Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation
What Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality developers are talking about
The Project Scorpio edition Xbox One X features an alternate exterior design and the code name emblazoned on the console and controller. It's available to pre-order now, but act fast, as it will probably be sold out soon.
The post Microsoft unveils limited Project Scorpio edition Xbox One X appeared first on Digital Trends.
Ever since the initial announcement of Project Scorpio, speculation has been rife over if the upcoming console would support virtual reality (VR). Early indications were that a VR platform for the upgrades Xbox One was one the way, but new information indicates that Microsoft is intending to be using Windows PCs for its VR efforts for the foreseeable future.
With console rival Sony having its own VR platform in the shape of the PlayStation VR, and Microsoft themselves branching into VR with the upcoming Windows 10 mixed reality headsets, along with the HoloLens, it seemed like only a matter of time until Xbox got its own version of a VR headset, especially since Microsoft announce Project Scorpio as being ‘VR ready’ when it was announced. However, the Xbox One X presentation at E3 said nothing about VR capabilities, and mention of VR support was removed from the Xbox One X page on the Xbox website.
Gamespot recently spoke to Microsoft General Manager Dave McCarthy, said that Microsoft were using a deliberate strategy when it came to the Xbox One X and VR, and that Windows PCs were the focus of what Microsoft wanted to achieve when it came to VR and augmented reality (AR).
“Our focus right now is admittedly on the PC space,” McCarthy said. “So we look at Windows 10, we see an open ecosystem for developers. We see a huge installed base of half a billion monthly active devices on Windows 10. And we say that feels like the right area of focus right now [for VR/AR].
McCarthy went one to say that VR was still searching for the ‘Killer app’: “I would say developers are still finding their way to define the killer experience there, which is great at this point in its evolution overall,” McCarthy said. “We believe in it enough that we have several of our first-party studios actually working on content for our Windows 10 devices. We’ll have more to talk about later this year on that.”
VRFocus will bring you further news on Microsoft’s VR projects as it becomes available.
At its first E3 event today, Microsoft finally unveiled the full name of its brand-new console: the Xbox One X. Today Microsoft finally pulled back the curtain and gave us a sneak peek at what's in store for the Xbox family.
The post Microsoft’s new console is the Xbox One X, and you can pick it up on November 7, 2017 appeared first on Digital Trends.
Microsoft’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) press conference was dived straight into the news gamers were expecting to hear, the official name and release date for the company’s new console. Called Xbox One X (previously called Project Scorpio) Xobox fans will be able to get their hands on the console this November.
Xbox One X will launch on 7th November 2017 and it’ll be the smallest Xbox branded console Microsoft has built. With native 4K one of the biggest features several other additions have also been revealed. The new console will be liquid cooled with a vapour chamber, a first for any home console, a custom AMD chip called the Scorpio Engine and Forza Motorsport 7 has been shown.
Last year Microsoft stated that Project Scorpio (as it was called) would support virtual reality (VR) but as yet the press conference hasn’t made any mention of the technology. It’s expected that the console would be compatible with an existing head-mounted display such as Oculus Rift, but there’s also Microsoft’s new mixed reality (MR) headsets from companies like Acer which might be a compatible possibility.
As further details are released stay with VRFocus for the latest VR news from E3 2017 and the press conferences.
E3 2017 is underway and one of the key events this year is Microsoft’s Xbox briefing, at which we’re expected to learn much more about Project Scorpio, the PS4 Pro rival which the company have stated will host “high fidelity” VR. Watch the livestream right here
Despite Microsoft already dampening VR enthusiasts’ expectations for this year’s Xbox E3 event (no VR specifics I’m afraid folks), this event will focus on Microsoft’s great hope for drawing level or overtaking Sony’s technical superiority in the console space.
This means we’ll finally get to see what the mid-generation refresh Xbox powerhouse known as Project Scorpio is capable of, even if virtual reality demos may be absent. Catch the livestream for the show below. The event is due to kick off at 2PM PST, 10PM GMT. Feel free to comment below, it should be an interesting show.
The post Watch Microsoft’s Xbox E3 Livestream Here @2:00PM PST, Project Scorpio Unveiled appeared first on Road to VR.
Here is how to watch the Xbox E3 2017 briefing. Expect to see the official unveiling of the new Project Scorpio console as well as Sea of Thieves, Crackdown 3, and other unannounced games.
The post Here’s how to stream Microsoft’s E3 2017 press conference appeared first on Digital Trends.
There has been much speculation on what Microsoft’s E3 presentation will contain. Most commentators are fairly sure that virtual reality (VR) or mixed reality (MR) will feature in some capacity, considering Microsoft’s recent push on those technologies. However, a recent Trademark application may reveal a new kind of reality that Microsoft is working on – DirectReality.
Though details on what exactly DirectReality will entail, the Trademark application noticed initially by Gamespot makes it clear that it is related to videogames. The Trademark covers ‘computer game software’ and, in an interesting addition, ‘Computer software for holographic applications’. The application also covers ‘online computer game software’ and also mentions holographic applications. The application was filed on 2nd June, 2017.
