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Microsoft’s Xbox VR Headset Put On Hold – Report

Xbox-One-Logo-1024x576.jpg


A new report from Cnet claims what we’ve long suspected; Microsoft’s Xbox VR headset has been put on ice.

The tech site cites sources familiar with the matter in saying that Microsoft was indeed working on a VR headset for its Xbox One console and had even partnered with a few developers to bring games to the system. Sources reportedly noted that the headset’s specs were good, but didn’t measure up to the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, which suggests it may have been in line with Sony’s PlayStation VR (PSVR) headset for PS4. Plans for a release were apparently put on hold in order to wait for better technology that could deliver a much more immersive experience.

Microsoft’s messaging around Xbox VR definitely seems to correlate with this story. Nearly two and a half years ago at E3 2016 the company introduced its upgraded Xbox One console, Xbox One X to the world, stating that it was capable of true 4K gaming and “high fidelity VR”. A video teasing the project even included Bethesda’s Todd Howard talking about the VR version of Fallout 4 the studio was making at the time. In early 2017, the company again teased that the console would get “mixed reality experiences” in 2018.

Then, later on at E3 2017, Xbox One X was revealed in full without so much as a mention of VR. Xbox executives stated that the console could run VR experiences, but wouldn’t confirm that it ever actually would. In an interview just before the show, the company’s Alex Kipman stated that it was Microsoft’s belief that “console VR should be wireless”.

Fast forward a year later to E3 2018 and Microsoft finally admitted it had no plans to bring VR to Xbox One X at this time. Microsoft has partnered with companies like Dell and Asus to release a line of Windows Mixed Reality VR headsets, but these are only for PC.

It would seem that any plans for VR on Xbox One X are dead, then, but this report does at least leave hope for the future of Xbox VR. At this year’s E3 Head of Xbox Phil Spencer confirmed that the company is hard at work on “the next Xbox consoles”. Hopefully VR is a part of that work.


https://uploadvr.com/microsofts-xbox...n-hold-report/
 
It's good that they wait for the guinea pigs to test the water. Saved them millions if not billions. Didn't want to pull a Kinect.
 
Microsoft’s Xbox VR Headset Put On Hold – Report

Xbox-One-Logo-1024x576.jpg


A new report from Cnet claims what we’ve long suspected; Microsoft’s Xbox VR headset has been put on ice.

The tech site cites sources familiar with the matter in saying that Microsoft was indeed working on a VR headset for its Xbox One console and had even partnered with a few developers to bring games to the system. Sources reportedly noted that the headset’s specs were good, but didn’t measure up to the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, which suggests it may have been in line with Sony’s PlayStation VR (PSVR) headset for PS4. Plans for a release were apparently put on hold in order to wait for better technology that could deliver a much more immersive experience.

Microsoft’s messaging around Xbox VR definitely seems to correlate with this story. Nearly two and a half years ago at E3 2016 the company introduced its upgraded Xbox One console, Xbox One X to the world, stating that it was capable of true 4K gaming and “high fidelity VR”. A video teasing the project even included Bethesda’s Todd Howard talking about the VR version of Fallout 4 the studio was making at the time. In early 2017, the company again teased that the console would get “mixed reality experiences” in 2018.

Then, later on at E3 2017, Xbox One X was revealed in full without so much as a mention of VR. Xbox executives stated that the console could run VR experiences, but wouldn’t confirm that it ever actually would. In an interview just before the show, the company’s Alex Kipman stated that it was Microsoft’s belief that “console VR should be wireless”.

Fast forward a year later to E3 2018 and Microsoft finally admitted it had no plans to bring VR to Xbox One X at this time. Microsoft has partnered with companies like Dell and Asus to release a line of Windows Mixed Reality VR headsets, but these are only for PC.

