Phil Spencer gets evasive when asked about Xbox One X VR support

Although the new console of Microsoft has all the credentials to support VR, the company does not yet seem entirely convinced of this technology, at least outside of the PC environment.

[Christopher]

Major Nelson was weirdly evasive about it as well.

[Gazondaily]

He completely dodged it. I sense shenanigans. Something isn't right here because before they talked a lot about VR and here he kept bringing up 'mixed reality.

[darthv72]

Maybe their proposed deal with OR fell through and they are having to work something out with HTC or even a different company?

[Christopher]

I'm not sure shenanigans. It might be they want to announce a major partnership and don't have it finalized or won't, but do have a 'back up' plan. Just, their handling is poorly done. They should be able to just say "we'll have more on that later".

[tyasia0]

I highly doubt there was any Occulus deal aside from the one to sell them controllers. It's safe to assume that that was one of the many rumors that just weren't true.

It never even made any sense why would Microsoft partner with Occulus and Facebook why they are trying to supposedly trying to push their own headsets and have partners already like Acer.

The realistic answer is simply that they don't have any software plans for X.

[Zeref]

Mixed Reality is Microsoft's word for VR.
Also there were rumors that Xbox is working on a Wireless VR headset.

Did nobody else catch the hint at that?
He said with consoles you're sitting across the room so having a VR headset you would have cables hanging around. It looks very inelegant and there's the danger of someone tripping over the wires. With PC's you're sitting close so cables aren't much of a problem.

edit:
Oh wait it wasn't a rumor. They want Xbox VR to be wireless.
https://www.theverge.com/20...

[cellfluid]

Or maybe sony got the rights to vr as well lol

[C-H-E-F]

Every once and a while Septic calls a spade a spade, I wonder if it's because he sometimes is done being ridiculous or is it because he has 13 spades in his deck so he was a 1/4 chance of calling Microsoft on their BS. lOl.

[KingKionic]

Phil spencer has never said VR would be at E3 2017

Microsoft already commented before E3

"Don’t expect Xbox VR to be at E3 this year, or in stores this holiday"

https://www.polygon.com/201...

He gave a answer the first time there focus was on great games at this E3.

[Gazondaily]

But he's completely dodging it here. Seems reluctant to even mention VR and instead deflects to mixed reality. Something doesn't seem right to me.

[Christopher]

It's not the lack of presence, it's the lack of any form of 'we have plans, we're just not discussing it now'.

[TankCrossing]

Of course he talks about mixed reality, that's how Microsoft label all of their VR head sets on PC. They consider AR and VR to go hand in hand, and ultimately become HoloLens. Everything on the way is a stepping stone.

You would expect Scorpio to support Microsoft's stuff ahead of Oculus or any other headset.

That doesn't explain why they are so evasive about it though. And kudos to the interviewer for pushing the right questions and breaking the PR machine that powers Phil's answers.

[thisismyaccount]

based on the backports of their newest console, seems they´re dropping VR support (wired) completely/or wait for some wireless headsets (dunno how that´s gonna work? Wireless sending videosignal 2K or higher to the Tellie? Is that even possible right now? Curious to know, as i am REALLY starting to get pissed with all these cables ... i want everything to be "wireless" :P )

[Zeref]

There were rumors that Xbox is working on a Wireless VR headset.

Did nobody else catch the hint at that?
He basically said with consoles you're sitting across the room so having a VR headset you would have cables going to your couch. It looks very inelegant and there's the danger of someone tripping over the wires. With PC's you're sitting close so cables aren't much of a problem.

Am I the only one that caught that?

update:
was not a rumor. They want console vr to be wireless. Which is definitely the right move.
https://www.theverge.com/20...

[jrshankill]

He was right to dodge VR questions. Nobody wants to hear about it, nor does anyone care about it.

[IGiveHugs2NakedWomen]

They realized that no one is going spend an additional $300 for a VR headset when they haven't even announced any VR games that are compatible with Xbox One X.

[Cy]

He's right not to commit to it. VR is still untested as a way to have true AAA games, especially on consoles. It's decent for puzzle games and great for non-gaming applications, but it's still way too early to push it as the future of gaming.

[ILostMyMind]

It will not be "the future of gaming", just a diferent way to play. An option.

[Profchaos]

I thought floating hands would bother me as they look cheap and nasty but they honestly don't while playing vr it's actually quite amazing to have your hands tracked so accurately in a game

[DefenderOfDoom2]

Not sure if VR can be called , the future of gaming . But i can definitely say VR is here now and will improve and for sure, will play a huge part of the future of the video game entertainment industry .

