Notes

First Look at Virtual Reality Minecraft At Xbox Showcase

First glimpse of virtual reality Minecraft at Xbox showcase Dave Lee North America technology reporter



1 March 2016



Minecraft is already loved by millions of gamers across the world - now Microsoft has shown us what the real world is like in virtual real-world.



Microsoft bought the block-building phenomenon in 2014 for $2.5bn (PS1.8bn), a huge deal that left many fans of the game worried about its future.



The US firm said that it would not alter its popular formula but instead invest in Minecraft.



In a special event held in San Francisco's trendy Mission District, its Xbox division showcased the virtual real-world version of Minecraft for the first time.



Palmer Luckey, creator and designer of the Oculus Rift VR headset, said it makes you feel as if you're in Minecraft.



It's like many VR experiences. It's a complete immersion. For those who are enthralled by Minecraft's addictive building process, it's a significant step up from watching it on a normal screen.



However, for a game that is loved by children, there's one figure that parents might be concerned about 1500 dollars.



That's the amount they'll have to pay for an Oculus Rift headset as well as an operating system that can run it.



It's certainly too costly, I suggested to Mr Luckey.



He replied, "It isn’t."



It is expensive however, it has many more features than a television or mobile phone.



"It's not like this is a simple piece of hardware and the price is likely to decrease as time passes."



It'll have to be slowed down quickly if it is to be adopted by mainstream audiences in the near future.



In the meantime, I'd expect an occasional revival of the arcade games, a place where people go to play top-quality games that they are unable to afford to purchase for their homes.



Big titles



Minecraft on Oculus was one of the many games displayed at Xbox's Spring Showcase, a chance for journalists - and some influential YouTube gamers, naturally - to be involved with tomorrow's blockbusters.



I was able to lose an hour in the enthralling world of Quantum Break. It's a game where you play Jack Joyce, an uncooperative action hero who acquires the ability to manipulate time after an experiment went wrong.



If this sounds like another scenario that is predictable for an online game, you're right. However, the game's mechanics (think "bullet time" but with a twist) make it a unique experience.



Also, be sure to read Tom Clancy's The Division -- set in a meticulously faithful-to-life Manhattan.



Many of the titles featured on the show were advertised as being great to use on a PC using Microsoft's Windows 10 operating systems.



"If you look at the figures, PC gaming is the fastest-growing segment of gaming available," said head of Xbox Phil Spencer.



"It's only normal that we'd focus on gaming on Windows."



Virtual plans



In the realm of virtual reality, Microsoft has opted not to develop its own headset - although it is working on the augmented reality-focused Hololens but is instead working to make itself compatible with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.



On the price debate, Spencer stated that he believes virtual reality will follow the same path that was set by high-definition TVs. It's a high-end product at first but it becomes difficult to resist once you have experienced it.



"The early adopters will be there to boost the VR industry," he said.



In light of the fact that Sony's PlayStation 4 will soon get its own VR headset, I asked if Microsoft might consider creating its own VR headset.



He added, "I believe it could be something on our roadmap." He also said that Windows 10 was now fully compatible with VR titles however, he did not mention this.



'Not hacked'



The latest games are useless when players can't play them online. And of late it's been quite a challenge.



The poor reliability of Xbox Live - the service Xbox gamers utilize to play against each other online has resulted in the stressing of thousands.



Snoop Dogg is one of the fans who are disgruntled. He has pleaded with Bill Gates to fix the problem, or he'd defect to PlayStation.



Mr. Spencer apologized for the issue.



He added, "It's evidently always regretful."



"This last outage was a concern, we learned from it. It took us a little longer to understand the issue, but it was clear.



He denied that the company was the victim of hacking, and said that although its network was constantly under attack it wasn't, like claimed destroyed as a result of an orchestrated effort to cause gamers to be cut off.



Snoop Dogg is at risk of losing his identity: "Snoop has been a long-time Xbox gamer and fan for a long time.



"I understand when people are angry. Gaming I take it as an expression of the love and devotion people have to the things we do as a game platform."



Follow Dave Lee on Twitter @DaveLeeBBC, and on Facebook



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