Thoughts on the Oculus Quest 2: Should Xbox make a run at VR?

Source: Windows Cardinal

A couple of years ago, I wrote a piece about my thoughts on VR as information technology stood dorsum then, having used the cheapest, most awkward solution, HP's old Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) headset. Despite the awkwardness of using that device, I yet fancied the tech. The experience of mining in Minecraft VR in first-person was bright, and blasting zombies in Arizona Sunshine VR just doesn't get quondam. At least, until you start feeling VR-drawn, that is.

Every bit intrigued as I was by VR in 2022, my interest in it began to wane over time. Information technology didn't seem like Microsoft'southward run on affordable VR tech panned out, with the Microsoft Store and WMR effort largely falling by the wayside in recent years. In addition, competing solutions like the HTC Vive remain prohibitively expensive, or in the case of Oculus, frustratingly bound to the Facebook platform.

Nonetheless, my curiosity for the tech was sated recently when I got a take chances to try the completely wireless Oculus Quest 2. It doesn't require complicated beacon setups, nor does it require a powerful connected PC, tethered with a cable or 2. This is ultimately the end-goal of VR, to exist completely standalone, independent of an external device.

The Oculus Quest 2 is truly quite magical, but it doesn't solve some of the cadre issues with VR, which makes me wonder if the tech will e'er hit the mainstream, or remain a niche for hobbyists and enthusiasts. Could Xbox's expertise span the gap?

Thoughts on the Oculus Quest 2

Source: Windows Cardinal

The Oculus Quest 2 is a truly remarkable piece of tech and reminds me of the time I tried out HoloLens. I accept to acknowledge, as much every bit I despise Facebook for its irresponsibility in how its social networks are affecting society, the Oculus engineering science endeavour is naught short of praiseworthy.

The Oculus Quest 2 is a truly remarkable slice of tech.

My only other experiences with VR were quick demos in sweaty gaming conventions and the very depression-end HP WMR headset of the by. The Oculus Quest 2 blows those experiences out of the water, with mature and polished software, but also intuitive setup systems.

Windows Mixed Reality can hands extend to Steam, so can the Oculus Quest 2 if you're willing to jump through some hoops. If y'all want to mainstream your tech, ease of use is an absolute must, though, and it's hither that the Oculus Quest 2 really shines. A elementary fix sequence asks you to designate a play area and besides inform it where the flooring resides by moving one controller to the ground. The room scanning is shockingly detailed and accurate. The audio directionality is impressive, sounding incredibly loud when it's on your head, simply quiet to everyone else in the room. This is the sort of seamlessness I would wait to see this tech proliferate.

Walking Dead Saints & Sinners is an excellent survival sim on Oculus Quest 2.

I tried out diverse games, including the popular Beat Saber, alongside Superhot, and Walking Expressionless Saints & Sinners. Beat Saber is a fun activeness game that in some ways reminded me of Kinect, where y'all slice cubes that hurtle towards the screen in time with popular music. Superhot is another excellent game for VR, taking place in tedious motion. Time merely moves when you lot move, letting y'all pull off John Wick-style stunts against an onslaught of faceless agents.

It's perhaps ironic that VR is supposed to be liberating, yet somehow it still feels then constrictive.

Walking Dead Saints & Sinners was a dissimilar bag, though. This was a full survival sim, complete with crafting mechanics, exploration, and a big variety of weapons and combat systems. This game, like Minecraft earlier it, I plant incredibly disorienting to play. Games, where your arm and paw movements in-game don't match upwards with your arm and hand movements in real life, tin induce motion sickness. No matter how hard I try, I seem to be overly sensitive to this.

I have to ask myself if I would exist willing to put downward $300 dollars for this experience, given that so many games still seem to induce move sickness in me. I'm told it gets easier over time, just how much time? Then I commencement to feel similar I should only burn up my Xbox or my Nintendo Switch, and relish a more relaxing, less fatiguing experience, with higher resolution and better graphics.

It's perhaps ironic that VR is supposed to be liberating, yet somehow it notwithstanding feels and then constrictive.

Should Xbox try VR?

Source: Windows Central

Towards the end of 2022, Xbox caput Phil Spencer said in an interview that at that place wasn't a huge amount of interest in VR for Xbox. This was after the Xbox I X was appear to be supporting VR, which was after quietly shelved. Microsoft'southward involvement in VR seems to extend only to augmented experiences with HoloLens, specially in a business organization context, although they did purchase some consumer-oriented VR products like Altspace VR. Fifty-fifty still, development on these platforms continues, and Microsoft fifty-fifty brought VR to Flying Simulator late concluding year.

The basic inconvenience of having to clothing a headset stands in opposition to why I game: relaxation.

Despite some high-profile releases like Half-Life: Alyx, VR's uptake is still not exactly what yous'd call huge. According to some reports, VR sales but striking around 5.five million in 2022, despite the pandemic keeping everyone at habitation. In that location's something to be said about supply issues, potentially, but the Oculus Quest two is currently easily available to buy on Amazon and has been for weeks, while the Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch all suffer massive supply issues.

At that place just doesn't seem to be an appetite for this technology. It perhaps doesn't assistance that in order to just try VR you have to be willing to go in at 300 dollars, and also, trust the Facebook ecosystem. PC solutions like Valve's VR platform are also astronomically expensive.

I'd be far more willing to invest in an Xbox VR headset, given that Microsoft isn't tying user habits to advertisers, and has long proven itself in the gaming space. Nonetheless, despite the fact the Oculus Quest 2 is easily the all-time VR headset I've used, I still don't know if I intendance much for it. It's a fun novelty at commencement, like in vein to Kinect, but the basic inconvenience of having to wear a headset stands in opposition to why I game: relaxation. Slapping an Xbox brand on a headset isn't enough to brand me intendance.

An uncertain future

Source: Windows Key

VR shipments are expected to abound year on year according to most analysts, but they're not ever correct. VR sales actually declined in 2022. Y'all have to wonder how much of an effect the pandemic is having to buoy current interest. If indeed, there is any. As I say, the Oculus Quest 2 is nowhere near selling out.

Without users driving involvement, eventually, game developers will likewise lose interest, and thus we have the chicken and egg trouble Windows Phone fans around here will exist all besides familiar with. With no devs, you have no games, with no players, you take no devs. Also, the ingenuity of VR as a blueprint discipline will take longer to mature without active development and feedback from users.

Despite all that, if one day Facebook or some other company manages to solve once and for all some of the biggest ergonomic problems with this tech, I'd jump on board without hesitation. The immersion is fun. Simply the discomfort is very much not fun. Until someone is able or willing to take a risk on solving some of these bug, Xbox should probably stick to what it'due south good at.

Would you lot like to run across Xbox make a VR headset for the Xbox Series X? Striking the comments.

Shifting realities

Oculus Quest ii

The best VR yet

The Oculus Quest 2 is quite hands the best and easiest VR feel money can purchase, without whatsoever demand for external tracking beacons or a powerful PC to run it.

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/thoughts-oculus-quest-2-and-xbox-vr

Posted by: reeseacceent.blogspot.com

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