Notes

First Look at Virtual Reality Minecraft At Xbox Showcase

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



1 March 2016



Minecraft is loved by millions of gamers across the globe. Now Microsoft has shown us what the world of Minecraft looks like in virtual reality.



Microsoft purchased the block-building phenomenon in 2014 for $2.5bn (PS1.8bn) This was an incredible deal that left gamers worried about its future.



The US firm said it would not ruin its popular formula, and instead said it will invest in taking Minecraft to the next level.



The Xbox division unveiled the first virtual reality version of Minecraft at an event in San Francisco event.



"It makes it feel like you're in the world of Minecraft," said Palmer Luckey, creator of the Oculus Rift VR headset.



Like other VR experiences, this one is completely absorbing. For those who are enthralled by Minecraft's addictive building process, it is a big improvement over watching it on a normal screen.



But for a game loved by youngsters, there's a price that could be a concern for parents: $1,500.



This is the recommended amount to purchase an Oculus headset as well as a powerful PC to power it.



It's surely too expensive So I suggested it to Mr. Luckey.



"It isn't," he said.



"I mean, it is expensive in comparison to other devices out in the world but when you consider it in comparison to a mobile phone or television you're getting more technology.



"It's not as if this is simple hardware, and the price is expected to decrease in time."



If it is to be adopted by the mass media, it will need to come down very quickly.



I predict a minor revival of the arcade games. This is a place where people can go to play high-end video games that they are unable to afford for themselves.



Big titles



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



Quantum Break was a fascinating world that made me lose an hour. It's a game where you take on the role of Jack Joyce, an unwilling action hero who develops the ability to alter time following an experiment that went wrong.



If that sounds like yet another typical scenario for a game, you'd be right. However, the game's mechanics (think "bullet time" but with a twist) create something unique.
What’s the worst that could happen


Also look out for Tom Clancy's The Division - set in an exact replica of Manhattan.



A lot of the titles that were featured on the show were also advertised as excellent to run on a PC via Microsoft's Windows 10 operating systems.



"If you take a look at the numbers, PC gaming is the fastest growing segment of gaming out there," said head of Xbox Phil Spencer.



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



Virtual plans



Microsoft has decided not to develop its own headset for virtual reality. However it is working on the Hololens-specific Hololens. Instead, it is working to make it compatible with the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive.



In the debate over price On the price debate, Mr Spencer stated that he believed that virtual reality would follow the path of high definition TVs - a luxury item initially however, it is a challenge to resist once experienced.



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



Given that Sony's PlayStation 4 will be getting its own VR headset, I asked if Microsoft might also think about making its own VR headset.



He added, "I believe it could be something we'll be able to incorporate into our roadmap." He also stressed that Windows 10 was now fully compatible with VR games, but he did not mention this.



'Not hacked'



Of course, new games mean nothing unless gamers can get online to play them. This has been a challenge.



Insufficient reliability on Xbox Live, the online gaming platform used by Xbox gamers, has led to thousands of issues.



The most disgruntled fans are rapper Snoop Dogg, who - in a video that was too vulgar to link to here - demanded Bill Gates to fix the issue or he'd switch to PlayStation.



Mr Spencer apologized for the problems.



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



"This last outage was a problem and we have learned from it. It took us a bit longer to comprehend the issue, but it was clear.



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



Snoop Dogg is at risk of being lost: "Snoop has been a long-time Xbox player and a supporter for a long time.



"I can understand when people become angry. It's a sign that people love and are committed to the work we do as a game platform.



Follow Dave Lee on Twitter @DaveLeeBBC and on Facebook



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