It would seem that any plans for VR on Xbox One X are dead, then, but this report does at least leave hope for the future of Xbox VR. At this year’s E3 Head of Xbox Phil Spencer confirmed that the company is hard at work on “the next Xbox consoles”. Hopefully VR is a part of that work.


https://uploadvr.com/microsofts-xbox...n-hold-report/

I’m not against VR but I think it’s a wise business decision not to dilute their R&D. Rather have it focused on the next console, AI, physics and cloud stuff. Would rather they didn’t invest in exclusive VR games and instead made more traditional games for Game Pass. Even if the checkbook opened, there’s still a budget...and VR won’t pay for itself anytime soon. Anyone investing in VR is treating it as a loss in hopes to be established when/if it goes mainstream. Microsoft’s risky gaming investments should be focused on diversifying content that can be played without VR right now.

Sony is going early on VR. Microsoft early on their gaming service and cloud compute. It’s ok not to be everything.
 
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VR on PS5 and the next Xbox is going to be amazing. As much as I miss my PSVR, I’m going to wait for next gen VR.
 
https://majornelson.com/2018/07/31/summer-spotlight-giveaway-six-weeks-of-new-xbox-games/


To celebrate Summer Spotlight, I will be giving away an Xbox One X, Sport White Special Edition Xbox wireless controllers, and copies of every Summer Spotlight title. Details below!


Note: Any winner who does not respond to my email notification within 72 hours will forfeit the prize. Only entries received at www.majornelson.com using the submission form will be considered. For more information on contest rules, please visit this website.

Have fun and good luck!
 
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https://majornelson.com/2018/07/31/summer-spotlight-giveaway-six-weeks-of-new-xbox-games/


To celebrate Summer Spotlight, I will be giving away an Xbox One X, Sport White Special Edition Xbox wireless controllers, and copies of every Summer Spotlight title. Details below!


Note: Any winner who does not respond to my email notification within 72 hours will forfeit the prize. Only entries received at www.majornelson.com using the submission form will be considered. For more information on contest rules, please visit this website.

Have fun and good luck!

Entered!
 
This is an editorial, but maybe GP is like a beta test for the streaming version of Scarlett..?

Xbox All Access Could Give Xbox Scarlett A Major Advantage Next Generation

Xbox All Access may be a clever, long term play by Microsoft.

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Earlier this week, Microsoft finally announced the long rumored Xbox All Access at last. For those of you who are curious about what that is, it is basically a plan where instead of spending money on the system upfront, you pay for it over a period of two years, by committing to remain subscribed to Xbox Live and Xbox Game Pass for that period. Monthly payments vary from $20-$35, depending on what model of Xbox you choose to get, but on the whole, this isn’t much different than buying a smartphone over a two year contract (although Microsoft’s pricing is far fairer). It’s something Microsoft has attempted once before with Xbox 360 (and Sega with Dreamcast), but that was a very limited rollout that went nowhere.

This time, it feels a bit different, though, especially given the confluence of circumstances from the last few years. It lines up with Microsoft’s own focus on services and trying to get subscribers for them- for the company, their hardware has just become a way to try and get more people subscribed to their services. Microsoft would, in that case, be all too happy to take a short term loss on their hardware to make it up over the long term with assured subscribers.

Here’s the other interesting thing, though- after the original Xbox One was weaker than the competition, Microsoft seems to have woken up to the fact that power has always been perceived to be a core part of the Xbox brand’s DNA, and that that is an advantage over Sony they can’t afford to relinquish again. This was most evident in terms of the Xbox One X, where they were willing to go all out to making it the most powerful console ever made- and now, the same team that worked on the One X is working on the next generation Xbox, reportedly codenamed Scarlett.

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"A powerful and loaded to the gills next generation Xbox would be very expensive- the Xbox One X alone is $500, and even accounting for price drops, it means that a proper next gen system will be at least that much, a price that is prohibitively high for the mass market. "

A powerful and loaded to the gills next generation Xbox would be very expensive- the Xbox One X alone is $500, and even accounting for price drops, it means that a proper next gen system will be at least that much, a price that is prohibitively high for the mass market.

We have already heard how Microsoft plans to sidestep this to a degree- rumors regarding the Xbox Scarlet mention multiple SKUs, including a cheaper one which will primarily be for streaming games only, eschewing most local hardware. However, even for people who don’t want a gutted Xbox for themselves like that, and want the full experience, something like Xbox All Access could help.

