Microsoft Breaks Promise to Offer VR on Xbox One Because PC Is Better at It

If any Xbox One owner out there was holding out hope that virtual reality (VR) would be coming to their console, Microsoft just squashed that dream to a pulp. The company recently confirmed that it is not working on providing VR support to its console, preferring instead to leave that up to the PC. This effectively breaks the promise that Microsoft made in the past, which made Xbox One owners hopeful.

This sad confirmation was made when GamesIndustry.biz spoke to Microsoft Chief Marketing Officer Mike Nichols back at E3 2018. During the interview, Nichols said that they would not be providing support for either VR or augmented reality (AR) for the Xbox One.

"We don't have any plans specific to Xbox consoles in virtual reality or mixed reality," Nichols explained. "Our perspective on it has been and continues to be that the PC is probably the best platform for more immersive VR and MR."

As CNET points out, however, this is in direct contradiction to what Xbox boss Phil Spencer promised fans when the Xbox One X was revealed back in June 2016. At the time, he said that the upgraded console was designed to support VR.

“This is hardware built specifically to lead the console industry into true 4K gaming and high-fidelity VR," Spencer told an adoring crowd during the event.

It would seem that Microsoft has since done a 180 on that issue and gave up. Then again, this is not entirely surprising as it would seem that the company has been hinting at exactly this eventuality. Spencer himself had expressed doubt with regards to how lucrative the VR industry is going to be and whether or not it was even worth getting into.

At this point, the only hope for Microsoft fans to experience Mixed Reality is through the HoloLens, Engadget notes. Considering how much Sony is struggling to make money off PSVR, though, abandoning VR support for the Xbox One might be the savvier business choice.