Microsoft may win the VR wars

Windows Holographic = Works on both AR, MR, VR and scales from Mobile AR and VR, MR to high end AR, VR, MR headsets like Vive and HoloLens

• All apps work on both AR, MR and VR = makes MS compete on all types of headsets.

• $300 price point = makes this accessible to many people around the world, while also keeping good specs, as shown with the Lenovo VR headset

• Scalable specs and range = This allows MS and OEMs to scale to the most common device specs that Valve and Oculus could not do, though only High end PCs will enjoy the better experience as it has a GPU and can run better hardcore games and casual games along with all UWP apps, whereas cheap headsets run casual games and all UWP apps.

• Inside out tracking and HoloLens tech = MS used their R&D on the HoloLens and licensed this to their OEM partners, not only is this a superior approach compared to Chaperone approach, it also allowed MS to basically be first in the market with an inside out headsets at a $300 price point.

• Windows Holographic runs on Scorpio = This allows MS to extend their OS to the consoles, where it is guaranteed that Console VR will do better than PC VR, however since Windows Holographic runs on PC as well, exclusives on Scorpio VR will work on PC. It's confirmed that Fallout 4 will be available on VR, in turn on Windows Holographic and since Windows Holographic works on PC, PC gamers will get the game as well.

• Bundles = Since Microsoft often does bundles for their products, Microsoft may bundle VR headsets to PCs and Scorpio, it gives a direct approach to the consumer, compared to Vive and Oculus.

Yeah Fallout 4 VR on the Xbox Scorpio is going to be sick!

Yes, but will the mainstream audience buy it?

Daydreaming thread ?

@Gaming-Planet: they can use bundles to get to people.

They also got control of the OS, the hardware of the PC, the Application format and the store and most likely even the inputs, like motion controls and Xbox Controller.

When you think of it Microsoft has Massive amount of control over their ecosystem.

Plus they will get content of course, it runs on Scorpio, consoles always been more aproachable than PCs.

I guess I missed something? last i checked (right now), HoloLense is sold for $3000. So either you missed a 0, MS reduced the price to a 10th or you know somethign i don't. Anyway, at that price, it's not even a contenter in the VR market.

This is one war Microsoft shouldn't bother trying to win. VR is a gimmick.

the big advantage of AR is that you can't run into to things.

Please, I hope MS doesn't waste time like Sony has with VR.

Exactly my thoughts.

Of course they will. Was there really ever any doubt? :P

I agree.

@ArchoNils2: Hololens and Windows Holographic are different things.

Hololens is AR not VR as Microsoft has its own PC OEMs doing VR

Seems like you have been under a rock for a few months

'May' is definitely an apt word now for Cancelsoft.

What wars ? Rofl ...

I'm sorry but MS trying to get in on the VR is a waste of time. I rather MS just focus on games and Scorpio only since that's all they got left as there wild card.

VR is currently niche.. It is too cost prohibitive right now for the average consumer to get behind it, and the lack of consumer support makes it too risky for developers to pour a lot of resources in it.. And I would say $300 is still cost prohibitive on the console, you're basically paying as much for a second console for a accessory that will not give you as many games then if you had just bought that second system.

They can have it..

PSVR is sold out everywhere. Sony wins.

I really don't care much for vr

MS should not waste time on VR. The PSVR flopped so hard that it practically doesn't exist. What's in MS favor is that their support is universal because of the windows platform so there is no wasted resources on this.

Heard it was being cancelled.

LOL, so much wrong...

Windows Holographich is not an OS. It is an API and set of tools. This is actually the best thing MS could be doing in the VR space, creating a universal API allowing the developers to make programs that are hardware agnostic instead of having to specifically support each different VR headset.

Those headsets are not MS products, they are products from their respective manufacturers that happen to use Windows Holographic. You wouldn't consider games that use Direct X as MS games, this is the same thing. Also, none of them have had working models that people have been able to try, so it's unknown how well they will actually work. Also unknown is the price. No one has actually set their price at the low target of $299 and Lenovo has specifically stated less than $400 and they're trying to get as close to $300 as they can.

Fallout 4 VR has only been announced for PC (Vive specifically), not for Project Scorpio. It's not because of Windows Holographic (which it hasn't been even hinted at using) that it will be available for PC.

Microsoft isn't winning shit. All they're doing is playing catch up. The failure of the xbone has made them announce a theoretical console over one year out.

They have not developed any kind of vr hardware for themselves, and all they did to get on the bandwagon was announce their controllers bundled with the rift lol. If you think MS has some glorious vision for how they're going to corner each market you're so wrong. All they're doing is playing catch up. Sony currently has the hardware, the games and VR. PSVR is bloody awesome.

Seems like you should spend some time actually researching stuff you are talking about and come back when you understand it better.

Nope because UWP is a cancer as stated by Tim Sweeney and it needs to die.

GamesBeat: Do you have any update on your tangling with Microsoft to get Windows to be more open?

Sweeney: Microsoft has done a lot of great things with UWP lately. They’ve opened up the installation APIs, so any new version of Windows 10 can install a UWP application from any source. You can buy them from the Windows Store, but that’s not the only place. They’ve done almost everything I would have wanted or envisioned as far as openness, except for promising the industry that they won’t close it down in the future.