While it is the case that Trademark applications do not always lead to actual products, such as Activision registering Trademarks for Call of Duty: Future Warfare and Secret Warfare, the name of the Trademark combined with Microsoft’s recent push with regards to VR and MR technologies seems to suggest that it might be related to the Microsoft Hololens.
Information regarding Microsoft’s VR/MR ambitions has been slightly contradictory. Recently a Microsoft official was quoted as saying that Microsoft was focussing on VR and MR technologies for Windows 10, leading some critics and analysts to believe that Project Scorpio’s VR abilities would be be unveiled at E3. However, remarks from Head of Xbox China, Xie Enwei suggested that Project Scorpio and Windows 10 mixed reality technologies would be cross-compatible.
How Project Scorpio and Windows 10 will relate to the DirectReality technology remains to be seen, but with E3 not far away, answers will be available soon.
VRFocus will bring you further information on Microsoft’s DirectReality technology and it’s E3 announcements as soon as it becomes available.
It has been previously suggested that the upcoming new Xbox console, Project Scorpio, would include some degree of compatibility with virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR). As such, many anticipated that there would be a big reveal from Microsoft on what MR/VR capabilities Project Scorpio would have at E3 this year. However, recent quotes from Microsoft officials suggest that is not the case.
Alex Kipman, Technical Fellow at Microsoft told Polygon: “Our primary focus is making our mixed reality experiences a success on Windows 10 PCs, We believe that right now a Windows PC is the best platform for mixed reality as its open ecosystem and enormous installed base offer the best opportunity for developers, and Windows offers the most choices for consumers.
“Windows has been the birthplace of a variety of technologies, and we believe this will hold for mixed reality too. Given the efforts we have underway on Windows for mixed reality, and our belief that console VR should be wireless, right now we are focused on developing mixed reality experiences for the PC, not on the console.”
Microsoft has previously announced intentions to bring VR, MR and augmented reality (AR) capabilities to Xbox devices, specifically mentioning Project Scorpio. In addition, the Head of Xbox China, Xie Enwei spoke of the integration of VR and MR into Project Scorpio, stating: “The connection of Project Scorpio, Window 10 and MR provides lots of possibilities, what we will see in this year’s E3 will blow your mind.”
Considering the basic similarities or architecture and underlying coding between Windows 10 PCs and the Xbox One and Project Scorpio, in theory converting titles from Windows 10 to Xbox One or Project Scorpio should be relatively simple, and as such the VR/MR headset devices being created by Acer, HP, Asus and Dell should also be compatible with Project Scorpio with a small amount of additional coding.
It still remains to be seen exactly what Microsoft will bring to the table at E3, but VRFocus will report upon its VR/MR/AR plans.
With virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) continually snowballing with each passing week it can be difficult keeping up with what’s happening. So every Thursday VRFocus brings you a nice little round-up of the biggest news stories from the past seven days all in video format for you to watch whilst having your lunch.
This week has seen HTC Vive and Intel combine efforts on a WiGig wireless solution for the headset, Xbox stating this months Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) will ‘blow your mind’, Niantic rolling out an anti cheat update for Pokemon GO, Samsung reveal a price and release date for Gear 360, the release of Star Trek: Bridge Crew and loads more.
Check back the same time next Thursday for another VRTV recap of the news.
This week’s stories, click here for more information on each:
Microsoft recently announced that the launch of the upcoming Xbox One ‘upgrade console’ currently known by the code-name Project Scorpio would be getting an official launch in China later this year. The head of Xbox China spoke about some of the plans Microsoft had for the console.
Speaking to 2P.Com, Xie Enwei discussed the price point of Project Scorpio and the integration of mixed reality (MR) and virtual reality (VR). Enwei said that most Xbox One games, weather they are from first or third-party studios, can be ported to Project Scorpio within 48 hours: “That surprised a lot of developers,” said Xie Enwei.
Discussing the MR and VR support, Enwei teased that Windows 10, in conjunction with Project Scorpio might just see support for the upcoming MR/VR headsets that are being made in partnership with OEM companies such as Acer, HP and Lenovo. Since Window 10, Xbox One and Project Scorpio share much of the same architecture and underlying coding, this make their integration much easier. Enwei said: “The connection of Project Scorpio, Window 10 and MR provides lots of possibilities, what we will see in this year’s E3 will blow your mind.”
Project Scorpio will be a 4K gaming console, with Forza 6, Call of Duty WW2, Red Dead Redemption 2 and the new FIFA title among others already promoting their 4K support. The console will have a 6TFLOPs GPU an 8-core Jaguar CPU, 12GB of GDDR2 memory, a 4K blu-ray drive and a 1TB hard drive.
A price point for Project Scorpio has not yet been set, but Enwei said that Xbox are trying their best to give consumers a favourable price.
VRFocus will bring you further updates on Project Scorpio’s VR capabilities as they become available.