are not being developed yet. Sci-fi, fantasy rpg's action/adventure. I do like fps and those will probably be a big hit especially if it finds its way into esports.

[TeamLeaptrade]

I'm interested in seeing what the team up brings. I myself and not as hyped about VR as everyone else, but I can see it having a place in the gaming world and if it works out, I'm all for it.

[boodi]

VR will be great next gen , i doubt it will be great this gen .. and seriusly doubt 2016 will be the year of VR..trust me tech has to get bit better then what is at the moment to offer the right experience ..but nevertheless it will sell likely better then what the the move and the kinect sold togheter , as it's the next gaming cool gadget that people w money will want to have to show and to use

[bumnut]

On consoles

PC is where the best games will be due to the power difference. Consoles will catch up next gen

[Silkside]

The power of the cloud will more then make up for the low power of the Xbox. Microsoft version of vr won't need an external gpu like sony because the cloud will offload all the extra computing required for vr!

[rainslacker]

Lag and VR are not a good combination. Doesn't matter how fast your internet is, the brain, and it's perception of movement and space is infinitely faster.

[thisgamer503]

No

[Silkside]

/s