Essentially, Xbox All Access allows Microsoft to sell a very powerful system for a reasonable upfront price, without taking much of a financial hit. Consider a supremely powerful next generation Xbox, for example, which costs $600 because of how powerful and loaded it is. That would ordinarily be the kiss of death- but an All Access style plan allows Microsoft to sell it for $200 upfront, with the other $400 covered for over two years via guaranteed subscriptions to Xbox Live and Game Pass.

Over the long term, of course, the amount paid to Microsoft will come to $600 or more, depending on the payment plan- but upfront, Microsoft can advertise “the most powerful system made” for $200. Assuming the next generation PlayStation is more powerful than Scarlett, Microsoft can still contain the damage by advertising their system for $200. North America, especially, is a market that is already used to using credit to buy things, and to long term payment plans for purchases ranging from homes, cars, to yes, smartphones. This is something the market could easily come to terms with, at least there.

iphone-6s.jpg


"North America, especially, is a market that is already used to using credit to buy things, and to long term payment plans for purchases ranging from homes, cars, to yes, smartphones. This is something the market could easily come to terms with, at least there."

And therein lies the advantage Microsoft has potentially created for itself with the rollout of Xbox All Access: by introducing this plan now, getting early feedback, gauging market reactions, and making course corrections accordingly, not to mention normalizing the idea of a console paid for in this way now, they could roll out a far more palatable and ambitious plan with Xbox Scarlet at launch- allowing them to have their cake and eat it too. Basically: have a powerful console that does not compromise on anything; sell it for a mass market friendly price; don’t take a financial loss on it. That’s literally the dream scenario for any console vendor, but it is one that only Microsoft is positioned to pull off, especially since neither Sony nor Nintendo share the same extent of focus on services that Microsoft does.

Of course, we could see Sony attempt something like this too- they have PS Plus, PS Vue, and PS Now. That’s enough services to try and push something like this. But where Sony has missed the beat is in not getting ahead of the game on that front now. If this is something they want to do, they need to start doing it now, and normalize it, iron out the kinks with a relatively low stakes rollout for their current generation machines. They could leave it for next generation- and it may not go all that well, and they wouldn’t have the time to respond to it, since they would be doing things on the fly, unlike Microsoft, who would have had the chance to address whatever feedback they receive on it ahead of time.

Which brings me to the thesis- Microsoft’s potential genius here is in positioning themselves to delivering something that is palatable and beneficial to all parties involved, including especially their customers, but also themselves. Having a dedicated pool of subscribers for Game Pass would also, for instance, allow them to negotiate better with third parties regarding getting their games on the service. This is in addition to potentially being able to sell a powerful console for cheap- it’s an all around win.

Of course, this is all a hypothetical- Xbox All Access could go nowhere, and put a stop to this fantasy upfront. But for now, I am very curious to see how things play out.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.


https://gamingbolt.com/xbox-all-acce...ext-generation
 
Is the X1 Media Remote worth the cash? Any alternatives? I'm watching Blu-Ray more often lately, and really getting sick of using the controller.
 
Can't play anything at the moment.

Just keep getting a save sync error for every game I try
 
Just to echo the controller issues mentioned a few pages back, I've had 3 more "recent" controllers with issues whereas I had zero issues with controllers from launch until then (outside of the sync issue that was fixed in firmware). My project scorpio controller right stick went wonky. The replacement project scorpio has sync issues/Bluetooth issues but works wired just fine. Wonder if it's my bad luck? One of the Design labs controllers I bought (very lightly used) developed drift...tried to fix it myself but jacked it up...lol. I did buy an Elite but no Bluetooth sucks. I like the new colors and such and Design Labs is cool and all but I'll likely just wait for a deal on a standard controller....will see about buying the "new" Elite when project scarlett hits.
 
Ah.....good to see Xbox Support likes to follow porn stars....no wonder I like Xbox...

sasha.jpg
 
More games coming this week to Xbox from ID:

http://www.idatxbox.com/2018/09/07/release-calendar-september-10-14/

Next week, let’s dig up some dinos, drive entirely too fast, and cheer up a sad whale. Why not? Here’s everything coming out via ID@Xbox:

Super Street: The Game (September 11)
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Microsoft Store | Release Trailer | Game Website

Super Street: The Game is the official arcade racing game for Super StreetTM, the world’s number one in automotive tuning culture. Build your ride, part by part, from scrap and use it to tear up asphalt in a wealth of different game modes and environments.

