Xbox
Xbox won’t make the jump to Virtual Reality until “there’s an audience”
Microsoft is not looking to experiment in VR through Xbox until the market grows enough to make it stable, according to the division’s bosses.
Xbox is clear about its stance on virtual reality. While its main rival recently launched their newest VR device, the company is clear in that first there must be a stable audience that attracts large numbers. Only in this way will they invest in the field. These statements do not come from just anyone: they have been made by Matt Booty, the head of Xbox Game Studios, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“I think for us, it’s just a bit of wait until there’s an audience there,” said Booty . “We’re very fortunate that we have got these big IPs that have turned into ongoing franchises with big communities. We have 10 games that have achieved over 10 million players life-to-date, which is a pretty big accomplishment, but that’s the kind of scale that we need to see success for the game and it’s just, it’s not quite there yet with AR, VR.”
Spencer already said so in 2021
In this regard, Microsoft has not altered their plans in the slightest, since they already mentioned this back in October 2021. On that occasion, it was Phil Spencer, CEO of the Xbox division, who stressed that they would not enter this field for the moment, although he praised the efforts in VR by companies such as Valve, Oculus, and Sony. “I think that the hardware innovation that’s happening is great and it’s an important enabler, [but] right now I’m deciding to stay more in the software side of that enablement. I believe it will scale better in the long run,” he explained.
“We’re big believers in that software platform and the devices that will enable that. Absolutely. [But] we’re focused a lot more on the software side of that right now. When I think about immersive worlds and I think about the connection of a player and community, that’s something that’s very high on our investment list,” he stressed. The issue is that this investment was directed towards another path, which, as he rightly comments, is through software and services.
Sources | The Hollywood Reporter, VGC