That’s my one worry about the Windows platform. Microsoft has given itself, through Windows 10’s forced auto-update process, the ability to close things down at any point. Either Microsoft needs to make assurances to the industry that they’ll keep it open, so we can rely on it and invest ourselves more heavily in these new technologies like UWP and Windows Holographic. Or, if they’re not willing to do that, then the industry needs to refuse to get on board with things they could close down and continue using Win32 and OpenVR and Oculus VR. We need to avoid going down a path where we might find the doors slamming shut behind us.

http://venturebeat.com/2016/12/16/epics-tim-sweeney-be-patient-the-metaverse-will-come-and-it-will-be-open/

I understand what Microsoft's strategy pretty well, all that is been said has all come true.

https://youtu.be/F1dRgWpGePs?t=2m1s

http://www.polygon.com/features/2016/10/27/13433658/microsoft-headsets-aim-to-democratize-mixed-reality

In Microsoft's and Kipman's view, that single platform is Windows 10, which has Windows Holographic baked in. The operating system is already moving in that direction with a push for Universal Windows Programs, software that can easily run across any hardware using the operating system, be it a laptop, desktop, tablet or gaming console.

"At E3 this year we said that Scorpio is VR ready, that's because it's that same Windows platform, it has the same Windows Holographic bits," Kipman said. "Our vision for the longest time has been one operating system with a single universal store, with a single universal development platform."

None of that actually counters anything I said. He said "We're moving Fallout 4 to VR" not "we're moving Fallout 4 to VR for Project Scorpio". It's not been officially announced and his statement was a mere impression of the console, not an announcement.

I have no idea what you're trying to say with that second link.

you will be proven to be completely wrong

VR isn't a 'war', it's a battle, or even a skirmish...

They may, sure,,, unless its cancelled

Actually, no! All MS did was set the windows default settings to allow the sideloading of apps from TRUSTED SOURCES. Means That still requires the dev/publisher to submit the app to MS for approval before it can be allowed to distribute after registering for Microsoft program. It's far from open eco system. MS still holds the right whether to greenlit the app or no.

In open ecosystem, every store should have the same footing as MS. That's they should be the judge on what app they want to allow on their store not MS. An example of open ecosystem is a current Win32 program where I can go to any website, download and install the program of my choice. UWP isn't. It's controlled by MS. Even if Epic it suits Epic because they had no prob;ems with MS it doesn't mean it's the same open ecosystem. UWP needs to die.

@zeeshanhaider: Microsoft, while considered a trusted source, it doesn't mean they control the process for all apps and games. In fact there are other companies that are considered a trust source verisign is one.

Yeah, those are for open ecosystems like web where a provider can digitally sign the content from any CA but in case of UWP MS is the sole person that dictates these terms and has the authority. So, no UWP is not at all an open ecosystem.

@zeeshanhaider: do you have evidence that Microsoft controls the process outside of the Windows Store?

From your own article:

Does this new change mean that UWP is an open ecosystem? Let’s take a look at what it means for developers, specifically: If you apply to become a Microsoft Registered Developer, and Microsoft accepts you, then you take a UWP app you have compiled and submit it to Microsoft. If Microsoft chooses to accept the app, then it will digitally sign the app using its DRM and return it to the developer, at which point the developer can distribute it to users, and users can manually install and run it on any machine with default Windows 10 Settings.

Is this open? You be the judge.

It’s certainly a departure from the win32 precedent, in which any developer can compile a program, put it on a web site, and any user can install or run it by downloading and clicking on it.

If the goal is to enable users to securely identify the origin of a program (a worthy goal), then a centralized Microsoft approval process is unnecessary. In win32, any developer can obtain a digital certificate from a Certificate Authority, using the same open ecosystem that the web itself uses for digital signatures in the https protocol. This approach scales securely to millions of websites around the world and to countless win32 applications today.

What on earth makes you thing that HoloLens VR (or any other VR for that matter) will do better on consoles than PC? HoloLens is being targeted at a lot more than gaming, which means versatility and if there is one thing that consoles are not known for it versatility, that will not be any different with Xbox Scorpio. It's already outdated in terms of power by high end PC's, long before it hits the shelves.

@GarGx1 said:@daniel_su123 said: Windows Holographic = Works on both AR, MR, VR and scales from Mobile AR and VR, MR to high end AR, VR, MR headsets like Vive and HoloLens

All apps work on both AR, MR and VR = makes MS compete on all types of headsets.

Though MS has made the barrier of entry to VR quite low. Surface Book level low. Though it's likely that this would be for casual games and content at this level.

$300 price point = makes this accessible to many people around the world, while also keeping good specs, as shown with the Lenovo VR headset

Scalable specs and range = This allows MS and OEMs to scale to the most common device specs that Valve and Oculus could not do, though only High end PCs will enjoy the better experience as it has a GPU and can run better hardcore games and casual games along with all UWP apps, whereas cheap headsets run casual games and all UWP apps.

Inside out tracking and HoloLens tech = MS used their R&D on the HoloLens and licensed this to their OEM partners, not only is this a superior approach compared to Chaperone approach, it also allowed MS to basically be first in the market with an inside out headsets at a $300 price point.

Windows Holographic runs on Scorpio = This allows MS to extend their OS to the consoles, where it is guaranteed that Console VR will do better than PC VR, however since Windows Holographic runs on PC as well, exclusives on Scorpio VR will work on PC. It's confirmed that Fallout 4 will be available on VR, in turn on Windows Holographic and since Windows Holographic works on PC, PC gamers will get the game as well.

Bundles = Since Microsoft often does bundles for their products, Microsoft may bundle VR headsets to PCs and Scorpio, it gives a direct approach to the consumer, compared to Vive and Oculus.

What on earth makes you thing that HoloLens VR (or any other VR for that matter) will do better on consoles than PC? HoloLens is being targeted at a lot more than gaming, which means versatility and if there is one thing that consoles are not known for it versatility, that will not be any different with Xbox Scorpio. It's already outdated in terms of power by high end PC's, long before it hits the shelves.

Because Consoles are a lot more accessible than PC that require VR headsets at the moment.

@daniel_su123: So it's your opinion, that's absolutely fine everyone is entitled to one. I was curious to know what your source for that was.