I think MICROSOFT is also waiting for the VR tech to improve before they make a huge investment in a VR headseat .

[Godmars290]

Well, they need to make a comment on it soon. Even if its true that they're planning wireless headsets, its not going to do much if the console its meant for tanks.

[IGiveHugs2NakedWomen]

1 million PSVR owners will soon be enjoying The Elder Scrolls Skyrim in VR. Perhaps you should give Resident Evil VR a try. Maybe try The Kitchen demo. I promise you'll be singing a different tune.

[CyrusLemont]

I understand Phil's inference for VR and hope to see them eventually do something for the hardware down the line.

The tech's simply not there yet for the every day gamer, it needs a lot less cables, much less fiddling and higher resolution panels, the only thing you should be able to focus on with a VR headset is the details of the game environment.

As it stands, the screen and internal environment of these headsets are far too distracting and intrusive for the experience to be anything more than a gimmick.

However, the fact that the hardcore community, partial mainstream population and companies like Facebook have invested and shown interest significantly helps promote the longevity of support this technology needs to be a real contender in the future.

My guess is that we need to have 4K 120Hz panels as a minimum, one cable (Needs to be plug and go), built in tracking, internal eye tracking to keep the screen always focused, reduced size, and reduced cost for Microsoft to produce it. Obviously not something we'll see soon.

If people didn't invest and support VR now, you would never see it in its adult form within the next 10 years. It'll end up abandoned. The potential is definitely there, it just sounds like Microsoft/Xbox/Phil are waiting for that potential to mature.

[Profchaos]

It's down to one cable to the headset and a camera it's pretty solid now and easy for the average gamer to set up

[Jakens]

VR won't be abandoned.

[LoveSpuds]

What's this? A Microsoft exec being evasive and liberal with the facts......surely you are mistaken! 🤔

[subtenko]

All I see is xbox fans bringing up VR where as microsoft said they wernt focusing on that at the moment, or that its not the right time they feel..look, if they didnt say stuff then they didnt. Yall either want vr or you dont....or you want hololens...im not sure what xbox fans want really :/

[Servbot41]

VR is trash currently. Maybe next gen it will start being remotely worth it.

[DefenderOfDoom2]

Rember, between SONY VR ,VIVE and OCULUS RIFT, they have sold combined, under 3 million. Still very early in Gen.1 of VR.

My guess is that MICROSOFT thinks the timing is not right yet for a 4th major VR competitor yet, due to slow early VR adopters.

[Derceto]

Spencer might want to evade his superiors after that pathetic E3 show.

[bumbleforce]

I don't blame them. Vr overall has sold very poorly. I don't expect a big showing at Sony's conference either. It's a good medium but ms sees more value in ar with non game related things

[NeoGamer232]

So what top selling games are coming out as "VR First" games in the next year?

Maybe they aren't interested in VR because VR is not taking off like wild fire. I have always said that VR is good. I have also said it is more of a niche than a mainstream thing though. I don't see a reason for XB to rush into VR support until it becomes more mature and becomes more mainstream. By not selling me VR MS is saving me money right now.

[TheColbertinator]

No VR. Skip and pass go.

[Tussin187]

I'm sure VR will matter to all the diehards when MS does it. Just like resolution didn't matter for going on 4 years and now (by the time XOX comes out)"True 4k" is all they talk about.

[YEP414]

I dont feel like microsoft feels vr is an great investment at the time
.sony vr just hit 1 million and i believe thats not go cut it for microsoft. I remember bill gates playing vr stating its exciting but like 5years away!!!!

[enviable27]

That was a very awkward moment lol

[darx]

They know better VR is a bust!!

[LexHazard79]

The reason hes not talking about it is because its not ready. 2018 we'll know more.

[SilentXCaspa]

He gets evasive because there is no xbox VR

[Cartman55125]

The N4G community seems to really care about VR...

[KillBill]

They are not going to push any VR info this year at all. You will not see any VR info coming down until Spring 2018.

[Dan_scruggs]

VR. Meh. It really seems like development is drying up. Unless the boundless originality of Bravo Team really lit your fire.

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[raymantalk1]

the only reason they avoid mentioning vr is so they can release it later and then claim invented it or were working on it for the last twenty years.lol

[coreyweb]

VR is lame anyway.....could care less about it. Maybe in like 15 years when it isn't stupid and fits inside a contact lens.

[txboy05]

Damn MS. No VR and No Games whats the point of buying a $600 paperweight ?

[shadowT]

So no VR for Xbox One X. Maybe E3 2018?