First glimpse of virtual reality Minecraft at Xbox showcase Dave Lee North America technology reporter
1 March 2016
Minecraft is already adored by millions of gamers across the world . Microsoft has shown us what the world of Minecraft looks like in virtual reality.
Microsoft purchased the block-building phenomenon in 2014 at $2.5bn (PS1.8bn) which was which was a massive purchase that left many players of the game anxious about its future.
The US firm said that it would not ruin its popular formula but instead invest in Minecraft.
The Xbox division unveiled the first virtual reality version Minecraft at a San Francisco event.
Palmer Luckey, creator and designer of Oculus Rift VR headset, claimed that it makes you feel as if you are in Minecraft.
As with many VR experiences, it's utterly absorbing. It's a fantastic way to experience Minecraft's addictive creation process on a VR screen.
Parents may be worried about $1,500 that is the price of a game that is popular with kids.
That's the amount they'll need to spend if they want to buy an Oculus Rift headset as well as an operating system that can run it.
It's certainly too expensive, and I suggested to Mr. Luckey.
He said, "It isn’t."
It's expensive however, it has much more technology than a TV or mobile phone.
"It's not like this is simple hardware, and the price is expected to go down in time."
It'll need to go down fairly quickly if it is to be accepted by mainstream audiences in the near future.
I expect a slight revival of the games arcade. This is an area where people can go to play video games of the highest quality that they are unable to afford for themselves.
Big titles
Oculus Minecraft was just one of several games that were on display at Xbox Spring Showcase. This allowed journalists (and some YouTube stars) the opportunity to play some of the blockbusters of the future.
Quantum Break was a fascinating world that made me lose an hour. It's a video game where you play Jack Joyce, an uncooperative action hero who gains the ability to manipulate time following an experiment gone wrong.
If this sounds like another typical scenario for an online game, you're right. However, the game's mechanics (think "bullet time", only better) make it something special.
Also, be sure to read Tom Clancy's The Division -- set in a meticulously faithful-to-life Manhattan.
A number of the titles featured on the show were also promoted as being great for play on PCs, thanks to Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system.
"If you look at the numbers, PC gaming is the fastest-growing segment of gaming available," said head of Xbox Phil Spencer.
"It's normal that we'd concentrate on gaming on Windows."
Virtual plans
In the realm of virtual reality, Microsoft has opted not to create its own headset - although it is developing the augmented reality-focused Hololens but is instead working to make it 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 high definition televisions have set. It is a luxury item initially, but it becomes hard to resist once you've been there.
"The early adopters will be there to help propel the VR industry," he said.
Given that Sony's PlayStation 4 will be getting its own VR headset, I asked whether Microsoft too might consider making its own gear.
He added, "I believe it could be something on our roadmap." But he stressed the focus now was entirely on making Windows 10 fully-compatible with high-end VR games.
'Not hacked'
The new games aren't worth anything in the absence of players who can play them online. And of late it's been a bit of a challenge.
The low reliability of 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 - requested Bill Gates to fix the issue or he'd switch to PlayStation.
Mr. Spencer apologized for the issue.
He added, "It's evidently always regretful."
"This last outage was a concern and we have learned from it. It took us a bit longer to grasp the issue however, it was apparent.
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 as a result of an orchestrated effort to cause gamers to be disconnected.
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And on the risk of losing Snoop Dogg: "Snoop's been a long-time gamer and long-time fan of Xbox.
"I am able to understand when people are upset. I see it as an indication of the love and dedication people have for what we offer as a gaming platform."
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