VR on Xbox One rumors are gaining momentum as Ars Technica reports that an unnamed game developer is working on a VR title for Microsoft’s game console.
Ars Technica’s Kyle Orland reports, “Ars can confirm that at least one major developer is currently planning to release a new virtual reality game on the Xbox One in 2017 and plans to show that game at E3.”
“The information was provided to Ars directly by the developer as part of pre-E3 planning and was confirmed by a PR representative… a well-known European studio is planning ‘a new VR game’ set in the universe of an established, long-running franchise,” the report continues.
The developer and title are of course unnamed, so we’re still treating this information as unconfirmed. However, the report adds momentum to recent rumors suggesting that Microsoft is preparing an update to its Xbox One console, and with it, further pursuing its partnership with Oculus, possibly to bring support for the Rift headset to the system.
For some time now, the Oculus Rift seems to make sense for the eventual VR play on Xbox. At Oculus’ E3 media event in 2015, Microsoft and Oculus announced a partnership; instead of bringing someone from the Windows team on stage however, Oculus tapped Microsoft’s Xbox Head, Phil Spencer, to deliver the news that the Rift would be bundled with an Xbox One controller, as well as ‘plug and play’ support for Windows 10 and game streaming from Xbox One to the Rift through Windows 10.
With this partnership already in place, and Microsoft apparently being behind the curve in the VR space compared to Sony and others, it would seem foolish for the company to try to spin up its own VR headset at this point in the game, one which would ultimately compete with Oculus, and strain the partnership on the PC front.
Rumors about Microsoft’s Xbox One VR play have not been consistent regarding when we’re likely to see an official announcement. While the VR game in question from the Ars Technica report may be shown at next month’s E3, it’s also in development for PC and PS4 (PSVR), according to the publication, and will likely be shown on one of those two platforms at E3, which means it may end up hiding in plain sight.