Experience intense action-packed classic arcade racing pushing your car to the limit. Customize your ride using hundreds of authentic parts and unleash it on the streets, leaving behind a trail of spectacular destruction. More info available on the official game website.



Regions: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States



Fossil Hunters (September 12)
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Microsoft Store | Game Website

Fossil Hunters is a casual action-adventure game about digging for fossils and building your own dinosaur skeletons.

Travel deep into a vibrant, mysterious underground cavern in search of fossils, treasure, and the glory of being the world’s greatest Fossil Hunter. Embark on your journey alone or with up to 3 other friends in dynamic local co-op. More info available on the official game website.

Regions: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States



ADIOS Amigos (September 12)
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Microsoft Store | Release Trailer | Game Website

Team up with your friends & family and explore the peculiar universe of ADIOS Amigos. A game with serious astrophysics in a comic setting for 1-4 players. More info available on the official game website.



Regions: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States



Construction Simulator 2 (September 12)
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Microsoft Store | Release Trailer | Game Website

In Construction Simulator 2, you build your own construction company and take the wheel of 40 original, licensed construction vehicles from Caterpillar, Liebherr, Palfinger, Bell, STILL, ATLAS, and Kenworth. Dig to your heart’s content in the popular sequel to Construction Simulator 2014, operate massive cranes, load construction materials, pour concrete, and cover the streets in Westside Plains city with asphalt. Construction Simulator 2 takes you to the USA and offers up road construction and tons of jobs with construction vehicles to match. More info available on the official game website.



Regions: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States



Revenant Dogma (September 12)
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Microsoft Store | Release Trailer | Game Website

What is the fate of those who have acquired divine power? Find out, in this fantasy RPG featuring stunning 3D battles.

Caine is searching for relic, said to be left behind by the gods. When he meets a masked girl in mysterious ruins, they launch into an adventure that will affect the fate of all humans and therians. More info available on the official game website.



Regions: Everywhere except S. Korea



Time Carnage (September 12)
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Microsoft Store | Release Trailer | Game Website

Time Carnage is a frantic survival wave shooter with a weapon-charging reload system. Travel through time and wreak havoc through worlds swarming with dinosaurs, monsters, robots and zombies. Unlock and upgrade your arsenal to survive the onslaught! More info available on the official game website.



Regions: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States



RAZED (September 14)
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Microsoft Store | Release Trailer | Game Website

Sprint through dynamic neon levels in the quickest time possible, employing skills such as super-speed boosts, mega-jumps, drifts, stomps and strafes to bypass obstacles and uncover shortcuts to propel yourself up the online leaderboards. But there’s a catch: powers cost momentum, and if your energy falls too low your shoes (and you) could very well explode… More info available on the official game website.



Regions: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States



GoNNER (September 14)
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Microsoft Store | Game Website

GoNNER is a tough as hell procedurally-generated 2D platformer with roguelike elements, following the largely misunderstood and altruistic Ikk on a journey to cheer up his only friend in this world—a giant landbound whale named Sally. Procerdurally-generated environments, arduous bosses, hidden secrets, multiple endings, and more await Ikk on his journey to make one person happy even if it kills him—which it certainly will. More info available on the official game website.

Regions: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States



Neonwall (September 14)
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Microsoft Store | Release Trailer | Game Website

Travel through a world of neon, solving puzzles and overcoming obstacles. This experience requires focus, concentration, and timing to get the ball rolling as fast as possible. More info available on the official game website.



Regions: Everywhere except Japan and S. Korea



Nefarious (September 14)
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Microsoft Store| Game Website

Tired of playing the hero?

Nefarious is a 2D action platformers where you get to be the villain! Step into the wily shoes of Crow, an evil genius on an epic quest to steal princesses for his royalty-powered death ray—the world-conquering Doom Howitzer!

Wreak havoc across five different kingdoms! Stomp on heroes in iconic battles, recreated with you as the boss! Unleash your inner megalomaniac! More info available on the official game website.
 
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